APC chieftain Falilat Yusuf, popularly known as Ero-Arike, has dismissed calls for Nigerians to stop buying her herbal products, insisting that she has other businesses and investments that can sustain her.
Ero-Arike made the remarks in a video seen by Tribune Online while responding to critics who have urged her to stop selling her herbal balm.
The herbal practitioner used the opportunity to showcase some of her properties and business investments, explaining that she had spent years building different sources of income.
She said stopping the sale of her Ero-Arike balm would not leave her without means of survival.
According to her, she has built properties and invested in several businesses over the years.
“Whenever it was that I built this house, I built this house. If you say you want to stop me from selling Ero Arike today, hunger will not kill me. Never, ever! There is no hunger,” she said.
Ero-Arike also disclosed that she had constructed 16 houses for students in Iragbiji, Osun State, explaining that the buildings were intended to provide accommodation for students.
She questioned whether critics expected her to personally benefit from the rent paid by the students.
She said, “If I should count the houses I built for students in Iragbiji, I will count 16. Sixteen! And you’re saying that it is remaining a little bit before they pay rent and move in. So, am I going to chop up their money and eat it all?”
She further told those calling for a boycott of her products to proceed if they wished, insisting that such action would not destroy her livelihood.
The APC chieftain also displayed a school building she said she was constructing in the community.
According to her, she planned to equip the facility with solar power and a water supply so that students would have access to electricity and clean water while studying.
She explained that the project was designed to ensure that students would not struggle with power outages or lack of water, particularly at night.
Ero-Arike also showed what she described as her registered business premises and a truck belonging to her company.
She stressed that her financial success did not depend solely on the sale of her herbal balm, revealing that she also owned farms and other businesses.
“Ero Arike isn’t just a small market setup. People talk about America, London, UK, US… well, this is my estate! This is Ero Arike’s registered property. Look at this truck! By God’s power, this truck belongs to us,” she said.
The herbal practitioner also expressed concern about vendors who depend on selling her products for their livelihoods, particularly widows.
She argued that a boycott could have a greater impact on these sellers than on her personally.
“I can never suffer. It is the widows and those hawking my balm you shouldn’t let suffer,” she said.
Ero-Arike revealed that she also owned seven farms in Ore, describing herself as a hardworking woman with several investments.
She additionally defended the effectiveness of her herbal products, claiming that they could provide remedies for various ailments. She said she was willing to refund customers who did not get the expected results from her products.
The APC chieftain said she had maintained a public reputation for about 31 years and insisted that her name had not been tarnished.
She also referred to the APC candidate in the Osun governorship election, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, while discussing his political influence and electoral performance.
Ero-Arike maintained that her years of public recognition and political relevance remained an important part of her standing, particularly when politicians seek support ahead of elections.
