Isese Festival: Soyinka Urges Nigerians to Embrace Traditional Medicine, Hails Cultural Heritage

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to rediscover and embrace traditional medicine, describing it as the oldest and most effective health care system that has stood the test of time.

Speaking in Abeokuta on Wednesday during the 2025 Isese Festival celebration, organised by the Ogun State Government in partnership with traditionalists, Soyinka expressed strong support for the annual cultural event, which holds every August 20.

“One thing I must stress here is our herbs and roots, our traditional medicine, which the Western world now calls pharmacology,” Soyinka said.

He urged citizens to move away from the overreliance on hospitals and embrace alternative medicine for both healing and primary health care, noting that even some Western-trained medical professionals now favour natural remedies.

“Many people are retracing their steps. Producers of traditional medicine should not be afraid. It is the way forward and must be supported,” he added.

Soyinka lamented that many Nigerians still disregard the potency of indigenous remedies, falsely believing that only orthodox medicine offers effective treatment.

The literary icon also praised the Isese Day celebration, saying it provides an opportunity for Nigerians to reconnect with their roots, preserve their cultural inheritance, and pass it on to future generations.

Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abiodun congratulated traditionalists on the celebration, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to religious tolerance and cultural preservation.

Represented by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sesan Fagbayi, the governor declared that Isese Day has come to stay in Ogun State and pledged continued support for cultural initiatives.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Alternate Medicine Board, Nurudeen Olaleye, thanked the governor for declaring August 20 a public holiday in honour of Isese Day — a campaign promise now fulfilled.

Olaleye appealed to the state government to further invest in the promotion of alternative medicine, describing the sector as a “promising global goldmine” yet to be fully explored.