Encomium
Recently, Alhaji Quazim Wasiu Atanda, popularly known as Buaya was honoured with the title of Baasegun of Agbado, Ogun State by Alagbado of Agbado, Oba Adebayo in recognition of his achievements in tradomedics.
ENCOMIUM Weekly was at his Agbado, Ogun office on Thursday, February 25, 2016, where we had an interview with him on the honour and other issues that revolve around his trade.
Recently, you were installed the Baasegun of Agbado by his Royal Highness, Oba Adebayo, the Alagbado of Agbado, Ogun State, how do you feel about the honour?
Thank you so much. I feel very happy about it. It feels very great. when I got the letter that I was to be honoured with the title of Baasegun of Agbado, I was so happy and excited because I am not the only herbal practitioner in Agbado. We’re many in the field.
But they noticed from time to time how people from different backgrounds, home and abroad patronize me and they’re aware of my efforts in popularizing traditional medicine since I came to Agbado. They therefore considered it fit to give me the title. It shows that I am recognized in Agbado community here. And I am very much happy about it. I give God the glory for the recognition.
How has being the Baasegun improved things now, especially as regards your job and life?
Since I became Baasegun, I have acquired more power and knowledge concerning herbal practice. And as a result of the title, I have become more exposed and improved, research wise. And it has availed me the opportunity to record a lot of success in my transactions with my clients.
From the beginning of my journey as a herbal practitioner, God has blessed me with the gift of success in whatever I laid my hands. And I am very grateful to Him about that. Now, more and more people are coming to identify with us and they all have one testimony or the other about the efficacy of herbal medicine. Nobody has patronized us and regretted doing so.
God has answered a lot of people’s prayers through me and their problems have become history. All thanks to Almighty Allah on that because everything I do is not by my power. It’s God, but He only appointed me to fulfill the role.
So, since I became Baasegun my life has changed for the better. Everything has moved forward, especially the business.
How did the journey start as a traditional doctor? Did you inherit it from your parents or you learnt it from someone else?
Thank you, my brother. I started about 35 years ago. I didn’t learn it from anywhere or anybody, it’s inherited from my parents. I was born into it. From my maternal side, they’re traditionalists, but from my father’s family, they’re all Alfas. So, I combined both. That makes me stronger and more knowledgeable in the profession. After this, I do a lot of research both home and other countries so that I can add to what I have acquired.
I keep researching everyday because there is no end in knowledge acquisition. And as we all know, anything about traditional medicine is very wide and it requires day to day research. I have trained a lot of people that are also famous in this trade. And they’re all doing well. I have never done any other job and that everybody knows me with.
A lot of people are usually afraid of venturing into this kind of profession because of its associated challenges, what’re the specific challenges of being a traditional doctor?
There is no profession in the whole world without its peculiar challenges but when you stand on the truth and you are focused, no matter the challenge, you will surely overcome it. God will surely come to your rescue.
What are the things you don’t do as a herbal practitioner?
Here in our company, we don’t do evil. If you come with the intention that we can help you destroy other people or cause misfortune in other people’s lives, you will be disappointed because we’re not cut out for that. We don’t deceive people. Anything we don’t know, we will tell you we don’t know it. Instead, we will research further about it to ensure we finally get solution for that problem. What’s important is that in everything you do, be honest about it.
What is the secret of your success in his business?
God first, then honesty and truthfulness. I don’t have any other secret than all these. We believe God loves what we’re doing and that’s why we’re succeeding.
Do you charge your clients before or after their prayers have been answered?
In our company here, we believe in solving your problems first because that’s our joy. It’s after that you too can think of compensating and appreciating us. For instance, this office was given to us by someone whose problem was solved by God through us. And from here, more people got to know us and eventually, they made me Baasegun.
We don’t bill anybody that comes to us because we want to help him or her. We always see our clients as family members. We always try to ensure that whatever problems they come with become things of the past. And that’s why God has been answering our prayer as well.
We believe, there is no problem that God cannot solve and He’s using us to fulfill this role in the lives of the people that patronize us.
You’re into both herbal and spiritual healing, are you capable of solving all human ailments, including infertility, barenness, diabetes, weak erection and more?
There is no ailment without its medicine at Buaya Traditional Healing Home. We treat all sorts of ailments including all those you have mentioned and those you have not mentioned, including long time infection of various kinds or any spiritual matter of mankind.
We have a lot of people practicing herbal medicine but because it’s not their calling, they can’t achieve any success in that field. Before you can succeed in any trade, you need to find out if you’re meant to be in that trade. You don’t start doing it because you see others doing it.
What’s your advice for those that don’t believe in herbal medicine?
My advice for them is that they should identify with traditional medicine because it’s the most effective means of healing any ailment you think of. All the medicines they use across the world are made of herbs. They’re all traditional medicines, it’s only when they get to us here in Nigeria that we place them above ours.
They only modernized their products which is what most of us in the traditional sector are also doing. Before, there was no measure, no standardization in our traditional medicines but this time around, we have standardized everything.
In our company here, we have produced some of our medications in capsules, syrups with measure, tablets and more. People should disabuse their minds from the erroneous impression that traditional medicines are not good. They are even better than the orthodox medicines. They don’t have any side effect.
And the truth is that, it’s only our herbal medicines that can effectively cure our ailments here in Nigeria.
There are some problems that, perhaps, maybe beyond the ordinary, which some may say some ‘elders’ are responsible for such problems. How do you go about solving? Do you appeal to the elders?
I don’t have any elder I am appealing to apart from God because the power I am operating is from God. And I believe God is above everything He created. So, anybody with any spiritual problems is welcomed in our company. The problem will be over by the special grace of God.
But the rule is that you don’t do unto others what you don’t want them to do unto you because there is always karma.
You deal with the public and there is tendency that women will be disturbing you, how do you cope?
It’s not only in our profession but anything you do as a man and you’re successful, women must come around you. Women must surely love you when you’re doing well in your trade. So also here in our company. Women love us and they like to identify with us.
But based on the kind of job we do, we’re being careful in dealing with women. Our concern about any woman that patronizes us is to ensure she succeeds in her home and trade and whatever issue she brings to us. We don’t go beyond that in our relationship with women. We don’t do what God forbids.
We don’t take advantage of the fact that they love us and be engaging in any form of immorality with them/ that’s not good for any business, especially as a traditional doctor.
-TADE ASIFAT
