People are resorting to the use of some leaves they believe have some spiritual powers, not only for protection but to solve their life challenges.
The inability to find love in the city, marriage, financial challenges and low sales are some of the problems some people believe are caused by “bayie”, an akan expression for witches and wizards.
To drive away the bayie, some have found an antidote in the use of spiritual leaves they believe will ward away the evil.
This phenomenon seems to have contributed to an increase in the sale of such spiritual leaves on the market, particularly at Kaneshie and the CMB market in Accra.
A number of traders who confirmed this to The Mirror last Monday, Wednesday and Saturday said hitherto, they sold footwear for children, bread and sachet water but had switched to the sale of spiritual leaves because that was very profitable.
Some traders have also added the sale of spiritual leaves to their business.
The traders explained that there were customers who patronised them based on direction from their pastors or spiritual leaders “so when they come, they know the type of leaf to buy”.
Patrons are advised to bath with these leaves a day before their seven-day ritual
They added that there were those they (traders) had to choose specific leaves for, depending on the customer’s problem.
“For instance, some have love issues. Since they came to Accra, no man has proposed to them. Every man they date leaves them for petty reasons, those with serious financial issues, those who are over 40 years and are unable to marry, among others. There are different leaves to solve this, though you can combine two or more leaves,” they claimed.
The Mirror counted five different people who had come to buy within two minutes. In all the purchases, there was a particular leaf that almost all the customers patronised.
The traders explained that that particular leaf, which is locally called “Taameawu”, is very potent.
Taameawu
Spotted beneath one of the Kaneshie overhead bridges, Auntie Awo confirmed to The Mirror that “Taameawu” was one of the most powerful leaves created by God.
Taameawu is claimed to be a powerful leaf
“You can put some under your pillow to avoid bad dreams and also to prevent spiritual attacks. No bayie can come close to you”.
Auntie Awo, who had been selling at the same spot since 2016, said she left her bread business for the sale of the leaves. Asked what influenced her decision to change business, she explained that her sister, who was a traditional priest in her hometown at Akwadum in the Eastern Region, was knowledgeable in the use of such leaves and as an aid to the sister, she learnt on the job.
She said that she changed to the sale of leaves because they sold faster and were more profitable.
“And so, when I saw that the business was booming in Accra, I knew I could do this because I already knew about spiritual leaves,” she said.
Although she goes to the villages in the Eastern Region to pick the leaves herself, some vehicles delivered fresh ones to her every day.
leafbucket
A bucket is required to properly store the leaves
Direction for use
Auntie Awo claimed that the effect of the leaves manifested after seven days of use.
“You wash the leaves and place them into a bucket of water, pour in sea salt and soak for about 30 minutes. Use this to rinse your body after you have finished bathing and rinsing yourself off the soap. Don’t wipe your body, allow it to air dry before applying your cream,” she prescribed.
Misconception
At the CMB market, the queen mother of the spiritual leaves sellers, Maame Kasoa, who was reluctant to talk, explained that she didn’t want the media to portray them as though they were selling something bad.
She said they were in business to do “clean sales” and as such “we do not want to grant interviews for authorities to come and drive us away from here. They have been here before and we do not want them here again”.
Spiritual leaves are delivered to the sellers in sacks
On the Kingsway pavement, Auntie Julie told The Mirror “one needs GH¢70 worth of leaves for a seven-day spiritual bath. You rub the leaves together in a bucket of water till they
change colour then you strain, cover and use it to bath for seven days.
You do this when your problem has to do with love, business sales and dissappointment .There are different processes, this one you do not need to add salt. That is why you need to tell us your problem”.
Repelling sidechicks
For some of the traders, Taameawu could be used to separate a husband from his mistress also known as “sidechick”, adding that “it works when you know the name of your husband’s sidechick”.
Shops
The Mirror observed that a number of shop owners had hung some form of “spiritual leaves” in their shops and some commercial drivers had some placed around their seats.
Some shop owners hung spiritual leaves in their shops
Patrons
A journalist, Ms Rita Bio, told The Mirror that she struggled to sleep at night and was advised to purchase some of the spiritual leaves.
“Since I started using it, I am able to sleep. I sleep so well,” she said.
Another buyer, Ms Juli Anamah, who is in her early 40s, and believed she was being manipulated by “bayie”, said “Spiritual leaves are what keeps me going. My marriage has been delayed and I didn’t know it was the manipulation of my family members. For a long time, I have not been myself. But things are much better after I started using spiritual leaves, and soon my marriage ceremony will be fixed. It was a prophetess who directed me to buy. When you enter my bathroom, you will think you have entered a garden. I have them in abundance”.
A Senior lecturer at UNiMAC–GIJ, who spoke on anonymity said “I didn’t believe these things. But I had a little problem with my health and one of our female lecturers advised that I place some spiritual leaves in my office. Things have been okay. I can’t say much, but some people believe in these things”.
Some people complained to The Mirror that the leaves caused itching, but Auntie Awo said that happened when other plants got mixed up with them, adding that it was important for patrons to look through the leaves to ensure there was no such mix.