Olubadan inaugurates committee on integrating traditional and orthodox medicine

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has inaugurated a committee tasked with integrating traditional and orthodox medicine to enhance healthcare delivery. The committee's formation at the Olubadan Palace in Ibadan marks a significant step towards harmonizing indigenous healing practices with modern medical science.

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The main reason for the integration is to ensure that both traditional and orthodox medicine complement each other for effective healthcare delivery in the interest of the people, not only in Ibadanland but across Nigeria.

Speaking through the Director-General of the Olubadan Palace, Basiru Olanrewaju, Oba Ladoja stated that the initiative's primary goal is to foster a complementary relationship between traditional and orthodox medicine. This integration, he believes, will benefit not only Ibadanland but also Nigeria as a whole. The monarch expressed his personal belief in the efficacy of traditional medicine, noting its effectiveness in his own experience.

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I believe in the efficacy of traditional medicine because I use it and it works. Therefore, there is a need for both systems to complement each other in the delivery of healthcare.

Oba Ladoja urged the committee members, who represent various stakeholder groups including the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, to diligently pursue the initiative's objectives. This effort builds upon the Olubadan's earlier advocacy in May 2026, when he first proposed integrating traditional medicine with modern healthcare to preserve indigenous knowledge and improve patient outcomes. He highlighted traditional medicine's accessibility and affordability as key reasons for its continued relevance.

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I believe in the efficacy of traditional medicine, its accessibility and affordability. So, let me use this opportunity to advocate the integration of traditional medicine with modern medicine to enhance healthcare delivery before the knowledge of traditional medical practitioners is lost.