why people where angry after i exposed voodoo religion in Africa... bts

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:03]Is this even allowed on YouTube?

[00:00:05]I mean it's it's allowed but the video was demonetized. I feel because a lot of people reported the video. I exposed the trick behind the [music] voodoo people in Benin Republic. A lot of people took it personal. Yeah, a lot of people reported the video. YouTube then had to go review the content and then because there was blood, because I swore in some parts. That was really what YouTube was concerned about, not even the fact that people were reporting it. So, the video was demonetized. But it's okay, like I got to learn about a tradition and feed my curiosity. So, that's pretty much what we're going to do today. Today's video we are going to look at maybe like the behind the scenes, like what things that you guys probably didn't see making [music] this video. And most importantly, I am going to be answering some of the viral comments that people made on the video. The video probably has like [music] 2,800, almost 3,000 comments. But if you're going to combine this with Twitter and Instagram, we're looking at like 10,000 comments on this video. I would take just some of it and yeah, just talk about it, right? And that's really what this channel is about. Periodically we get to talk about like behind the scenes [music] of some of our video on the main channel. I will get to answer some of your questions.

[00:01:10]Sometimes I get to show you the behind the scenes, how we shot it, you know, for the creative that are just curious about how do how how how does Steven shoot this video, you know? I've always heard about this, you know, but I was told by my friend Lean of African Tigress. She gave me a call like, "Steven, have you ever heard about the voodoo festival?" Like she was going there. I was like, "Really?" Like, "Okay, let me go check it out." It's just like a 2-hour drive from my city, Lagos, and then I went there. Benin Republic is known as the voodoo capital of the world. I got to see this crazy tradition, you know. It was a little bit weird for me. I mean, I am Christian, right? But when I see things that are beyond my beliefs or different from my beliefs, I don't get to condemn it right immediately. I just try to understand, you know, because I feel like everybody is entitled to believe in whatever they want to believe in, right? [music] So, I took my curiosity. It's the same way a lot of people have done videos about Christianity and how Christianity is a scam. I'm not going to go and comment on their video and say, "Oh, because I am a Christian." [music] I was like, you know, just watch the video and hear other people's point of view, you know? Uh for some of you that don't know, all of these performances that you guys saw, um I paid heavily for it. I paid $1,000 for them to perform for me.

[00:02:24]Did you get the shot?

[00:02:26]Is he going to dance again? If this thing dance again, is he going to move?

[00:02:31]Where is it?

[00:02:35]It's moving.

[00:02:40]They were very much aware of what I was filming. They knew I was with my drone, but they didn't know like I was filming the behind the scenes, you know? But, yeah, everything here was staged [music] for me. Um this is not the main voodoo.

[00:02:51]The main voodoo event was happening in the closed, but I like probably like 30 minutes away from here, but I wanted to have that personal experience. So, that's why I got them to, you know, um do this performance for me.

[00:03:03]So, they say there is nobody in the haystack, which for me I was like, this is not the '90s where you just tell me something and I'll believe. I'm very I'm a very curious person. So, I wanted to go and find out. I was like, "You know what? As I'm finding out, I will document the process." There was really a point where I saw them selling like these things on the street. They have a something they say here it cures some sicknesses and you can use it to protect yourself. We have beds that can use for protection.

[00:03:33]We have beds that you can also use to do evil to another person. The name of this is kuleli. This is for the protection the one they use for protection. When you have a business and you want to attract people, they use this one to attract more people, to attract client customers. They're selling like skulls of animals and also some dead animals and they are saying that these things supposed to help you whether you're looking for love, whether you're looking for businesses, you're looking for customers. But then the store that we went to buy these products from, this gentleman right here he doesn't have any customers. So I'm just like, if you are selling >> [music] >> a skull that is supposed to help other people get customers, why don't you use it for yourself so that your store can be filled up with customers?

[00:04:14]You know, that was that was that was actually very funny. [music] And then I went to the floating village of Ganvie uh which is like the equivalent of Makoko in my country.

[00:04:24]>> [music] >> Um just you you see people living on stilts. Probably like they were pushed away or they are poor or something. But I heard it was a fish fishing community.

[00:04:31]They still practice voodoo there anyway.

