By Nzeribe Okechukwu
A drink of the gods, one would argue, and you would never be wrong. Palm wine is a must have for every occasion. In some regions of Nigeria, no occasion takes off without palm wine being spilled on the earth as a libation offering to the ancestors of the land, asking for their blessings and offering them the first taste of the wine before any further celebration proceeds.
Among the South Eastern part of Nigeria, it is generally known as Mmanya-Ocha, although depending on the dialect – each locality has a specific description for palm wine. In this part of the country, the absence of palm wine in any occasion is hardly tolerated. Guests might stand the absence of other conventional drinks.
Palm wine is supplied by a palm wine tapper who climbs to the top of the palm tree and fastens a gourd to the cut portion from where the sap seeps out. This he does days before any scheduled event to ensure that he gathers enough quantity. The wine or sap is initially sweet and non-alcoholic, but fermentation begins immediately after collection, once exposed to air. In some cases, the palm wine tapper also adds a bit of yeast in the gourd to quicken the fermentation. Sometimes, the palm wine is left to ferment for a few days to make it stronger, more sour and acidic, giving that slapping effect a lot of people love.
Be it child-naming ceremonies, Chieftaincy titles, IgbaNkwuNwanyi (traditional marriage ceremonies), burial ceremonies, or others, celebrants go to great lengths to ensure that only the best palm wine is served. This in turn, has made palm wine tapping a lucrative business. As tappers jostle for the teeming customers, they ensure that the process that goes into extracting the sap and storing it before consumption is as hygienic as possible to guarantee repeat patronage. So, when next you visit the South Eastern Part of Nigeria, do take time to drink your heart’s content – Mmanya-Ocha – the drink of the gods.
Nzeribe Okechukwu is an entrepreneur and a teller of the African story. In an imperfect world he would have been born elsewhere but considering that perfection is a continuous effort at trial, he was born in Africa and has been saddled with showcasing the African brand.
