The National Museum of Unity and IFRA-Nigeria are organising an event with the theme “Make Your Medicine: Heritage, Culture and Health”, under the FEF Alternative Heritage Project. The event will feature two guest lectures and a participatory hands-on workshop that centres on tangible and intangible aspects of these cultural heritage and practices, fostering a deeper understanding of their significance and impact.
Date: 06 May 2026
Place: National Museum of Unity, Aleshinloye, Ibadan
Time: 10:00 AM, preceded by an immersion session at 9:00 AM
The event aims to provide an understanding of traditional medicinal practices by exploring their cultural, historical, scientific and practical dimensions. It will bring together experts from the fields of ethnomedicine and phytochemistry to discuss indigenous health remedies. The event will highlight the modern scientific provisions and practical applications of this heritage while also exploring consumer protection and sustainability. It will begin with a guided tour of the museum's collection, with special focus on objects related to health. The tour will be followed by guest lectures from two different academic experts: a scholar of ethnomedicine and a scholar of applied chemistry, to provide unique and specific perspectives. The event will conclude with a participatory hands-on workshop led by a practitioner of medicinal plant health remedies.
The first academic presentation will centre on the topic of cultural, historical, and practical aspects of traditional medicinal practices, while the second focuses on the science of herbal and traditional medicines. The lecturer, a phytochemist, is expected to examine the scientific evidence supporting the use of herbal medicine and the importance of evidence-based practices, present examples of how chemical compounds from plants are adapted into modern medicines, and discuss the role applied sciences can play in bridging traditional knowledge on health and modern sciences. Additionally, there will be a workshop led by a professional in the production and trade of medicinal herbal remedies.
The event is open to children from elementary and secondary schools, students from higher institutions in disciplines related to the event’s themes, creatives, and young and older adults from the general public. No registration is required for the event. Materials to make your medicine will be provided!
About the Facilitators
Dr Akinmayowa P. AKIN-OTIKO, PhD (Academic) is an African Traditional Medicine Scholar and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), University of Lagos.
Mr Jamiu A. AKINTOLA (Academic) is a Phytochemist, Natural Products Researcher and Herbal Formulator and currently a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo. He is also the Managing Director of Detoro Naturals Limited, Ibadan.
Mr Anthony T. OGUNLEYE is a naturalist, most especially an herbalist who specialises in the treatment of illness using herbs on both humans and animals. He is also a conservator at the National Museum of Unity, Ibadan. He is the CEO of Tonex Ayurvedic Care, Aleshinloye, Ibadan.