Black soap, otherwise known as Ose-Dudu in Yoruba, is a handmade soap that is gentle and alleviates skin ailment. It consists of an emollient derived from natural source, combined with the nutrient rich ashes of native African plant materials.
Different tribes, who manufacture these soaps have their own typical way of making recipes that make the final product in varying qualities. The colour of the soap is never in uniform, it ranges from light brown, beige, gray to jet black, depending on the indigenous ingredients and method of production.
Benefits and uses of black soap
Black soap has a lot of benefits. It is an antibacterial and antifungal property, oil controlling properties and a face cleanser. It has also skin healing property that clears acne, soothes psoriasis and eczema,reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and provides relief to children suffering from ring worms and measles. Black soap is a great moisturizer that is mild and good for sensitive skin. The soap is said to be rich in vitamins A and B. Jennifer S.LI (2015). The emollient properties of the ingredients are suitable for dry hair and alleviate dandruff. If well packaged, it could serve as a source of income whereby the unemployed could be self reliant.
Materials for making black soap
Materials for making this soap include clay pots, base oil (palm oil, palm kernel, shea butter), peels of plantain, cocoa pods, shea tree bark, coconut husks, palm leaves, regular banana leaves or palm bunch, (either of these are sundry or oven dry then burnt to ashes), fire wood, cooking stand (Adogan) tripod stand (Aaro), water, local fryer (Agbada), Bowls and lighter.
Procurement and installation of a black soap making industry
To establish black soap industry, the first thing to think about is a space for the installation of the equipment. At least 25ft X 50ft (half plot of land) will be needed. Buy at least three big clay pots (ikoko) and three smaller ones made purposely for Okiti (site of black soap making). The big pots will have holes at the bottom while the smaller ones will have at the side that will be able to contain a small bowl.
Installation:
The three smaller pots will be half buried and arranged close to each other, while the bigger pots with holes will be placed on the smaller ones. The big pots will be filled with ashes while leaves are placed on the holes at the bottom to stop the ashes from dropping into the smaller pots during the processing. The three big pots are filled with ashes and mixed with water for draining.
Methods of production
Production of Black soap involves the following: step I: Select a base oil which could be palm oil, palm kernel oil or shea butter. If using palm oil, you can extract it yourself by processing coconut palms in a hand press. But since this is a laborious work, and palms are hard to get in some regions, you can purchase palm oil that has already been extracted. The quantity of base oil needed will vary depending on the quantity of soap you wish to make, the quantity of oil to be used should not exceed half the capacity of your double boiler. However, those who wish to make a large quantity of soap generally process it in batches. Here are the steps:
Step II: Remove the cocoa beans from the pods and burn over low flame until they turn to ashes, Oven roast the plantain skins (or alternative ingredient), burn the plantain skin creating an ashes that will be beached to release its component parts. Step III: Fill the three big pots with the burnt ashes, number the set of pots A – C, add water to pot A. STEP IV: The filtered drain from pot A will be transferred to pot B, that of pot B will be transferred to pot C. At this point the water must have been highly concentrated. This will now be transferred to the flat iron pot for cooking which can last for a day or two, until the water becomes very thick. STEP V: Heat the base oil over low heat until it is melted and heated through. STEP VI: Pour the thick heated filtered water to the heated base oil, while stirring; add more until you achieve the desired shade of dark brown or black. Continue stirring over low heat until the liquid is smooth. STEP VII: In the process of stirring, a frothy, waxy substance will begin to form at the surface. Scoop this liquid soap from the surface of the boiler as it forms, continue until all the water has boiled off. Transfer it into a mold or pound in the mortar to make the soap smooth , then cut to the shape desired. The finished product will now be used or sold.
Challenges
As good and laudable as this black soap is, there are still challenges facing its production, ranging from materials and time of producing it. Rainy season is not a suitable season to get the materials. Plantain skin, cocoa pods and the likes may not dry easily as a result of constant rainfall. Oven roast may not be reliable because of electricity failure. The skill is gradually going into extinction because most producers of this soap are growing old and they have refused to transfer the skill to the younger ones. Black soap may have negative reaction on some peoples’ skin probably as a result of high potassium content, thereby damaging the skin. Moreover, the production of the soap work is a tedious one and time consuming. It takes between two and four days to complete a batch of production. Many people associate black soap with fetism because of the colour. Since there is difficulty in drying the materials during rainy season, recipes should be made and preserved during dry season to make production hitch-free.
Financial assistance through bank loan that attracts low interest should be granted to the producers of black soap to purchase the modern gadgets like oven and powerful generators that can power the Oven. This will make the materials available at all seasons. Adulteration should be discouraged. There should not be alteration to the original product. In addition, museum should organise teachers’ workshop whereby the museum professionals will train the trainers. For those with tender skin, the user should discontinue the usage it has negative effect. Moreover, emphasis should be laid on promoting the production and usage of black soap through sensitisation programmes.
In conclusion, the production and usage is not fetish but our cultural heritage. Hence, the wide use of black soap is, therefore, recommended to all generation.
•Jolayemi is Chief Museum Education Officer, National Museum, Ilorin
