A Nigerian YouTuber exposes Benin voodoo tricks in a bold video that’s got everybody talking across West Africa and beyond. Steven Ndukwu, a popular travel creator with millions of views on his channel, dropped the footage last week after sneaking into the heart of Benin’s famous festivals.
He travelled from Nigeria straight to Ouidah, the spot known as the voodoo capital, right around the time of their big yearly gathering. In the clip, which runs over 20 minutes and has already passed half a million plays, Steven shows up close what goes on behind the scenes of these wild performances.
You see spinning masquerades called Zangbeto, those big straw figures that whirl around like they’re alive with spirits. He lifts one up on camera to reveal nothing underneath — no person, no tricks visible at first.
But then he explains how it’s all done with hidden mechanics and group coordination. The crowd watches stunned as he breaks it down step by step.
Steven says he paid the performers $600 bucks to let him film the real deal. “I did my part; they did theirs,” he posted later on X, clapping back at folks accusing him of mocking Benin culture. Critics piled on quick after the video went live.
Some called it straight disrespectful, saying he turned sacred traditions into cheap entertainment. One commenter wrote, “This man just exposed our ancestors’ secrets for views.” Others worried it hurts tourism or spreads wrong ideas about voodoo as just smoke and mirrors.
But Steven stands his ground. In replies and follow-up posts, he argues he’s just showing the truth to curious people worldwide. He got the idea after watching American streamer IShowSpeed run scared from similar masquerades during his Benin trip last year.
Speed’s video showed him freaking out as a “spirit of death” chased him, but Steven wanted to dig deeper. “After seeing that, I had to go see for myself,” he shared on Instagram.
His adventure takes viewers through dusty villages, chatting with priests and locals who practise voodoo daily. He even joins a ritual, looking nervous but pushing on.
Voodoo, or Vodun as locals call it, mixes African roots with spiritual beliefs brought over during slave times. Benin celebrates it big every January with parades, dances, and animal offerings.
Tourists flock there, drawn by the mystery. But Steven’s take peels back layers, showing how some acts that heavily rely on clever illusions are passed down generations after generations.
Reactions split sharply. Supporters praise him for busting myths and educating. “Finally, someone shows it’s not all scary,” one fan commented on YouTube.
Benin folks have mixed feelings, though. Some laugh it off, saying everybody knows the tricks, but outsiders hype the supernatural. Others feel he crossed lines by paying to reveal secrets meant for initiates only.
Steven’s channel focuses on African stories nobody else tells. He’s hit spots like Zanzibar’s hidden sides and Nigeria’s own rituals before. This Benin trip fits his style – curious, hands-on, sometimes risky. He mentions getting chased by a “voodoo spirit” in another video, adding drama.
The Benin government stays quiet so far, but tourism officials might worry. Voodoo draws crowds, and exposing “mysteries” could turn off seekers of the unknown.
Still, Steven insists it’s all in good fun. “This is for entertainment,” he tweeted back at haters. He even jokes about not stopping their money flow, just shining light on old traditions.
Over years covering African tales, we’ve seen creators like Steven stir pots by pulling back curtains on hidden worlds. Sometimes it educates; other times it offends.
This one walks that line tight. Benin voodoo stays alive, mixing faith with performance. Steven’s exposé adds fuel to endless talks about where culture ends and trickery begins.
For now, his subscribers grow, critics rant, and Benin festivals roll on. Watch the full thing if you dare – it might change how you see the “dark” side of Africa. Just remember, some mysteries thrive on staying half-hidden.
