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Wednesday, March 14, 2018
The miracle of ugu leaves
He was very sick and all efforts to revive him proved abortive. The nurses and doctors said the red blood cells in his body had depleted, yet they kept him in their custody. Is he really going to die because he doesn’t seem to be responding to treatment? Lost in thought, a mother sat at the reception, hoping for a miracle that would revive her child.
Feeling empathy towards the mother, one of the nurses approached. ‘Madam, if you don’t mind, can I talk to you briefly?’ She startled the woman who was already lost in thought.
‘It’s been two days since your boy was admitted here and from all indications, he is very short of blood. Apparently, you cannot afford pants of blood but I am definite you can afford vegetable.’ She noted
Surprised at the unwarranted insinuations of the nurse, the woman busted into tears.
The nurse became confused as she was only trying to help. Finally, the woman spoke, ‘So this seems like a joke to you eh? What is the correlation between a sick patient and vegetable? You must think I have the luxury of time to talk’, she responded.
The nurse only smiled heartedly and tried to calm her while also educating her.
‘Actually Madam, I was not trying to make a joke. I am very sure you know Ugu?’ She chipped in.
‘Yes! What about it? She asked curiously.
Happy to oblige, the nurse continued. ‘Do you know that when you wash the leaves and squeeze it, then mix the extract with milk, it serves as a supplement for red blood cells in the body? And that if you do that continuously for few days, it can revive your son in the absence of blood transfusion?’ She asked.
‘So, you mean squeezing Ugu and mixing the extract with milk would restore the red blood cells in my son?’ She questioned.
‘Yes, ma! In fact, it would also make his skin fresh and he would not look pale again.’
Obviously relieved, she asked if she could take her son home. The nurse advised against it but suggested she can go and prepare it while she monitors her son’s status.
Immediately, she rushed home.
Interestingly, there were various plantations in her compound, from vegetables of different kinds to pepper, plantain, banana, sugarcane etc. So she went to the Ugu quarters and cut some leaves, rinsed them and started squeezing. Afterwards, she added milk into a bowl containing the extract from the Ugu leaves.
Everything was set. So she hurried back to the hospital, met with the nurse and administered the Ugu leaves extract mixed with milk to her son. She did this three times before the day ended.
Surprisingly, the following morning, her son was up and bubbling with energy. Not that he had any serious ailment but the injections and drugs he was given worsened his condition since his blood level was low.
Full of smiles, the woman said ‘So, we ended up paying hospital bills when the solution was right within!
Ugu is not only edible when prepared as a vegetable, there are other uses that are beneficial to the body. Also called Fluted pumpkin or pumpkin leaves and scientifically known as Telfairia Occidentalis, this vegetable is one of the nice vegetables that happen to be very low in calories, supplying just 26 Cal per 100g and it is free of saturated fats and cholesterol.
In fact, research shows that when the essential ingredients are very much intact, it has the capacity to increase the red blood cells within a short period of time after consumption. If you want to speed up the increase in the red corpuscles, you can mix it with beverages like malt drinks and milk. It is indeed a natural method to regain blood quickly.
What is more interesting about this vegetable is that aside its ability to grow almost anywhere, it is a very rich source of fibre, minerals, vitamins A, B6, C, protein, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese, anti-oxidants and vitamins, flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants like lutein, xanthins and carotenes. When the fresh leaves are sliced and mixed with coconut water and salt, stored in a bottle, it is very effective for treating convulsion in ethnomedicine.
Salawa Abeni: Singer Narrates How She Was Paralyzed For 6 Years And Lost Her Son
No wonder little or nothing was heard about Ibiwunmi Salawa Abeni for some years until lately. Salawa in an exclusive chat with LoveHaven Magazine, disclosed she was on sick bed for 6 years! Paralysed actually! And it was shortly after she lost one of her sons, Olanrewaju.
She also spoke about how friends deserted her and glad GOD finally restored her. It’s such a touching story, but thank GOD it has a happy ending!
Why were you off the entertainment scene for some years?
I was ill for like five or six years. It started in 2008 and I didn’t recover until six years after. I was not performing on stage and other social events. Suddenly, I became terribly ill and couldn’t go out.
I could not think of work because I could not walk—I was paralysed. All I thought of then was getting back on my feet. I kept praying to Allah to help me catch up with the lost years. Continue…
What was the nature of the illness?
I cannot really explain what happened but it was paralysis and was extremely bad. I could neither walk nor do anything. I thank Almighty Allah because not everyone could go through what I went through and still survive.
Thank GOD for my siblings, my children, my band boys, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Governor Fashola and now Governor Ambode, who later took the responsibilities upon him after my recovery.
