Àjekùnrin: witchcraft, gender politics, and gender nonconformity in Yoruba spirituality

This study explores & Agrave;jek & ugrave;nrin, a Nigerian film directed by Sharafadeen Olabode that explores the intersection of Yoruba spirituality, witchcraft, and gender politics in an intriguing plot. By focusing on the concept of & agrave;je (Yoruba witchcraft), the film provides a nuanced portrayal of gender that transcends physical or societal constructs, instead presenting gender as shaped by spiritual forces. This research investigates how the film positions witchcraft as a space for negotiating gender nonconformity and power dynamics, presenting witchcraft as a site where women's agency is not only affirmed but also continually contested. Through the narrative, & Agrave;jek & ugrave;nrin challenges traditional Western gender frameworks by illustrating that gender identity is not dictated by biology or external roles but is influenced by spiritual and metaphysical forces. Drawing from African epistemologies, the study lends its voice to the critiques of the dominance of Western knowledge systems and the erasure of Indigenous knowledge, and contributes to the decolonisation of gender studies. This work also adds to the growing discourse on the fluidity of gender in African cultures and underlines the importance of embracing Indigenous frameworks in global gender studies.