ABSTRACT

Healing is an important phenomenal activity carried out by Pale or Nzo vo ngume on people who are sick , need of protection, goodluck, success, antidotes against diabolical forces which pre-existed before orthodox medication among the Bachama of Adamawa State . Commercialisation of healing by healing experts has become very worrisome. Clients are exploited and administered fake healing by healers, which risk to their spiritual and physical well-being. The paper examines healing practices and indigenous knowledge: The Experience of African Religion among the Bachama of Adamawa State. The paper made use of ethnographic and field survey and participant observation methods. Data were collected from personal experiences, case studies and books. The research unveils that, patients are been exploited or charged exorbitant fee by traditional healers in order to be healed, delivered from evil attacks, protected and given charms, love portion and charismatic lotion and antidotes. There are quacks, who portrayed themselves as healing experts, whose actions posed serious threats to people' health and wellbeing in Bachama society. The paper suggests that, there should be genuine healing by traditional m divine inorder to restore and offer solutions to people's related problems. People should also guard against patronising fake healing tycoons, who take advantage of their quest for healing, antidotes, protection and deliverance from evil and witchcraft attacks and are later exploited. All relevant stakeholders should support a campaign against fake medicine men, also on the danger of taking herbal medicine without being approved by Government. Government should also assist traditional healing experts to improve on their methods and standard of medication by providing them with funds and improved technology inorder to enhance the practice and patronage of traditional and healing. Punitive measures should also be meted on quack traditional medicine men to safeguard the integrating and trust reposed in traditional healing institution from being abused and ridiculed by quacks in modern era.