A human rights activist, Mr. Martins Nwabueze, has criticized Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, for allegedly making native doctors scapegoats in his administration’s efforts to combat crime.
Nwabueze, founder of Tilova for Africa, a U.S.-based charity and equal rights organization, condemned Soludo’s recent call for native doctors to prove the ailments they cure as a way of distinguishing genuine practitioners from frauds.
According to Nwabueze, traditional medicine, like orthodox medicine, has different specialties, and it is wrong to generalize all native doctors as herbalists or healers.
“In traditional Igbo society, a native doctor (dibia) may not necessarily be a herbalist or a traditional medicine practitioner. Some specialize in divination (Igba afa) or spiritual consultations (Ilu agwu),” he explained.
He argued that the government lacks clear criteria for distinguishing between genuine and fake practitioners, warning against unfair persecution of traditional healers.
Nwabueze further criticized what he sees as selective prosecution, noting that pastors linked to suspicious activities are not subjected to similar scrutiny.
“Is Soludo going to stage a contest between different ‘dibia’ to determine their powers, like in the biblical story of Pharaoh and Moses? And why aren’t some pastors detained pending investigations to determine which are fraudulent?” he asked.
He stressed that arrests and prosecutions should be based on evidence, not religious or social identity.
Instead of singling out native doctors, Nwabueze urged the Soludo administration to adopt more effective strategies to tackle crime and social vices, including:
Leadership by example
Education and job creation
Public enlightenment campaigns
Fighting corruption and drug abuse
He particularly emphasized the urgent need to address drug abuse among youths in Anambra State rather than targeting online native doctors who create content.
Nwabueze concluded by advocating for the fair treatment of all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs, gender, race, or other social identities.
“We must stop persecuting traditional religion practitioners simply because they are in the minority. It is unfair and unjust,” he asserted.
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