MUHAMMAD SABIU writes that many women in the northern part of the country use what is called kayan mata in order to keep their men, just as the women who sell the stuff are smiling to the bank on a daily basis, even as some people warn that the material might be dangerous.
ONE area in which most women do not want to be found wanting, no matter their culture background, is in the bedroom department. Even in cultures where women are conservative when it comes to bedroom matters, they want to make sure that their husbands “do not look outside.”
In the Northern part of the country, women are currently making concerted efforts to retain the attention of their husbands “in the other room,” and by that a business woven around that is booming surreptitiously with the sale of what is known as ‘Kayan mata.
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Kayan mata is a word in Hausa which literally means ‘Women’s Pride? Kayan mata could be a herb, a charm or even an ointment or it could simply be a piece of kolanut, stick perfume or drugs which young ladies and women use to enhance their sexual performance or to make their husbands or boyfriend love them the more.
Some believe that ‘Kayan mata could be injurious to a woman’s health. For instance, a nurse Safiya Ladan told Sunday Tribune that inserting kayan mata (may be ointment, herb charm, etc) inside the vagina could lead to vaginal infections.
‘We have had cases of women coming to the hospital for one problem or the other and at the end of the day it was discovered that it was this kayan mata stuff.
Ladan advised those indulging in such acts to have a rethink, saying “women don’t need it (kayan mata) to be good in bed or to retain the love of their husbands,” adding that “all what is needed is to eat fruits.”
Corroborating this view, a young lady, Esther Simeon who said all she takes to make her body attractive to her man is sugarcane, pointing out that sugarcane is very good for women, explaining that “if a woman takes it steadily or constantly, her husband will enjoy her in bed.”
In addition, she contended that some fruits as well as healthy diets are all what a woman needs if she wants to satisfy her husband.
Women who are against kayan mata however said it has offensive odour.
A woman who pleaded for anonymity told Sunday Tribune that “some kayan mata have offensive odour and in many instances you will discover that people always run away from women who use it.
However, in spite of these reservations findings revealed there is an increasing patronage of kayan mata. In some communities, kayan mata is a cultural norm and for many traditional medicine practitioners it is a brisk business as young ladies and women selling the stuff are making lots of money from peddling it.
In many local communities in the north also, whenever a teenage girl is getting set for marriage, she is usually given kayan mata as part of the parting gift from her family to take to her husband’s house.
In Sokoto State for instance, a special chicken soup is often prepared for would-be brides by their parents whenever they are about to get married.
According to Hajiya Laila Muhammad, a certain amount is usually paid to the elderly woman upon the completion of the rituals.
“Once a bride ate the chicken she will be the toast of her husband or her heartthrob. I tell you her husband will not look at any other woman,” she stressed.
Speaking in the same vein, a housewife, Maimuna Abubakar, recalled that her when her sister was getting married, she was sent to Sokoto to undertake some “training” about how to take care of her husband for a period of time.
Another source who pleaded for anonymity contended that, “herbs are usually mixed with some perfume by the new bride before meeting her husband, pointing out that the whole idea is to please the man.
Findings by Sunday Tribune revealed that in the North-Eastern part of the country there is the ‘Goro Tula’ another special kolanut that women, especially married women use including single ladies.
A woman, Hauwa Saidu, from Billiri Local Government of Gombe State according to Sunday Tribune findings became so famous in selling the Tula kolanut to young ladies and married women and made lots of money.
According to one of our sources, Hajiya Kaltum, Hauwa Saidu became so famous in the region to the extent that if one was looking for the kolanut it could only be got from her, revealing that “to cut the story short, she eventually became an instant millionaire.”
A teenage girl who she sells kayan mata to take care of her family told Sunday Tribune that she usually receives her consignment from North East. She revealed further that to her surprise young unmarried ladies buy more of the kolanut, adding that “the selling of kayan mata has been a very lucrative business. I have made lots of money from it.”
Sex workers not left out
It is not only married women or young ladies who try to secure their bedrooms. Even among commercial sex workers, different forms of kayan mata exist. Among this set of people it may even include amulets obtained from marabouts with the intention of having the energy to take on as many customers as possible.
Safiya, a commercial sex worker in Kano, who operates in the red light district of Abedie, disclosed that the amulet which she got from a marabout is often tied to the upper part of her left thigh permanently.
She said “I visited a marabout after I was advised to do so by other ladies. The mallam who gave me the amulet lives inside the ancient city, he told me that the charm will give me the strength to sleep with as many men as possible without getting tired or taking any hard drug for strength.”
Another sex worker who identified herself as Esther said it is the Hausa and Fulani girls who use amulets for strength, “but others from the south usually travel home purposely to go and meet one baba or pastor who prepares these spiritual items for them. For strength, we rely more on concoction prepared by herbs and roots hawkers who supply us with concoction that is believed to give strength to take care of as many men as available.”
A local herbalist, who identified himself as Aji confirmed that majority of his clients are drawn from among commercial sex workers to increase their libido to enable them entertain as many men as possible.
According to him, the prostitutes apart from looking for herbal mixture to gain strength equally ask me to prepare amulets that will attract good luck and protect them.
However, most of the interviewed said they equally to use local herbs to prevent their husband’s from “looking outside” for sexual satisfaction, while others said they have special cloths prepared by marabouts for them to tie men to prevent them from going after other women.
—Additional story by KOLA OYELERE
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