BY: Okeke Obinna V – National Museum of Unity Enugu
INTRODUCTION
The Igbos stretch across River Niger, from the West of Agbor to Cross River; moving from North of Nsukka highlands, to some parts of the Atlantic Coast. Igbos are largely the occupants of the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, where they are found majorly in Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states. A large number of them are also found in Delta, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states (Enechukwu, 2016).
“Oji” referred to also as kola nut, is one seed that is highly honoured, revered and celebrated in Igboland. The honour accorded the Kola Nut or Oji as a custom by the Igbos, according to Egbo (2022), is clearly one of the many customs that unite the Igbos’. As a matter of fact, Oji is a valuable fruit. It is a fruit of great importance in Igbo communities and other cultures. In Igboland, kola nut is customarily presented along with other things like local wine to visitors as a token of hospitality, indicating among other things welcome and acceptance, and other things.
Among
the Yorubas of Southern Nigeria (like the Igbos), there is a thriving kola nut business.
The Hausas of Northern Nigeria usually consume kola nut as snacks. To the Igbo,
the kola nut tree was the first on earth and therefore, its fruit “Oji” the first
on earth.
The kola nut has different species. There is Oji Igbo (Cola Acuminata) and Oji Gworo (Cola Nitida). Fundamentally, Oji Igbo is the one that can be used in social functions of customary or traditional nature; and importantly in sacrifices. Oji Igbo is therefore very important and plays vital role in rituals unlike Oji Gworo which plays more significant role in commercial activities. Generally, the kola nut has several uses the different tribes in Nigeria deploy it; however, this paper will shade light on some of the uses of kola nut in Igboland.
The Kolanut
THEUSES OF KOLA NUT IN IGBOLAND
In Igbo marriage ceremonies, kola nut: Oji Igbo is a major pre-requisite for bride price. It is the first entertainment given to the visitors. The recipients of the kola nut see it as a good omen, a promising insight and acceptable medium in the process of cementing the relationships, which is why it is one of the major pre-requisite for pride wealth. Since the kola nut also indicates welcome and used as a mark of hospitality, when presented to the grooms’ family, it shows that they are welcomed in the brides’ house and family.
When a child is born the kola nut is a regular and very prominent feature, same is true during naming the ceremony, when it is used as a medium to thank God and pray for the good health, protection and long life of the new baby. This is done because the people believe that kola nut is the medium by which the ancestors speak to God and when this is done, many blessings and favours of God would be experienced by the child in future.
Kola nut, in particular “Oji Igbo” is not expected to be absent in any festival or gathering in Igboland, considering that it is the medium with which thanksgiving, praises and prayers are offered to the God. During events such as IriJi, Ofala, Mmawu festivals etc., kola nut is used to declare the programme open, being the first before any other thing billed for performance at any of these ceremonies. It (Oji Igbo) is used equally to thank God for His blessings in the community. According to Eke (2007), because of the importance of kola nut in Igboland, the Mbaise people of Imo state, South East, Nigeria celebrate Oji Ezinihitte, one of the most popular festivals in Mbaise.
The sacredness of the kola nut in Igbiland, particularly “Oji Igbo” makes it very useful for it to be used for Oaths taking. This can be Oaths of Fidelity, “Igbandu” (promise that one will not kill the other or connive to kill the other), and Oath involving land disputes; or any other forms of Oath taking, referred to here as general oath taking. Oath can be taken by two friends or family or partners in business, where there is mistrust or suspicion that one may cheat, harm or even kill the other or others.
No matter the type of Oath administered, kola nut which the people believe is potent is used because of the great force they associate to it.
Medically, kola nut among most Igbos serves as a quick remedy for the treatment of boils. The thick skin of the Kola Nut tree is used for the treatment of swelling parts of the body and fresh wounds even. The roots are excellent source of chewing stick, reputed and eulogized by many people as effective remedy for cleaning the teeth, strengthening of the gums and answer to most dental related diseases.
The pod husk when mixed with some other ingredients is used in traditional medicine as pain killers in some cases.
There are also proven cases where people having the challenge of indigestion, are advised or recommended to chew Kola nut, in order to overcome their challenge. The kola nut is argued by those that have so much trust on having tonic influence on the stomach will improve indigestion.
Other case where kola nut is used for treatment include typhoid and other fevers, migraine or headache, depression and anxiety, fatigue, it can be used in offsetting fatigue after a day’s work.
Economically, the Igbo people see kola nut as one of the chief economic sources of income especially those that have several kola nut trees. There are also intermediaries, those that buy, store and sell off to make huge profits when the price of kola nut goes up. Kola nut is a commercial product and for this purpose it is sold in many markets.
In Africa generally, the worship and veneration of certain trees have existed for long. Trees are used when performing some religious rights or are held in high esteem in a community’s belief system. The kola nut tree in Igboland is not venerated; rather it is used in activities and ceremonies that relate to the belief system.
Kola nut is considered sacred because it is associated with the spirit of God. The spirit of God is believed to have the potency of driving the foul spirit away from the people of the community when used as incantations for prayer to God. Kola nut is used in initiations or rituals and can also be used during cleansing ritual. During the initiation of a male child or youth into the masquerade cult, kola nut is used as one of the items for the ritual. After the prayers said with the kola nut, everything that took place in the closed door becomes automatically secret.
As Ezekwugo (1992) pointed out “Oji” or kola nut is used throughout Igboland as Holy Communion and the Igbos uses the Kola nut to talk to God, just as the Christians use the Bible to talk to God; and the Muslims use Quran to do same to Allah”.
Conclusion
Oji, especially “Oji Igbo” has great importance attached to it in Igboland. Attempt to compare the value of Kola nut in any ethnic group in Nigeria, West Africa and beyond with the value in the South Eastern part of Nigeria, will reveal an undisputable outcome, that Kola nut is more valuable, more significant and excels more in Igboland. The reason is due to the socio-cultural and other roles ascribed to the Kola nut in the area. Suffice to say, kola nut features in all aspects of Igbo life: social, religious and political even. It is a remarkable symbol of friendship, peace, unity, reconciliation, integrity, life, fraternity, hospitality, goodwill and kindness. When presented to a guest or visitor in Igboland, the Kola nut surpasses any other mark of hospitality that any host in Igboland can show, even though in some places it costs only a penny or nothing.
Finally, it is important
to note that in Igboland, the Kola nut passes through some ritual processes that
must be conducted with the Igbo Language before the Kola nut is served for
consumption: the makeup of the gathering notwithstanding. The belief among Igbos
is: Kola nut does not speak or understand the English Language, and by
extension any language apart from the Igbo Language. The processes Kola nut
must pass through before it is served for consumption are presentation, blessing,
splitting and sharing.
References
Egbo Nonso (2022) The unique Presentation of Icho Oji (Kolanut) in Awkunano in Enugu state. https://guardian/life
Eke, O. F. (2007) Selected Cultural Festivals and their Tourism Potentials in Mbaise–Imo State. M.A. Thesis, Department of Archaeology and Tourism, U.N.N
Ezekwugo M. E. (1992) Philosophical Concepts. Enugu-Agatha Series Publication
Enechukwu A. (2016) Significance of Yam in Igboland. The Gong: Vol3. No.1
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