At Aguleri in Anambra State, three trees occupy preeminent position among the residents. ROTIMI IGE, who visited the community, reports the mystery surrounding the trees.Aguleri is a town in South-Eastern Nigeria. Evidence of its urbanisation, according to Wikipaedia, dated back to 30 BC. It is the cradle of Igbo race and is located in the present Anambra State, and has a population of about 300,000.Aguleri, the home town of the present governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, is quite popular as it is also home to the very popular Roman Catholic Father Cyprian Tansi, who is quite revered in the Eastern part of the country.Aguleri is predominantly a Catholic community in Nigeria and is subdivided into four main quarters: Ivite, Igboezunu, Enugu and Eziagulu, with component families replicated both in Aguleri Uno and Aguleri Otu. With the effect of colonialism and Christianity, a new settlement called Amaeze (Otuocha), founded by Eze Idigo II (Eze Rapheal Anakwuba Idigo), now exists as the urban town of Aguleri.The Aguleri soil is very fertile and farmers can cultivate different kinds of food crops both for commercial and self subsistence. Aguleri is also known as the food basket of Anambra State.Babies can be named according to the days of their birth. For example, boys can be named: Nweke or Okeke, Nwaoye or Okoye, Nwafor or Okafor, Nwankwo or Okonkwo and Udenkwo. Girls can be named Agbeke or Ekemma, Agboye or Oyenma, Agboafor or Aforma, Agbonkwo or Agboma or Mgbankwo you can also have Ugo in place of Agbo. Ugo means falcon (beauty).The community is known for all these things, but one other incredible natural wonder exists within Aguleri. A visit by Nigerian Tribune to the village was quite revealing as, a stone throw from the crowning hut of traditional rulers of Aguleri, three gigantic trees, said to be over 2,960 years old, were discovered.The traditional ruler of Aguleri community, His Royal Highness Eze Chukwuemeka Eri the 34th, traced the history of the trees to 2,960 years ago, when the second king of Aguleri, Eze Agufe died. He said that Eze Agufe had been buried at the site where the trees are now situated and that they began growing independently, after one another, consecutively, on the 21st day after Agufe's burial there.'These trees began growing 21 days after one another. The first tree began growing on the 21st day after his death. The second one sprouted 21 days after the first one and the third 21 days after the second. That is why we call them Agufe trees. Over time, we realised that the trees brought goodwill to the village and so we began calling them miracle trees. Anyone who comes near the trees with good intentions will experience goodness and vice versa,' he said.Astonishingly, even as the trees grew independently of one another, their roots are co-joined and entwined into one big root base. The trees are so big and tall that they can be seen towering over the village from afar.According to Eze Eri, the trees are a symbol that Eze Agufe had embarked on a journey to the great beyond in search of good fortune, prosperity and protection for the inhabitants of the village.'He (Eze Agufe) is looking after us and these trees represent his journey to the great beyond. The trees have lived through countless human generations and are still standing and flowering till date. This is an assurance that our late king is still protecting us from the great beyond. The linked roots show unity and till date, the community has been united,' Eze Eri said.When asked if any attempt had ever been made to cut them down, a villager who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, said that he had never heard of any attempt, stressing that anyone who harbours such thought may be toying with a painful death.The trees have become a rallying point for villagers and visitors alike who seek one thing or the other, hoping that the myth about the miracle trees would grant them good fortune.Nigerian Tribune observed that many villagers, indeed, believed that the trees could grant them favour and good fortune as some of them who spoke about the trees corroborated the Eze's testimony.They urged the government of Anambra to open up the community as the trees are cultural and tourist attractions, which could make Aguleri even more prosperous and popular.
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