A friend once told a story of an event when he lived in Kano State. A group of neighbours often visited his wife to collect Moringa leaves and seeds.
“On one of such visits, they hailed my wife for being able to keep her husband, being an only wife in a society that permitted four legal wives and a coterie of concubines outside.
“My wife explained that her Christian faith permitted only one wife for a man, except if he was coming into faith as a polygamist. Even then, the polygamist will not be allowed to hold an office in church so as not to endorse what Jesus Christ explained God did not approve; but allowed in the time of Moses because of the hardness of the heart of Jews. They could begin to kill their wives , since Mosaic law approved remarriage after the death of a spouse.
“Well, the women, as my life later told me, concluded she was only able to keep me satisfied sexually because she used Moringa flowers for her own Kayan Mata (women’s sexual enhancement things), while giving them only the leaves and seeds.
“My wife, out of curiosity asked them questions, but they only teased her that she knew and was hiding her prowess from them. We never got to know how Moringa flowers are used as enhancers until we left Kano for the south of the country,” the husband, Mr. Mask Simon said.
Sexual enhancers are as old as man, so much so that in some cultures in the country, young ladies are often taken aside to be coached on sex and how to enhance it with gestures, foods, and herbs.
A friend once expressed his personal fear in eating in the homes of polygamists, “because you do not know what the wife in charge that day has laced the food with to enhance her husband’s libido for the night. If you arrive home, your wife may ‘suffer’ the consequences, and if you are unmarried, the effect is best imagined”
But why is so much premium placed on sex, especially in marriage. “Because it is a lubricant that oils and keeps the marriage running for long,” was the terse answer by a marriage expert, Mrs. Maureen Akabogu. “A lot rests or falls on it, but denial and cultural considerations make many run away from the glaring truth,” she adds.
In most cases, she continues, many will gloss over cracks and faults in marriage because the sex is good.
But what about the use of aphrodisiacs. She approves of it, but cautions that a medical personnel should be adequately consulted. “Also, excess and continuous use has been known to have a counter effect later on in life. In addition, since you do not know the condition of your spouse’s heart, caution should exercised,” she opines
Claimed to be potent as a sex enhancer among users, Kayan Mata — some local herbal preparations (aphrodisiacs) — has generated mixed feelings among women and men when issues on love-making arise.
Literally interpreted as “women things’’ from Hausa language, Kayan Mata is a generic name for a range of aphrodisiacs. However, as women have Kayan Mata, men have maganin maza –“men things’’.
Proponents of the preparations claim that sexual feelings among couples are essentially stimulated by Kayan Mata which has attracted publicity on the internet in recent times.
Though the substances are originally prepared to make-up brides for marriage to enjoy sex life during marriage, observers note that the aphrodisiacs are no longer restricted to ladies who are preparing for marriages alone.
According to observers, for the products efficacy, some critics insinuate that Kayan Mata products are love potions or charms used by women to keep husbands away from other women.
But a seller, Mrs Halima Abdulrahman in Minna, Niger, notes that Kayan Mata is an answer to ladies who request for something to impress and drive their husband “crazy’’ during sex.
She expresses concern about the attitude of the public to sex issues, observing that Kayan Mata business is challenged by women who hide their sexual desires for the fear of being stigmatised, wayward or irresponsible, especially in northern parts of the country.
Another seller in Katsina, simply identified as Mama Miriam, says Kayan Mata is mostly used by ladies or women and “men have their own, some women are so used to it.
“There are different types of Kayan Mata — Gindin Ayu, Zuman Mata, Turaren Tuta, Tsimi Mata and Zumi, which comes in liquid form, among others.
“There is the one that I prepare with chicken and the person will eat it alone; the cost is N45, 000 and the one I prepare with coke which is N65, 000.
“There is also the one I prepare with cow tail, the person will eat that one alone, the price is N25, 000 and Zumi, which comes in liquid form, costs N8, 500 for four litres.
“There are some of lower prices such as N1, 000, N2, 000, N5, 000 and N10, 000 whichever is affordable.
“They are of different names and functions, depending on the type you want. There is no dosage but the person must keep to verbal instructions.
“There are some they can insert in their private parts and there are some you will take with milk, it depends on what you want or the problem you want to solve.
“The patronage is so encouraging, different ethnic groups come to patronise me not only people from the northern parts of the country and I make a lot of turnover from it’’.
Emphasising the commercial values of Kayan Mata, Mrs Hauwa Muhammad, an Instagram Kayan Mata vendor who owns Jaruma Empire, says she has consultations with no fewer than 30 women a week for N50, 000 per session.
Another Kayan Mata Instagram vendor, Mrs Deborah Erioluwapo Ajayi who runs Omoshola’s Place Empire, says her clients include celebrities that she offers “private consultations’’ to and sells products between N15,000 and N350,000.
