As Dr Great Celebrates 11th Anniversary With Array Of Cultural Display

Culture and Tourism

As Dr Great Celebrates 11th Anniversary With Array Of Cultural Display

Anniversary celebration of Dr. Great Natural Healing Home has come to stay in the last 11 years. Over the years this healing home owned by Godwin Okon Daniel and situated in his palace at Idim Etok, Afaha Obio Eno village, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area has been celebrating what could be termed, "its natal day in a grand style with numerous side attractions to make the celebration tick. The annual event usually held on December 24 yearly is usually fun-filled with various cultural troupes displaying to entertain attendees. The year 2020 celebration held on Thursday December 24, 2020 at the usual venue was not different from the past ones, as participants were thrilled with wonderful array of cultural displays ranging from Ekpo, Utue Ekpe, Ekoong, Nkoriko to Calabar cultural dance and others. Dr. Great Natural Healing Home is the realization of dreams and vision of Dr. Godwin Okon Daniel whose yearning for traditional medicine was enormous. December 24 every year is set aside as the founder's Day to mark Dr. Great's birthday and also coincides with the day he heeded to the call to serve humanity through traditional medicine. It is a day set aside to appreciate nature's gift to mankind, share the experience, and above all, make merriment. The year 2020 celebration featured street carnival; music fiesta; cultural dances with a view to showcasing high traditional medicine services used in the maintenance of health; exhibition of herbal products by his colleagues; healing and distribution of herbal drugs to the people and thanksgiving service. The establishment of this home offers high traditional medicine (also known as indigenous or folk medicine) services. A visit to Dr. Great Natural Healing Home in Idim Etok, Afaha Obio Eno hill or mountain, is a unique and sacred experience. On arrival, one is greeted by Dr. Great, adorned in traditional garment made up of white and red, worn as an act of respect for his ancestors. In his remarks, Dr. Great said the purpose of establishing the home was to foster lasting relationship with patients by treating their sicknesses and illnesses as his own, while the vision and mission is to create a world-class holistic and symbolic form of spiritual and physical healing of sicknesses through effective application of herbs, and to enhance the mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing of the people via diagnosis of illness and sickness and offering herbal treatment respectively, even as he intends to establish a herbalist training centre for prospective and potential herbalists. Obong Daniel said as a great mixer, he stretches his hand of goodwill to youths in areas of sports, educational support skill acquisition, economic development and also grade roads in the community he lives and operates in. While listing his numerous achievements, he thanked the participants for coming to celebrate with him. Speaking with newsmen shortly after the event, the secretary general of Dr. Great Natural Healing Home, Obong Cletus Udoh, said the annual event is always significant and unique, as it coincides with Dr. Great's date of birth which is also the day he heeded the call to provide affordable and effective solutions to man's physical, spiritual and social challenges. According to him, it has always been the desire and privilege of Dr. Great to play host to the crÃ¨me-de la crÃ¨me from different walks of life to rejoice and celebrate with him. He recalled that from a modest beginning, the yearly event has metamorphosed into a magnificent experience, well attended by Akwa Ibom sons and daughters who are traditional medicine practitioners was serving as home-coming for them and offering opportunities for interaction, sharing the good, bad and the ugly experiences. Udoh said, above all, the celebration is to provide opportunity for merriment, exchange of pleasantries and relish their rich cultural heritage, describing it as a truly colourful event from truly colourful traditional medicine practitioners. He thanked all for joining them to celebrate their king. High point of the celebration was the cutting of the anniversary cake.