From a Reuters article on the "hyena men" of Nigeria:

Yaya Kawu, a farmer, hunter and traditional healer, who lives with a hyena and several snakes in a rural town in Kano State, says his animals are considered part of normal life in his community.

His mud brick compound regularly attracts gaggles of children eager to look at the animals, and neighbours who have just slaughtered a goat sometimes offer him a gift of meat for his hyena.

Kawu sells remedies made from hyena dung, saliva or hair, which he says can help with a range of ailments -- even bad behaviour by teenagers.

"Some young people, they get into drugs, alcohol. The parents come to me and I give them a remedy so that everything will be all right," he said.

Hey, I've read too many stories about the power of suggestion by the African "Witch Doctors" to doubt some level of effectiveness.

Or maybe it's just: "If you take drugs again I'm gonna take you to the witch doctor and force feed hyena shit and snake piss to you". It would sure as hell cure me.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
Hey, I've read too many stories about the power of suggestion by the African "Witch Doctors" to doubt some level of effectiveness.

Let me put it this way.

I have friends, who are the best anyone could wish for.

Some have kids that have gone astray with drugs.

Many have recovered, with professional help.

Others, sadly, are a lost cause.

Too stupid to realize they are destroying themselves.

quote:

Kawu sells remedies made from hyena dung, saliva or hair, which he says can help with a range of ailments -- even bad behaviour by teenagers.

What about current U.S. Presidents?

Now for that, a dung cure would be poetically appropriate.