[Ibadan Journal of Sociology, Dec., 201 9 , 9 ]
[© 2014- 2019 Ibadan Journal of Sociology]102Faith Healing in Religious Centres
One of the most important attributes of religious centres in Nigeria is their
emphasis on faith healing. As such, miracle healing and deliverance from
diseases and illnesses of ‘mind and body’ are core practices in many
religious houses in Nigeria. For Christians, “healing is conceived as a
comprehensive restoration of a believer to superabundant health or status
accruing to him/her as a result of what Jesus Christ has wrought on the
Cross” (Ukah, 2007, P. 14). Many claims have been made by ‘men and
women of God’ through various media sources, to have cures for diseases,
especially the most severe and medically incurable ones (Falaye, 2015).
There is a history of healing from diseases recorded in the holy book
of Christians (Bible) and Muslims (Quran). The Old and New Testament of
the Bible have recordings of several healings carried out ‘in the name of
God’. In the Old Testament, there are twelve occurrences of individual
healings and three occurrences of corporate healings (The Voice of Healing,
2011). In one instance, a devoted woman of God, through her consistent
prayers, received healing from barrenness (1 Samuel 1: 9-20). In another
instance, King Nebuchadnezzar (who was previously a pagan) received
healing from insanity (which had plagued him for seven years) by looking
up to heaven (Daniel 4: 34-36). In the new testament of the Holy Bible,
more than one-third of the scriptures describe healing from several physical
and mental diseases. In one instance, Jesus healed a man from leprosy
(which was a common and terminal disease at the time) by simply saying to
him “ Be clean” (Matthew 8: 1-3). In the Holy Quran, it is recorded that
Prophet Mohammad healed a man who had a broken leg, by wiping his
hand over the sick man’s leg. Right from old times, believers perceived
means of faith-healing power as an important asset for human survival
(Ebhomienlen and Ogah, 2013).
The origin and proliferation of spiritual healing centres in Nigeria can
be traced to the second decade of the 20th century, during the outbreak of
influenza (Erinosho, Usman and Mkpume, 1981). Adegoke (2007) observed
that many indigenous faith healing churches in Nigeria (including Christ
Apostolic Church, Celestial Church of Christ, Cherubim and Seraphim,
Christ Apostolic Faith) emerged around this period for the purpose of
healing through spiritual means. The spread of these healing centres has
continued even in recent times, especially with increased uncertainties and
rise in strange diseases rampaging resource-limited nations. One popular
strand of Christian spiritual centres where healing is a core mission is the
Aladura churches. The Aladura churches also known as African Instituted
Churches- AICs, “reflect the indigenization of Christianity through its use
of African symbols, traditional healing modalities and worship styles”
(Harvard Divinity School, 2017, no page). The Aladura churches in Nigeria
emphasize healing and deliverance from illnesses and diseases through