By Titilayo Kupoliyi

The “act” of using leaves for wrapping food in Nigeria is a cultural tradition that has been practiced for centuries till date.

However, its prevalence is diminishing in urban areas due to the convenience of modern packaging materials and a lack of skill transfer to younger generations.

The particular leaf used for wrapping Moin-moin and other delicacies such as Amala, Pounded yam, Ekuru, Rice, is botanically known as Thaumatology  daniellii.

It is called Uma leaf in Igbo language, Ewe Eran among the Yorubas and Katamfe/Katempfe in other African communities.

Research shows that the leaf is medicinal and rich in antioxidant.

The plant grows three to four meters in height, and has large, papery leaves up to 46 centimeters long. In its native range, the plant has a number of uses besides flavouring.

The sturdy leaf petioles are used as tools and building materials, the leaves are used to wrap food, and the leaves and seeds have a number of herbal uses.

These leaves are good for wrapping food items for cooking such as moinmoin (bean pudding), Ogi (corn starch), Eko (steamed corn starch), Ofada rice, pounded yam, cocoyam pudding among others.

It takes skill to put the bean paste into the carefully folded leaves, and ensure that when the wrap is placed in a pot to steam, it doesn’t leak.

The phytochemical analysis shows that the leaves are rich in flavonoid, alkaloids, saponin, tannin anthraquinones, and steroid.

The fact that these leaves contain a sweet protein called thaumatin, explains why foods steamed in them taste better.

From research, moin moin cooked with leaf tastes better than one made with foil, milk tin, nylon, aluminum cups and other wrapping materials.

Aside the flavour, it also extends the shelf life of food.

For instance cornmeal pudding  popular called Eko among the Yorubas and Agidi by the Igbos can remain fresh inside leave wrapper for as long as seven days, but when wrapped in nylon, it hardly takes four days before the colour changes.

While report shows that food packed in disposable cup, Styrofoam packs, nylon bags, plastic straws were toxic to human health.

Using nylon (cellophane) bags to cook moin- moin is considered unsafe because the heat from cooking can cause toxic chemicals, such as dioxins and phthalates, to leach into the food. These chemicals can pose significant health risks.

Health experts and food safety agencies have raised serious concerns about this practice due to the potential for hazardous substances to migrate into the meal.

Potential health effects associated with consuming food cooked in nylons or certain plastics include:

Cancer Risk: Dioxins, which may be produced when some nylons or cellophane bags are heated, are a group of highly toxic compounds linked to cancer.

Hormonal Interference: The leached chemicals can act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with the body’s hormones.

Reproductive and Developmental Problems: Exposure to these toxins is associated with potential issues in reproductive and developmental systems.

Immune System Damage: These persistent environmental pollutants (POPs) can also cause damage to the immune system.

Bacterial Contamination: Studies have also shown that moin-moin packaged in nylon bags is more likely to be contaminated with various microorganisms (e.g. Staphylococcus, Bacillus cereus) when compared to other materials, often due to poor hygiene during handling.

Styrofoam and nylon bags for packing foods are not only harmful to human health, the packs also contributes to environmental pollution.

Benefits of wrapping food with moin-moin leaves include:

Cultural Heritage: The use of leaves is an age-long tradition, deeply embedded in local food culture and identity.

Sustainability: It is considered an environmentally friendly and biodegradable alternative to modern single-use plastics and Styrofoam, which have recently faced government bans in some Nigerian states like Lagos.

Though, food wrapped in leaves are healthy, proper handling must be put into consideration.

You must ensure that the leaves are thoroughly washed with clean water to get rid of dirt and germs before they are used.

So, in the festive period, you might want to give cooking moin-moin with leaves a big shot.

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By Olaitan Oye-Adeitan

Not too long ago, issues surrounding the well-being of the boy child attracted global attention. It was ‘The International Day of the Boy Child’.

The day may not have resonated with many people in some climes as the Girl Child’s Day because the girl child seems to receive more attention and sympathy on issues affecting her well-being.

This is perhaps due to her vulnerability, tender nature, and numerous challenges she encounters, especially from her teens.

But does that mean the boy child does not deserve similar attention?

The boy child is often perceived as stronger, courageous, and resilient right from his childhood, and this can lead to neglect of his emotional well-being and development.

The dedication of May 16 as the International Day of the Boy Child, also known as International Boys’ Day, therefore affords the opportunity to pay attention to the unique challenges faced by boys across the globe, their well-being, development and empowerment to ensure that they grow into capable and responsible individuals.

Interestingly, this day was first celebrated in 2018, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh from Trinidad and Tobago.

Since then, it has served as a reminder to prioritise the needs of the boy child and support their growth.

While featuring on a Television show, a child rights advocate, Adewumi Alade, emphasised that while every man was once a boy, becoming a good man required intentional guidance and training. “The boy is not just going to become a man, he has to be trained to become a man”.Alade said.

The boy child, as observed by a Psychologist, Maymunah Kadiri, is perceived as a gender meant to shoulder many responsibilities but not equipped for such right from childhood. ” We put too much weight and responsibilities, but are we equipping that gender enough”?Kadiri asked.

Consequently, whenever he is confronted with challenges as an adult, he bottles them up and tries to summon courage all in the name of ” be a man”.

A worrisome dimension is that the boy child also suffers abuse like the girl child. There had been cases of boys who were sexually molested by teachers, house helpers, neighbours or family members. There were reported cases of bullying among schoolmates, all of which pose a threat to the boy child.

That is why it is crucial to stay vigilant and address any threat to their growth and development head-on, as even a moment of carelessness can have lasting consequences on their future.

To be able to achieve this, we must understand that there is a wide range of individual differences between the girl and boy child. Cultural norms and social expectations can also influence how young children behave and develop, as aptly pinpointed by a childhood education specialist in Oregon, Dr Aoife Rose Magee.

Since charity, they say, begins at home, the care of the boy child must start by educating parents that boys require as much care as girls.

We must challenge traditional gender stereotypes that define boys as solely tough and resilient, and instead, foster a more holistic approach that encourages boys to develop empathy, love, responsibility, and emotional intelligence.

Also, empowering the boy child academically, vocationally, and financially, early in life, is key to helping him become self-sufficient and successful as a male adult.

However, we cannot close our eyes or stand akimbo to the alarming rate at which teenage boys are given to drugs in the present society.

There is therefore a need for community-based programs that teach boys how to be meaningfully engaged and the importance of expressing their emotions in healthy ways. This can help reduce rates of depression and substance edd xe abuse among boys.

We should also note that every child needs affection, love and care. A boy who is nurtured in this garden would equally be able to give the same to others. They’ll grow into better partners, fathers, community members and leaders in their various capacities.

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