Igbo Cultural Practices: Imachi Udala Na Enugwu-Ukwu

Written By Shedon Sheddy Calebdon Uzoeghelu

Enugwu-Ukwu community belongs to Umunri clan, in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra state. The community has very significant respect for the African Star Fruit (Udala).

This fruit is enjoyed by both adults and children, but there is much adoration for the African Star Fruit as it is regarded as representing children. This is the major reason Ndu Enugwu-Ukwu respect the fruit.

In Enugwu-Ukwu, Udala fruits are not to be sold in Nkwo Market because of its child significance. You can not sell a child in the market Ndu Enugwu-Ukwu reason. Furthermore, you cannot pluck the fruit either with s stick, or climb it with the intention to pluck it. In Enugwu-Ukwu, Udala fruits are allowed to ripen and fall on their own for people to pick and enjoy.

It is imperative to understand that African Star Fruit is sweeter and more enjoyable when it ripens and falls on its own than when plucked.

Notwithstanding, some people disobey this unwritten rule guiding the treatment of Udala fruits and trees. They still throw stones and other objects on the fruit when they are desperate to enjoy the fruit. This has led to the culture of ‘tying palm frond’ (imachi udala) on the tree to deter people from throwing stones or other objects at the fruits.

This age-long culture which was abandoned for long was revived on Saturday, 3rd of March 2020 by Uruekwo village in Enugwu-Ukwu under the leadership of Mr Ifeanyi Celestine Okoye, the Chairman of Uruekwo Village Youths.

It is unfortunate that some youths of over do not know the meaning of IMACHI UDALA and its significance until last Saturday.

Henceforth, any person whether adult or underaged caught throwing stones or any other object at udala fruits in a bid to pluck them will receive emergency visitors in his or her father’s compound. The visitors may be mainly masquerades of different types with canes. This means that the masquerades will beat the person that day to teach him or her how to respect what belongs to the public.

Udala may grow in a farmland or other lands owned by individuals but it does not significantly mean that the owner of the land where the udala tree grows on owns it.

Though you may cut down the udala tree for development or other reasons but before you do that, you must first call children of the village together, inform and appease them by way of holding a small feast (salaka) for them. You should plead with them to permit you to cut the udala tree down. If they refuse, you dare not cut it, else their anger will attract spiritual punishment for you.

Last Saturday, Uruekwo Youths trooped out to support the IMACHI UDALA ceremony which is mainly done by masquerades.

This culture was revived with the support of the Village Chairman, Engineer Daniel Nwike and his Executives.

We hope other villages in Igboland will revive this culture too, and also other communities in Igboland. This is one of the ways we can sustain Igbo Culture.