In response to allegations that traditional bone setters collect “cocks” from those who suffered taumatic arm or limb loss and that there is a spiritual bond between the patients and these cocks, WITHIN NIGERIA Journalist SODIQ LAWAL CHOCOMILO met with several traditional physicians who specialize in bone setting.
The reporter also conducted interviews with a few patients who received care from conventional physicians for their bone injuries, including those who provided “cocks” to these traditional bone setters.
The world is a truly intricate place with a lot of hidden corners. What possible connection exists between “cocks” and those who have shattered arms, thighs, or legs? This reporter’s curiosity for the unknown led him to look for local physicians with expertise in bone setting.
Following a thorough investigation, WITHIN NIGERIA got in touch with four previous patients and seven trado-physicians that specialize in bone setting. However, this reporter only spoke with three senior trado-physicians who have worked for decades in the field of bone-setting; two of the four previous patients who underwent this type of procedure were taken into consideration in this report.
This reporter visited one of Osun State’s historic towns, Ilesa, early on Sunday morning. After arriving in Ilesa, he took a car to “Biladun,” a street that was home to a traditional building where those with fractured bones were treated. This reporter later came upon an old, yellow-painted building while circling the block in search of the “traditional home of healing.”
Several pictures on the wall showed a man in traditional clothing holding a pot and what appeared to be a short stick, while another figure lay still on the ground. The words “Omo Ekun Traditional Doctor Expert In Bone Setting & General Illness” were also written boldly in big letters. Chief Tafa Salawu, popularly known as Agbomola, is the owner of the traditional home of bone resettling. Although the reporter has heard about his adventures, he hasn’t actually seen him in person or in pictures.
This reporter noticed an old man sitting on a wooden bench in front of the building, who was most likely in his late sixties, when he got out of the car. He was on a dark ash gown, rubber slippers, and was engrossed in a radio program. This reporter went up to him and asked to speak with him alone.
“I’m trying to find Baba Omo Ekun,” the reporter declares. Ki le n wa Baba fun o? He answered in his native tongue. The reporter went on, hoping for a positive response, “I’m a journalist and I’ve come to ask some questions about bone injury and treatment.” He asked the reporter to take a seat next to him on the wooden bench, grinning and making a slight movement to make room for him.
He drove this reporter to his home’s backyard, where he parked his vehicle. He produced a file that had multiple images of people who had broken arms or legs when they arrived at his residence. He said to the reporter, “I also treat other illnesses like unhealed wounds and delayed delivery, among others.”
Why do traditional bone setters collect “cocks” from patients?
Perhaps a dishonest strategy – Chief Tafa Salawu
When discussing the family business of mending broken bones, Chief Tafa Salawu “Agbomola” disclosed that he had received the skill from his father, a master bone setter.
“I never learned it from anywhere. My skill was honed because I was only attentive while my father was tending to his patients. My sons selected this job as well. They have established many traditional homes for resetting of bones. I have experience in this field.
Salawu said there is nothing in this business that he does not know, adding that his experience in bone setting has given him an innate talent.
He said, “I’m also into treating general illnesses like postponed or unhealed open wounds, among others.”
Chief Salawu revealed that he does not break a cock’s legs; instead, he treats patients and depends on the degree of bone injury before his patients recover. He also acknowledged that he collects cocks from people who have broken bones and charges a fee before beginning therapy.
To be honest, I do take cocks from patients, but before I started my work, I would kill the cock, prepare it, and give it to the people as “Saara.” I inherited this style of treatment from my father. Chief Salawu clarified, “I don’t break the legs of cocks because my father doesn’t.”
Salawu revealed that he exclusively uses “something” with ori (shea butter) to heal his patients, and that one of his patients, a lawyer, gave him this building as a gift for effective treatment, as he was displaying some photos of his previous patients to the reporter.
“OAU Teaching Hospital management has extended two invitations to me. Owing to the effectiveness of our care, they occasionally send patients from hospitals to me. Aside from severe spinal cord injuries, I treat all types of fractured bones. Depending on the severity of the bone injury, I only gather cock to be prepared and given to people, along with at least N150,000 depending on the degree of injury,” Salawu continued.
