The bizarre story of how ‘witchcraft bees’ reportedly led a Nigerian man to Christ in 1989

• A September 1989 Prime People report described how a Nigerian man named Roland reportedly encountered a swarm of bees after allegedly attempting to steal a protected motorcycle.

• The motorcycle owner said the bees disappeared after her father lifted the motorcycle, while Roland fainted and later regained consciousness after sacrifices were reportedly made.

• Roland later embraced Christianity, saying he believed God had used the experience to save him, although he did not confirm whether he had attempted to steal the motorcycle.

In September 1989, Prime People published a story about a man called Roland, whose reported encounter with a swarm of bees became part of his journey to Christianity.

The account, written by Umo Ekanem, came from Uruan, in present-day Akwa Ibom State. It described a community where motorcycles were the major means of transportation and how the high rate of theft of these motorcycles made their owners turn to traditional practitioners for protection against theft.

According to the magazine, the belief was that anyone who attempted to steal a protected motorcycle would be attacked by bees. One young woman, Atim Effiong, told the publication that she witnessed an incident that convinced her the protection worked.

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Effiong said her father had arranged for her Honda motorcycle to be protected after his own motorcycle was reportedly stolen shortly after he bought it.

She recalled parking her motorcycle outside a local bar and going inside to buy meat. A scream soon drew her back outside, where she reportedly found a crowd gathered around her motorcycle and a young man, whom she identified as Roland, covered in bees.

Effiong said she went to call her father, who took the young man to the practitioner who had prepared the motorcycle's protection. 

According to her account, the bees disappeared after her father lifted the motorcycle, but Roland had fainted. She also said sacrifices were made before he regained consciousness.

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When Ekanem interviewed Roland, the magazine reported that he had become a Christian and was spending his time praying and reading the Bible.

Asked whether he had attempted to steal Effiong's motorcycle, Roland reportedly replied, “I don't know.” He did not provide a clear account of what had happened to him.

Instead, he spoke about his faith, saying he believed the Lord had used the experience to save him. He then brought out a worn Bible and began preaching.

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Ekanem's report also described an interview with a traditional practitioner in nearby Mbiakong, who reportedly acknowledged preparing protective mixtures. The ingredients he gave included a live cock, white cloth and a small amount of money.

The magazine said other motorcyclists in the area knew about the practice. It did not provide independent evidence that the preparations could summon bees or cause them to attack suspected thieves.

Editor's note: This feature is based on a report by Umo Ekanem published in Prime People in September 1989. Pulse has not independently verified the incident or the claims attributed to the people interviewed in the original report.