THE 'PREYING' MANTIS

As published in BLUEPRINT NEWSPAPER 21st June 2012

Black like night,

Beautiful as day,

As tall as the Eiffel Tower,

Bright like diamonds,

As sharp as a knife,

She was none of these things.

What she was, was pretty, petite, shy and introverted. Really, she was just a normal 16 year old Nigerian girl with a seizure disorder. Her story was engaging, her nature saddening as she told a story of seizures which has blighted her life from the age of 13 years. No warning. But, then she did have a bout of Malaria for which she was treated with Chloroquine for a whole month! Don’t ask me why. The seizures make her stiffen up, lose consciousness, fall down and jerk like a fish out of water. Two minutes later, all quietens and she drowns in a deep sleep, to wake up later, none the wiser of her ordeal. 

Her mother took up the story. She has taken Beatrice (not her real name!) everywhere for treatment and the elusive cure. She has been to herbalists and numerous churches. She has drunk gallons of concoctions and performed many rituals, yet the seizures continue. In fact, it happened the morning of our consultation. “What investigations have been performed”, I asked? “Investigations?” she replied. “Is she on any medications now”, I asked. “Nothing o”, she replied. “I am tired of the problem”, she said. “It has drained me completely”, she added and started crying.

Beatrice, the daughter, rummaged in her small hand bag and dug up a handkerchief which she gave to her mother, to use in wiping away the tears. I was touched by the simple act of kindness and love. Yet, she was actually the victim here.

The mother carried on. Beatrice has not been properly diagnosed or treated. They did see a doctor once who showed keen interest in her problem and prescribed medications for her. It seems he also prescribed sex; for once, he invited her to a hotel to have fun. When she refused his advances, the treatment stopped.

The same prescription was offered by one of the pastors in the church. The mother had left her with the pastor for prayers and the ubiquitous olive oil anointing. She stayed overnight in the church. In the morning, on her way to the bathroom, the pastor appeared, naked, with the required ‘stick’ with which to drive out the evil spirits causing the epilepsy. Once again, Beatrice refused and she was tossed out of the church. Obviously, this one cannot be cured!

Preying on the weak in our society

I was truly overwhelmed with the story and remembered the praying mantis. This tall, graceful insect with a big stomach has some of the fastest moves among insects. Praying mantis is highly predacious and feed on a variety of insects, including crickets and grasshoppers. They lie in wait with the front legs in an upraised position intently watching and stalking their prey. They will eat each other and often the adult female will eat the male after or during mating.

But, the real issue is about pastors, preachers and charlatans who prey on the vulnerable in our society. Many of these fake people cannot cure epilepsy but they promise cure, “so long as you do as I say, not as I do”. The means of cure can be spiritual or even physical as demonstrated here. Mrs Angela Asemota (Angie Epilepsy Foundation, Benin) chipped in that she herself had been propositioned by men in position of power when she goes out soliciting support for the foundation. An offer of help either materially or financially is conditional upon her satisfying this type of base and animalistic urge for domination. While talking about convulsions, all the men think about is convulsing with pleasure in return for their small charity. These “charity rapists” should be reported to the police and thrown in jail upon conviction. The best way to get evidence is by recording the conversation and getting the police to conduct a sting operation to trap the perpetrator.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is not due to a spiritual attack and so pastors do not have to cast evil spirits out of the patient. Epilepsy is also not a mental illness but many sufferers are hidden away by families and friends in a warped protective manner. Seizures are mainly a symptom that there is a physical problem, like a scar, on the brain. Some people with epilepsy are extremely clever, others are of average intelligence and some have learning difficulties. Big deal! Many people in Nigerian politics are actually like this as well. Epilepsy is therefore not a bar to success in life but the fact that many children do not go to school is what ends up blighting their future.

I keep saying and impressing on people that epilepsy can affect anyone and we need to be more compassionate to sufferers. For as long as we are still alive, we all still have a risk of developing seizures in our lifetime. Secondly, people suffering from this disorder are highly stigmatised, dehumanised and ostracised. It knocks their self confidence and destroys their self worth. They feel cursed and abandoned even by God. Many have committed suicide because of the shame and the dent in their potential. Beatrice does not go to school though she is highly sensitive and perhaps even very intelligent.

Epilepsy can be treated, controlled and rarely cured.

In over 50% of cases of epilepsy, we do not have a credible diagnosis and do not see any structural abnormality on the brain of the sufferer. In these types of cases, cure is also elusive and long term medical treatment is crucial. Doctors also have so much to offer with up to 20 different drugs available for patients with epilepsy. The right drug for the right patient and at the right dose for the individual is what is important. Sometimes, it is even possible to tail off a medication and then stop completely once the person is seizure free. The Government (You and I, the people) must use Nigeria’s economic clout (all 160 million of it) to get drug manufacturers to make these drugs easily available and affordable for our people (remember, it maybe them today, it could be you tomorrow). Epilepsy due to an accessible, abnormal area of the brain such as a brain tumour may be amenable to surgical intervention by a neurosurgeon and possible cure. If we all do our job to the best of our limits and skills, then it is possible to keep patients seizure free and off the clutches of nasty people.

Attitudes need to change to make life a bit more bearable for sufferers. They are not and should not be seen as cannon fodder by pastors and even doctors. We have to actively protect sufferers from predators by providing affordable and effective treatment centres. A nation that devours its young and the vulnerable is completely inhuman. How much humanity are we losing as a nation?

No blind faith, please

A man decided to test his faith when his town got flooded. A rescue boat comes along but he denies their help. "My God will save me" he told them. So they went away. The waters rose, so next along comes a large lifeboat. Again the man says "my God will save me" and sends them away. The floodwaters rose up to his roof and a helicopter appeared. For the third time, the man sent them away stating "my God will save me". Having then drowned, the man's angry soul got up to heaven and upon meeting God asked "so why didn't you save me then?" God replied "What are you on about; I sent you two boats and a helicopter".

We have to help ourselves!