For decades, herbal medicine in Nigeria has existed in a strange space. Millions of people use it daily, trust it deeply, and grew up around it, yet conversations around herbalist are often filled with scepticism, exaggerated claims, or outright fear.

Some see it as science ignored by modern healthcare. Others associate it with “gbogbonise,” spiritual practices, or aggressive miracle marketing online. At the same time, a growing number of Nigerians are turning back to natural remedies, frustrated by rising healthcare costs, side effects from conventional drugs, and a healthcare system many believe no longer listens to patients properly.

Somewhere inside that complicated conversation is Bukola Ijeoma Ogunsanwo.

The biochemist-turned-herbalist and naturopath recently earned a Master’s degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of Lagos, and she belongs to a newer generation of practitioners trying to bring more structure, research, and scientific conversation into African herbal medicine.

But for her, this journey did not begin in a classroom. It began with grief.

Ogunsanwo lost her father in 2014 after complications linked to prolonged use of a pain medication. According to her, that experience forced her to start questioning how people approach treatment, prevention, and long-term health management.

“That was the turning point for me,” she tells Meiza. “I studied Biochemistry, but I had never really paid attention to natural medicine deeply until then. Losing my dad made me start researching alternatives and understanding that there was an entire world of preventive and natural health practices people overlook.”

That search eventually led her into herbal medicine, naturopathy, and later, advanced academic training at UNILAG.

But even as interest in herbal medicine grows globally, she admits Nigeria still struggles with one major problem: credibility.

“The issue is that herbal medicine in Nigeria is still largely unstructured,” she explains. “Anybody can come online, make outrageous claims, and people will believe them. That is dangerous.”

According to her, one of the biggest misconceptions people have is assuming every natural product is automatically safe.

“The fact that something is natural does not mean it cannot harm you,” she says. “Even common herbs people use casually, like bitter leaf, moringa, or zobo, can become dangerous depending on dosage, extraction, or existing health conditions.”

During one of her research projects involving herbal formulations for diabetes management, she says higher doses of certain herbs showed harmful effects on organs like the liver and kidneys.

“That was one of the biggest lessons for me,” she says. “Herbal medicine must be approached with the same seriousness people give conventional medicine.”

That warning feels particularly relevant now as social media becomes flooded with aggressive herbal advertising promising instant cures for everything from infertility to diabetes, hypertension, and sexual performance.

Perhaps no category has exploded faster online than herbal aphrodisiacs marketed toward men.

Also Read: Defaka: The Nigerian language on the edge of extinction

From roadside mixtures to viral social media products promising “long-lasting performance,” the market has become impossible to ignore. But Ogunsanwo believes many Nigerians are walking into dangerous territory without realising it.

“Some of those products are mixed with synthetic drugs,” she warns. “That is why some of them work extremely fast, but they can also be harmful.”

According to her, authentic herbal treatment usually focuses on addressing the root cause of a problem gradually rather than delivering instant results.

“If something has gone wrong in the body for years, you should be cautious of anything claiming to fix it overnight,” she says.

Still, despite the concerns, she believes herbal medicine has an important place in modern healthcare, especially when properly regulated and practised responsibly.

In fact, she argues that modern medicine itself already has deep roots in plants.

“For many pharmaceutical drugs, the source is actually plants,” she explains. “Scientists identify active compounds inside herbs, isolate them, and turn them into drugs or synthetic versions.”

She also believes herbal and conventional medicine should work together rather than compete against each other.

“Conventional medicine is excellent for emergencies, surgeries, and acute care,” she says. “Herbal medicine often works better with long-term wellness, prevention, and chronic conditions. The problem is that people combine both carelessly without understanding interactions.”

That concern becomes especially important for Nigerians mixing prescription medications with herbal mixtures without medical supervision.

“A herb that lowers blood pressure combined with blood pressure medication can become dangerous,” she explains. “The same applies to diabetes treatment and several other conditions.”

But beyond science and safety, there is another conversation herbal practitioners in Nigeria constantly face: spirituality.

For many Nigerians, herbal medicine still carries associations with juju, mysticism, or supernatural practices. Ogunsanwo understands why those perceptions exist, but she insists herbal medicine itself is not dependent on sorcery.

“There is a difference between spirituality and superstition,” she says. “As a naturopath, I believe human beings are made up of mind, body, and spirit. But scientifically, herbs contain phytochemicals and active compounds that produce real effects in the body.”

She explains that many traditional practices across cultures, including African, Chinese, and Ayurvedic medicine, historically included spiritual elements because healing itself was viewed holistically.

Still, she believes African herbal medicine deserves the same level of global respect given to systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurveda.

“One of my goals is to help position African traditional medicine globally in a more structured and respected way,” she says.

For her, the future of herbal medicine in Nigeria depends heavily on education, regulation, research, and safety awareness.

And perhaps most importantly, prevention.

“Most illnesses people struggle with today are preventable,” she says. “People wait until they are seriously sick before paying attention to their health. Prevention should become part of how we live daily.”

Through her brand, BioNaturales, Ogunsanwo now offers consultations, herbal wellness products, and educational content focused on helping Nigerians better understand natural health beyond social media hype.

Because for her, the real future of herbal medicine is not a mystery; it is informed, safe, and intentional care.

Cynthia Nwanonyiri