How 200-year-old ‘Ukwu Akpu’ tree fell, killed 11 in Enugu community For more than two centuries, it stood above rooftops and generations — a towering symbol of memory and identity at the centre of Awhum Market in Awhum, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. Known as Ukwu Akpu, the tree rose approximately 70 metres, with sprawling branches said to produce thousands of planks and buttress roots wide enough to conceal a grown adult. It was more than a feature of the landscape; it defined it. Regarded by elders as the tallest and largest tree in the community, it stood as a silent witness to markets, marriages, disputes, and funerals, offering shade to traders and serving as a cultural anchor. That landmark now lies shattered. On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at about 8:45 p.m., the gi...