Ike Osondu: Igbo ethno-medical approach to prostrate cancer, the frustration in 7-year pursuit of a master’s degree

Maduako Igbokwe l Friday, February 17, 2023

 

AWKA, Anambra – Ike Sunday Osondu is a micro biology graduate  of  the Godfrey Okoye University Enugu , Enugu state who later switched to  Igbo culture  at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra state. He did his post-graduate studies and commenced a masters degree in Igbo culture which took him seven years to complete due to internal departmental politics and intrigue.

Osondu has written many books in both  Igbo and English languages that are being used in  Enugu public  and private schools. Osondu, last Wednesday defended  his final work  on the subject : ” Towards the healing of prostrate cancer among Igbo and the Ethno- medical approaches”. By that feat, he became the first masters degree holder in the field. Enjoy the interview with our reporter.

 

Question: How do you  feel defending and graduating today after seven years for a year programme?

Really, I’am very happy and to God be the glory. It is all about God. I really appreciate and thank God.

Why did it take you  so much time to graduate?

I did not know it would be this way, but I thank God for everything because in every condition  you most thank Him. God allowed the challenges to prepare me  to move on in life to greater things. God designed it for a purpose and I accepted it for the glory of God.

Q: There are information that you have problems with some lecturers, making you to spend seven year instead of a year, how true?

Actually, it was true. l understood that there have been problems in the department among some lecturers. I did not know much about the problem because  I was just a student.  Unfortunately, the problem might have affected me ,I think they  had wanted to pull me down and you know something people will like to destroy something that is good and great. But we thank God for the successful ending today.

Some of lecturers, even with the good topic approved by my supervisor and other examiners .When people hear about the topic they would like to read it. But some of the lecturers in the department started rejecting the topic and the  work I had almost  concluded,  some said that the topic is not good. They wanted me to change it.

Q: What did you write on, I mean topic of  study?

The topic is ” Toward the healing of prostrate cancer among Igbo and the Ethno-medical approaches” The ethno medical approaches is the traditional approach to the healing of cancer using herbs and roots.

The purpose of the research is to move towards using herbal medicine to treat prostrate cancer and others illness in Igbo land . This is necessary, even if it might not be exact now ,but there is hope of using herbal medicine for the healing of prostrate cancer among the Igbo and others. In the course of my research, I was able to understand that there are  certain things one does and continued to do that will help in the healing of  prostrate cancer.

Q: What were your findings during your research work as this is an interesting topic and new area of research?

According to research respondents,, there are some herbal remedies for  prostrate cancer if one follows them well, it  will help in the healing of prostate cancer.

Some of the remedies are : Pokin seeds, African pear seeds . According to study to one of the  respondents, Rev father Raymond  Arazu said that one can use African pear to cure prostrate cancer, another is soar chop both the leaves and the fruits have  some components that can cure prostrate cancer.

He also stated that alligator peper or genuine peper can help in the healing of prostrate cancer. The research respondents also explained how ginger can be used to cure prostrate because it contains some components that can help in curing cancer. The respondents also stated that eating fresh tomato can help in curing prostrate cancer. The respondents also noted that regular sex can reduce the risk of prostrate cancer among men.  They also stated that regular exercise  help to reduce the risk of prostrate cancer among men . They also said those who consume much of  red meat have the higher risk of being infested with prostrate cancer. The respondents also stated that men above 50 years have more chances of having prostrate cancer than those below 45 years.

Q: Did you visit lab and medical experts in the course of this research or you just based it on hearsay?

The survey research method used for the collection of data in the study is interview method, randomly done to select medical doctors ,lab technologists and ethno medical persons. The medical doctors spoke well on the area of symptoms and types of prostrate cancer but the ethno medical healers or handlers explained their practical experience and approach to healings. They also said their confirmation is based on practical healing experiences. They even stated that some of those diagnosed with prostate cancer and were brought to their places were confirmed healed medically and scientifically. According to them, based on what they have done they were responding.

Q: I learnt that some lecturers in the department wanted you to step down this research, what is the problems and how did you come about this research?

