A witch-spirit in Ewe traditions, capable of leaving a human host at night and moving as a small point of light or an insect-like form. Later popular retellings often call it a 'firefly vampire,' but the older record is broader: the adze is tied to witchcraft, possession, envy, illness, and the theft of blood or a person's shadow.
Its small form allows it to pass through cracks and closed doors. The archive avoids treating accusations of adze possession as evidence against any living person; historically, witchcraft allegations could redirect communal fear toward vulnerable neighbors. Medical symptoms attributed to it should also be understood in their real-world context.