A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern Nigeria
The saying that health is wealth is an incontrovertible fact. This aphorism underscores the paramount significance attached to human health since the preliterate era. Igala land and other parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly during the colonial epoch, witnessed many epidemics. The sudden outbreak...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Research on History of Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://rhm.sums.ac.ir/article_50683_fc095c550d68b8d26d46f9403c684e17.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849312770534670336 |
|---|---|
| author | Danladi Abah |
| author_facet | Danladi Abah |
| author_sort | Danladi Abah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The saying that health is wealth is an incontrovertible fact. This aphorism underscores the paramount significance attached to human health since the preliterate era. Igala land and other parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly during the colonial epoch, witnessed many epidemics. The sudden outbreak of epidemic diseases, which spread like wildfire across Nigeria in the early 1920s, threatened the lives of both Europeans and natives and adversely affected the economy and social lives of the people. Thus, vaccination was conceived as a viable control measure and made compulsory in Igala land. However, its success was limited. Therefore, this study examines the prevalence of epidemic diseases and vaccination in twentieth-century Igala land. This paper reveals that the acute shortage of medical and health personnel, Islamic influence, the difficult geographical terrain of the area, coupled with high rates of illiteracy, and the prevalence of traditional medicines militated against the effective and efficient control of epidemic diseases and vaccinations in Igala land. The functionalist theory is utilized while a multidisciplinary approach to historical analysis is adopted. Data for this study were obtained from the Nigerian National Archive, Kaduna, and oral interviews with residents of Igala land and literature. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ed89ccde3c714756807bf98b3d51552c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2251-886X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Shiraz University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Research on History of Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-ed89ccde3c714756807bf98b3d51552c2025-08-20T03:52:57ZengShiraz University of Medical SciencesJournal of Research on History of Medicine2251-886X2025-02-01141334610.30476/rhm.2024.102020.120250683A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern NigeriaDanladi Abah0Department of History, School of Arts, College of Humanities, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaThe saying that health is wealth is an incontrovertible fact. This aphorism underscores the paramount significance attached to human health since the preliterate era. Igala land and other parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly during the colonial epoch, witnessed many epidemics. The sudden outbreak of epidemic diseases, which spread like wildfire across Nigeria in the early 1920s, threatened the lives of both Europeans and natives and adversely affected the economy and social lives of the people. Thus, vaccination was conceived as a viable control measure and made compulsory in Igala land. However, its success was limited. Therefore, this study examines the prevalence of epidemic diseases and vaccination in twentieth-century Igala land. This paper reveals that the acute shortage of medical and health personnel, Islamic influence, the difficult geographical terrain of the area, coupled with high rates of illiteracy, and the prevalence of traditional medicines militated against the effective and efficient control of epidemic diseases and vaccinations in Igala land. The functionalist theory is utilized while a multidisciplinary approach to historical analysis is adopted. Data for this study were obtained from the Nigerian National Archive, Kaduna, and oral interviews with residents of Igala land and literature.https://rhm.sums.ac.ir/article_50683_fc095c550d68b8d26d46f9403c684e17.pdfepidemicsvaccinationdiseasesigala land |
| spellingShingle | Danladi Abah A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern Nigeria Journal of Research on History of Medicine epidemics vaccination diseases igala land |
| title | A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern Nigeria |
| title_full | A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern Nigeria |
| title_short | A History of Epidemic Diseases and Vaccination in Colonial Igala Land, Northern Nigeria |
| title_sort | history of epidemic diseases and vaccination in colonial igala land northern nigeria |
| topic | epidemics vaccination diseases igala land |
| url | https://rhm.sums.ac.ir/article_50683_fc095c550d68b8d26d46f9403c684e17.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danladiabah ahistoryofepidemicdiseasesandvaccinationincolonialigalalandnorthernnigeria AT danladiabah historyofepidemicdiseasesandvaccinationincolonialigalalandnorthernnigeria |