Letter from Africa: Why do we rely on 'miracle cures'?

n our series of letters from African journalists, Ghanaian writer Elizabeth Ohene, a former government minister and member of the opposition, considers why so many Ghanaians turn to supernatural powers for help. Ours must be an advertiser's paradise. We believe in miracles and the more spectacular they are, the better. Radio and television stations and newspapers all make a brisk business selling "miracle cures" for all ailments. The streets are cluttered with billboards of all sizes telling us about the one-stop answer to all problems. A current favourite of mine is an advertisement that screams at you not to die of cancer and promises that be it "prostate, ovarian, stomach, cervical, liver, lung, breast, pancreatic" or whatever variety of cancer, you are assured of a 21-day phenomenal treatment. 'Magic pill' And while you are about it, a period of one to two months is all that is required to recover from male or female infertility, six months for full rehabilitation from a stroke or total recovery from diabetes, hypertension and hepatitis and one to three weeks for the clearance of fibroids. And oh yes, one month is needed for total recovery from burns, no matter "the degree of burns" on your body. continued