w87 4/15 pp. 26-29 Traditional Medicine in Africa—Compatible With Christianity? For millions of Africans, traditional healers are their only contact with medicine of any kind. Particularly is this true in rural areas where hospitals are few and doctors are rare. Traditional medicine, however, usually has strong roots in superstition and spiritualism. What should a Christian do under these circumstances? “‘THIS “agbo” will in all probability kill him off and put an end to all his misery and ours.’ And so, on the assumption that the new remedy was going to result in good riddance of me, the concoction was poured down my throat.” This was written by a medical doctor in a Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday Times article entitled “Don’t Despise the Traditional Healer.” He was describing how his parents had given up hope of his recovery from a critical illness when he was only one year old. The medicine, sent to them by a traditional healer, was credited with saving his life. Many Afr...