"Wonder Tree" Moringa

       

A researcher Vou Moses Shut of the University of Jos says you can’t go wrong as a grower of the food and medicinal plant called moringa.

Could we start with a general view of moringa? What is moringa? - Moringa is a plant of high medicinal values. Moringa is the botanical name. The commonest species is Moringa Oleifera, but moringa generally has many names. It is commonly a simple plant with long and slender branches growing to a height of approximately 10 metres, but the grower could normally prune it to the desired height. 

It’s called a "wonder tree", or "magic tree". Both names are because of the plant’s enormous benefits to mankind. It is a medicinal plant from the roots, pods, fruits, flowers, leaves, and even to the bark of the tree. It is used to treat diabetes, hypertension, stress, and so many other health problems. Its seed is also used in water treatment. Dropped in water, the seeds take care of impurities in the water. It’s called Tree of life because it touches life in many ways. It nourishes the body and is highly nutritious. For food value, you can cook the leaves and the pods, you can make stew with it. The way it is mostly eaten in Plateau State is by boiling the leaves with salt and pounding pepper and kulikuli, that is groundnut cake, and adding onions and tomatoes. You will have a great meal from that. Some other people make soup with it. Just as you put ugu leaves in egusi to make soup, they add moringa leaves to other soup ingredients to make moringa soup.