*Scientists, spiritualists differ
By Ngozi Nwoke
When the news hit town that Dr Paul Nmeringe died on February 1, it came as big shock to many. Hours earlier, he looked healthy and shared drinks with friends.
In fact, he promised to bring a live goat to his friends on Valentine’s Day. On January 1, he had celebrated his mother who turned 90. So, when his friends learned that he slumped and died in his bedroom, some took it with a pinch of salt.
Sudden death is the swift and unexpected ending of one’s life. While the causes of sudden death remains enormous and vary, it is scientifically proven that cases such as advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, unhealthy diet and stress, are leading causes of sudden death.
Daily, there are recorded incidents of people who die suddenly in Nigeria and elsewhere but we only know about them when prominent persons are involved.
Meanwhile, more reports by most experts have opinionated that sudden unexpected death is majorly caused by cardiovascular diseases: either a heart attack or heart failure, while few have attributed sudden death to spiritual manifestations or invocations.
A review by the World Health Organisation (WHO) did not only identify that cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of sudden death, it also states that the male gender suffers heart failures more than the female gender.
“Cardiovascular disease is responsible for the death of an estimated 17.5 million people each year of which 66.7 percent are male and 33.3 percent are females. Around 80 percent of deaths occur in low and middle-income countries where financial resources are least accessible. By 2030, almost 23.6 million people will die from mainly heart disease and stroke. These diseases are projected to remain the major leading causes of death in the world.”
It also revealed that “hypertension, respiratory, central nervous system and cancer-related diseases,” are the other major causes of sudden death.
Consultant cardiologist, Mrs. Francesca Inofomoh, revealed that sudden death is caused by heart-related ailments which happens unexpected within 45 minutes of the attack, due to delayed cardiac response and respiratory problem. In other words, when timely perspiration is performed on the person, he or she can be saved from sudden death.
“Sudden death is the kind of death that occurs unexpectedly within an hour or 45 minutes and is traceable to cardiac. It is referred to as sudden cardiac death. And how to prevent sudden cardiac death is for people from the age of 25 upwards to undergo regular check up. People from age 35 are advised to always check their blood pressure.
“People who are getting older must avoid stress, eat more vegetables and fruits, take enough rest and sleep well up to eight hours at night. These days we have cases of young people in their early 20s who have developed diabetes mellitus, hypertension and high blood pressure. These ailments were genetically inherited from either of their parents, both parents or even grandparents,” she said.
When asked if there were diabolical powers or spiritual invocation linked to sudden deaths, Inofomoh said: “Not at all. There is no scientific evidence that people suddenly die due to any form of spiritual invocation.”
Another cardiologist at First Cardiology Consultant, Lagos, Mr. Kofoworola Ogunyakin, opined that sudden unexpected death also known as SUD, occurs when there are “blockages in the heart which is caused by high blood pressure, excessive tobacco smoking, high cholesterol, and not maintaining a healthy diet. People from the age of 45 should undergo stress test to keep their stress levels in check.
“Nigerians undergo lots of stress that is why you see people slump at their work places and the next thing, they begin to fight for their lives. Heart attack and cardiac arrest are rampant today. Regular medical checks will help save most people from unexpected death or attacks. Avoiding too much salt and sugar is lifesaving.”
Ogunyakin, who warned that heart attack can kill unexpectedly without symptoms, also explained that there is no scientific proof that people suddenly die from spiritual attacks.
On the contrary, founder, One Love Family, Sat Guru Maharaj ji, stated that it is possible for a person to die suddenly through diabolical powers when the spirit of the person is attacked in the spiritual realm.
He said: “Everything is not science and everything doesn’t have to have scientific proof before it is believed. There are cases where someone will be extremely sick, the person is taken to the hospital, but after every medical examination, the result shows that no cause of illness is found.
“Yet the person is extremely sick. That shows that it is a spiritual case. It is only a self-deluded person that doesn’t believe in spirituality. Everything that manifests in the physical already has a spiritual manifestation.
“Before someone dies, the person is already dead in the spiritual realm. When people suddenly slump and die, it means that the person’s spirit has been attacked either in the dream or in the sleep. That is why you see some people will sleep healthy and don’t wake up. They die in their sleep. That is a spiritual attack.”
In the same vein, Gbenga Aaron of Celestial Church of Christ, Ojota, Lagos, remarked: “We believe in spiritual existence. Every activity we carry out must have a spiritual instruction or backup. Anyone who knows CCC, know that it has a high spiritual connection.
