Igbos call it Ugba or Ukpaka, Yorubas of Western Nigeria call it Apara, while the Efik tribe call it Ukana. African Oil bean are most eaten in Nigeria alongside other local dishes. Before the seeds are made edible, they are boiled for up to 12 hours, then shelled. The cotyledons are sliced thin, then boiled for about 2 hours, and soaked in water for 10 hours. They are then wrapped in banana leaves and fermented 4 to 6 days to use as a snack or side dish, 7 to 10 days to use as a condiment in soup.
African Oil bean is a source of protein and also a source of important minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, iron, copper as well as an excellent source of phytonutrients.
