A disturbing personal account shared online has sparked widespread reactions after a tenant alleged that her landlord secretly engaged in spiritual practices in exchange for years of unpaid rent.
The narrator, identified as Ella, recounted how what initially appeared to be rare kindness from her landlord later unraveled into a frightening discovery that she claims altered the lives of multiple tenants.
According to Ella, she lived in a shared apartment compound owned by a man known as Baba Awani, who was widely regarded as unusually generous. For five years, the landlord reportedly refused to collect rent from any of the tenants, despite their repeated efforts to pay.
Ella said Baba Awani would simply smile and ask them to keep the money, often blaming the harsh economy. Instead, he occasionally requested small items such as schnapps and kola nuts, explaining that they were needed for prayers. His behavior earned him admiration among the tenants, who fondly nicknamed him “God’s envoy,” believing they were divinely favored.
However, Ella claimed that shortly after the rent stopped, a pattern of misfortune began to emerge. She and her roommates, who were all employed in banking jobs, reportedly lost their positions and struggled to secure new employment. Her engagement eventually collapsed, while other tenants experienced broken relationships, sudden relocations, unexplained illnesses, or even death.
She added that several residents developed strange medical conditions that doctors could not diagnose.
Ella said the misfortune extended beyond her immediate household. One tenant, identified as Mama Sounadine, who once ran a clothing business, allegedly became so impoverished that she now survives by begging for garri. Another resident, Papa Hugo, who reportedly owned three cars, now walks barefoot after suffering a stroke.
Despite the suffering, all the affected tenants continued living under what appeared to be “free rent.”
The situation took a terrifying turn when Baba Awani traveled to his village for a festival and reportedly forgot to lock a side door. Ella explained that the door led to a room the landlord always referred to as a “Prayer Hall,” warning tenants never to enter it.
Driven by fear and curiosity, the tenants said they entered the room at midnight during his absence.
Inside, they allegedly discovered a dark room illuminated by red candles, with ten clay dolls arranged in a circle on the floor. Each doll reportedly bore the name of a tenant in the compound. Ella claimed that the doll labeled Mama Sounadine was bound with rags, while Papa Hugo’s doll had broken legs—an eerie detail she linked to his recent stroke.
She further alleged that the dolls bearing her name and those of her roommates were wrapped in black nylon bags, with padlocks sealing their mouths. Ella said she believed this symbolized their repeated failures during job interviews and life setbacks.
At the center of the circle, she claimed, was a large calabash filled with new 1,000-franc notes, which she interpreted as evidence that their “free rent” came at the cost of their destinies.
Ella said as she attempted to touch one of the dolls, a strange voice warned her that destroying it would result in death. She alleged the voice came from a large black cat sitting on Baba Awani’s chair, which spoke in a human-like voice and threatened madness if she interfered.
Terrified, the tenants reportedly fled the room, the compound, and the area immediately.
Ella concluded her account by claiming that shortly after their escape, her phone began ringing. She alleged the caller was Baba Awani, ominously stating that “he knows.”
Published by Ejoh Caleb
