The National Association of the Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) says Olusegun Obasanjo, former President, is so strong at 80 years because he used products of traditional medicine.
Therefore, it said its products.are capable of curing President Muhammadu Buhari of whatever ailment is keeping him in the United Kingdom.
Adesunmiboye Fawawo, a national patron of the association, made this known on Tuesday during a chat with the Punch Newspaper.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is our national leader and we must guard him with all jealousy. We are a national body which is recognised by the Federal Government,” he said during an event to inaugurate the association’s new national executives.
“The association was established during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and he used our products. You can see how strong he is even at his age.
“We have been able to treat patients whose families had lost hope on their recovery. Unfortunately, we have not been consulted to treat President Buhari.
“We can treat him and the government must realise that travelling abroad for treatment may not solve the issue.”
Fawawo said it is a pity that many Nigerians disregard the medicinal and therapeutic use of plants in favour of orthodox medicine.
“If you get to mortuaries, many corpses found there are those of rich people because they don’t trust their health with local treatment. Many rich people believe in expensive drugs and treatment but this will go a long way to deepen recession,” he said.
He allayed the fears that the use of herbal medicine usually leads to kidney problems and other issues, explaining that there is nothing to worry about if the right dosage is taken.
He also said some herbal products from Nigeria are exported to Europe and the United States while some can be found in big hospitals across the country. For instance, Fawawo said that a certain herbal medicine called seleru agbo can be found at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.
Similarly, Ade Adeagbo, Assistant Secretary General of the association, lamented that Nigeria wastes huge sums of money annually on the importation of drugs while neglecting traditional medicine in the country.
He said the country will benefit more if government pays more attention to the development of traditional medicine rather than importing synthetic drugs, which come with many negative side effects.