Herbal practitioners under the aegis of Herbal Therapy Society of Nigeria (HTSN) have visited Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi to explore ways to move the practice forward. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA reports.
They were dressed in white. They wore a camaraderie look, yet the message on their minds was serious – how to move herbal medicine forward, especially how to get funds to boost exports.
Herbal Therapy Society of Nigeria (HTSN) members, numbering over 150, stormed the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi’s palace on how to ensure that herbal medicine practice was no longer impeded by regulations of Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), non-funding by the Federal Government, and non-availability of botanical gardens.
As a custodian of tradition, the Society believed Oba Ogunwusi could influence political leaders in achieving their goal.
The society’s President, Dr Akintunde Ayeni, who led the members, told the monarch that Nigeria can gain if it taps into traditional herbal medicine development to the tune of $100billion.
According to Ayeni, also the President/Founder, YEMKEM Group, a lot of misconceptions trailed traditional herbal medicine in the past due to the way our fore-fathers practised same, but, “when people like me came in, having inherited the knowledge from my father who got same from my grand-father, I decided to cause a paradigm shift in the society”.
Ayeni said the practice was seen as occultism where it was believed that those in it must look, “horrible, weird, tattered and full of evil deeds. But having travelled wide and far, I know that the mindset was wrong. I was able to encapsulate herbal drugs, and produced liquid that can be stored for two years remaining potent without going bad if unopened, and got them listed with NAFDAC as well. That move caused a spontaneous acceptance across the country.
“I am happy that the wind of change has started. The elite purchase and use those packaged products. If the Federal Government gives traditional herbal practice the same support it is giving orthodox medicine, and practitioners are able to package the finished products well, to international taste, the country will be better for it, people. This is because the herbs are available for people, and can be exported, instead of leaving the market for some foreign multi-level marketing companies.”
He added that members were being harangued by regulatory agencies. What they are being compelled to abide with does not apply to these marketing strategies.
Ayeni asked: “Our billions in dollars are being fretted away to foreign countries, yet Nigeria boasts of the best organic plants worldwide. But with functional botanical gardens across the country, our herbal plants will not go into extinction”.
Akintunde added that studies had shown that, “some herbal plants can only grow, survive and thrive in Nigeria due to favourable climatic conditions, organic soil and cultural milieu. The government should establish university for herbal medicine where interested people can go and enrol for training in the uses of these leaves, shrubs, herbal plants and roots, as is being done in Brazil, India, China and even Ghana. Hospitals in these countries have both orthodox and traditional medicines being practised in the same building, leaving the choice to patients.
‘’Nigeria can do this, and get real forex from it, if only the government can be committed to the development of indigenous traditional medicine. My effort got me here, but not too many of our members have good stories to tell because they are struggling. My success made some conclude that I took into cocaine carrying when I established Pathfinder Hotel from proceeds of my products due to proper packaging. The long and short of it is that investigations by relevant authorities vindicated me that I am not a cocaine courier.
’The late Sosobala Mbatha took the first step to own an airport in a small South African country town, had two private jets, completed the landing strip, next to his house, a modern-style marching band, and a very modern car. Yet, he was a traditional, but very successful South African herbal healer. He was a multi-billionaire. Mine is like peanuts to some of my herbal healer-friends in other countries. I am yet to have a private jet, and I will.”
Oba Ogunwusi said he’d been hearing of YETKEM for a long time. “I can assure all that he is a credible man. I am here to resuscitate and concretise the almost lost or forgotten traditions and customs of the Yoruba race. I am ‘Babatunde’ (father has reincarnated). And there are three, two have gone and this the third and that is why I have returned to just do that.”
Oba Ogunwusi said he was happy that members of the society came from the 36 states to his palace. The monarch said: ‘’But I must be very frank with you, unity is the stronghold on which development thrives. Disunity cannot sustain anything in life. All of you need to ensure you have a common front and come together.”
Oba Ogunwusi said the Yoruba race encapsulates the view of Olodumare (God) where creation took place in the garden of Eden. “That garden is Ogba Edena (garden of creation) and it also turned out to be garden of ideniyan (garden of bondage) as recorded in the two holy books. So, Yoruba race has the answer to the world’s problems, including ailments, diseases, conditions – both systemic and mental. This society must come together by bringing even disgruntled members, who have been deregistered from it back, and together we will move traditional medicine practice forward.”
Oba Ogunwusi said there is a collaboration with Brazil, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and House of Oduduwa, Ile-Ife (The Palace) on training in pharmacognosy and traditional herbal medicine and that it would be leveraged to inculcate further training for the members of the Society.
“There are two representatives in training in Brazil because that country has twice the number of Yoruba more than the western part of Nigeria. We have traced the two origins back to Ile Ife. Once the Herbal Therapy Society gets its unity right, I will assist in sending its members to Europe and other advanced countries where traditional medicine is prioritised. I am happy that you all came here en-masse. I wish you well.”
The Lagos Chairman of the association, Dr Adeniyi Idowu said the issues tabled by the national president should be addressed. “Because we are the ones at the receiving ends. We are doing internal regulation by ensuring that our members comply with NAFDAC stipulations on production. Good manufacturing practice is our watchword. Standardised packaging is also being pursued, yet we are being victimised by these agencies,“ he said.
Idowu, also Evergreen Herbs International Limited CEO, said: “We are looking at the bigger picture where herbal products will be first products of choice worldwide. We were not there when laws and guidelines were being put together to regulate us. We had no input. It is time to review these laws. Our products are being listed and not registered; none has gone through clinical trial. We are ready for these clinical trials. But there is no structure by any regulatory body to either engage us, or even carry it out. Ghana has gone far ahead of us. Traditional medicine is the next forex earner for Nigeria.
“Unlike medical doctors, who cannot advertise their products, yet people will recognise hospitals and registered pharmacies, traditional herbal products manufacturers must create publicity. You see, Nigeria must not lag behind. We are ready as a society to move this sector forward by asking pharmacies, hospitals to use our NAFDAC-registered products even on patients, in hospitals, yet we are met with brick walls. Things cannot continue like that. The government can create herbal sections in hospital pharmacies and allow us to put our indigenous herbal products certified and listed by NAFDAC in those sections. That alone will boost the morale of herbal practitioners.
“APCON is not allowing easy distribution by way of advertisement of these products. And because NBC is tying the rope on stations, advert rates on jingles are also sky-rocketing to the extent that to even recover invested money is a herculean task. Only the government can create the enabling environment.”
The association enthroned Oba Ogunwusi as its patron.