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Healthcare: Soyinka urges Nigerians to embrace traditional medicines, value heritage

Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka

*Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka advocates the use of traditional medicines, urging Nigerians to guard jealously their highly valued heritage as the ‘oldest, most effective healthcare system’ that has endured

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Describing it as the oldest, most effective healthcare system that has endured, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has advocated the use of traditional medicines.

Prof. Soyinka stated this Wednesday, August 20, 2025, while speaking at a programme organised by the Ogun State Government and traditionalists to mark the 2025 Isese Festival, in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The Isese Festival is commemorated annually August 20 of the year.

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The Nobel Laureate also affirmed his support for the Isese Day celebration, agency report said.

He said the event offered the people a rare opportunity to reconnect with their cultural roots.

Soyinka, therefore, enjoined Nigerians to rediscover their heritage, and adopt alternative medicines for healing and primary healthcare.

The scholar further emphasised that traditional culture and inheritance must be preserved and propagated across generations.

Soyinka noted that even advocates of orthodox medicines, trained in Western institutions, are fast adopting traditional and natural remedies as preferred forms of care.

鈥淥ne thing I must stress here is our herbs and roots, our traditional medicines, which the Western world now calls pharmacology,” he averred.

The Nobel Laureate, however, lamented that some Nigerian consumers often disregard these local remedies, believing only could hospitals provide real health care.

He opined whereas local herbs and roots remain highly potent as much as ever.

Prof. Soyinka explained: 鈥淢any people are retracing their steps. Producers of traditional medicines should not be afraid.

“It is the way forward and must be supported.”

Soyinka as well urged Nigerians to guard jealously their highly valued traditional heritage.

Speaking at the Isese Festival also, Governor (Prince) Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State congratulated traditionalists as they marked this year鈥檚 anniversary.

Governor Abiodun commended unity among them, and assured them of continued government support in preserving cultural heritage.

Represented on the occasion by Sesan Fagbayi, Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Abiodun asserted that Isese Day had come to stay in Ogun State.

He stressed his administration鈥檚 commitment to religious tolerance.

Nurudeen Olaleye, Chairman of the Alternate Medicines Board, applauded Governor Abiodun for fulfilling his campaign promise by declaring August 20 a public holiday for Isese Day in the “Gateway State”.

Olaleye appealed to the governor to also address other pressing needs in promoting alternate medicines in the state.

The Chairman also described the sub-sector as a promising global gold mine waiting to be fully tapped, report noted.

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Healthcare: Soyinka urges Nigerians to embrace traditional medicines, value heritage

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