Though there are many other reasons why people wear waist beads, the two most common uses are a a fashion accessory or a sexual aphrodiasic.

 The Yorubas say “It is the beads that make the buttocks shake."

Waist beads are little beads strung and worn around the waist. I asked what people thought of waist beads on Twitter and people had mixed reactions to it.

Twitter user, Tolu said “It’s mad sexy, not going to lie, it is an accessory too. The same way you look better with earrings and necklaces. Sprinkle anklets and you can have all my money.”

Femi said, “I feel it is sexy, that is all.”

Twitter user Kaleidoscope said, “I don’t like waist beads.” when asked why he said “Nothing, I just don’t like it”

The Yoruba people of the Southwest part of Nigeria have a lot of cultural and religious beliefs surrounding the culture of wearing waist beads. One of the beliefs is that it was laced with charms to increase sexual potency and charm men.

Traditionally in Yoruba culture, women were forbidden to show men their waist beads to the opposite sex because it was akin to being seen naked.

Priestesses and worshippers of various deities also wear waist beads.

In Hindu belief, there is a phenomenon known as chakra energy. Chakra energy in waist beads is believed to help the woman wearing them stay aligned and help with the flow of life-sustaining energy.

Most young women (and few men) in Nigeria wear waist beads as a fashion accessory. Although it is still being sold and marketed by Instagram and Twitter aphrodisiac sellers as a means of enhancing sexual prowess and bewitching men.

There appears to be two sides of the divide, maybe a correct position would be waist beads are whatever you believe it is for you.

Do you believe that waist beads are simply visually and sexually appealing or that there is something deep and darker in their appeal?