Here are 8 prominent cults and secret societies in Africa

The Internet has shone light on many secret societies, rendering them not so secret.

Here is a list of some of Africa's most prominent cults of all time:

Ekpe society

The Ekpe is a secret society that lives mostly in Nigeria and whose members are typically law enforcers and politicians. They are well respected agents of wealth distribution in the community. It is a male-only society, and members are bound by secrecy.

The society is somewhat akin to a free mason group and does some unofficial law enforcement. Residents in Ekpe villages often go to the group to help them seek justice when they’ve been wronged.

Ogboni

The Ogboni is a fraternity indigenous to Nigeria, Benin and Togo. To be a member, one must be a part of Yoruba nobility. The Ogboni fraternity is said to have a strong affiliation to royalty, gerontological system of governance and the law enforcement of the community.

Internal details about the membership and brotherhood demands of this ancient group is supposedly a top secret known only to the members.

Osirica

The Osirica is a black Egyptian masonic order that existed in ancient Egypt. Osirica brotherhood is the root of all the mason societies, dating back around 2300 B.C.

Many believe this group’s village at present day Deir el-Medina was the original location where freemasonry began. This village was originally named Ta Set Ma’at. Archaeological evidence found that the group was extremely advanced in education for its time, and headed the construction of the Valley of the Kings.

Free Masons

A fraternal society that emerged in the western culture between the 16th and 7th century. Free masons were originally an ancient Egyptian fraternity of builders, with Imhotep, as their founder and chief sculptor.

Imhotep was a revered personality as he was believed to be with super powers of healing and influencing people and affairs of the community.

The Freemasonry's affiliation to the Imhotep is clearly evident and this is probably why they are accused of several conspiracy theories, since their objective is geared towards the restructuring and controlling of global affairs.

Leopard society

The Leopard Society was allegedly a cannibalistic society in the early-to-mid 2oth century in Sierra Leone, Libera and Côte d’Ivoire.

Group members would disguise themselves as leopards, wearing leopard skins, carrying claw-like weapons, and attacking their prey. They believed feasting on a human strengthened their bonds.

Neegee society

The Neegee or Crocodile Society is considered evil by the Poro and Sande groups.

The Neegee is a cannibalistic group that feeds on human flesh to satisfy their God, and to gain power from that God. The group believes that when they eat human flesh, they gain the ability to transform into a crocodile.

Doomsday cult

The doomsday cult is a sinister transnational cult that has paved its way from the west and Asian world into some African countries including Uganda and South Africa. The group is gaining grounds as it seems to incessantly predict the total destruction of the planet earth.

The cult members are usually violent and self-destructive to the point of committing suicide.

Abakua

Abakua is an Afro-Cuban men’s secret society related to the Ekpe. The group is a mutual aid society known for elaborate street dances and very high

expectations of the members to prioritize the group over their own families. The group has managed to stay mostly hidden for over more than 100 years.