[00:04:33]Um and then right after that, you know, I went for the voodoo festival. I mean, what one of the most funniest scenes [music] in the video was when I went to the chief priest, you know. I went to the chief priest and um he was asking me to do offering. Now, once again, I paid for that. They were going to do the their sacrifice, right?

[00:04:52]But they just I was just like, "Okay, let me pay to attend and film, right?" So I paid like equivalent of $50. What me I found very funny and a lot of people found it funny was that point where I said stuff like um oh, the gods does not accept card?

[00:05:06]Give something else.

[00:05:07]Uh offering?

[00:05:08]Offering? Mhm. Now, do I have any money with me?

[00:05:11]I have card to give the gods, you know?

[00:05:13]No card. Credit [clears throat] card?

[00:05:15]Mhm.

[00:05:16]Gods don't accept credit card.

[00:05:18]>> [laughter] >> Uh because I was meant to transfer the money to them. But then he said he gave me a tray and he was like, "Put the money here." I was like, "Oh, do you take credit card?" Uh subscribe to the channel. I hope I wish voodoo can help me so that we can get to a million on the main channel and probably 100,000 on this particular channel. Voodoo, please help me. Let me know that it works, right?

[00:05:41]I am unveiling the trick behind the Zambetos. Watch carefully, guys. It's going to open right now.

[00:05:47]See, there's nothing.

[00:05:49]What the [ __ ] Where did he go to?

[00:05:52]Where did he go to, guys?

[00:05:53]Um it's just a trick just like what magic show does. Now a lot of people would say, "Oh, I have killed the curiosity. People might not want to go again and go and watch because they now know the truth." But they are magic show fans and they are people that review the tricks magic show fans do, right? Some people were even comparing me to another creator that went there to promote the event. Like not everybody make the same kind of content. Most of my content are very investigative.

[00:06:16]You know, they are they seek to demystify a lot of things and that's what a lot of people follow me for. Uh I have a member of the team behind the camera. He's going to ask me some questions of some of the favorite comments and I will go talk about it and most of all talk about how I how we filmed this and then I have a surprise for you if you watch this video to the end. So you must watch it to find out.

[00:06:36]Okay, let's go. There are so many questions and comments on the video.

[00:06:41]>> Yeah, on YouTube alone almost 20,000.

[00:06:43]Yeah.

[00:06:44]So [clears throat] one person or a lot of people have said so many things, but I'm just going to go brick by brick and then you would explain to the audience a lot better. So somebody said, "You can't say you exposed the trick when you can't explain why Masquerade keeps elevating in the air." What would you say about >> for the elevation one, I did not experience that one. If I experienced it, bro, babe, man, woman, gentleman, I would have reviewed it. Okay, what I experienced was it was spinning and they opened it and there was no nobody inside. You know, I reviewed the trick because those people on that haystack, it's very thick. [music] The walls are very thick so a small boy is hiding in between.

[00:07:26]That's really what happened. So if [music] I maybe I would attend next year and I'll find specifically the one that flies and then I'll review it to you guys. [music] Yeah. I know you talked about you not thinking voodoo works, but somebody just out of curiosity somebody still he the question, "Do you think voodoo works?" Voodoo does Okay. Okay. Let me not just talk anyhow.

[00:07:47]I feel like people can believe [music] in whatever you believe because I'm not going to blame I'm a Christian and the only way I became a Christian was because my parents were Christians [music] and when I was younger, they took me to church, they taught me about the tradition and I embraced [music] it.

[00:08:02]Same thing for the Muslims, same thing for the voodooists or the atheists or whatever, right? That is huge majority of the time you are you embrace this traditions [music] because of your parents. Now, does it work? That is left for you, >> [music] >> right? If you have used voodoo to get wealthy, to attract customers [music] to your business, to impact your community, whatever. If it has worked for you, it's fine.

[00:08:26]I will not sit down here and say if it works or not, but I don't believe in it and all of the chief priests and the people doing all of [music] those concoctions, like I don't understand why the herbalist or the native doctor is wearing a gold wristwatch and then his followers, [music] they are literally like surviving. Some of them even walk to the to the shrine. They don't even have a bike or anything, but the [music] the but the voodoo priest probably have a car, you know, and start living in better house, you know, so I'm just like, [music] why are things that way? And that's how I get to question most of these things, so You say, "Who is sponsoring voodoo?"

