Programme Type: Documentary
Presenter: Clementina Akagbosu
Duration: 30 minutes
A DOCUMENTARY ON
COLANUT
SYNOPSIS
The
Kola nut is a caffeine-containing nut of evergreen trees of the genus Cola, primarily the species Cola acuminata and Cola nitida.
Cola acuminata is an evergreen tree of about 20 meters in height, and
has long, ovoid leaves pointed at both the ends with a leathery texture. The
trees have yellow flowers with purple spots, and star-shaped fruit. Inside the
fruit, about a dozen round or square seeds can be found in a white seed shell.
The nut’s aroma is sweet and rose-like. The first taste is bitter, but sweetens
upon chewing. The nut can be boiled to extract the cola. This tree reaches 25
meters in height and is propagated through seeds.
The
kola nut was chosen to cover as a documentary piece,
because, it is seen and accepted as part of the tradition and culture of the
people of Nigeria. The cola nut was also chosen to educate the emerging members
of the society to better appreciate the African culture and certain beliefs as
it affects the African man. The cola nut has different names particular to
different ethnic groups. The Yoruba people call it obi ; the Ibos refer to it as oji while to the
Hausa man, it is “gwuro”. The cola nut is one thing that will always
play a vital role in the Nigerian culture as explained by persons from the
three ethnic groups in the country.
“THE
KOLA NUT”
Cue
in
A traditional musical flute sound
is heard playing at the background, as the narrator introduces the topic being
documented.
Narrator:
One of the traditional ways of knowing that one has arrived in his or
her home in the village in Nigeria, is the presentation of kola nut along side
with the palm wine. It is broken and shared among the male dorminants along
with prayers for safety and health by the elders. Hence, the popular saying,“
He who brings kola nut brings life”. (2
minute)
(Music is heard at the background)
Traditional music (1 minute)
(Harvesting
and storage)
Narrator: Kola
nuts can be harvested by hand, by plucking them at the tree branch. Like in
western countries and other countries of the world, it has been harvested by
the use of harvesters. When kept in a cold and dry place, kola nut can be
stored for a long time. ( 1 minute)
(Pests
and diseases)
Narrator: The
nuts are subject to attack by the kola weevil Balanogastris
cola. The larvae of the moth Characoma
strictigrapta that also attacks cacao bore into the nuts.
Traders sometimes apply an extract of the bark of Rauvolfia vomitoria
or the pulverised fruits of Xylopia and Capsicum to counteract the attack on nursery
plants. The cacao pests Sahlbergella
spp. have been found also on C. nitida as an alternative host plant.
While seeds are liable to worm attack, the wood is subject to borer attack (2minutes)
Narrator:
In our quest to better understand what kola nut truly signifies to different
ethnic groups in Nigeria, we visited members of the three major ethnic groups beginning
with the Igbos and this is what we gathered (1minute)
Traditional Igbo beat is heard (30 sec)
Voice of respondent: …..........................……………………………………………………(3 minutes)
Narrator: why
is your tribe so particular about kola nut popularly known in the Igbo language
as (30
sec)
Respondent:
……………………………………………..............................……………………(3 minutes)
Narrator: Thank
you very much for your contribution. (2 sec)
Igbo song is heard (30 sec)
Narrator: The Yorubas were not left out,
in as much as kola nut plays a very significant role in the East, so also in
the West. (1minute)
Reporter: Good day sir, can we meet you?
Respondent: ………………………………………………………………………………..(1
minute)
Reporter: As a Yoruba man, what does the
kola nut mean to you and the Yoruba people? (30 sec)
Respondent:
………………………………………………………………………(2 minutes)
Narrator: We also took this kola issue
to the North where we spoke with Alhaji Bello Mustapha, a commercial kola nut
farmer and this is what he has to say. (1 minute)
(Hausa music is
heard in the background)
Alhaji Bello
Mustapha……………………………………………………………(3
minutes)
Narrator: And that’s the much we can
take on this programme, I hope you enjoyed evety bit of it.
Don’t
forget to keep a date with us on same station, same time next week, for another
interesting edition of the program.
On
behalf of my producer, Paul Umolu and my technical advicer, I am……… Clementina Akagbosu.
Bye!(2 minutes)
