A Ghanaian psychologist, Joseph Osafo Adu, has raised concerns about the psychological implications surrounding the use of Kayamata, describing it as a practice rooted in manipulation and low self-confidence.
Speaking in an interview with Elsie Lamar, featured in a new exposé on the dark side of Kayamata, aired on GhanaWeb TV on February 18, 2026, Professor Osafo Adu explained that the fundamental motivation behind the use of Kayamata is manipulation.
“The fundamental thing for the use of Kayamata is manipulation. You want to manipulate your way into getting to the heart of someone so that the person, against his or her wishes, will still bend to your demands and be in a relationship,” he said.
From a psychological perspective, he noted that the practice may be linked to issues of self-image and low confidence.
“My psychological point of view is that it could be an issue of image. If you’re not very confident in yourself, you resort to manipulation.
“Some people have problems with image, and self-image is a big thing in psychological science. If people don’t see themselves as confident, they want to use all kinds of things to boost their self-confidence,” he stated.
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Professor Osafo Adu further warned about the long-term consequences of relationships built on manipulation rather than genuine emotional connection.
“Beyond that is the issue that when you magically manipulate and get it all wrong, it can wear off. When it wears off, the person is going to move away from the relationship because the relationship was not organically contracted. It was done through manipulation,” he explained.
He also highlighted the potential mental health implications, particularly among young people who may resort to such practices in pursuit of love or financial security.
“I can only imagine what some young people may be going through now if they indeed orchestrated a magical spell to make someone fall in love. It is a big thing now, and the implications are enormous. It can lead to suicidal thinking and depression,” he said.
Professor Osafo Adu added, “You can imagine a young lady who has used this and managed to get herself a very wealthy man. Now the man is aware and has left, you can’t forgive yourself.”
FG/MA
Meanwhile, watch GhanaWeb’s exposé on the 'dark side of Kayamata' and its devastating impact
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