While I was at SS Hospital Akure, a case of rabies with clinical symptoms was rushed to the emergency. Aggression, hyperactivity, excessive yawning. He stood by the door and kept staring at me for over 3 mins without blinking. At that point I was afraid and I wanted to japa.
For most doctors, a case of rabies can never be forgotten. I started questioning the relatives but none of them disclosed that he was bitten by a dog. A nurse who understood the local dialect was the one who confronted them after she overheard them discussing it.
So I called the relatives and told them that the guy was going to die. This is "digbolugi" no going back from here. They started speaking in tongues and they rebuked me. They called a pastor who arrived on an okada with several oils to come and perform miracles.
After all the drama, I explained to the pastor the importance of knowledge and a good healthcare system. We have antirabies vaccines for animals, we have rabies vaccines for those exposed to the virus. I lectured them on how to prevent rabies in their town.
I concluded by telling them that they should prepare for his burial. I told the pastor that if a rabies dog bites him tomorrow and he doesn't present in a hospital to take the rabies vaccine, he would die as well with all the scriptures in his head.
3 days later, the relatives came to the hospital to inform me that the guy passed away. They kept thanking me and bowing as if I was a deity. It's knowledge, knowledge and knowledge. In this world, nothing can replace knowledge. Nigerians have abandoned knowledge for worship.
I tweeted some months back that religion in our society is competing with Knowledge but some of us are here to reverse the trend. Religion will not save the world, knowledge will.
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