Title Page

Certification ………………………………………………………………………i

Dedication ……………………………………………………………………….ii

Acknowledgments ………………………………………………………………iii

Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………..iv

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………………. 1

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Botanical Classification of Cola acuminata……………………………….. 4

2.2 History of Cola acuminata…………………………………………………..4

2.3 Description of Cola acuminata ……………………………………………..5

2.4 Cultivation of Cola acuminata ……………………………………………..5

2.5 Pest and Diseases of Cola acuminata ………………………………………6

CHAPTER THREE

3.1 Health Benefits of Cola acuminata ………………………………………7

3.2 Potential Health Benefits of Kola Nut ……………………………………8

3.3 Utilization of Cola acuminata …………………………………………….9

3.4 Pharmacological Effect of Cola acuminata……………………………….10

3.4.1 Anti-Microbial Properties of Cola acuminata ……………………………10

3.4.2 Other Biological Activity of Cola acuminata …………………………… 11

3.4.3 Chemical Composition of Cola acuminata Benefit of Cola acuminata … 12

3.5 Benefits of Cola acuminata………………………………………………..12

3.6 Negative Externalities of Cola acuminata consumption………………… 14

3.7 Phytochemistry of Cola acuminata ………………………………………. 15

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 Summary ………………………………………………………………… 16

4.2 Conclusion …………………………………………………………….… 16

Reference

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Perennial crops are crops, which are alive year round and are harvested multiple times before dying. Trees crops are the most common perennial agriculture groups (Robert ,2017) almost all of the plant growing in mixed stands before the introduction of agriculture (Chiras and Reganold, 2004). Perennial crops are value for a combination of their total production and the quality of the harvested product (Melvor et al., 2014).

Agriculture can be made far more sustainable by changing many annual agricultural systems to perennial system. Perennial crops include Mango, Cocoa, Cashew, Coffee, Tea and Kola nut.

Kola nut is the seed of the kola nut plant. Others name of the kola nut include Arbre a kola, Bissy  Nut, Cola acuminata, Cola nitida, Guru nut, Gworo, Kola nut, Kolatier, Noix de Gourou, Niox de Kola, Noix du Kolatier, Noix de Soudan, Soudan coffee, Stercuilia acuminata, Sterculia nitida. In Nigeria, the Igbo called kola nut Oji, the Hausa call it Gworo, while the yourba call it Obi and the Efik/Ibibio call it Ibon’. It is the fruit of kola tree (Cola acuminata and Cola nitida), which are indigenous to West Africa.

The kola plant belongs to the cocoa family. The classification is in a state of flux. In 2003, the following the angiosperm phylogeny, it changed its place from Sterculiacea to Malvaceae (Oestreich, 2016). The kola tree can with stand altitudes of up to 1,000 feet (300m) above sea levels, provided rich and deep soil is available, though it is typically regarded as a low land forest species. It requires tropical climate, with an annual average temperature of at least 75^oF (24^oC) and can tolerate brief dry season. As such can be cultivated in dry season as long as it is over the ground water shade is requires for the tree to grow well and better result can be enhanced through the addition of good fertilizers. The key chemical constituents of kola nut include; Caffeine, theobromine, tannis and phenolics, including d-catechin, 1-epicatechin, and kolanin. Protein and starch are also inclusive (Kanoma et al., 2014).

The two main varieties are the red and white kola, each of which is produced by the same plant species and sometimes even found within the same pod (Link, 2020). The kola trees grows in Brazil, Niger, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Benin and parts of East Africa. It also thrives in humid climate predominantly in Nigeria (Decker, 2018). Nigeria accounts for about 50.2 percent, which amount to 139,216 tons of the total world kola nut production.

Kola nut took an inherent in the formation of West African Cultural identities. The “traditional kola nut is considered a sacred nut, which is used to communicate with the gods, it was chosen by the elders as the head or king of all seed” (Nnenne, 2013). In West African, the people groups such as Bambara and Malinke of Senegal and Mali used it as a form of currency. It is also being used as negotiation over bride prices and form of respect. Kola nut is considered among some Nigerian tribes to be the first trees on earth. In Nigeria tradition (Mayaki, 2013). It is an important culture symbol for many ethnic groups. It is an important culture symbol for many ethnic groups. It is used as medicine and given to guest at funerals, naming ceremonies and at weeding. Kola nut are prized in cultural practices like community meetings, rites of passage ceremonies for the Igbo people of Nigeria (Beyer, 2020). In a kola nut Igbo ceremony for example, the nut is presented to welcome visitors and used to symbolize peace and good will (Link, 2020). They are also traditionally chewed to reduce hunger and fatigue, remedy hang overs and digestions (Beyer, 2020).

Ceremonial breaking of kola nut is important for making people feel welcome in a village or gathering (De Pietro, 2017). Due to the European colonization of the region, Kola nut later become known across Europe and the Americas and during the slave trade, many of its uses spread to Brazil and the Caribbean. At the start of the 19th century, it was first used as part of the recipe for the first cola drinks. The nuts have tremendous cultural significance, though it is neither the biggest nor the sweetest fruit in Igbo land (Chidume et al., 2015). The Igbo kola nut (Oji Igbo) ‘Cola acuminata’, is among the greatest symbol among the Igbo, and belongs to the mysteries of Igbo history, culture and tradition. It serves as a link between human beings and the divine and is used to settle disputes and make peace. It manifests good will and symbolizes the well acclaimed Igbo hospitality (Kanu, 2020). Kola nut symbolizes solemnity, reverence, communion, hospitality and tradition (Nnenne, 2013; Chidume et al., 2015).

In determining our ideologies and characteristics way especially in religion play major roles in Africa and especially in relation to religion Kola nut helps to shape Nigerians philosophical ideology (Chidume et al., 2015). Kola nut can be dried and boiled to make tea. In some part of Africa, kola nuts have been chewed traditionally as a stimulant but due to the fact that the raw kola nuts can stain the teeth are possibly carcinogenic, this is falling out of practice. In many West African countries like Nigeria, kola nut is a cultural staple prized for its good effects on the body system (Ayeni, 2019). It can be described as unifying plant since the Yoruba cultivate the plant, the Hausa distribute and market it, while the Igbos celebrate and respect this fruit (Sefianu, 2020).

Although fresh kola nut are widely available for sales in West Africa, in the united State of America (USA), you’re more likely to encounter it in the form of the extract (Beyer, 2020). Today kola nut is mostly cultivated in Africa, with a large proportion of it coming from Nigeria. Brazil, the west indies, the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Ghana are also know producers. These six countries alone produce over 250,000 tons annually, while about 300,000 tons are produced worldwide each year. A significant proportion of Nigeria’s population who are involved in kola farming, trading and industrial utilization, see kola nut as an important economic cash crop. However, Nigeria accounts for about 70% of the total world production (Asogwa et al., 2020).

The standard of living of those involved in kola trading activities in both rural and urban domestic and national markets.