Date popularly known as Dabino in Hausa and scientifically called Phoenix dactylifera is a fruit that grows on a palm-like tree. Dates are oval-cylindrical, 3–7 centimeter long and 2–3 centimeter in diameter. When unripe it is bright red or bright yellow depending on variety.
Dates are grown in the northern part of Nigeria like Kano, Jigawa and other countries like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Libya, China, Niger Republic. The production of Dates in Nigeria is in low quantity.
An agriculturalist Babaji Ibrahim of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University said each variety has a name called given to it by producers and consumers in different countries the world over. Aabel common in Libya, Ajwah from the town of ‘Ajwah in Saudi Arabia which is the subject of a famous hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW); other species includes Al – Barakah from Saudi Arabia and Amir Hajj or Amer Hajj from Iraq which are soft with thin skin and thick flesh sometimes referred to as “the Visitors date” because it is a delicacy served to guests.
In Nigeria we have different types of Dates like Dan Agadas, Dan Kano Dan Jigawa, Ruwa -Ruwa, Annakhiyl, mostly from the United Arab Emirate and other different types of Dates consumed by Nigerians.
Babaji said the health benefit of Date cannot be underestimated as the fruit is rich in natural fibers, it contains oil, calcium sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper, magnesium as well as vitamins and minerals which are good for the body.
Weekly Trust learnt that Date is consumed in various ways by people. Some mix the paste with milk or yoghurt, bread and even salad to make it tasty.
Also, it is dehydrated, grinded and mixed with grain to form a nutritious stock feed; dried Dates are fed to camels, horses and dogs in northern Nigeria. Dates and peppers added to the native beer are believed to make it less intoxicating.
Babaji said “there are many benefits of Date, its leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetable, as it is the terminal bud or heart. Though its removal kills the palm, the ground seeds are mixed with flour to make bread in times of scarcity.”
Date oil is suitable for making soap and cosmetics. They can also be processed chemically as a source of oxalic acid; the seeds are also burned to make charcoal for silversmiths, and can be strung in necklaces.”
Babaji said Date seeds are also grinded and used like coffee beans, or as an additive to coffee. Stripped fruit clusters are used as brooms and in other countries like Pakistan, viscous thick syrup made from the ripe Date fruits are used as coating for leather bags and pipes, to prevent leaking while the palm leaves are used for Palm Sunday in the Christian religion. In North Africa, they are commonly used for making huts.
Muslims in the month of Ramadan eat Date as instructed by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him). He advised Muslims to “always take two or three of the Date fruits to break their fast during the holy month.
Date is also brought into northern part of Nigeria from places like Saudi Arabia and Niger Republic. The whole sellers will go to the borders either in Jibiya in Katsina State or Sokoto to buy and take to places such as Jos in Plateau State to sell to retailers.
Different species of Date is found in Jos, some are loaded in a wheel barrow, while some are packaged in a beautifull pack, all ready for consumption.
Mallam Abubakar Abdullahi, 30, who hawks Date in a wheel barrow, told Weekly Trust that the fruit is believed to be highly medicinal in the Muslim religion. He said, “When Mariam mother of Prophet Isa was about to give birth, and she was bleeding, Allah asked her to soak Date fruits inside water and drink and when she did that, the bleeding stopped immediately”
Abdullahi said “a measure of Dates costs N400, while half measure costs N200 and the ones packages in a polythene bag ranges form N10 to N50.”
Abdullahi who said he has been in the trade for the past four years said the business is very lucrative. “I get up to N600 as profit everyday and during the Ramadan I get N1,000 as profit every day and in a month, if I remove all my expenses, at least I will still have N10, 000 to save , he said.
He said “I am married with children; I foot all my bills with this business, house rent and everything, the business is good and is moving by God’s grace and I will advise my customers to continue taking Date because it is highly medicinal.’’
Another retailer, Mohammed Badaru Mai Dabino told Weekly Trust that he came all the way from Kano to hawk foreign packaged Date in Jos, saying it is more authentic than the ones in wheel barrow as such more expensive.
Mohammed said the big pack costs N800 while the small one costs N100, explaining that the fruit is such a delicacy especially in the month of Ramadan because “it is an instruction for Muslim to eat Date during this period.”
He said” I have been selling Date for five years now and it has done a lot for me and my family, I am married with children, by God’s grace if I buy goods worth N50, 000, am sure of at least gettingN60, 000 that is to say I will get N10, 000 profit, the business is really lucrative.
Twenty-five-year-old Babangida Hamza whjo eats Date told Weekly Trust that he takes the fruit because of its health benefit. “I buy at least N50 worth of Date every blessed day, if I do, I will take like two or three seeds and share the remaining with people because of the reward one gets for such gesture from Allah.
He called on the Federal Government to look into the possibility of boosting the production of Dates because of its health and economic importance. “It has the potential of boosting the country’s revenue earning,” he said.
