Over 200 year-old historical baobab tree where colonial mastered used to hangout has collapsed at Tubakuta village.
Last weekend, residents in the Kombo East village of Tubakuta woke up to the news that the oldest living Baobab tree in the village has collapsed.
The cause of the death of the old tree, which has lived for more than two-century, still remains a mystery.
According to villagers, the tree is the village’s oldest baobab tree situated at their Kindergarten Meschede Day Care Center. The ancient tree, according to many, has served as a perfect hangout for elders of the village and even used to be a camping spot for British colonial masters in those days.
Oral historians in the area have it that colonial masters were once accompanied to the site by the former chief of Kombo Central and a pro-independence struggler Sanjani Bojang of Kembujeh.
In an interview with The Point, Karafa Bojang, alkalo of the village said the mystery behind the collapse of this old baobab tree remains unknown.
According to him, any time such an event occurred in the community, a possible natural unforeseen repercussion is expected in the community within a short time.
“This baobab tree is a significant historic site for the community and the country as well. It’s used to be a camping site for the former British colonial masters and their local chiefs. What we are praying for now is that may its collapse bring good fortune to the village and the country as well’’ he said.
Fatou Ndow, head teacher of Kindergarten Meschede Day Care Center, said the incident happened during the weekend when children were on their weekend break.
However, she disclosed that what surprises the entire community was the fact that the tree felt completely opposite the direction they expected.
Baobab trees are an important iconic flowering plant found in tropical regions across Africa. Many are of the view that Baobab trees are a symbol of Africa, as it mostly found in hot regions across the continent.
However, the unprecedented rate at which these iconic African trees are dying in the recent past is not only alarming but worrying. Also known by its botanical name - Adansoniadigitata, baobab is the oldest living flowering plant and researchers believe some individual trees, which can contain up to 500 cubic metres of wood, can live for many centuries.