SEEK KNOWLEDGE, IT'S NOW IN THE PALM OF YOUR HANDS: AGBALUMO/UDARA IN ALL ITS GLORY.

Some days ago, a question was asked and the question is “what is the English name of agbalumo”? The answer that was given led to the birth of this post and its title because the information I'm about to share with you, I got from the palm of my hand. The journey started with me going back to a post MOJI DELANO (blogger: mojidelano.blogspot.com) did on agbalumo/udara, and then made some research myself. *pheew!*. So go on to the next paragraph, and the next, until the last. You can thank me when you're done. *wink*

You know you can actually google “Agbalumo” or “Udara” and get a bank of information on that fruit almost everyone loves so much, some, even too much. You should see young, fresh, sophisticated, classy, biuntifu (no error pls), hamsome (no error here too) graduates/youth corpers throwing decorum to the winds, plucking udara in Umudi ( Served in the East, and that's where our orientation camp is, Umudi), as well as begging to be plucked for (you should know this refers to the female specimens) on the parade ground (of course before parade starts, otherwise you will be WRONG, and the consequences of being wrong sure aint pretty!). Most of them came from cities where they only saw agbalumo/udara on the trays of traders hawking, or in the markets. And to then see a tree bearing their beloved fruit was sheer ecstacy! Well, I wasn't one of them, you know, being a very tush human being and all....If I hear!). But true, I was not a part of it, and that's only because I'm not one of the biggest fans of the fruit (yeah, call me weird, you won't be the first). However, if they were plucking garri, I would have forgotten the word “tush” too. *big toothy grin*.

Okay, let's get serious, that's why we are here. What's the English name for Agbalumo/Udara?... Taaa! See your mouth like Cherry! Lol....Oya, sowie. It's not like you're totally off the mark though, because after Nigerians dicovered and fell in love with this fruit, and for many years did not know the English name, the name “local cherry” was coined.

But hey, the real English name for agbalumo/udara is...is...is...ta da! WHITE STAR APPLE or AFRICAN STAR APPLE! However, it should not be mistaken for STAR APPLE, which is another fruit indigenous to Central America (this has been refuted by some botanists who claimed it may properly belong to the West Indies). The STAR APPLE is common throughout most of the Caribbean Islands and in Bermuda, but have been found in other places including Jamaica and Haiti among others, it's botanical name being CHRYSOPHYLLUM CAINITO. While the botanical name for our own agbalumo is CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM (to whom it may concern, I doubt it concerns a lot of people though). Move on to the next paragraphs for all the good news! (Who cares about the English name, Hot Dog sha no get yoruba, Ibo, or hausa name).

The pulp of agbalumo/udara which is common in both rural and urban centres especially during the months of December to April, and are not usually harvested from the trees, but left to drop naturally to the ground where they are picked, is an excellent source of vitamins and irons (and an excellent source of raw materials for industries). It has been found to have higher content of ascorbic acid than oranges and guava, it has a hundred times more Vitamin C than oranges, and ten times that of guava.


A study by researchers at the Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University,Ogun State titled “EFFECTS OF ETHANOLIC LEAF. EXTRACT OF CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM G. ON BIOCHEMICAL AND HAEMATOLOGICAL (BLOOD-RELATED) PARAMETERS OF ALBINO WISTAR RATS” (Jesu!) which was published in AFRICA JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, showed that agbalumo/udara lowered blood sugar and cholesterol, and could be useful in preventing and treating heart diseases.

Previous studies indicate that the roots, barks, and leaves of agbalumo/udara tree have been employes in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases. The bark is used for the treatment of yellow fever and malaria, while the leaf is used as an emollient and for the treatment of vaginal and dermatological infections in Western Nigeria.

Another study which was done by researchers at the FOREST INSTITUTE, IBADAN, OYO STATE titled “ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM LEAVES” and which was published in ASIAN JOURNAL OF FOOD AND AGRO-INDUSTRY, showed results that suggests that water and methanolic extracts from the leaves of Chrysophyllum Albidum may contain active agents, which provides the basis for their folkloric use as a result of infections and inflammatory reactions.

In conclusion, the result of this study justifies the traditional uses of the leaves of agbalumo/udara for the therapeutic purposes!

Have you all started dancing around licking sweet??? Isn't this fantastic news for you agbalumo/udara lovers, who now have a plausible excuse to indulge your cravings!
But please, in all your excitement of the new knowledge, don't go to the market and ask the agbalumo/udara seller for CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM o. Don't ask for WHITE STAR APPLE either! Those traders always have a cane on hand which they use in chasing away the mentally unbalanced from their stalls!

Very importantly is the issue of the first part of the title of this post. All of the above information and more are just a click away. Let's endeavour to seek knowledge at all times. Ignorance is not in any way attractive. Utilize the smartness of your smartphones! A smartphone is not smart by itself. Like lifecoach, Sam Obafemi (Barnabas House, Abuja) said to us, owning a smartphone is no longer a luxury, but a necessity ( a view he must have taken straight from my mind). Get information on the move! And credit also goes to him for the statement below.

“To other creatures, ignorance is nature, but to man, it is a vice”.

And remember the bible also implores us “to study to show thyself approved” (2 Timothy 2:15). Even in law, ignorance is not condoned and can not be claimed. “Ignorantia legis neminem excusat” (ignorance of the law is not an excuse. And in Jesus' name, we will not be caught unawares and goof over simple things on TV, oops!, sorry, in public (I did not mention any oga's name o, oops again! Sorry, I meant anybody's name o).

So my friends, seek knowledge, it's now in the palm of your hands!

My name is Omotola!
@mOtTyMaT