Professor Folake Lucy Oyetayo, an expert in Food and Nutritional Biochemistry at Ekiti State University, has pressed the federal government and university leadership to invest in advanced laboratory equipment. Her appeal aims to boost scientific exploration into indigenous plants that hold significant potential for treating diseases but remain largely ignored.
During the university’s 108th inaugural lecture, titled In Search of the Beautiful Ones: Unravelling Phytoceuticals and Phytonutrients in Sleeping Pharmaceutical Giants, Professor Oyetayo explained that rigorous study of these plants could reveal crucial nutritional and medicinal benefits. This research, she noted, could help the nation reduce its heavy financial burden regarding the importation of orthodox medicine.
She stressed the necessity of educating health professionals on how these plants can combat nutritional deficiencies and chronic illnesses. Furthermore, the professor advocated for the preservation of natural habitats, the establishment of standardized botanical gardens, and the promotion of community-based cultivation to ensure these species are not lost to extinction.
Ekiti State University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Babatola Ayodele, praised the lecture as a vital contribution to public health. He emphasized that utilizing local plant resources could significantly improve national nutrition and decrease dependency on conventional drug treatments, reiterating the university’s dedication to impactful research.