Belief in reincarnation (the "ogba nje" phenomenon) and its significance for psychotherapy in Nigeria
Ebigbo, P.O.; Ihezue, U.H.
Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychoanalyse 27(1): 84-91
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0340-5613 PMID: 7210911 Document Number: 172441
The Phenomenon OGBA NJE was described by 25 elderly men from Enugu (township N = 10) and Amaofuo (village N = 15) in Nigeria as follows: It means coming again. One who returns. The human being comes back to this life after death. Sometimes people coming back arrange to come to life together under certain conditions e.g. like living only 20 years and dying together therafter, not to have children, not to marry or to perform very specific tasks and returning again etc. Should a member under such a contract not wish to keep to it any longer while alive, the other members of the agreement will harrass the one living. This is manifested in various forms of mysterious and pathological behaviours. The native doctor diagnoses this disturbance mostly through handreading. He can heal OGBA NJE by freeing the patient from the agreement. The authors however believe that OGBA NJE is a native way of explaining and healing mental disturbances. 2 out of 20 cases documented within the period of 1 year and successfully treated by Psychotherapy are presented as illustration.