My name is Shea, but you know me better as sheafruits or shea butter. I don’t grow everywhere except in the savannah. Even then I tend to avoid cities like Bolga, I prefer the quietness of the countryside like Kunkua or Dachio or Zorkor. You can eat my fruits any which way you like but I will run out of you as fast as you eat me. If there’s one thing I fear most, it’s the fear of you dying with me inside you. Your ancestors even made a joke about me, which I take as a compliment. Your children stab me daily to extract chewing gum from my tears but I am always happy to see them happy with it. I’m the best fruit you can eat once a year but I make you strong and healthy for the rest of the year. That is why bats love me, they travel from thousands of miles to come to me and I know you have been competing with them for my luscious, fleshy fruits.
Though my fruits lasts for only a month or two, my nuts remain for years to come, even after you have cut me down. I know that you love to extract oil from my kernels, I don’t mind because I know how important they are for you. What I don’t understand is why you don’t plant some of my kernels for my young ones to grow? Don’t you know that I won’t be there forever? My name is Shea! My kernels contain five different fatty acids; oleic acid (same in olive oil and sunflower oil), stearic acid (the same in cocoa butter), linoleic acid, palmitic acid (just as in palm oil) and arachidic acid (just as in groundnut oil). So you see, I am five-in-one, that tells you how important I am. Your skin will beam and shine like my kernels if you apply me to your skin. I’m far better than the margarine or butter that you use for your bread. In fact, I’m better than all the oil you use to cook, far more accommodating to your skin than those other expensive cream you buy, but you still don’t like or use me! Why? Is it because I have always been there for you? My name is Shea! I’m becoming popular and expensive every day, all over the world and this can only continue into the future. Therefore use me, over and over again because I have everything you need. Plant and nurture my young ones like others do with cocoa, and I will take care of you!