Grassroots groups across Nigeria are working to dispel myths about dementia and prevent attacks on elderly people, often women, who are accused of witchcraft. In January 2020, Dr Temitope Farombi, a consultant neurologist, rescued a woman in her 70s who was being beaten by a mob in Ibadan. The crowd believed she was a witch after she knocked on a door demanding entry.
Farombi explained that the woman likely had dementia, a medical condition causing symptoms such as wandering and confusion. The mob dispersed, and Farombi later reunited the woman with her family. Across Nigeria and other African countries, people with dementia are frequently accused of witchcraft, leading to attacks including beatings, stoning, and even killings.
The UN estimates at least 20,000 victims of harmful practices related to witchcraft accusations between 2009 and 2019 across 60 countries. The African Union issued guidance for parliamentarians on the issue in 2023, following a 2021 UN resolution. In Nigeria, accusing someone of witchcraft is illegal but rarely enforced, according to Leo Igwe of Advocacy for Alleged Witches.
Farombi set up Brain Health Initiative Nigeria to raise awareness after seeing abuse of dementia patients. She notes that many Nigerians have never heard of dementia, leading families to hide relatives or seek help from traditional healers who may perpetuate harmful myths. Globally, over 55 million people have dementia, with more than 60% in low- and middle-income countries.
