Pa Ademola Onibonokuta, a traditionalist, artist, and herbalist from Osogbo, has claimed that traditional medicine can cure diseases such as HIV/AIDS, stroke, and snake bite. For nearly 50 years, he has practiced traditional healing, creating herbal formulations he says are capable of managing and eliminating conditions widely regarded as incurable by modern medicine. Onibonokuta, who is also a sculptor, singer, and author, asserts that indigenous knowledge systems hold solutions that have been overlooked in favour of Western medical approaches. He stated that some of his herbal remedies have helped individuals regain health after being abandoned by conventional hospitals. "I have people living with HIV who no longer test positive after using my medicine," he said, without providing verifiable medical evidence. He also claimed success in reversing stroke symptoms and neutralising venom from snake bites using plant-based treatments.
Onibonokuta attributed the marginalisation of traditional healing to systemic neglect and a lack of institutional support. He called for greater research into native herbs and collaboration between traditional practitioners and medical scientists. While he acknowledged that not all ailments can be treated with herbs, he maintained that many chronic conditions respond well to his methods. He urged Nigerians to reconsider the value of indigenous medicine, especially in rural areas where access to hospitals is limited. No clinical trials or peer-reviewed studies validating his claims were cited in the source material. Health authorities have not confirmed the efficacy or safety of his treatments. The next steps remain unclear, as there is no indication of formal engagement with Nigeria's regulatory or health agencies.
When Pa Onibonokuta says people living with HIV no longer test positive after using his herbs, he is making a claim that contradicts established medical science. Without verifiable data or collaboration with health institutions, such statements risk misleading vulnerable individuals seeking cures. Traditional knowledge deserves study, but unsubstantiated assertions about curing HIV endanger public health by fostering false hope. In the absence of evidence, these claims do more harm than good.