When this reporter questioned Salawu, a traditional bone healer, about people who chop off a cock’s legs before treating patients, Salawu responded that there are multiple ways to kill a chicken, which is another way of saying that there are various techniques or methods to solving problems.
I’ve explained to you how we handle bone injuries here. I received that trait from my father. We do not break the legs of cocks, but some people do, and they say it’s what they were taught to do. In my opinion, it’s a dishonest tactic. If they wish to repair broken legs, why should they punish innocent cocks by breaking their legs? Salawu considered this with some concern.
After leaving Chief Salawu’s home, this reporter started out on a new quest to find another traditional physician with a significant amount of experience who specializes in setting bones. This reporter eventually located another old traditional physician in Oke-Opo, an Ilesa street, who specialized in bone setting, after a protracted search.
The man, who was presumably in his late eighties, was observed in a four-room building’s passageway consuming yam and palm oil. The man maintained that he would delay his breakfast, even if this reporter preferred to wait outside. An elderly guy, struggling to enter his room, says, “Let us enter the room and discuss.” It was later discovered by this reporter that he is blind.
My grandfather, father never collected cocks from patients, Cotonou-born bone setter
Responding to inquiries from WITHIN NIGERIA, Ibrahim, a traditional healer likely in his late seventies, said he had heard of certain traditional healers who would gather cocks from people, break their legs, perform certain rituals on the cocks, and then, if the cocks began to walk, their patients would follow suit.
Declaring that he disagrees with the breaking of cocks’ legs, Ibrahim claimed that his father and grandpa reset fractured bones for living and that he never saw them do either. They also treated many patients who are now able to move around freely without assistance.
In all the years I’ve worked here, I have never asked for a hen or a cock. I simply request payment from patients in order to cover service fees or the cost of some necessary supplies. In my more than 50 years of work, I have seen more than 500 patients. I grew up observing my father in this field. The traditional doctor, who was born in Cotonou, went on to say that he has demanded for cock from any patient.
Cocks are mandatory for true healing, says Sarafa, Ilorin-born bone setter
A traditional physician named Sarafa Adekunle informed this reporter over the phone that he collects cocks from patients because cocks are mandatory for true healing.
He said he would perform certain rites on the cock to spiritually bond it with the patient.
“I would perform certain rituals on the cock that I would collect for a patient. The patient and cock would be connected spiritually. I would break one of the cock’s legs. Both legs will be treated by us. The patient’s leg would heal at the same rate as the cock’s leg. The traditional doctor, who was born in Ilorin, states in the Yoruba indigenous language, “That’s the practice I inherited from my father and it’s working for me.
I went through three bone setters before I could work – Adebayo
43-year-old Rasak Adebayo revealed to WITHIN NIGERIA that he had previously used a traditional bone setter following a tragic accident that fractured his left leg’s bone.
Adebayo disclosed that he purchased cocks for the first two bone setters, but he was unable to walk until he was brought to an elderly man in Ogun State, where he was completely healed. Adebayo stated that he was taken to three traditional bone setters before he could walk with the leg again.
Adebayo claims that buying cocks for ritual purposes or eating their meat with others is purely a matter of human invention or personal preference and has no bearing on the course of treatment.
It was probably brought about by a new generation of conventional bone setters. Adebayo said, “I met a lot of patients in this man’s place and he did not receive any cock, so I know he is competent.”
I purchased a cock, paid N200,000 – Adereti
When he fell and fractured his right leg, another man, Christopher Adereti, told WITHIN NIGERIA that he purchased cock and paid N200,000 as a service charge for complete treatment.
The carpenter, Adereti also said that he was treated by applying a black, greasy liquid to his wound, among other things, but he had no idea why they were using the cock for that purpose.
There was supervision over me for four weeks. Once I recovered completely, I was instructed to come once a week after being released. As for what they did with the cock, Adereti continued, “I was more interested in complete recovery”.
