Dr Aibinuola Osunwole’s latest publication, Herbal Medicines as Home Remedies, was presented to the public on the 29th of March at Lady Bank-Anthony Hall.
Dr Osunwole’s career as a health anthropologist has spanned several decades, and includes teaching, researching, and practising traditional methods of healthcare. He was the pioneer lecturer in Traditional African Medicine at our Institute where he taught until retirement, and he is still a supervisor of PhD research undertaken by IAS students. Dr Osunwole was the pioneer Coordinator of the Traditional African Medicine Documentation and Research Centre (TRADOC) at IAS-UI.
Still active as a consultant to various organizations in the field of Traditional African Medicine, he runs his African Health Consult within the premises of our Institute.
The publication, Herbal Medicines as Home Remedies, compiles in one handy volume a wealth of information on how to tackle ailments at home, from dandruff and skin rash to rheumatism and snakebite, using remedies sourced from plants that are commonly found in the environment. It also dwells on lifestyle practices that promote good health, from nutrition and sanitation to exercise and fasting. The work is the result of deep knowledge and research in indigenous medicine, distilled for the purpose of effecting quick therapeutic interventions on the home front. Apart from information on both the common and scientific names of these medicinal plants, the book provides instructions on how to prepare medicaments from the plants, their application and dosage, a classification of the plants according to the remedies they provide, and a colourful album of medicinal plants.
The public presentation of Dr Osunwole’s book brought together at Lady Bank-Anthony Hall some of the most prominent practitioners and researchers in the field of Traditional African Medicine in Nigeria. They paid tribute to the enduring contributions of Dr Osunwole and to his continuing engagement in both research and practice.
Chair of the occasion, Prof J.K. Ayantayo of the Department of Religious Studies, UI
Prof Lekan Oyeleye of the Department of English, UI, reading Dr Osunwole’s citation
Dr Tunde Adedokun rendering the author’s Oriki
The Book Reviewer, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi
Dr Akintunde Ayeni, CEO YEM KEM Natural Health Practitioners, speaking at the book presentation
Dr Osunwole