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Ahead of the next ‘Isese Day’ next year, the Ogun state governor ,Dapo Abiodun has hinted his plan to grant the request of traditionalists by declaring a public holiday for Isese Day.
The governor gave the hint in Abeokuta, during a day-workshop on campaign against ritual killings and quackery organized by the State Alternate Medicine Board(OGAMB) in conjunction with the State Command of Nigeria Police.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Osun had set aside a day for the Isese Day during the administration of former governor of Osun state,Rauf Aregbesola.
Going the way of Osun state, Abiodun said an executive order on the declaration of Isese Day was being considered .
A statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary ,Kunle Somorin read “on Isese Day celebration in the State, Governor Abiodun assured that he would sign an Executive Order to that effect.”
Meanwhile , the State government also said that it is strongly considering establishment of a College of Complementary and Traditional Medicine, to standardize the training of practitioners in the state and reduce the rate of ritual killings in the country
Abiodun added that his administration would liaise with concerned agencies for setting up of the College while pleading with practitioners of traditional medicine to collaborate with government in ridding the society of ritual killings and quackery.
Abiodun who decried the nefarious activities of ritual killers and the negative image given to it particularly in the State, said all hands must be on deck to expose those involved in the nefarious act to put a stop to the menace.
“Please work with us to expose those in your midst who are spoiling your name and good work. Dissociate yourselves from ritual killings and continue to be an Omoluabi.
” Government would liaise with concerned agencies for the setting up of a College of Complementary and Traditional Medicine in the State.”
He lauded the practitioners for contributing to the health needs of the people, particularly those in the rural communities, assuring that his administration would work with relevant stakeholders to ensure they get adequate training for effective health care services.
Traditional medicine according to the governor, has been in existence for long and had been useful to the people in the past
Abiodun stressed the need for practitioners to adopt scientific method in producing their products, adding that it was imperative that the relevant government agencies test their products and certify them good for human consumption.
“It is time to make African medicine worthwhile through scientific research and best practices. This would make the drugs compete favourably in the world stage and enhance the health of the people”.
He commended the practitioners for their enthusiasm to learn and to improve themselves, assuring that land for the building of their office would be allocated to them, while government would make a bus available for ease of movement.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, while acknowledging the role and importance of alternate medicine practitioners to the delivery of health, said that the present administration in the state would continue to play its part at ensuring alternate medicine is regulated towards ensuring the safety of the citizens of the state.
Coker who further pointed out that the issue of ritual killings was assuming a dangerous dimension in the state, disclosed that the state government has so far registered over 1,000 Traditional birth attendants, calling on the
alternative medicine providers to be ambassadors of the state by waging war against ritual killings and fish out quacks in their midst.
In his welcome address, the Chairman, Ogun State Alternate Medicine Board (OGAMB), Nurudeen Olaleye, while commending Governor Abiodun for recognizing traditional birth attendant and alternative medicine providers in the state, said that the board under his watch had been able to monitor the activities of practitioners in the state.
Olaleye also noted that findings from the Board showed that those who were involved with illegal activities in the state were not registered practitioners, emphasizing that the monitoring team would continue to embarke on monitoring exercises to curb the activities of quacks in the profession.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, represented by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Babatunde Sodimu, charged the practitioners to document their process and carry out more research to make their practice better.
Bankole while noting that the practitioners should also encourage and sponsor bills that would help develop their practice, said that the state police command recognized their importance and ready to support them at all times.
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