“We perform spiritual cleansing and deliverance for any member who is suffering from any chronic illness and the person is cured. We don’t dispute western medicines or treatment. But we strongly believe in the existence of spiritual evil forces surrounding us.
“That is why we always perform special prayers and spiritual exercises on members for them to be protected from evil attacks both physically and spiritually. When a person who was energetic and full of life suddenly dies, we believe it is either the will of God or the handiwork of the enemies. We live in a spiritual world.”
Priest and senior lecturer, Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, Musa Gerald, also explained the spiritual aspect of sudden death.
He said: “Death is inevitable and it is a major characteristic of living things, including human beings. Death can come from old age, sickness, accidents, natural disasters and so forth. It can come suddenly or gradually.
“When it happens so quickly, we hear expressions such as ‘gone too soon’ untimely, or premature death. Sickness can cause sudden death, and so do accidents or natural disasters.
“In Africa, we are familiar with spiritual attacks coming from people who work hand in hand with the devil. St. Paul reminds us of the fact that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, spiritual powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:12).
“While we do our best to protect ourselves from sudden death through good healthcare, we can as well do our best to guard against the sudden and deadly spiritual attacks through fervent prayers. Some interpret sudden death as a sign of God’s disfavour, but this is far from the truth because both good and bad people experience sudden death.
“Jesus died at the age of 33 which could be described as untimely, premature and perhaps sudden. He escaped many deaths until the appointed time came. This is to say that no death (whether sudden or gradual) happens unless God allows it.”
Another priest of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, Lagos, Benedict Agbara, stated: “Anything we believe or practice without the backing of the Holy Bible, is null and void. As Christians and believers of God’s word, we believe that anyone who dies already has the permission of God.
“If God says a soul will be taken from earth this minute, it happens. Be it because of medical, physical or spiritual causes. Anyone can die through any means, but believe that as Christians, only God has the power to give life and take it whenever it pleases him. We do not believe that the devil has powers to take the life of any mortal by any means spiritual. We believe in the will and power of God who gives and takes.”
Similarly, Professor. Adefule-Ositelu, a traditional medicine practitioner, added that sudden unexpected death can only occur when there is a cause, noting that there are spiritual causes of sudden death that cannot be classified as natural.
She said: “Causes of sudden death is not different from the orthodox and traditional. Mostly people don’t take proper and adequate care of there health, especially those who have underlying health issues such as heart issues, diabetes, hypertension and so on. Let’s not forget that some people have these illnesses but are unaware until it develops into an emergency case.
“Most people don’t even recognise when they are under stress. Most people don’t know how to manage their stress levels. They continue to work and work, without having adequate rest to make up for the stress. Some do not also eat adequate quality foods or balance diet to make up for the stress. Exhaustion is a leading cause of depression, anxiety and these kind of lifestyle can lead to bigger health issues that become life-threathening.
“A lot of people don’t understand the importance of taking a time-off from work or business. They don’t go on vacation. They see vacation as an activity meant only for the wealthy people. They see vacation as an expensive activity. But unknown to them that it doesn’t really take much to go on vacation. It doesn’t occur to them that going on vacation is an investment they are making for the good of their health on the long run. The body is programmed for rest. It needs rest. People work until the exhaustion becomes so obvious and begins to give them headaches. Stress is not good for the body at all.
“There was a viral video on the internet of a lady who was seen dancing so vigorously during a school reunion party, she was overly excited and seemed to be having a good time. All of a sudden she began to lose her grip, the next thing she slumped and in the next minute, she was pronounced dead.
“People who are into sports activities must be careful with the kind of sports they do. People with underlying health issues are usually advised by medical experts on the suitable sports that is good for their health. You don’t just do any sports. It can have adverse effects on the health. Strenuous sports can cause more exhaustion. It can wear one out greatly. Strenuous sports such as as badminton burn so much energy and when you don’t make up for the stress, it tells on the body.
“As a matter of fact, sudden death are caused by a number of enormous reasons and vary. Shock from receiving a bad news can cause sudden death. Some people do not have the ability to absorb shock. This is why when they receive a shocking and unexpected news, they faint or slump, and if they are not resuscitated as soon as possible, they may get into a coma or even die in worse cases. Most people have heart problems that they have not attended to. Like I mentioned, they may not be aware of the existence of the heart issue. Some people have diabetes problems. Maybe due to a little overdosing or inadequate treatment can lead to something worse.
