An 80-year-old traditional psychiatric doctor in Ilorin, Kwara State, Alhaji Mohammed Nuhu says if the Federal Government can guarantee him patent rights for the herbs and roots he uses in curing his patients, he would disclose the family secret for the benefits of Nigerians.

Speaking from his 75, Alhaji Agbede's Compound, Dabiri, Okelele, Ilorin, Nuhu challenged any orthodox-trained psychiatrist on the efficacy of his herbs, saying he could have made history in the treatment of psychiatric patients but for alleged government neglect and his illiteracy.

Yet, he says those who had benefited from his treatment in the past are appreciative of him.

One such beneficiary, who simply identified himself as AbdulAzeez told The Guardian that his family members once deserted him until his healing came.

"It was purely herbal remedies, nobody applied cane on me.

"Today, after eight years, I have no reason to go back to him for treatment again. I am hale and hearty now."

According to Nuhu, his records show that over 50 patients had received permanent healing to their problems, most of them now walking the streets free and healthy but had at one time considered to be suffering from chronic psychiatric disorder and brought to him in chains.

He added: "Many of these problems are secondary problems to certain health deformities. But unlike what they do elsewhere, here, since I took over the job from my late father, we will try and ask of the history of the problems.

"Whatever may be the outcome of our investigations from the relatives, we will be poised for immediate commencement of treatment. Here, no patient has ever spent more than one month before regaining his full and normal health status. We will discharge him after our usual tests of ascertaining his fitness level. It is a cure and not a temporary relief. Anyone who so believes that madness is incurable should go to all the patients we have been discharging in the last 20 years."

He lamented the continued usage of his bungalow as wards for his patients just as he urged the state or the Federal Government to come to his aid by providing a modern and befitting ward for his patients.

He added: " How much can somebody picked on the street naked and out of his senses afford to pay after his healing? "We are only doing it for God and we are trying to decongest our streets of mentally deranged persons. The government who is paying trillions of naira to run the psychiatric hospitals in the country should come to our aid as well.

"Again, many of the privileged ones suffering from this ailment would not be bold coming to my house for treatment and as such be suffering in silence. But if the treatment centre is upgraded they would not hesitate to come rather than sending emissaries to us for secret healing."

Already, he has under his payroll 10 workers, apart from four of his children already versed in the method of treatment.

For Nuhu, though his late father did not warn him against disclosing the source of the herbs and roots used in his cures, he would not tell unless the same government is ready to pay for it.

"It is our family heritage and I equally know that my children too will jealously guard against its disclosure, " he said.