Mrs Zainab Sani, a user, claims that Kayan Mata “is good because it makes sex more pleasurable.
“It is a sex stimulant that enhances sexual pleasure, especially for new couples that want to make their sex life heaven on earth.
“I go for sex enhancement herbs because some men marry many wives and women use it to satisfy the husband to have an amazing sexual experience that he will never forget.
“There are some substances you rub or insert in private part; you can prepare some with chicken, honey, milk, kunun aya, add in soup or stew or mix with your meal.
“I don’t know if there is any side effect because I have not experienced any but what I know is that a woman should not use it when her husband is not around’’, she warns.
In her view, Mrs Zainab Umaru, a vendor, explains that she sells the products for women who find it difficult to be turned on during foreplay.
“Kayan Mata sweets are prescribed for them to chew during the day when they are sure they will get together at night; this would create a tingling sensation for the woman and put her in the mood.
“The most popular Kayan Mata products are kunun aya and tsumi. Tsumi is a mixture of Kayan Mata herbs and camel’s milk which is effective and strong.
“Kunun aya is Tiger nuts juice and it is drunk by men for extra performance; since Kayan Mata is made out of fruits, herbs and natural spices, it is healthy.
“If you want to use Kayan Mata to enhance your sexual pleasure, it is important to be careful of your sources and what exactly that make up the ingredients,’’ she cautions.
Mrs Fatima Ayuba, a Kaya-Mata vendor in Garki 2, Abuja, says she has been in the business for two decades and that her major patronage is from married women and mothers that are preparing their children for marriage.
Another vendor in Wuse Market, Abuja, who pleads anonymity says that his customers are mostly married women who use the products to spice up their sex life with their spouses.
He notes that his customers also include single ladies from across the country and that the use of the products is not limited to ladies from northern parts of the country.
Kayan Mata is recommended for every woman who wants to keep her man because it works and has helped many women to sustain their marriages.
But Mrs Ngozi Okenwa, a business lady in Abuja, says that she bought it once and it didn’t work for her.
“I bought the product because some of my friends that had used it were commending the product.
“I will not patronise or buy the product anymore, but I will not discourage someone else from buying it because it did not work for me,’’ she says.
Speaking also, Mr Wale Ade, a pharmacist says: “I bought it for myself and wife to experiment since am in the medical field but I didn’t see or notice any difference in my performance nor my wife’s feeling.
“My wife is not into sex much, I bought it to see if it will increase her sexual libido or mine but it didn’t, I think it does not work for everyone’’.
However, Miss Hilda Osa, a civil servant in Abuja, believes that the product has helped in strengthening her relationship.
Another resident of Abuja who pleads not to be mentioned also says his wife finds it difficult to get wet and since she began to use the product, her sexual life has improved.
“Kayan Mata is good, it has helped my relationship because my partner would always complain of excessive dryness but since I started using the product, I get in the mood quickly.
“One thing I also noticed about Kayan Mata is that it makes your wife enjoy sex with you if used always.
“I recommend it for every woman, especially those with problem of getting wet or delay in the mood for sex because it helps stimulates the vulva and other parts of sexual organs,’’ he observes.
Sharing similar opinion, Mr Joseph Umo an artist, says that he has a customer he calls to usually make Kayan Mata for his wife.
He noted that the product is ancient that had been widely used by many but just gained prominence recently due to social media influence.
According to him, both men and women use it to enhance their sex life.
Umoh notes that he has used it many times and would continue to use it due to its positive effects on his sex life and that of his partner.
“I buy it for my wife because it makes her sweeter, some men that want to keep and enjoy their union encourage their wives or spouses to get Kayan Mata and am one of such men.
“I enjoin both male and female whether you have a problem with arousal or not to imbibe the use of the product due its potency,’’ he advises.
But some medical experts say the use of sex enhancement drugs has both positive and negative implications on human health.
They note that sex enhancement drugs also known as “erectile dysfunction medication’’ are majorly patronised and used by men than women.
Dr Olamide Olowoyo, a consultant physician and nephrologist, advises individuals with erectile dysfunction to seek medical help instead of taking concoctions and medications for sexual enhancement.
Olowoyo, who works at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta in Lagos, warns that concoctions or medication to enhance sexual performance could result in unpredictable health hazards.
Similarly, Dr Ayodele Ademola, a consultant gynaecologist, cautions that it is not advisable to use sex enhancement drugs, except when it becomes exceptionally necessary, and it must be used under strict medical prescription and supervision.
Ayodele warns further that use of sex enhancement drugs could cause cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, heart failure and other related diseases.
According to him, there are many instances where people who used sex enhancement drugs ended up losing their lives.
“I have had a situation where two elderly couples who took erectile dysfunction drugs simultaneously had heart attacks and died,’’ he warned.
▪︎ Additional reports by NANFeatures
