A vendor of herbal aphrodisiacs Muhammad Ma’aruf, 65, displays on June 6, 2009 sex stimulants outside the Sabon-Gari market in Kano, northern Nigeria’s commercial capital. Men trying to keep several wives happy and women competing with co-wives for their husbands’ attentions has led to a boom in the sale of herbal aphrodisiacs in predominantly Moslem northern Nigeria. Women not satisfied with their husband’s sexual performance also come for the drugs if their husbands are embarrassed to do so. The drugs come in all forms — liquid, jelly and powder and are taken orally or rubbed on the penis. The recipes are handed down from father to son and are a jealously guarded secret. AFP PHOTO / AMINU ABUBAKAR
SEXUAL dysfunction among men is on the increase in Nigerian societies. However, many do not seek health care and may prefer using herbal aphrodisiacs.
In a new study, experts say most literate married men in Ilorin have a strong belief in the efficacy of aphrodisiac herbs to enhance their sexual ability.
The study, which called on doctors and counsellors to organise community-based talks to orientate men on the use of aphrodisiac herbs, said most literate married men in Ilorin have a positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs as an alternative to medically prescribed drugs.
The researchers stated that a positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs may imply its use, and asked that married men should use aphrodisiac herbs that are certified by drug agencies and those that have a scientific basis for enhancing sexual satisfaction to avoid damage to body organs.
For the study, 200 literate married men were selected through simple random and purposive sampling from five ministries, eight schools and one local government secretariat. There were three age brackets: 20 to 30 years; 31 to 40 years; and 41 years and above.
The questionnaires were designed to elicit information on “attitude towards aphrodisiac use”, and also collected information on the age and educational attainment of the respondents. It was in the June 2022 edition of the African Health Sciences.
The study said a significant association exists between age and men’s attitudes towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs. Although younger men also expressed a positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiacs, those aged 41 years and above expressed a more positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs.
In addition, there was a significant difference in the attitude of literate married men in Ilorin towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs based on the level of educational attainment. Men who have higher educational attainment expressed a positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiacs while literate married men who have Primary/O’ level certificates expressed a more positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs.
The researchers suggested “the reason for this finding could be that men derive pleasure in being sexually active; this makes them have an elevated level of confidence as they can exert themselves as men.
The researchers say: “Therefore, it is not unlikely that men would have a positive attitude towards any sex-boosting herbs.
“Although younger men also expressed a positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiacs, those aged 41 years and above expressed a more positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs. This finding could be due to men not seeing age as a barrier to sexual relationships.
“This finding could be due to the exposure associated with higher educational degrees; thus, participants who are more educated may not be too disposed to the use of aphrodisiac herbs.
“From another perspective, this finding could be because men derive pleasure in having sex and, the more agile they are sexually, the more satisfied they are. This means that they can go to any length, irrespective of their educational attainment, to enhance their sexual performance such as taking aphrodisiac herbs.
“Positive attitude towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs may imply its use; therefore, married men should use aphrodisiac herbs that are certified by drug agencies and those that have a scientific basis for enhancing sexual satisfaction to avoid damage to body organs.
“There is the need to include marriage and family counsellors in the health delivery team of the nation to counsel married men on the use of aphrodisiac herbs. Based on the positive attitude of literate married men in Ilorin, Kwara State, towards the use of aphrodisiac herbs, the government, pharmacists and EFCC in Nigeria should call for quality assurance on aphrodisiac herbs to ensure the safety and quality of the herbs to men for the treatment of sexual dysfunction.
“Counsellors should be at the forefront to campaign for the inclusion of aphrodisiac herbs into the medical/drug prescription list for the treatment of sexual dysfunction among men to ensure the safe use of the herbs.
“In the future, it is necessary to look into the use of aphrodisiac herbs using a larger population of men and other moderating variables such as religion and the number of children.”
It was reported in some studies that about 15 to 41 percent of men suffer from sexual dysfunction or are not satisfied with their sex life. It has, also, been reported that between 40 and 60 percent of men in Pakistan, Egypt and Nigeria experience varying degrees of sexual dysfunction.
In the course of improving sexual performance, some married men have chosen to use aphrodisiac herbs as a source of intervention. Aphrodisiac herbs are prepared in different forms. There are local variants such as a mixture of local gin and herbs (Agbo Gbogbonise, Sepe or Paraga). There are also well packaged industrially made variants in packets of pills such as Spanish fly, Enpulse, Vimax, Virillis, M-Energex, High T, Male X, and those in liquid forms such as Alomo Bitters.
