By Toyin Falola
I have two messages from you from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and lust. She asked me to talk about how a man can love you before I talk about Valentine. This goddess is also in charge of beauty and pleasure. Her department covers sex and romance. She reincarnates as Venus among the Romans, covering the same subjects, including passion and creation. Celtic Áine (not Aina) joined both goddesses. Originally the goddess of the sun, she did not derive profit from that and changed to that of love. She prefers you do love during summer, which is not a good time to visit Greece as it is hot and humid. Well, heat does not disturb my people in Lagos.
Venus asked me to tell Nigerian women that good food is not enough to obtain love. You need to put a love potion in the food, especially efo riro that has the same colour as that of brown or black potion that I offer freely. Please don’t make the mistake of putting the love portion in red sauce, as your secret will be out. If it is in a pouch, avoid putting it under the pillow and bed. Men routinely check those places. I have the one made of powder, which you mix with your regular powder. Be careful; don’t use the one recommended by Mr. Macaroni, as you will then fall in love with him instead of your husband. And don’t use it for Zaddy (Power to the people!), as he has an incurable sexual appetite.
Human attraction is a wonderful feeling. To have someone genuinely care and watch out for the other person is an attribute of the devotion they share. Humans are social, hence the need for interactions from time to time. Many cannot live alone; the books of history on the early civilization of us all have spoken moderately on the coexistence of humans, sharing levels of attraction and devotion.
Love is perhaps the strongest emotion you can experience. The sorrow and emptiness that engulfed a person at the loss of a dear one through death, separation, or conflict shows how weak we are under its influence. It is a deep connection that goes beyond what is being portrayed on movie sets in Bollywood, Telemundo, and K-drama series, from which modern youths get their inspiration. Interestingly, African love and loving styles strongly differ from what is obtained in other parts of the world. The ways obtained from other parts of the world, if conceptualized within African society, can be dangerous. Are you comparing Gu Jun Pyo’s kind of love to that of Femi, an original Yoruba demon? Just dey play.
Love is a beautiful feeling. It is friendship that is inflamed. It is loyalty through thick and thin, embracing human imperfections and weaknesses. To love is to be alive. African loving style is unique; it comprises both expressive and non-expressive shows of affection that bind people. When love is unreciprocating, it allows the feeling of unfulfilled desire for another, which may cause self-doubt, feelings of rejection, and emotional distress. Individuals who experience rejection are usually between two valleys of complex emotional disorders. They begin to question their self-worth and desirability, and some may become desperate to have the one their heart yearns for at all costs. However, in this present age, love is not always the goal; money is. Kudi. Back for ground, Naira for hand.
A man can be as ugly as a baboon, but if your pocket is loaded, you are a potential target. If not managed carefully, such individuals may become a nuisance to themselves and society at large, creating a social problem.
This brings to mind questions on the possibility of induced love. Can potions truly make people love? Does a love potion exist? I know how to make some. I will give you 500 numbers to call for reference. I have made one for a woman to attract a Senator. I was the one who made it possible for a woman in her 30s to become a federal minister without having to start as the PA to the Chair of Isola Local Government! Just dey play.
Africans are deeply rooted in ancestral practices and hold these beliefs in esteem. Our connection to ancestral ways is staunch that civilization does not interfere with core African beliefs. Our culture is not a myth or folklore, as we have seen the manifestations of these beliefs in real time. Our belief in the traditional approach to matters of life is strongly attached to the knowledge that extraterrestrial powers exist. The understanding of this allows us to share unique cultural dynamics in today’s world.
Of these beliefs is the knowledge of charms and traditional methods of getting things done. Unlike other parts of the world where this seems to be a myth, love potions exist in this part of the world and have been utilized for years to bring two distant people together. “Ogun ifẹ”, as the Yorùbá calls it, is of various types and levels of potency. There are types in the form of concoctions and food; some can be in the form of “tiro” (eyeliner) or face powder, while others can be utilized by merging two small human edifices tied together. If it is properly done, enemies will become best pals overnight.
Love must have been what Bode thought he felt when he set his eyes on Toyin at the party he attended with his girlfriend. He was a divorcee who wanted to give love another shot, and things were starting to get serious with the lady he brought to the party. Although he was sitting beside his girlfriend, he was immediately unusually drawn to Toyin, but he could not explain it. Before he could remember what day it was, he had followed Toyin to the restroom and literally wanted to eat her. Omo! He could not control himself and followed her until he got her number. By the time he came back to the party, his girlfriend had left angrily, but he was not bothered. Toyin was irresistible, and he wanted her. They spoke on the phone for a while and then linked up later, where they finally did they do. That was the “turning point” for Bode. It was not until eight months later he came back to his senses. All he saw on the floor were red clothes, waist beads, something called “Favour powder,” a bottle of Kayanmata, and a piece of paper with his name written on it sealed in a container. His mum, girlfriend, and friend had to fill him in on what happened, as he could vaguely remember.
