Religion: A Healing Balm for Victims of Protracted/Terminal Diseases in Nigeria

 – Religion: A Healing Balm for Victims of Protracted/Terminal Diseases in Nigeria –

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ABSTRACT

People who live with protracted terminal disease experience stigmatization, abhorrence and hatred from people who  once  loved them. It is not uncommon also for terminally ill patients to feel insecure, hapless and depressed.

The aforesaid supposition is most likely considering the reaction of people in the other divide to others living with protracted disease.

In our traditional or contemporary Nigerian society   for examples, people who contracted diseases that seem never ending like leprosy, loathsome sore, swollen, stomatch, HIV/AIDS are stigmatized. Some who become hapless and do not think of religious issues die in isolation through complications and other related causes.

All these result from the fact that these protracted diseases are  connected with the aforesaid phenomena from the patients,  either directly or indirectly. However, others who harnessed and activated religion recuperated and got healed.

Evidence abound in traditional society, which suggest that religion sustained and was an imperative solution to people living with leprosy, dropsy and other protracted  terminal diseases.

Through personal interview, and dialectical examination of some written works on some protracted / terminal diseases it was observed that some who lived with these diseases and relied on religion regained their health at the end.

Besides, just like those that were presumably healed through religion in our traditional society, people who live with terminal diseases in our contemporary society are consider religion as a viable antidote and therapy.

In other words, terminally sick patients especially those living with HIV/AIDS and sickle cell would live positive and meaningful life if they consider religion as an efficacious therapy.

Good management of one’s sickness and total healing may be possible if one harnesses religion and its therapeutic tendencies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title – – – – – – – – – – – i
Requirement – – – – – – – – – ii
Approval – – – – – – – – – – iii
Certification – – – – – – – – – iv
Dedication – – – – – – – – – – v
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – vi
Preface – – – – – – – – – – vii
Table of content – – – – – – – – – viii
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – xi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION – – – – – 1
1.0 Back ground of the Study – – – – – 1
1.1 Statement of the Problem – – – – – 4
1.2 Aim of Study – – – – – – – – 5
1.3 Significance of the Study – – – – – 5
1.4 Scope of the Study – – – – – – 6
1.5 Methodology – – – – – – – – 7
1.6 Definition of Terms – – – – – – 7

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW – – – – 13
2.1 Leprosy and Healing Through Religion – – – 16
2.2 Religion, Loathsome Sores and Dropsy – – – 20
2.3 The Place of Religion Among People Living With Sickle Cell
Diseases – – – – – – – – – 24
2.4 Can Religion Cure HIV/AIDS? An Assessment of Place or
Religion of People with HIV/AIDS – – – – – 27

CHAPTER THREE: PROTRACTED/TERMINAL DISEASES IN
TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN SOCIETY – 32
3.1 Leprosy – – – – – – – – 32
3.2 Loathsome Sore – – – – – – – 34
3.3 Dropsy – – – – – – – – – 36
3.4 Sickle Cell Diseases – – – – – – 38
3.5 HIV/AIDS – – – – – – – – 44

CHAPTER FOUR: CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH
PROTRACTED/TERMINAL DISEASES – – – – – 54
4.1 The Hypothesis of High Probability of Death and Other
Complications – – – – – – – – 55
4.2 Psychological Trauma/Therapy – – – – 69
4.3 Resistance to Scientific Therapy – – – – 80
4.4 Lack of Purposeful Living and Confusion – – – 83
4.5 Poverty – – – – – – – – 85
4.6 Incessant Pains and Lack of Comfort – – – 86

CHAPTER FIVE: RELIGION AS A PANACEA/SOLUTION TO THE
PEOPLE LIVING WITH PROTRACTED/TERMINAL DISEASES – 88
5.1 Religion as a Psychological Therapy – – – 91
5.2 A Means to Perfection of Faith that Heals – – – 97
5.3 The Humanitarian Aspects of Religion in the Fight Against
Terminal Diseases. – – – – – – – 99
5.4 Paraphernalia for the efficacy of Religion – – – 102

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION – – – – – – 104
6.1 Assessment – – – – – – – – 104
6.2 Limitation of Study – – – – – – – 105
6.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – 106
6.4 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 107
6.5 Suggestions for Future Research – – – – 108
BIBLIOGRAPHY – – – – – – – – 110

INTRODUCTION

 Background of the Study.

Not two long ago, the writer lived with a disease that seemed terminal at a point. He went to different hospitals searching for good health to no avail. For close to seven years, the disease he lived with could not be diagnosed or detected by so many medical experts.

The disease left him in pain, frustration, disappoint anent, psychological trauma, despair and the likes. He wondered why he would be  under  such excruciating pains.

Worst still, the undetected sickness had symptoms as persistent headache, breathing difficulty, body weakness, severe stomach and back pains to mention but a few.

He could  remember clearly the statement made by Dr Uu of Divine Grace Hospital at Enugu as he sought for advice and prescription. On one Occasion, the doctor declared, ‘your hearts infected with some dangerous diseases. I doubt if you can live more than three months in absence of urgent medical attention’.

Indeed, the message the writer made out of the aforesaid doctor’s advice was that he would die before or at the end of three months as a result of a disease discovered lately as ‘dangerous heart disease’. To  this end, the idea of death kept oscillating in his mind to the extent that  he contemplated committing suicide.

It is quite amazing that the writer later overcome and cured himself by fighting the disease form within his body through trusting his mind in God. He acted and put into practice the fact that with God all things are possible. The thought of healing at least through divine miracle became part of the cure he experienced.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abe, G. O. (2004). History and Theology of Sacrifice in the Old Testament. Benin City: Seevon Prints.

Achebe, C. (1958). Things Fall Apart. London: Heinnemann.

Adejo, S. O. (2007). Sin versus Sickness in Igala Land. Makindi Nigeria: Agi Publishers Ltd.

Adeshina, C. B. (1996). Strategies for AIDS Prevention and Control. Awka-Nigeria: New Crest Publishers

Agbo D. (1993). African Traditional Religion. Nsukka- Nigeria: Chinedu Printing.

Agbo, P. O. (2006). ‘The Harvest of Hope. A Solution to Terminal Diseases’ An Unpublished BA Thesis. University of Nigeria Nsukka.

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