OCHENDO - An African Journal of Innovative Studies (OAAJIS) (Vol. 2 No. 1, 2021)
CONFLICTING PERCEPTIONS OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN THE OKU FONDOM, BAMENDA (CAMEROON): THE QUESTION OF ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT
ABSTRACT
Conflicting schools of thought have come up regarding the practice of traditional medicine in Africa. Others argued that the practice was demonic and contradictory to the will of God while others saw the practice as a gift and the blessing of God upon them. It is with this that this paper maintained that the practice of traditional medicine in Oku Fondom was a strong bone of contention between the western institutions and the 88rade-practitioners. In an attempt to address this issue, the paper made appeal to a wide range of primary, mainly, oral sources and complements with some secondary data. The data obtained was analyzed using qualitative and narrative approach. The study revealed that the practice of traditional medicine in Oku was the main point of division between the western, principally Christian-faith based institutions and the 88rade-practitioners. It was also discovered that traditional medicine had been a long established and resilient practice in the Oku Fondom, in spite threats from western medical advocacy and facilities.