After they had sex that day, Toyin moved into his house and barred access to him. In the space of 8 months, he had bought her a car, a house, a land, established a business for her, and was the Odogwu funding her baby girl lifestyle. He was overly jealous and protective of her, so much so that he would not care to fight anyone who even looked at her. His mother said she knew something was wrong when he stopped sending money for his children’s upkeep. It was when he said he had no money to pay his father’s hospital bills but bought Toyin a house at that same period she tightened her oja and went to ori oke. In fact, the mother had gone to the house to see him, only for Toyin to refuse her access to the house and order the gateman to chase her out. Mama Osi! She was nursing this heartache when, one day, she randomly met a woli in the market who narrated to her everything that had been happening and told her that Bode was under a spell. He then said he would follow her to Bode’s house the following day.
Fortunately, Toyin was not in the house when they came that day. As soon as he entered the house, the prophet went straight to where Toyin kept all of her “tools.” She then came in crying and confessed that she was jealous of her friends who were living large and decided to patronize an IG vendor who sold “spiritual Kayanmata.” At this time, Bode’s senses had returned, but he felt like he just woke up from a dream. His friend told him how he had almost run his business to the ground because he kept withdrawing huge sums of money from the company account. When he sat down to calculate everything he had spent on Toyin, it totalled about 150 million Naira. In 8 months! This is the part where I advise you: Fear women!
It is rather sad how this wickedness has now become normal, especially among young ladies who only want the pleasures of life on a platter of gold. They target men who have what they need, and because they wear the “favour powder,” men are automatically drawn to them like insects around bright light. “Do as I say” makes the man do everything they ask of him while Kayanmata keeps him glued to her. I know how to make both.
Despite the pride we take in this, it would be folly not to address the potential problems that arise from these methods, as they involve unethical practices that can endanger lives and social peace. Seeking affection through inducement is not right; it abolishes the essence of mutualism in affection. Using a love potion is like creating a fake reality. Deep down, you know the other person is not invested in the relationship; an entity beyond them is binding them to be with you. It is a situation that is well thought about. It is like being locked up in a dream; you only enjoy the moment while it lasts. The use of potions to get love speaks of the influencer’s insecurities, greed, and obsession with one another, and that is unhealthy.
Modernization or wokeness may be one reason why people believe that love potions do not exist. However, tales are proving their existence even in the face of denial. It is quite difficult to bring in well-documented evidence to back this claim, as many victims do not come out to talk for fear of stigmatization and embarrassment. Also, the legal system does not acknowledge it, as it cannot be proven on paper. Offenders may only be tried when the act leads to more serious harm or crime against another. Alas! The police are yet to catch me!
Love potion is not gender-based. Both genders can become prey unknowingly. Some time ago, an article, which I believe is one of the many stories of potion-induced relationships, was up on the internet. It was about a female corps member serving in a far distant land in Nigeria. At first, no one took it seriously, as it was normal for a lady to cohabit with a man. Things, however, became funny when she got pregnant, and it was discovered she had become one with the man, a “stark illiterate” who barely understood a word in English. All efforts to make her leave were futile till she birthed two kids. She did not realize what mess she was in until she was put to bed successfully. It was too late to cry when she came to her senses.
For men, the reality is quite different. Love potions can be employed on men for many reasons. It could be employed to keep an abusive man in place. Over time, people have always sought solutions to their crises. An abused wife, upon careful deliberations and advice from others, may resort to charms and concoctions to call her husband to order. This goes beyond African traditional medicine, as there are cases where women seek religious heads to give them substances that would keep their husbands calm. Such men would then be at the mercy of these women, doing their bidding. Potions may be used to snatch a man from his woman. An undocumented case was of a man who spends the most in his area at a nearby joint. According to the story, he was generous in his spending and thus attracted the attention of the joint owner, who allegedly served him pepper soup. From that moment, he forgot his home and continued to spend his money on his new mistress.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to rule out mutual attachment in this case. He might have found her alluring and decided to go with his heart. However, the onus lies in the chances that he was under the influence of something sinister. A sane man would rather commit to more than one relationship than abscond from his wife and children.
Amongst the populace, Kayanmata remains the most sought-after. For many, despite the claims by vendors, the product is the leeway to riches and unending gifting from their partners. Although the product is naturally an aphrodisiac, its use has evolved as many continue to attribute it to different things. It costs as little as ₦3000 to get a product, while a full package could be around ₦50,000 or more in this agbado economy. Even with no scientific backing, sales have been on the increase for a long, as it is a common name on the lips of many.
To strike a balance, we may have to consider the impact of good sex in relationships. Sex can be likened to food for some. Sexual energy differs by individual, and denial of sex may be frustrating for some. When the sex life is good, partners feel a high level of satisfaction and thus can result in extending goodwill to the other. This is common sense for humans as they would naturally hold onto what brings satisfaction. In essence, money or love is sometimes not the primary motivator for the use of love potions. Women can use juju on a man just because they know or perceive the man to be “well endowed” and can satisfy them properly. People have different reasons why they do what they do, and you will be shocked when you hear some of them.
If you have been jazzed, I hope this piece opens your brain. If, however, you laugh or even share it with the woman who is using Kayanmata on you, then otilo. I recommend deliverance. If you have not been Kayanmatad, stay safe. The streets are not smiling.
Await my message on Valentine’s Day!