To be out of work as an entertainer for six years is no joke. My band boys stood by me and they didn’t go! It’s not easy to hold down band boys for five/six years and think they would still work for you.
But what was going through your mind on your sick bed?
Then, I kept asking GOD and myself how was I going to make it again? How and when would I recover? Would I ever walk again? Is this how Ibiwunmi Salawa Abeni would end? Would everything be restored again? It was a trying time because I sold all that I had due to the illness.
Did you call out to friends and fans?
The illness started briefly and we all thought I would be fine in no time. Of course I had friends and initially I didn’t even think of calling out because I thought it would soon be over. But when it became unbearable and I started selling off my things—houses, cars, jewellery etc— I started calling out to friends. It was a challenging time for me but thank GOD, I’m fully back and restored now.
What do you think must have triggered off the illness?
Well, I think it started when I lost my son, Lanre. I started having high blood pressure and then other symptoms cropped up. In my sick bed, I knew I would not die because my late mum, who was alive then would pray for me and say I would be the one to bury her and not vice versa. She died two years ago at 98 years old.
It must have been a tough time for you and your family?
Yes, it was. I started to sing as a teenager and I had hustled, suffered and when I was about feeding fat on the proceeds of my labour, the devil struck. I prayed and kept telling GOD that He should allow me eat the fruits of my labour. At a point, everything was exhausted including money.
That was when I started calling people to give me money. Some responded, some didn’t and would ignore my call. They were like, ‘Salawa is ill, she needs money, that’s why she is calling.’ I cried but I kept trusting GOD.
What about your fans? Weren’t they worried that you were out of reach?
They became worried and kept sending messages via text messages and through the social media. I was flown abroad at a stage and when I returned and was still recuperating, I saw some of my fans who asked me if I was still singing again.
I was hurt! I knew I was far behind but I kept telling GOD to help me. Many of my fans who knew me when I was a teenager, to becoming a wife, mother and now grandmother stood by me and said, ‘we would do everything to see that you don’t die with your talent.’
My children also stood by me. I prayed to Almighty Allah that after the death of Idris Olanrewaju, GOD should never allow me see the death of any child again. He should allow me eat the fruit of my labour—these children are GOD’s gifts to me.
How did you sail through this trying period?
GOD sent me helpers. I would forever remain grateful to Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu—he is a father. His mother, Mama Abibatu Mogaji was my mum. I knew mama when I was very young.
I was at the bandstand when she was 70, 75 and 80 years respectively. Mama would cook and send stews and soups to me. Mama would give me money. She treated me like a child. As old as Mama was when she saw that I could not walk again, she would send people to pray for me and always checked on me.
Then, there was Alhaji Ayinde Barrister, who was a pillar of support for me. I called and told him, ‘Dad, I slept and woke up seeing myself this way.’ I called him Daddy and he requested for my home address after the call.
He came to my house and immediately he entered, I started weeping. Alhaji Barrister said, ‘Ibiwunmi, don’t cry because I know you would be the one to bury me, not the other way round.’ The father-daughter love between us has extended to his children, who love me to bits. He was a good father.
Did you reach out to other musicians?
Some ran away, some didn’t even pick my calls. After my recovery, some told me that they didn’t know where I was and could not locate me. During my illness, I learnt this— learn to help one another. It’s foolhardy to wait for a fellow artiste to die before donating money for burial or to give to the family.
Render help while someone is alive and don’t shed crocodile tears at burial. I don’t pray for anyone to be ill or die—it’s terrible. But then, I never took offence in anyone. I was just praying to GOD to restore me.
Were you so close to your son that his death hit you to the extent of being ill?
The problem started when I lost Lanre. I lost everything with him— the volumes 1- 15 of my LPs are still with his late father’s recording company and none is ready to release them to me. His death was a big blow. I didn’t know I would survive.
He was the only bond between his late father, Lati Adepoju, and I. My concern now is to get my career back. Though many of my fans know that I am back and they are supporting me, I don’t want my career to perish.
I desire to be old and be a legend, whose music would outlive her. I am still a young woman, my children are still young but I want my career to soar and make impact in the lives of younger generations. I know Salawa Abeni is a talent that can’t be wasted.
After your recuperation, what and where was your first performance?
It was a burial party in Lagos. I was not feeling too fine but then, I managed and sat down throughout my performance. After the party I wept.
I knew my voice was intact, the composition of songs was okay but I could not perform as Queen Salawa Abeni. I prayed and told GOD, ‘this is not Ibiwunmi, help restore my energy and vitality.’ GOD did that and I can now dance and stand throughout any performance.