An obayifo is a vampire-like mythological creature from West Africa coming from the folklore of the Ashanti.[1] It is known as asiman by the Dahomey people.[1] The obayifo was also considered a kind of witch. In Ashanti folklore, obayifo are very common and may inhabit the bodies of ordinary people.[2] They are described as having shifty eyes and being obsessed with food.[2] When travelling at night they are said to emit a phosphorescent light from their armpits and anus.[2]
Obayifo are believed to kill children by remotely sucking their blood and to enter the bodies of animals to attack humans.[3] They are also said to suck the life from the land and weaken crops, particularly cacao. The Obayifo is also said to be able to travel as a ball of light.
