UNILAG-IADS Champions African Traditional Medicine at 2025 Traditional Medicine Day Celebration

The Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos (IADS-UNILAG), on Thursday, August 28, 2025, marked its 2025 Traditional Medicine Day with a strong call for the integration of African traditional medicines into modern healthcare systems.

Speaking at the event themed “African Traditional Medicine: Implications of Patronage and Cost,” the Director of IADS, Professor Luqman Yusuff, condemned the marginalization of herbal medicines and urged that they be given equal recognition alongside modern medicines. He stressed the need to develop an academic curriculum dedicated to traditional medicines to ensure their exploration, preservation, and promotion.

Also addressing participants, Dr. Akin Otiko, a researcher at IADS, highlighted the growing acceptance of African traditional medicine, attributing it to the rising costs of modern healthcare. He presented the achievements of the IADS Gbogbonise Clinic, established in 2024, which focuses on data generation, student learning, and bridging the gap between traditional medicine practitioners and the public.

As part of the day’s activities, postgraduate students showcased medicinal products, with Mabel Akpokwe emerging as winner of a ₦50,000 prize for her haircare innovation, Akum. The celebration also featured an exhibition of herbal medicinal products, which will continue until Friday, August 29, 2025.

The 2025 Traditional Medicine Day celebration at UNILAG underscored the importance of promoting African traditional medicine and its potential role in complementing modern healthcare systems.