Abata kola

Bitter kola nuts are shared at greetings, engagements and councils of elders in the highlands of western Cameroon.

An evergreen tree of the mallow family, growing to about 20 m, native to the humid forests of West and Central Africa. Its fruits are star-shaped clusters of follicles, each holding several red, pink or white seeds – the so-called kola nuts. They contain caffeine and theobromine, so chewing them is stimulating and suppresses hunger. Kola extracts were an ingredient of the first cola drinks, which gave the whole category its name.

Significance in the country

In the Grassfields cultures (Bamileke, Bamum) and throughout southern Cameroon, offering a kola nut is a gesture of hospitality, respect and reconciliation; kola has also been traded for centuries with the Muslim north and with Nigeria.

Where it grows

In forests and home gardens across the southern half of the country, most abundantly in the highlands of the West and North-West regions and in the South-West and Centre regions.

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