Ero-Arike Workers Cry Out: ‘Don’t Boycott Us Over Owner’s Politics’

 

By Abdulahi Musa 

Workers and marketers of Ero-Arike herbal balm have appealed to Nigerians not to boycott the brand over the political activities of its owner, Falilat Oyetunji, popularly known as Ero-Arike.

The appeal was made in a video circulating on social media, where a group of women holding containers of the herbal balm pleaded with Nigerians to separate the business from the political controversy surrounding its owner.

The women, who described themselves as beneficiaries and marketers of the business, said Ero-Arike had provided livelihoods for many people and supported families across different parts of the country.

One of the women, speaking in Yoruba, said she had been widowed for five years and claimed that Oyetunji had assisted her in building a house, stocking her business and paying her children's school fees.

“Do not ruin our mother’s work. We are pleading with you,” she appealed.

Another woman asked Nigerians not to destroy the business, stressing that many people depended on it for their livelihoods.

The group also appealed to customers and beneficiaries in places including Oyo, Ibadan, Lagos, Owo and Agbara, saying the business had workers and beneficiaries in those areas.

They further appealed to members of the Hausa and Muslim communities, saying Ero-Arike catered to their needs and provided economic opportunities for members of the community.

The women subsequently offered prayers for the continued success of the business and its customers.

However, PUNCH Online said it could not independently verify that the women featured in the video were actual workers or marketers of Ero-Arike.

The appeal followed backlash against Oyetunji over her involvement in the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election.

Oyetunji, a prominent All Progressives Congress grassroots mobiliser in Osun State, campaigned for the party’s candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who lost the election to the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke.

During the campaign, she distributed rice packaged with APC branding while urging residents to support Oyebamiji. She later came under criticism after a video surfaced in which she issued spiritual warnings against people who accepted the rice but did not vote for the APC candidate.

Oyetunji is the Chief Executive Officer of Olokemeji Nigeria Limited, the company behind Ero-Arike, a traditional herbal balm produced in Osun State.

Her political activities have made her a polarising figure, with the controversy now extending to the Ero-Arike brand.

Following Adeleke’s victory, Oyetunji released a video describing politics as unpredictable, while urging APC supporters not to lose hope and reaffirming her support for Oyebamiji.

The latest appeal by the women appears aimed at protecting the brand and the livelihoods of those who depend on its operations from the political controversy involving its owner.