Abstract

This paper examines the art and science of surgery from its earliest origins to its theological and cultural dimensions within traditional African societies. It traces the historical development of surgical practice, emphasizing its divine foundation as acknowledged in ancient civilizations such as India, and highlights Africa’s vital contributions to modern medical knowledge. The study presents evidence that many African communities possessed advanced and effective surgical systems long before European contact and colonization. It argues that African practitioners not only performed complex medical procedures but also contributed significantly to the foundational principles of surgical science. In doing so, the paper addresses a major gap in existing scholarship that often marginalizes Africa’s role in global medical history. Findings reveal that traditional African surgical practices predated those of Europe, and that several modern medical treatments have roots in ancient African civilizations. Surgical procedures such as trephination, caesarean section, and bone setting were performed in Africa centuries before their recognition in Western medicine. The study also questions the exclusive attribution of Sushruta of India as the “father of surgery,” suggesting instead that surgical knowledge is both divinely inspired and culturally plural. Employing an analytical and interpretative methodology, the research concludes that traditional Africa made pioneering contributions to surgery, though these achievements were later distorted by colonial domination. Ultimately, the paper affirms that God is the supreme author, originator, and sustainer of surgery — ancient and modern alike.

Keywords: Surgery, God, Ancient Africa, European Colonization, Founding Father.