Yoruba Belief About Abiku Children

There are some peculiar names and attributes assigned to a certain class of children called “ Abiku '' i.e. born to die. These are supposed to belong to a fraternity of demons living in the banana plantation, dumping site (akitan) or woods especially large Iroko trees; and each one of them coming into the world would have arranged beforehand the precise time he will return to his company.


Meaning and Origin of Abiku
The word Abiku is derived from the Yoruba language and can be broken down into "Abi" (born) and "Ku" (to die), which translates to "born to die." It refers to children who are thought to belong to a group of spirits that continuously return to torment their parents by dying young and being reborn. The belief in Abiku is characterized in Yoruba cosmology, where spirits play an active role in the lives of humans.

In Yoruba land, a child will be referred to as Abiku when a woman has lost several children in infancy, especially after a short period of illness, the deaths are attributed to this cause, and means are adopted to thwart the plans of these infants in order that they may stay; for if they can only tide over the pre-arranged date, they may go no more, and thus entirely forget their company.

Signs and Characteristics of Abiku
Yoruba elders and traditional healers often claim that Abiku children have distinct physical and behavioral traits that differentiate them from other children. Some of these include:

•  Frequent illnesses that resist medical treatment
•  A frail or sickly appearance
•  Deep scars or birthmarks, believed to be remnants from previous lives
•  A peculiar or distant demeanor, often described as being withdrawn
•  Resistance to traditional or spiritual interventions

Traditional Practices to Prevent Abiku Deaths
To break the cycle of Abiku deaths, Yoruba parents seek spiritual and traditional interventions. Some of the common methods include:

1) Scarring and Marking: Parents may place deep cuts or marks on the child's body to identify them if they return in another birth. This is done to deter the Abiku spirit from leaving.

2) Naming Rituals: Abiku children are often given names that reflect their nature, such as Duroorike (Stay and be pampered), Malomọ (Don’t go again), or Kọ̀soko (There is no more hoe to dig grave).

3) Spiritual Offerings and Rituals: Families consult traditional priests (Babalawo) who perform rituals, sacrifices, and appeasements to the spirits to persuade the Abiku to remain in the human world.

4) Amulets and Protective Charms: Special charms, beads, and amulets are worn by the child to ward off evil spirits and protect them from returning to the spirit world.

5) Adopting the Child to a Deity: Some parents dedicate their Abiku children to powerful Yoruba deities such as Òrúnmìlà (the deity of wisdom) or Ògún (the deity of iron and war) to ensure they remain alive.

Besides charms that are usually tied on them and ugly marks they are branded with, in order that their old company may refuse the association of disfigured comrades which must oblige them to stay, certain significant names are also given to them in order to show that their object has been anticipated. Such are the following names:

Yoruba Rituals for Abiku Children

Periodical feasts are usually made for these children of which beans and a liberal quantity of palm oil must form a principal dish. To this, children of their age and others are invited, and their company of demons, although unseen, they are supposed to be present and partake of these viands. This is supposed to appease them and reconcile them to the permanent stay of their comrade, so that they may always have such to feed upon.

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