Witchcraft and Investment Behaviour in Rural Tiv Communities, Benue State, Nigeria

Witchcraft is pervasive in all African societies including Tiv society. However, the ramifications of this practice to business and investment are ignored by researchers and government. This study was carried out in order to investigate the effects of witchcraft one business and investment in Tivland. The study was guided by Weber’s theory of Protestant Ethics and Spirit of Capitalism. The study used a case study design while a purposive and snowball sampling techniques were utilized to select Key informants. Key informant Interview was used to collect data while Data analysis involved the use summarization and transcription of the responses. The study discovered that witchcraft has both direct and indirect consequences on business and investment in Tivland.  The study also concluded that witchcraft affected business investment in attacks on life and businesses of or community family members who are perceived to be successful business people; prohibition of witches from engaging in business activities, fear of being exposed to evil attacks from witches which scares from investing and use of witchcraft as a scapegoat for not investing in business. The study also found that witchcraft has negative influence on business investment and development in Tivland.  This study therefore confirms the Max Weber’s theory that religious ideas and practices are highly connected to entrepreneurship.  The study recommends for Word of God in overcoming witchcraft and consideration of witchcraft beliefs in efforts to boost business and investment in rural communities in the study area. &nbsp

African Ecologies: The Value and Politics of Indigenous Knowledges – Introduction

This article offers an introduction to the special section about the theme of ‘African Ecologies and Indigenous Knowledges’. It explores the interest of scholars, policy makers and activists in indigenous knowledges as a resource for addressing global challenges, particularly the challenges in relation to the environment and climate change in contemporary Africa. Reviewing current literature and discourse on the subject, this Introduction foregrounds the considerable political, epistemological and methodological significance of indigenous knowledges, especially in the light of ongoing debates about decolonisation, and it highlights their relevance for understanding African ecologies. It further introduces the three articles included in this special section, embedding them in broader fields of scholarship

Disjunctures of belonging and belief: Christian migrants and the bordering of identity in Singapore

Ministry of Education, Singapore under its Academic Research Funding Tier