Magun, or thunderbolt, is a popular charm among the Yoruba people, commonly done to curb adultery and fornication. The punishment for such an offense may vary with each community in the country, but adultery’s punishment is never enjoyable.
During biblical times, the punishment for such a crime was stoning to death in public. However, the result could equally be death in south-western Nigeria by a juju referred to as Magun. The Yorubas do not entertain adultery and have developed a powerful juju to deal with it.
Juju is a spiritual belief very common in Nigeria and West Africa. In Yoruba land, there are many forms of juju that are done for various reasons, which range from the search for justice or retribution to more selfish reasons. The Magun is one of those charms.
In Yoruba land, any form of adultery is seen as a taboo and some are fond of taking precautions to curb promiscuity. However, are we sure that this charm is real, or is there a scientific explanation.
In the Yoruba culture of the Western region of Nigeria, the strange tradition of Magun means “do not climb”. Magun is a killer charm that is placed on a woman by her lover, husband, family member, or in-law.
In fact, some parents put this charm on their daughters to either prevent them from s₤xual promiscuity or to punish anyone who rapes them.
It is also used in marriages or relationships that lack trust as either a means of catching the cheating lover or as punishment for the lover’s promiscuity.
The magun is usually laid without consent and/or trickily. A broomstick or thread can be placed on a doorstep or walkway for the woman to cross over. Nevertheless, the result can be very deadly.
A woman with this spell that is unfaithful can get ridden with strange illnesses, boils, smallpox, or increased sweating, and could eventually die. A man with the spell who cheats could end up crowing like a rooster, enlargement of the private part, headaches, convulsions or somersaulting.
However, the most common manifestation of this charm happens when a woman laid with the spell commits adultery, the p₤nis of the lover becomes stuck in the v₤gina with severe pains until the husband comes to cancel the spell.
The two popular ways the charm is put are:
By laying a charming broomstick down and having the woman cross over it.
By charming a long thread and laying it on the ground for the woman to cross over it.
Although people think Magun is a myth, there have been a number of cases and mainstream representations of the charm. In September 2015, a man got stuck while having s₤x with his friend’s wife.
In June 2016, an elder in the church was caught inside his friend’s wife during adulterous s₤x. In February 2017, a woman charged her husband to court for putting Magun on her.
And as recently as 2 months ago in June, another woman charged her husband to court for putting Magun on her.
In 2001, Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani made a movie called Thunderbolt: MAGUN that dwells on the mystery of this charm.
In 2018, Nigerian artiste, Niniola released a song and music video to her song called “MAGUN” that again discusses the effects of the charm.
Magun is still alive and well, although some people still don’t believe in the existence of the charm. Regardless of whether this is fact or fiction, it’s one hell of a myth and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about it.
The mag phenomenon is apparently not unique to Nigeria. There have been cases in other countries such as Kenya and in Zimbabwe, the phenomenon is called Runyoka.
