Natural Health Practice is also referred to as Alternative Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Comparative Medicine and Herbal Practice - Herbal Practice in the strict sense of using only herbs for treatment as many in this part of our world have the mistaken belief that it usually involves witchcraft or occultic practices because the word “babalowo” in Yoruba is usually translated as “herbalist” or “witchdoctor.”
NOT FETISH
Dr. Banji Filani of Sound Health Centre debunks the misconception that herbal medicine is fetish. He says, “the problem with people is that anything traditional is attributed to fetishism. They use it in China and bring them here; we don’t question that (examples are Tianshi and Tasly Kasly products), but because it is ours, people think it goes with fetish power. I am a Christian. I was brought up a Christian, I know nothing about incantation.”
Take for instance: ewuro, bitterleaf, to tell you the simple one you can know, many don’t know it has the power to treat some ailments; it can cure diabetics, it can cleanse the blood and you don’t need to chant any incantation for it to work. So the same thing with other herbs, only most times you have to put two or more together for them to work effectively. The same with mango tree, nothing is useless in mango tree, even the mistletoe you find on it is for curing hypertension…everything is not a matter of using herb; we can easily tell you what to eat and what not to eat (diet and nutrition) and that alone may be the cure of ailment so as a Christian, I am a member of the Christ Apostolic Church, the church of Baba Sadela. I only believe in treating with natural herbs, not attaching anything spiritual to it. Even the common maize we eat, there is this sea maize, that’s the botanical name, those string-like things that come out with corn; many people eat maize and remove those things, they don’t know it has curative content to treat hypertension, diabetics and even oedema. Therefore no incantation is needed in herbal practice, it is only for one to know what and what to put together.
(Saturday Sun, October 27, 2007).
Dr. Paul Ojeih also, in answer to an interview question that attempted to link incantation with natural medicine has this to say: “…we use herbs, natural material; there is no single incantation, there is no spiritism about it. It’s pure medicine. In the past, medicine used to be made from herbs until pharmaceutical companies, out of greed started using synthetic materials, imitation of the original thing. I am a born again, a good Christian for that matter. I cannot do any spiritism. You have a healing ability given to you by God.” (Newswatch, July 2, 2001).
The former widespread practice of hiding the names of ingredients used in herbal preparations contributed in fuelling the suspicion of people about them; people who otherwise would have benefited from them. Fortunately, things have changed today. In Nigeria, the late Elizabeth Kafaru has been credited with helping to pioneer general knowledge about herbal medicine through her weekly newspaper column and books, and popularizing it. “She opened up the secrets of nature to Nigerians and indeed the world, that you need not be an adept or initiate before you can take from nature that which you need.”(The Comet, Thursday July 26, 2001). So much so that Dr. Banji Filani believes that, “trado medicine will soon send orthodox cure packing.”
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