The scar of the bearings on Martin's arm. The scar of the bearings on Martin's arm.

Martin Mlalazi, 58, who has been following a bizarre ritualistic treatment, is living with a stick up his anus in Nigeria.

Martin, a resident of the Thokwana area of Plumtree, was admitted to the United Bulawayo Hospitals in excruciating pain in January this year, after he inserted wheel bearings just above his elbows on the advice of a self-styled traditional healer. His conditioned worsened when the bearings interrupted blood flow and caused swelling to his arms.

As part of the treatment, the self-styled healer had asked Martin to insert the bearings just above his elbows and a 10cm stick up his anus. Now, four months later, that stick is tormenting Martin. In a news report, Martin was reported as saying, "The traditional healer prescribed me to insert two bearings in each arm, and a stick in the anus. "I smeared soap on the hands, inserted bearings up to the tricep level and a stick in the buttocks. I'm in terrible pain especially when I try to relieve myself I feel as if that stick is prickling me inside."

Martin however, refuses to divulge the nature of his ailment. So much so that even his family doesn't know what he's suffering from. As his arms swelled, Martin refused to go to a proper doctor until he was finally taken to Plumtree District Hospital on the verge of death. At the hospital, doctors told him that he could have died or they would have been forced to amputate his arms if they had delayed a few more days.

Martin was released from hospital a few days later. However, during his stay there, he did not disclose to doctors that he had a stick up his anus. Now his family is begging him to seek help. His mother said: "He does not want to talk about it with anyone, and spends most of the time lying down."