Hidden treasures of the fruit called ‘Atile’

‘Atile’is known botanically as Canarium Schweinfurthii or Schweinfurth’s Olive. According to Musa Dawud-Bello, a Kaduna-based botanist, “Several studies indicated that a plant-based diet protects against the development of some serious diseases. It is assumed that the antioxidant content in food is an important reason for this protection. The plants with highest activity found to be […]

‘Atile’is known botanically as Canarium Schweinfurthii or Schweinfurth’s Olive. According to Musa Dawud-Bello, a Kaduna-based botanist, “Several studies indicated that a plant-based diet protects against the development of some serious diseases. It is assumed that the antioxidant content in food is an important reason for this protection. The plants with highest activity found to be the African black olive (Canarium Sweinfurthii), among others. Increased awareness of antioxidant activity in food and resulting change in food intake can be of importance for an improved health situation.”

The utility of ‘Atile’ can be likened to that of the palm tree’s because almost all parts of the ‘Atile’ is useful, like the fruit for consumption, the strong brown seed inside used for local draughts game and its oily nature, making it a good source of natural oil which is highly medicinal .

Weekly Trust findings reveal that almost every family in most of the local governments in Plateau State has an ‘Atile’ tree as inheritance. Like any other plant, ‘Atile’ has a harvest season. Some parts of the state harvest the fruit from June to October. The people of Jarawa harvest theirs from January to April while the Bassa start from June to September.

Coming into Plateau State from any of the neighbouring states brings one face-to-face with small, black pears loaded in baskets on the heads of women parading the streets of Jos, hawking the fruits, moving in between traffic, chanting ‘Atile’!

An elder from Shen District in Jos South Local Government Area, Chief Gabriel Gyang Bot, who spoke to Weekly Trust on the unique heritage of ‘Atile’ to the people of Plateau State said in Shen, it is a strong tradition for every family to have the tree in their compound.

Bot explained that in the olden days, before the ‘Atile’ fruit is harvested, all the elders in the family would be invited. They would then sit and the youths would pluck them to be shared among the whole family.

He said apart from consumption, the people also use the ‘Atile’ to produce oil. “When they pluck the ripe fruit, they would steam it. We don’t cook it because if you do, it will burn. So, what we do is to pour warm water over the fruits and leave them for some minutes. After that, the fruits are then poured into a mortar, then pounded. After that, more boiled water would be poured into the pounded one before extracting the oil.

Chief G.G. said the Atile Oil is an important delicacy on the plateau. He said the oil can be used to marinate chicken. “The oil is medicinal as it is used to cure ailments such whooping cough and also it is used to treat rashes”.

Chief Bot also told Weekly Trust that Atile Oil is used to perform marriage rites in Shen. “For instance, if my son wants to marry a lady, before the father of the girl will even talk of bride price, he will first of all ask me to go and bring a certain quantity of Atile Oil before he can even listen to me. And on the wedding day, the mother of the groom would invite some women carrying bottles of Atile Oil to pour it on the bride, from head to toe until she is soaked with it. It is believed that it cleanses her and signifies that her husband will take good care of her.”

Chief Bot said there is hidden treasure in ‘Atile’ that the people of Plateau State are yet to discover. He suggested that the state government should come in and set up a factory so that the oil can be produced in a modern way. He said if the government can enlighten the people and take over the oil processing, it can generate revenue for the state.

‘Atile’ also provides a lucrative business avenue for the people of Jos, as many women, young and old, are involved in hawking it at motor parks, schools and even markets. Some traders and consumers of ‘Atile’ also spoke. A 45-year-old woman popularly known as Mama Jerry Mai-Atile at the Plateau Riders Park in Jos told said she has been in the business right from young adulthood. “I have been selling Atile for the past 25 years now. I go to villages like Dawo in Bokkos, Mangu and Pankshin to buy and sell. I buy in bags and sell in measures.

Mama Jerry said a bag of Atile costs N2500 in the village while half costs N1700 and N1800, respectively. “And when we bring it to Jos, we steam it and sell. She said apart from just eating the fruit, the oil of ‘Atile’ can also be consumed as it is highly medicinal, believed to cure ailments like ulcer.

‘Atile’ is consumed a lot by indigenes, according to one Tina Musa, a 22-year-student, who said she like the fruit because while it is good for the body, “It tastes fantastic.” Health buffs would certainly agree. After all, what more can one want in a fruit?