We inherited it and have tried to preserve it since the days of our fathers: that the ruler of the forest is the the Iroko. No one dared to use its wood those who tried it brought misfortune and destruction to their families and clan. Maybe because evil spirits dwell in the tree, but people confirmed that, the funitures and stools made from it used to creak violently with strange and eerie cries coming from it at night.
But No, I can still remember clearly that our people also used to say it is Igi Araba, it is Igi Araba. There is even a saying from our people that:
Bí Oluwéré ba ń gbé Iroko tó ń gbé igi ǹla, ṣé bíi ti igi Àràbà wá ni?
When the tempest starts violently to throw and fling the Iroko and many other big trees of the Jungle, does it ever dares the Araba tree?
Then I think Igi Araba is the Big Shot. In fact there are words that birds and animals do not stay on it, Its leaves do not fall, and No one dared to take from its wood.
Perhaps all these things are myths or they only occurred in the time our fathers, I do not know. But I can only give some incredible benefits of these two giants of the forest.
I will start with the Iroko:
It is a threatened specie now.
It is called the African teak, yet it is not from the teak family. And there are confirmed stories that its origin is even from Guinea Bissau before it came to our own land and other lands.
It is a very tall strong fascinating tree whose wood change from yellow to brown and its leaves, from green to yellow when matured.
I do not intend to describe its the physical appearance because there are pictures on this already. I will only say what is necessary and curious about it.
There is the male and female types of the Iroko. The female iroko trees are distinguished by greenish prominent flower spikes that are approximately 5 to 6 centimetres long by 2 cm wide, while the male trees are identified by white catkins that measure approximately 15 to 20 centimetres extending from the twigs at the leaves axils
The iroko tree can withstand an annual rainfall of less than or six months of the dry season as long as there is a nearby body of water.
These are some of its benefits;
Medicine
Substances such as flavonoids, carbohydrate, proteins, tannins, saponins and alkaloids in the aqueous extracts from different parts of the African teak, make it capable of being used to treat diabetes, bronchitis, leprosy, tiredness, heart problems, and tumour reduction. In fact, our fathers and their herbalists used to make strong concoction from the leaves. Its roots and barks have also proven effective for female sexual infertility, and some body imbalance like asthma, stomach problems, coughs, piles, and hair loss.
It is a very effective for decorations and for many other ornamental purposes in an environment.
Construction purposes such as furniture, flooring, kitchen cabins, boards, and many others.
Dermatologcal purposes such as skin burns, rashes, sores and other skin problems.
Dyeing purposes in clothes and leather.
And it is very effective cure for those who have mental illness and disorder.
Let me stop here. I will tell the story of Igi Araba in the next series.
Thanks very much for stopping by.
Sources
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milicia_excelsa