Workers and marketers associated with the Ero-Arike herbal balm have appealed to Nigerians not to allow the political activities of the brand’s owner, Falilat Oyetunji, popularly known as Ero-Arike, to affect their livelihoods.
The appeal was made in a video circulating on social media, in which a group of women displayed containers of the herbal product while urging members of the public to continue patronising the brand.
The women described themselves as beneficiaries and marketers of the business, claiming that Ero-Arike had created employment opportunities and helped support families.
One of the women, speaking in Yoruba, recounted how Oyetunji had allegedly assisted her following the death of her husband, including helping her with accommodation, business capital and her children’s education.
She said, “I, standing here, my husband died five years ago. She helped me build a house, helped me stock goods, and helped me train my children in school. That business will not fail.
“Do not ruin our mother’s work. We are pleading with you.”
The women also appealed to Nigerians in various locations, including Oyo, Ibadan, Lagos, Owo and Agbara, where they said the company had workers and beneficiaries.
Another speaker pleaded with Nigerians to consider the effect of any boycott on those whose livelihoods depend on the business.
“Do not ruin Ero-Arike’s business. Do you want to take away our livelihood?” another woman said.
The group further reached out to Hausa and Muslim communities, saying the business served members of the community and provided economic opportunities for some of them.
“Peace be upon you, Muslim community. We are Hausa people, and we have a place with Ero-Arike. We are eating here, we are drinking here. She caters to many of our needs,” a speaker said in Hausa.
The women subsequently offered prayers for the continued growth of the business, to which the other members responded, “Amen.”
However, the identities and employment status of the women featured in the video could not be independently verified.
The appeal followed growing criticism of Oyetunji over her political activities during the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election.
Oyetunji, who became a prominent grassroots mobiliser for the All Progressives Congress in Osun, campaigned for the party’s candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. Oyebamiji, however, lost to the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke.
During the campaign, Oyetunji distributed rice bearing APC branding and encouraged residents to vote for Oyebamiji.
She later came under criticism after a video surfaced in which she issued spiritual warnings against individuals who collected the rice but did not vote for the APC candidate.
Oyetunji is the Chief Executive Officer of Olokemeji Nigeria Limited, the company responsible for producing the Ero-Arike traditional herbal balm in Osun State.
Her political activities have made her a subject of controversy in recent weeks, with the backlash subsequently spilling over into discussions around the Ero-Arike brand.
Oyetunji was formally associated with the APC in 2026 after previously supporting the Peoples Democratic Party and the political camp of Adeleke during an earlier election.
Following Adeleke’s victory in the recent poll, she released a video describing politics as unpredictable, while urging APC supporters to remain resolute and restating her support for Oyebamiji.
The latest video by the women appears aimed at drawing attention to the workers and beneficiaries who depend on the Ero-Arike business, separate from the political activities of its owner.
(PUNCH)
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