Legba, the Adolescent of Voodoo in Benin: Role in Social Regulation

Divinities (voodoos) are a common reality in Benin. Legba is a particularly familiar divinity in the central and southern parts of Benin.Objective: analyze the possibilities of using the role and attributes of Legba while carrying out psychiatric therapy teenagers.Method: Observations, together with guided discussions were carried out between 2009 and 2012 with 25 resource persons in the Beninese towns of Porto-Novo, Ouidah, Abomey, Zogbodome and Cotonou.Results: Legba is the messenger, guide and interpreter for other voodoos; he keeps guard over the border between the world of the gods (spirits) and that of humans. His name expresses “pulling down and breaking; pursuing, killing and destroying; reconstructing”. Legba is the phallic god of the Fon tribe in Benin; his sexual organ, in full erection, is exposed with an exaggerated length. He is often found in houses, but especially at the thresholds of homes, road junctions, market centers and at the entrances of towns and villages. Legba is said to be very intelligent and cunning; full of ideas on vengeance, perseverance, insight and shrewdness; full of force, ardor, violence; and dreadfully aggressive.Discussion and conclusion: Given his position and status, Legba is unavoidable despite his behavior which is rather disturbing in several aspects. He is an expression of force, life, serenity, organization and communication. He reassures the youths, exculpates sexuality and brings about a feeling of security on issues of virility. As such, a good understanding of the role and characteristics of Legba can be useful in therapy, especially in situations where simple words cannot explain certain behaviors (of the patients or their relatives) which then need to be readjusted or deciphered otherwise.