[00:08:59]Okay, so the sponsor of the video is Odoo. [music] It didn't actually click just until I saw that comment. I was like, "Oh, wait. Odoo sponsored voodoo." You know, because Odoo is spelled O O D. Is it O D O O?

[00:09:12]While voodoo is V O O D O. So, it's like very similar pronunciations, but I mean, shout out to Odoo because this video got demonetized and it cost me a lot to film it, so brands like that, you know, they buy ad space on our videos and we can plan based on our budget, so shout out to Odoo for sponsoring the voodoo.

[00:09:30]>> [laughter] >> Somebody said there was a point where one guy was balancing stone on the bottle. He said the passenger said, I think it's just physics. Yeah, yeah.

[00:09:41]It's just It's physics, but if it's physics, you go and do it. Right? Just the same way you're going to see an athlete running like someone like Usain Bolt, right? You see him running, he's the fastest runner in the world. Now, it's easy to say, "Oh, I can run." Okay, you go and run. Go and compete, you know? So, it takes a little bit of learning curve. You need to learn how to do it, right? That guy balanced a stone in like, I don't know how many minutes.

[00:10:04]Most people would have to be there for like an hour trying to figure out. So, it's just the craftsmanship, the speed at mastery that is what makes a lot of people surprised. So, um yeah, kudos to him. It was part of the performance that I paid for.

[00:10:17]>> [laughter] >> So, I think somebody got really angry on this one.

[00:10:20]I hope the person was >> of people A lot of people will get angry. So, which of them? So, this person said, "Never again call my culture a religion, dark." Okay, so let me explain something. So, you you know the way the way YouTube works, right? Um you have to title your videos how people perceive it. For example, if I go to Rwanda, everybody knows Rwanda is the cleanest um sorry, Kigali. Kigali is the cleanest city in Africa. Now, if I go and I want to appeal to that knowledge or that perspective, I will just title my video, "Oh, coming to one of the cleanest city." A lot of people would watch it and relate to it.

[00:10:53]Now, same thing with voodoo, is it necessarily dark? Maybe it's not, right?

[00:10:57]But that is just the way a lot of people um view the tradition. So, it's left for you to watch the content and really understand the context of the presenter.

[00:11:06]So, what I always like to say is, focus on the story and not the teller of the story or the storyteller. And that's if you if you follow that formula, you're not going to have issues with a lot of people making videos on the internet.

[00:11:17]Somebody said, "Wish they can use this voodoo to better Africa." [laughter] Or it's not only to wicked another man.

[00:11:25]Well, there's this thing that I always say, Americans invented Minecraft, the European invented aircraft, but African people invented witchcraft. [music] So, it would be very nice to see African people like we like this thing that we believe. Let us use it to >> [music] >> better ourselves and not because when I was younger, there there's this masquerade that comes out I think during Christmas time and there's this fear like, "Oh, you must stay indoors. Let this masquerade not catch you." Now, as I grew up, I got to realize that is not true, but when I was a child, that thing really traumatized me, you know? And that is [music] the case for a lot of people. Now, a lot of people that I am being they believe like this Zambeto is the watcher of the night. There is nobody inside, you know? Like those things are not real.

[00:12:06]I mean, there's there's one part that you can be like, "Okay, these things are not real, but just enjoy it." It's just like wrestling.

[00:12:12]Everybody at this point know that wrestling is not is not real. It's staged [music] and every punch, everything is calculated, right? So, everybody know I would just watch it and enjoy it for the fun of it. Okay, so maybe if voodoo is done that way where they be like, "Look, there's really nothing in here, but come and watch this trick."

[00:12:30]I think it'll make more sense, you know?

[00:12:31]So, yeah. Okay, somebody said I'm just looking at the lady behind behind you now.

[00:12:36]Who is Okay, that's African Tigress.

[00:12:38]Yes, the very beautiful girl. She's a very good friend of mine. We've been to a few countries together. We've been to Lesotho together. We've been to Barbados, Kenya, her country. Have we been to South Africa? No. So, yeah. If you if you This is her handle. If you want to follow her, follow her. Shout out to AT.

[00:12:57]Somebody says, "Stevie they are way behind the gods." He said I can't hear you. Yo, man. The gods, please know that we have gotten into an era where, you know, like even in China these days like if you hold cash, you are considered to be weird. Everything happens with your phone. So, the gods need to upgrade their way of collecting payment and nobody walking around with cash no more, you know? So, voodoo priests, please be aware.

