Health Care and Traditional Medicine




There is a Yoruba maxim, “ilera lọrọ” which means (health is wealth); for several centuries, Yoruba had devised various means of preventing, managing, and curing illnesses ever known to them. Basically, Yoruba medical care, according to Oyelakin accomplishes three distinct roles.
  • First, to get rid of symptoms,
  • Second, to identify and remove the causes of illness, and
  • Finally, to maintain the body back to holistic balance of the patient.

Yoruba traditional medical care falls into three distinct categories; these are:

  • General medical care focuses on the treatment of  both the internal and external diseases, ever known to people back then and even today; this category is further divided into different medical branches, because there were specialists in the traditional medical care, as we have in modern medicine ( see General Traditional Medicine Chart).
  • Mystic Medicine- a branch of Yoruba medical care that addresses health matters, which is not explainable by commonly or generally known facts. Medication focuses on things that cannot be fully understood by reason to an ordinary person; or less strictly to whatever resists or defies reason, and explanation. At times, people in this field of medicine practice telepathy, extrasensory, clairvoyance, second-sight, magic, supersensual etc.
  • Esoteric Medication: Power protected or supported / life protected medication.
Figure 5: Categories of Yoruba Traditional Medicine
Source: Designed by this Author
General traditional medicine consists of all forms of medication meant for the treatment, care and cure for all known illnesses (internal and external). This chart explains the General traditional medical care provided by Yoruba physicians of the times past.
Figure 6: General Traditional Medical Care in Yoruba land
Source: Designed by this Author
Mystic Medicine- this branch of traditional medical care provides care in areas not easily understood to an average person, or on conditions that are not fully understood by simple reasoning. Mystic medication then and now focuses on all human phenomena which defy simple explanation. For instance, the Abiku phenomenon then, which is no longer valid because of the new medical care from hospitals provided by orthodox medical practitioners. However, there are still some unexplainable, and extreme medical conditions in our times, which  defies, dwarfs, and even defeats modern medicine. This branch of traditional care has taken a new dimension in modern times- as prophets, priests and imams in Christianity and Islam are now the major care providers. African priests now operate from the background.
Esoteric Medication- membership of this category is limited to a small initiated group with special knowledge very uncommon to others. Ordinarily, this category should not be classified as medical care, because it cures neither disease nor illness; but it is assumed or (presumed) that individuals who practiced this type of medical care then and even now draw strength and power from it, to do, and to accomplish extra-ordinary things. Ancient warriors, big-time hunters, kings, priests, physicians, women leaders of note fall under users’ category. While this category of medical care may not have tangible curative features; however, herbs, charms, amulets made by or for (people in this category) follow the same procedure like  preventive and curative medication. Like Mystic Medication, people in this category also practice telepathy, second-sight, extrasensory, supersensual, clairvoyance, medium, and magic.
Medicine for cure or otherwise, is made and  used in any of these ways or combined:

  • Herbs are made from plants (roots, stems’ back cover, trees’  branches, leaves); by punning, evoking the property through word-play,
  • Use of incantation (Ọfọ) – the pray-sing to gods, in order to awaken the hidden powers of the medicine or item to be used.
  • The use of magic.
  • Wearing of amulets, charm, (Onde [charm sewn in leather] worn by person on arm or waist; ring [on fingers/toes]).
  • Medications by forbidden acts (certain medication is used frequently or permanently with rules of dos and don’ts [taboos; Eewọ]).
  • Medication is administered through several routes:
Oral administration
Topical administration
Intravenous administration/incisions
Sub lingual- administration of medicine under the tongue
Sacrifices
Bathes, and in extreme situations
Medication undertaking on behalf of primary user by the second or the  third party
Medication by inhaling (like Aṣara leaf or roll of tobacco made into powder[snuff]) for inhaling
Pseudo medication- application of medication on objects (wooden doll/Ọmọlangi) with human- as the intended recipient/beneficiary
Medication by seclusion or confinement. Not like quarantine in modern medicine, but to ( leave alone), or to allow someone to stay by himself/ herself, through denials (of mundane) in order to attain piety when such medication is administered
To become a native doctor is through inheritance from one’s father or grand-father  with  several years of tutelage;  some individuals may  sign up to learn the job under a native doctor  or a  group of  healers  for several years.
Students have to undergo several years of training: one, they have  to study and know various plants, roots, leaves, seeds, fruits and their  features. Second, a prospective native doctor should know where plants can be found and their uses.Third, know what time of the day certain plants can be used. Fourth, know herbs dosage, strength, and side effects. Fifth, student will study and know causes, development, prognosis, and cures for several diseases and plaguing illnesses. Sixth, student will learn to distinguish between general and mysterious illness, and learn referral procedure.
The students will also take several courses in morphology (body parts: head, chest, hands, intestines, legs, skin) and learn their inter-relationship. Above all, the students will take courses on certain deities from the pantheon, which Yoruba believe have bearing with medical care.  Student will learn the sixteen Odu Ifa and several  supporting Ifa verses (copious) numbering  over 4,000; according to Yoruba Art and Culture (ed), “the verses tell of myths, songs, riddles, proverbs, magic, and rituals in Yoruba society”  these verses are  used in conjunction with other medication for treatment and to cure  different ailments. While a student may not know all the verses, but he is expected to learn most of them by heart
Picture 29: Babalawo- the messanger of Ọrunmila- the major link between humans and other gods
Source: Hearst Museum of Anthropology, with permission.
Picture 30: “Samuel Elufisoye, divining for two clients who are seated across from him, Ife, Nigeria, 1937.”
Source: Hearst Museum of Anthropology, with permission.