The Yoruba people take the issue of faithfulness in marriage very seriously. Having extramarital affairs is one action that seriously breaks the honour code of the Yoruba people.
It is therefore not surprising that the Yorubas go to extreme lengths to make sure that a woman does not engage in extramarital affairs or that their young daughters do not get raped.
This is done via the Magun charm that is basically used for justice and retribution. In the Yoruba culture of the Western region of Nigeria, the strange tradition of Magun means “do not climb”.
It is done to restrict either a man or woman from sexual promiscuity. Parents can place Magun on their daughters to keep them from being promiscuous and punish anyone who rapes them, or it could be done by in-laws, lovers, spouses to keep husbands or wives from being unfaithful.
However, using the Magun is not a process that all the parties involved willingly consent to. This charm is usually laid without consent and/or trickily.
For instance, one could place a broomstick or thread on a doorstep or walkway for the woman to cross over. A woman who has crossed over this and goes on to engage in unfaithful acts would face very serious consequences.
Such a woman who has trespassed what the Magun is used to safeguard 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, his private part could become greatly enlarged, or he could start having headaches, convulsions or somersaulting.
However, the most common manifestation of this charm happens when a woman whom the charm has been used on commits adultery. In cases like these, the penis of the lover becomes stuck in the vagina of the unfaithful woman with severe pains until her husband comes to cancel the spell.
Research has shown that the Magun spell is also used in other parts of Africa, however, with a different name. There have been cases in other countries such as Kenya and in Zimbabwe, the phenomenon is called Runyoka.