[00:13:21]Somebody said, "Wow, it was a person in there the whole time. Thanks for for this." You are welcome and that's why you should subscribe to this channel because we have a a lot of other things to demystify, you know. So, I just love doing it, you know. I mean, we make several kind of videos. We get to show luxury, we show travel, [music] but I just like this segment where I dive deep into a particular story. So, of course, there is nobody in there. It is just a trick, but however, just watch it and enjoy for the fun of it. Person said, "Only God can grant you your heart desires, not voodoo." Well, you are a Christian. That person saying that is a Christian. So, once again, believe what you believe, and maybe try to understand what other people believe in, but yeah, don't condemn it, ish. Majority of the African space and all, we have development issues, yeah? So, somebody said, "Wonder why they can't use these powers to bring development to the area or make themselves wealthier as they promised others." I'm asking the same question. Please, let's ask the people.

[00:14:19]I don't know. I'm throwing this question to you guys. Do you think religion or all these beliefs is meant to help improve the society? Let me know in the in the comment section, and maybe we can chat a little bit about it. Just because it can be fake, it does not mean real ones don't exist. Do you believe that?

[00:14:36]Well, I feel like I attended the biggest voodoo festival in the world. Like, literally, anywhere you hear voodoo, it started from where I visited, okay? So, if there is a real one, I should have seen it because I went to the source, right? It's just like when Muslims want [music] to pray, they go to the source, which is Mecca, right? Yeah.

[00:14:56]So, I went to the source. So, if there was something bigger than that, I probably would have seen it. Yeah.

[00:15:00]People just believe in it. Even there was this point where I went to this tree, as you can see here, there's a there's a tree on there, and they said if you touch the tree, it'll grant your heart's desires. I mean, I think you have to use a specific hand or so. Yeah, you need to use your right hand so that because it connects with with your heart, something like that. [music] Yeah. So, I'm just like, "Rah."

[00:15:18]>> [laughter] >> Okay, I I you already said this from the beginning. There's somebody said the chicken screaming for its life.

[00:15:25]I had to chase that I had to chase that chicken. Let me find out if it's real chicken, you know, so >> [laughter] >> So, somebody said voodoo they play us wayo.

[00:15:36]>> [laughter] >> Well, um I feel like it's just entertainment.

[00:15:40]Enjoy it for what it is. Enjoy the content. Have fun, but let's just let's just be saying the truth, okay? There's nobody in there. Voodoo might be real, but somebody should show me in real life.

[00:15:50]Maybe if I cross a 100,000 subscribers in one night or I I get to 15 million subscribers.

[00:15:58]>> [laughter] >> Maybe or maybe if I get a new passport because guys, please, I don't know what tradition you believe in, but pray for me. I need a new passport so that I can be more places, so maybe if I can just wake up what I just have a new passport. So, you can so you can feel more for us.

[00:16:13]>> can feel more for you guys. That'll be more. But but what what is more important is um the gift that I have for you guys is if you want to learn how to make travel videos, you want to learn how to be a YouTuber, you want to learn how to um you know, make videos like this.

[00:16:27]Guys, a lot goes into like planning this kind of videos. And [music] as most of you will know or don't know, I do have like a course where I get to teach.

[00:16:36]So, right now we have over 70 students.

[00:16:38]It's very exclusive. So, [music] uh in this course you learn the art of making content, building an audience, and monetizing it, right? Right now I get to do this full-time, and I'll >> [music] >> teach you how to do it, okay? As you can see, we have so many students here taking the program.

[00:16:53]>> [music] >> Um it's very helpful. Every now and then we are updating it. So, what I want you to do right now is click the link in the description. It's going to take you to a page, and then you take it on from there. We have a private community on the on my program. Like when you take this course, you are also entitled to a private community where you can chat with me. You can see we have weekly Q&As. A team member or me, I would come and you know, teach you something. You can see people are already uploading their videos. This guy just uploaded a video. He has never ever made YouTube before, but because he took this program, [music] he has uploaded his video, and you can see, you know, he's making a video, okay? If you want to learn how to be a storyteller, you want to learn how to make this your full-time job like I am doing it, go ahead and click the link in the description to um proceed with, you know, enrolling to my program, okay? Thanks for watching, and I will see you [music] in the next video.