The stem is the part used as chewing stick; it is split into units less than or about 1 cm in diameter and about 10 cm in length.

Before the advent of colonial masters which brought about the introduction of brush and toothpaste, Pako Ijebu remains force to be reckoned with when we talk about mouth and teeth brushing.

Pako Ijebu is an agelong chewing stick used for oral care not only in Nigeria but also in  some part of Africa .

Pako  is a shrub or a small tree which can be as tall as 6 metres . The bark is greyish -green on the outside , yellowish -brown when slashed.

The bark usually has a pleasant bitter taste which persists for some time after use and they are usually tied in bundles for sale as finished product.

Aliyu Ismail a young entrepreneur who has been dealing in Pako Ijebu business for over a decade said the business is  lucrative.

While speaking on how tedious the process of getting Pako Ijebu done he said the business can’t be done by one person  saying he had to employ some personnel to get the job done on time.

Pako Ijebu according to Ismail is the origin business of Ijebu people that has raised and brought Ijebu name to limelight

Pako Ijebu according to some people remains the best and the only way of taking care of one’s mouth and it is far far better than the brush.

It was also discovered  that Pako Ijebu has a whole lot of health benefits but is fast fading away as young people are not in the know of its existence.

Try a Pako Ijebu chewing stick today and I bet it, you will brush aside both paste and toothbrush you have been using over the years.

It is cheap and affordable as a bunch of about 10 pieces is sold for #200 Naira .

Gbenga Adekoya