I studied microbiology at the first degree at Godfrey Okoye University  Enugu and being a science graduate who wanted to major in Igbo  culture, my supervisor being a scholar and creative mind  advised me to  venture into medical research, that it will help to achieve a meaningful purpose in Igbo culture. I ventured into it and today ,I have finished despite all odds, nothing good comes easy. Even though ,some people knew  it was a new area,they were against it .

Q: I learnt also they asked you  to write an apology to them before they could allow you to graduate, the apology is for what ?

Let me say it this way, we struggled to do proposal, we struggled to do defence at the departmental level, faculty level  and the postgraduate level which is   the external  and the  final. During the departmental and faculty level it  was war. Some of the lecturers, just wanted to frustrate the research and they even fixed themselves among the internal examiners, then after the defence I made all the corrections  and they claimed not to be satisfied with the topic, even when the internal and external examiners have okayed the topic. They were just bent on stopping the research without telling me what is wrong. The external examiner okayed the work but the internal examiner said he does not want  to see me.  The external examiner, the Dean of the faculty okayed the work and  asked me to go for defence   but the internal examiner said  he does not want to see me  in his office.

Though, the external and internal examiners okayed the work it was when I was going for final defence that same internal examiner, said that I should write an apology for not doing what he asked me to do and I said it is not right for me to write any apology  because I have done everything required of me in the University.

After due consultations, we wrote to the Vice Chancellor , Deputy Vice Chancellor and others detailing them about  my plights  in the department . They replied that they  cannot be in the office and this kind of things will be happening in the university and they ordered for the  immediate defence of  my  thesis and research work. Today I am happy and thankful to  the  management of the university , especially the Vice Chancellor who immediately ordered for my defence.

Q: How do feel after all these battle ,you have finally graduated after seven or eight years?

To God be the glory. I am really happy indeed. I appreciate God and all those whom  God has used to enable  me achieve my dream in the university. My admission number is 2016)17.

Q: Did you at anytime feel like leaving  the study or being frustrated?

Honestly, time came when I started thinking about abandoning the project but my supervisor kept encouraging me.  In fact, it was difficult  for me .

At a time, I started thinking about the accumulated fees which is about  N717,000 ,they calculated from 2016 till date . Thank God have done the clearance. Also in his own interview, the supervisor, Prof Onukwube  Anedo, a Professor of Sino/ Afro culture & Anthropology commended the young man’s resilient to  finishing the project.

 

 SUPERVISOR SPEAKS  ON IKE SUNDAY OSONDU

 

Q: How do feel having this young man towing your line of academics, culture in the university?

I am extremely happy  and I thank God for today because the enemies in the department could not succeed. The enemies in  department,  the witches, they felt that today will not come to past . God had made it possible today and all their plans had  failed.

Q: I learnt  that you supervised him , in fact ,you advice him on the topic as a microbiology graduate, what do you intend to achieve by that ?

Before now people thought culture is only about masquerading, dancing, marriages and painting . Culture also include medical, the kind of medicine in your area.  This man with medical background, I felt he should develop this area. I also felt that  he should develop the  Igbo  traditional medicine inline  with documentations and move on . I have developed some areas in Igbo culture, then he has to develop this medical aspect. Very soon ,in the next 12 to 15 years  I will retire and people like him  will take over . We must encourage  the studies of  Igbo culture in our universities.

Q: As the supervisor, why did you keep him   for seven or eight years?

Me!  I did my work within two years but what I called witches on campus, we have witches in the department, we have witches in the faculty and the university at large. The witches did not want him to go. They don’t  want anything good . They  saw in this man’s very bright future and wanted to stop it ,even though when he was doing them good, publishing their books free of charge, they wanted to frustrate him.

Q: Why do you think they want to frustrate him?

Because they have the heart of witches. The hearts of witches are never clean. I’am happy that  he defended and graduated today.

These people have stopped many students in the department who wanted to study Igbo culture and they  left for Chukwuemeka Odumegwu university . And those people doing these , I will call them  never do well because someone who is bright can never stop something that  is bright. In the university those who victimized students  are nonentity,  never do well. They don’t have anything up stairs. They go about begging for promotions and others. They are dirtier than  devil. They claimed to be pastors, Knight and evangelists.

Q: Don’t you  think the delay of the young man was because of you?

Why would they visit their hatred for me on the young man, why transferring the hate to him? We , have Igbo village in this department and since I stopped participating it has crumbled.