In Nigeria, my grandfather was once invited to dinner for some ‘special festival’.
Alone and interested, he decided he would go – but someone warned him against it. My grandfather doesn’t know who these people were who warned them. “We heard that you were invited for this function, but please take some sincere advice from us – don’t go.”
My grandfather, puzzled but obedient, decided not to go.
The next day, he found out what the ‘special festival’ was. Apparently, at midnight, there is a blackout. Innie-meenie-mynie-mo — and one person is selected at random. That person becomes the human sacrifice.
My grandfather also insists that human flesh was sold in the market, just not displayed. It was hung behind leaves, but openly sold.
The 1950s, not ‘modern’.
The impression of ‘uncivilised Africa’ was particularly strong.
Was this a tale told to my grandfather to frighten him? Or would it really happen?
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