TCM Nigeria

I observed one trait from my Nigerian folks and it could be common among all people and that is the trait of being judgemental.  If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck Many of my Nigerian friends believe the Halloween celebration is demonic maybe because it looks scary, the activities and costumes look devilish but it is worthy of note that Halloween is actually a Christian holiday. It originated from Christianity and it’s a day to celebrate the eve of all saint day. The day to remember Christian’s (Saints) who have slept in the Lord. It is usually celebrated with a vigil and people abstain from eating animal product and become vegetarian.  TCM Nigeria would like to talk about the mental health aspect of this celebration and also the consumption of vegetables. The Halloween holiday is always celebrated on the 31st of October which is the eve of All saint day celebrated on the 1st of November and All Souls’ Day on the second (2nd)

 When I think about this practice, my thoughts goes back to the first invasion of smallpox to the world. Many people believe that the survival of smallpox becomes immune to the sickness, so there was a practice  then called viriology.  The process of infecting people with the small pox virus and trying to cure it so they can stay immune to smallpox.  This practice left most of their survivals blind but a good number survived it until Edward Jenner discovered that victims infected with cowpox are naturally immune to smallpox which brought about the study and practice of immunology.  Cowpox was not just a protection from smallpox, but was also communicable with the ability to transmit from one person to the other given it a wide protection from small pox, till it was announced that smallpox had been completely eradicated from the world. Irrespective of the fact that it prevented smallpox, it still leavse its victims with symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, vomiting etc. These effects (