Ahmed Sagir is the Managing Director of Ikon Allah Herbal Medicine
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My name is Ahmed Sagir, I am from Sumbu Ward in Rogo Local Government of Kano State.
What is your line of business?
I am into Herbal Medicine. I sell herbal medicine that has to do with cold, pile, typhoid, malaria and high blood pressure, including drugs that take care of impotent and aid sexual performance. I am happy with the business. I am most grateful that people who have patrolised us are happy and satisfied with our medicines. This is very important in the business. When customers expressed their satisfaction.
What range of medicine do you have in your stock?
We have more than 20 different types of medicines and herbal drugs that we recommend and sell to our customers, and I am happy that they are always satisfied with our recommendation after taking the drugs and getting better from their various illnesses.
How profitable is the business?
Very profitable and satisfactory. This I can boldly attest to. I got married through this business and have two kids. I also have two younger siblings that work under me in the business, and they are gradually moving and happily learning the ropes and contributing positively to the success of the business.
How long have you been in the business?
I have been in the business for close to 15 years. I have nothing to say other than to thank Allah for granting me the wisdom to do the business. I am grateful and happy that no day goes without selling our herbal medicine to raise profit to take care of our families and pay our bills once we open shop. I am very satisfied with the business and happy to be into it.
What are some of your challenges?
To be honest I don’t think I have had any challenges in the business since I started. It is a clear business, once you take our drugs you either feel better or not. And our customers have never complained that our products are not working on them. Nobody has ever complained or challenged the efficacy of our medicines. In fact, they always praise us and thank us for our drugs and some even give us gifts for solving their health issues. They come back to the shop and say’’ Thank you for your medicine, take this, buy something for the kids and family.’’ So, Alhamdullahi, I have no problem or challenge with the business.
Do you produce these medicines yourself or source them externally?
Yes, we source them from various companies. They are the ones producing them.
They are professionals and have knowledgeable and capable people producing them. This involved the authourity as well, like NAFDAC and other relevant agencies approved the products before allowing it into the market. Ours to market and sell it to the right people in need who deserved it.
There is this view that traditional medicine does not work, what’s the difference between herbal and the popular traditional medicines hawked across the streets?
Well, ours too is a traditional medicine but more refined into modern medicinal products. The herbal medicines are well treated, measured and preserved. Some herbal medicines can stay up to one to two years without expiring. They are packaged in cartoons and instructions written expansively in English and Hausa and sometimes even in Arabic. So, the difference is very clear between the street hawked traditional medicines and ours sold inside shops.
What is the difference between herbal medicine and the orthodox ones?
The truth is you can take the orthodox medicine now and get well temporarily, maybe a day or weeks but you have not solved the problem unlike the herbal medicines that tackled the sickness head on and ensured that you stay healthy and well for a longtime. We are not here to give medicine that eases your sickness; we are here to give you medicine that eradicates or subdues your sickness for a long time. That is the difference between the western medicine and herbal ones.
What advice would you give to others in your same line of business?
My advice to my fellow businessmen in herbal medicine is to always ensure to know the right type of medicine that suits their customers before recommending or selling it to them. All herbal medicine sellers should always know the right type of medicine they recommend to their customers before selling it to them. They should do the business truthfully and have the gear of God in mind. They should know that any drug or medicine they recommend to their customers is based on trust and should not break that trust if not they have betrayed them. They should first think of the wellbeing of their customers before thinking of profit they would make. They should be sincere and trustworthy.
Sagir can be contacted on this phone numbers :08166256232 or 09051064413