“For some deaths, it is uncontrolled hypertension. They suddenly bleeding into the brain which is called anoregim. There are types of brain bleed that can occur in the brain tissue. Intercelebral hemorrhage: This type of bleeding occurs in the lobes, pons, and cerebullum of the brain. Intervetricular hemorrhage: This type of bleeding occurs in the brain’s ventricles which are specific areas of the brain where cerebrospinal fluid is produced. There are other types of brain bleed such as epidural bleed, subdural bleed and subarachnoid bleed.
“Since the brain cannot store oxygen, it relies upon a series of blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients. When a brain hemorrhage occurs, oxygen may no longer be able to reach the brain tissue supplied by these leaky or burst vessels. Pooling of blood from an intracranial hemorrhage or cerebral hemorrhage also puts pressure on the brain and deprives it of oxygen. When a hemorrhage interrupts blood flow around or inside the brain, depriving it of oxygen for more than three or four minutes, the brain cells die.
“The affected nerve cells and the related functions they control are damaged as well. Brain bleeds, regardless of location, usually happen suddenly. A brain bleed causes brain damage and can be life-threatening. The seriousness and outcome of a brain bleed depends on its cause, location inside the skull, size of the bleed, the amount of time that passes between the bleed and treatment, your age and overall health. Once brain cells die, they do not regenerate. The damage can be severe and result in stroke which affects physical and mental ability.
“Various types of intracranial hemorrhages strike people of all ages. Although cerebral hemorrhage, which is the bleeding that occurs anywhere inside the brain tissue itself and hemorrhagic stroke which is specifically when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain, are most commonly associated with older adults. They can also occur in children and is called pediatric stroke. Bleeding in the brain has a number of causes, but to mention few of them.
“Head trauma, caused by a fall, car accident, sports accident or other type of blow to the head, can lead to brain bleed. High blood pressure (hypertension), which can damage the blood vessel walls and cause the blood vessel to leak or burst, can cuase brain bleed. Buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, can cause brain bleed. Blood clot that formed in the brain or traveled to the brain from another part of the body, which damaged the artery and caused it to leak, can cause the brain to bleed. Ruptured cerebral aneurysm, which is a weak spot in a blood vessel wall that burst, can cause the brain to bleed. These are just few causes of brain issues that can cause sudden death. They are enormous.
“We have people who say they are spiritually attacked. There is power in the tongue. The world was created by the word of God when He said “let there be light, let there be water, let there this and that.” Everything on earth was created from the word of mouth. And he said he created us in his own image, that is to say that we are gods. We also have powers. So, we have to be careful with what we say because the earth records. You can experiment this with a plant. Put two plants side-by-side, curse one and bless the other plant, give it few days, you discover that te one cursed will perish and the one blessed will flourish. That is how powerful the tongue is. Just as Nigerians are bitterly laying curses on those involved in the bad leadership that has brought us unbearable hardship. If they are not affected by the curses immediately, they may be affected it the nearest future. It will surely bounce back to them. So there are spiritual causes of sudden death just as we have other causes.”
A medical doctor at Life Fountain Medical Centre, Lagos, Akeem Agboola added: “Cardiovascular disease also known as heart disease is one of the major causes of sudden unexpected death. Under the cardiovascular structure, there are other types of heart conditions that include diseased vessels and blood clots. Coronary artery disease which comes with the symptom of chest pain can result to a heart attack if left unattended. This disease occurs when fats, cholesterol and other substance clog on the inner walls of the heart arteries. This condition is called atherosclerosis. The build up is called plaque which can cause the arteries to narrow, blocking the free flow of blood in the body.
“High blood pressure is another factor that can lead to stroke or sudden death overtime if not treated. The symptoms are fatigue, dizziness, blurry or double vision, headaches, heart palpitations, nosebleeds, fainting, shortness of breath, nausea and so on. In some cases, high blood pressure comes with no symptoms. Which is why we always recommend regular check ups to ascertain when it is there and how to control it.
“Cardiac arrest is another factor. The symptoms of cardiac arrest are nearly similar to high blood pressure. People must watch and understand their bodies to identify when there are changes and seek medical checks immediately. How to avoid the occurrence of these ailments that can lead to sudden death is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Reduce or avoid stress, eat well, eat vegetables and fruits, avoid smoking and watch your weight.”