Abstract:
Traditional medicine and healing is a cultural heritage that forms part and parcel
of a people’s intrinsic reality. It is the basis for all medicines, developed by
different cultures of the world. Among traditional societies, this form of healing
still remains the main source of treatment for various kinds of ailments. The
advent of Western civilizations and the concomitant age of globalizations
brought numerous challenges on this form of health care delivery. Some of
these challenges were initiated by the Christian Missionaries and Colonial
masters whose mission and ambition was to dislodge the people’s cultural belief
and their traditional way of life for the Western culture. The resultant effect of
this ambition was criticisms and prejudice on the part of the foreigners, and
conservatism and total refusal to conform to the wind of change by the
traditional medicine men. This research work hinges on the challenges of Tiv
traditional healing in the era of globalizations. Attempts were made to reexamine
the efficacy of traditional medicine, effects of modernization,
industrialization, urbanization and globalization on traditional medicine and
healing. It had been established that despite the challenges, growing influence of
modern science and technological advancement, Tiv traditional medicine and
healing still maintains its patronage from members of the society. The
achievement in handling some life saving situations in the past to the present
times indicates its efficacy. In recognition of its contributions to health care
delivery, the World Health Organization and other well meaning organizations
and concerned individuals are advocating for its integration into the global
health system.
