More Nigerians are imbibing the habit of taking local brew, otherwise known as agbo, for various ailments. Woman Editor, TEMITOPE DAVID-ADEGBOYE, writes that despite the ‘benefits’ consumers claim to gain from it, the concoction may be dangerous to the body systems
They are seen in almost every motor park. Even major bus stops and street corners are not left out. From Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Bayelsa, Imo, Jigawa to Kano and other states of the federation, there has been a proliferation of local herbs business. Women are often seen either carrying bowls containing different bottles of local herbs.
Even where many of these bottles are not properly labelled, the women know the appropriate one to pick when a consumer comes asking. Some of these herbs, according to these women, cure pile, backache, weak erection, malaria, diabetes, typhoid and many more.
If the level of patronage they get is anything to go by, these women will not go out of business anytime soon.
All over the world, local concoction has its name. In Ghana, it is called akpete; in South Africa, it is called nkwonboti; in South West Nigeria, it is called agbo. Usually, some roots and herbs are soaked in water or local gin for a few hours or days. As the body absorbs alcohol very fast, it is believed that any drug mixed in alcohol is absorbed by the body easily.
Sakirat Momoh, who has been in the business since birth, states that agbo is made up of herbs and roots handed down to her by her forebears. She said her grandmother was a popular seller of roots and herbs, especially to couples who had fertility issues, and mothers whose children had health challenges.
According to her, the ‘mixing’ skill was gotten from her grandmother whom she grew up with.
Another seller, simply identified as Fatima, learnt her own skills from Sakirat, who is her childhood friend.
They both claim to make between N1,000 and N2, 500 daily – depending on the day of the week. According to them, sales on weekends are usually high.
Despite the huge patronage by all classes of people, being witnessed by these ‘business women’, health experts have continued to warn that indiscriminate intake of these concoctions can be injurious to health. In fact, they even link it to death of some consumers.
Few years ago, no fewer than 20 people died in Ajah Community after the consumption of agbo fermented in alcohol, which led to the arrest of some women who sell agbo by the Lagos State Task Force on Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods.
The arrest was made in connection with the spate of deaths of Lagosians linked to the after-effect of consuming local herbal brews.
A major concern of medical experts is that consumers of agbo are not aware of the appropriate dosage. Some either take too little or too much, and excess of it can cause liver problem.
Even the sellers differ on the dosage. While Sakirat says a shot per day of jedi mixture for five days is enough to treat a man suffering from haemorrhoid, Fatima says, sometimes, depending on how acute the case is, she prescribes two for her own customers.
“If it is water that was used in the extraction process, I give two shots. But if it is gin, I give one or one and a half, depending on how long the person has been complaining of the ailment,” Fatima said.
According to Dr. Ebun Bamgbose, President, Nigerian Association of Nephrology, the concoctions, which are usually fermented in local gin, negatively affect vital organs of the body, especially the kidneys, to the extent that death often becomes virtually inevitable due to toxic substances in the unprocessed materials and fermentation.
According to the Head of the Dialysis/Transplant Unit and Clinical Director of St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, most of the kidney failures, also known as renal failure or end stage renal disease, can be traced to indiscriminate use of these concoctions.
“Also, it might cause blood psychosis and other mild complications, which include gastro-intestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, aphasic anaemia and, in rare cases, affects the bone marrow,” he said.
Dr. Bamgboye estimates that one in every seven Nigerians is at one stage or another of kidney failure.
He added that about 15,000 patients develop kidney disease every year, with about 50,000 patients requiring dialysis.
Unfortunately, most people who consume this mixture lack a comprehensive knowledge of its contents, efficacy, accurate prescription or illness it is intended to treat. Some people consume it because they think it is more efficient than orthodox drugs prescribed at a standard health centre or hospital.
Dr. Bamgboye warns that unless certain urgent steps are taken, more Nigerians will come down with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and End State Renal Disease (ESRD).