Magic, the occult and power struggle in Nigeria

This article by Johannes Harnischfeger describes the deadly seriousness of the occult (witches, magic, witch hunts, and so on) in Nigerian society. It also reflects the decay of the country's morale. The support of sharia law in northern Nigeria is seen as in part an attempt by Muslims to respond to the resurgence of the occult with its destabilization of the existing order.

Friend Paul Todd comments, "An interesting paper and a lot that is transferable northwards. I have been looking at Pentecostalism and seeing how various scholars have pointed out just how Pentecostals address some of these same issues. My impression is that this is something SIM missionaries, with the exception of Titcombe, and ECWA as a whole have failed to do. I also came across the same author in a paper he wrote arguing that one of the main reasons for Islam spreading in Gombe State, is that the Christians have failed to agree among themselves about land & ethnic issues. Muslims are thus free to exploit the Christian divisions to their own advantage. Definitely a perceptive scholar, who is worth keeping a look out for."

State Decline and the Return of Occult Powers: The Case of Prophet Eddy in Nigeria
Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft
Volume 1, Number 1, Summer 2006
E-ISSN: 1940-5111 Print ISSN: 1556-8547
DOI: 10.1353/mrw.0.0024
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/magic_ritual_and_witchcraft/v001/1.1.harnischfeger.html