Obayifo A kind of living vampire found among the Ashanti people on the Gold Coast in West Africa. The obayifo is said to be a male or female human, able to leave its body at night to travel about and cause harm of all kinds. The vampire's chief delight is to drink the blood of children, causing their slow, painful deaths. It also attacks crops, sucking out the sap and vital juices, thereby causing terrible blights, especially in cacao crops. Anyone can be an obayifo, although certain clues to their identity are available—an obsession with food, meat in particular, and constantly shifting eyes. While in flight at night, the vampire is phosphorescent. The name is derived from the Ashanti word bayi, meaning “sorcery.” The obayifo is similar to the loogaroo of the West Indies.
Taken from : The Vampire Encyclopedia – written by Matthew Bunson. Copyright © 1993 by Matthew Bunson