Workers and marketers of Ero-Arike herbal balm have appealed to Nigerians to continue patronising the product despite the backlash against its owner, Falilat Oyetunji, popularly known as Ero-Arike, following her involvement in the recently concluded Osun State governorship election.
In a video circulating on social media, a group of women holding containers of the herbal balm were seen singing and appealing to Nigerians not to allow the political controversy surrounding Oyetunji to affect the business.
The women, who described themselves as beneficiaries and marketers of the brand, said the company had provided them with livelihoods and helped support their families.
One of the women, speaking in Yoruba, said she had been widowed for five years and claimed that Oyetunji had assisted her with building a house, stocking her business and paying for 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 different parts of the country, including Oyo, Ibadan, Lagos, Owo and Agbara, where they said the business had workers and beneficiaries.
“Do not ruin Ero-Arike’s business. Do you want to take away our livelihood?” another woman asked.
The group further appealed to Hausa and Muslim communities, saying the business served their needs and provided livelihoods for members of the community.
“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 prayed for the continued success of the business, with members responding, “Amen.”
However, PUNCH Online said it could not independently verify whether the women featured in the video are genuine workers or marketers of Ero-Arike.
The appeal comes amid criticism of Oyetunji following her active participation in the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Oyetunji, a prominent All Progressives Congress grassroots mobiliser in Osun, campaigned for the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who lost the election to incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.
During the campaign, she distributed rice packaged with APC branding while urging residents to support Oyebamiji.
She also faced criticism after a video emerged in which she issued spiritual warnings against people who collected 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 popular traditional herbal balm manufactured in Osun State.
Her political activities have, however, made her a controversial figure in recent weeks.
She formally became associated with the APC in 2026 after previously supporting the Peoples Democratic Party and the Adeleke political camp during an earlier election.
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 criticism directed at Oyetunji has subsequently extended to the Ero-Arike brand, with the latest video apparently aimed at distinguishing the business and the livelihoods it provides from the political controversy surrounding its owner.
The women concluded their appeal with prayers for the continued success of the business and its customers.
Click the link to watch the video.