Traditional Healers asked to operate under hygienic conditions

Dagbamate (V/R), April 10, GNA- Psychic and Traditional Healers in the country have been advised to operate under hygienic conditions to avoid complicating the health problems of their clients. They have also been asked not to hesitate to release their clients to other healers and the orthodox hospitals if they cannot heal them. Hunua Yao Dunyo, High Priest of the Afetor Ku Fetish Shrine at Dagbamate in the Akatsi District said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the weekend at Dagbamate when he led adherents of the shrine in their annual high point sacrifice. Among the celebrants were students from some European Universities who are on a visit to the African Culture and Music Research Centre, a research unit attached to the shrine.

Adherents and the Priest sang, danced prayed and made offerings in the form of animals and cash.

They also partook in the communal feast of two kinds of mashed yam, one in its original colour and the other laced with palm oil as a symbol of reunion among followers and the deity. Hunua Dunyo, who is also the President of the Psychic and Traditional Healers Association, advised Africans to uphold the African religious concept so as not to loose their roots and become people without traditions and direction.

He also asked Christian Churches to reconsider their confrontational approach in propagating the gospel by vilifying and denigrating the African religious concept and its followers. Hunua Dunyo asked them to employ a peaceful approach used by Christ in winning souls.

He also appealed to the government to declare a national holiday for marking the African Traditional Religious worship as done for Christians and Moslems.

Hunua said the annual sacrifice at the shrine, which always coincides with the celebration of Easter by Christians, is so because it is believed that it is the appropriate time for making sacrifice to God to attract the best results.