An African construction of colonial medicine: the Sokoto people’s perception and response to the British healthcare programmes

Abstract

After the conquest of the Sokoto Caliphate and the creation of the Sokoto Province in 1903, the British introduced a number of social programmes including healthcare services. However, the services met with a number of challenges, especially apathy by the people of the Province. This paper intends to bring a new perspective of African construction of colonial regime with a focus on healthcare programmes in Sokoto Province of northern Nigeria. Through the analysis of library sources, archival materials and oral information, the paper seeks to examine the basis for the ambivalent perception and reception of the British healthcare services by the Sokoto people. The paper argues that in spite of a number of legislative measures taken to ensure the acceptance of the services, there was community rejection of the services. As in the case of other areas in colonial Africa, suspicion and mistrust of colonial officers, Christian missions, western culture and the existence of indigenous belief systems were responsible for the questions regarding acceptability of western healthcare services. It is also observed that the current challenges of international healthcare programmes in the area, for instance, rejection of polio vaccine, is a spillover of Sokoto people’s suspicion of British healthcare programmes.

Keywords: African Construction, Colonial Medicine, Sokoto People and British Healthcare Programmes