Chromolaena Odorata is a tropical and subtropical specie of flowering shrub in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the Americas, from Florida and Texas in the United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to South America until it was introduced to tropical Asia, West Africa, and parts of Australia.
In many rural areas in Ghana, Chromolaena Odorata popularly referred as ‘Acheampong leaves’ is used to control blood as a first aid.
Those who have used it before can attest to its efficacy even though there hasn’t been any scientific research to that effect.
It is also used to preserve dead bodies from going bad during the days when mortuary was not common and also for families who cannot afford the cost of keeping dead bodies in the morgue.
A nephew of the late head of state, Augustine Barfour Gyawu narrated how the leaf was named after his late relative to an online TV chanced on by OnuaOnline .
History has it that, when the leaves invaded the country in the 70s, it spread so fast and because it was something new in the country and was discovered when Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was a President, the leaves was named after him.
Giving a history of how it was named after his deceased relative, Mr. Gyawu said “when General Kutu Acheampong started ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ policy in the 70s, the leaves sprang up at most places which were cleared for farming activities and farmers named it after the former head of state.”
“You know that in this country anything that shows up in the era of any president will be named after the person like how cooking oil gallon was named ‘Kufuor gallon,” he added.
Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was Ghana’s former Military Leader, who ruled from January 13, 1972 to July 5, 1978, when he was deposed in a palace coup and subsequently executed by firing squad on June 16, 1979.
Source: Onuaonline.com|Ghana
