By Our Correspondent
In a historic leap, the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), a state-owned institution in Anambra, has launched a Professional Diploma in Herbal Medicine and Nutrition—making it the first university in Southeast Nigeria to formally offer a certified programme in herbal medicine.
The groundbreaking initiative, now domiciled at the university’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was unveiled during the maiden matriculation ceremony held at the Igbariam campus.
The event attracted a large audience and had in attendance the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who represented Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
Interestingly, Dr. Ibezim, who once served as the Special Adviser on Herbal Medicine to former Governor Willie Obiano, hailed the university’s foresight, describing the programme as timely and visionary.
Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Chinwuba Akunne, expressed gratitude to the Deputy Governor and also lauded the university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha, for championing what he called the “Three Vs”—Value, Viability, and Visibility—which he said are helping position COOU on the national map.
“This journey started with our own late Prof. Steve Okwudili Ogbonnia and His Excellency Dr. Ibezim, who birthed the idea,” Prof. Akunne recalled.
“Today, herbal medicine is witnessing global acceptance and increasing integration into modern medical practice. It remains the primary healthcare option in many parts of the world, including Nigeria.”
The new diploma programme, he said, is designed to fuse indigenous healing knowledge with modern medical science, creating a regulated, standardized, and professionally certified system of herbal healthcare.
With COOU now leading the charge, the long-ignored field of herbal medicine may finally be stepping out of the shadows and into scientific credibility and global relevance.
