KOLA NUT AND THE IGBO PEOPLE

Gisternews: [Oji lgbo- image Etsy photo].

Kola nut is an important, essential, unique and a popular fruits nut among the lgbo people of West Africa. It is a tropical nut tree plant, known to have varieties of species, but in this article to some extent, we will review, two important species's, that is very dealy and quiet important to these sets of people in respects to their customs and traditions, historical background relating to the cultural inherent of the use, productions, consumptions, the respects accorded to Kola-nut by these people.

The Kola-nut have varieties, like the cola acuminata and cola nitida, garcinia kola etc. The kola acuminata, (botanically) has been identified to be the 'Oji lgbo', that will be our area of concentration, others like, the kola 'nitida, cultivated by the Yoruba's in large quantities, enjoyed and known by the Hausa's as koro and the Garcinia kola (Akilu), Akanilu, by the lgbo people, bitter kola ( English ).

Bitter Kola, (Akanilu) Garcinia kola

Culture can be viewed as way's of people life style, in relation to the clothing line, (dressing) food, they eat, their environment, historical background ( evolvement as a people) and their language that goes to some extent to explain or defined them as a particular people. In this wise, the lgbo people of Nigeria West Africa, speaks lgbo language ( Asusu lgbo), the Hausa Fulan's speaks Hause language, Yoruba speaks Yoruba's their native language, like wise English, Spanish, America and Asian speaks their different languages, that you can be able to identified, them as a special and particular people.

Oji-Kworo, (Kola nitida)

The Yoruba's natives of Nigeria are known in the cultivations of kola-nut in commercial scales for textiles dying and other industrial purpose and consumptions also, on the other hand, the Hausa's Fulani's are known to be consuming, Kola-nut in very large quantity (especially koro) the same species cultivated by Yoruba's) and the lgbo people of the same Nigeria West Africa, pay's respect, hornour and celebrate, their, own specie's of kola-nut ( Oji-lgbo) cola acuminata, and the best Oji-lgbo, for the lgbo's is called Oji-Ugo, the name is associated with the King's of the birds, the Eagle. It is bright, white, rare, strong, efficacious and effective in any event it's appeared and use, just like all the features of the Eagle, Oji-lgbo, is historically and natural grown wide in the lgbo native land (soil) and nowadays, it is being cultivated around family compounds and at streams and river bans, it is known and called by the lgbo people 'Oji lgbo', for serving and welcoming of visitors, offering of marriage, rites blessing prayers, uniting and binding during,' and after peaceful, dispute settlement and some other religious rites.

Image: Courtesy of (Dedemba Afonne)

The significant of serving Kola-nut, by the lgbo's to their visitors, it's means welcome, embracement, joy, and acceptance. It is offered first, in any important gathering, to a guest, visitors, family meetings, weddings, ceremonies, communal disputes settlement, between one another, marriage rites, blessing prayers and other prayer rites as the need arises.

The absence of kola-nut ( Oji-lgbo) in most of these important meetings, gatherings or occasion mentioned above will result to need for such meetings, gatherings, that's to an extents, signifies, how essential Kola-nut (Oji-lgbo) is important to the lgbo people. For them where ever Kola-nut (Oji-lgbo) is brought and offered to serve, three personalities or entity are there, that' is God, Ancestors, and Man (the people) they are in interaction or in Communion.

As a people, it is a source of joy, happiness, welcome, greetings, between God, the ancestors and the people wherever Kola-nut is brought to be offered or serve. it is the part's of the reasons, in every important gatherings or meetings among the lgbo natives, the first thing to be presented and served is Kola nut and prayers that accompanied it's. Traditionally the particular Kola-nut specie's (Oji-lgbo) celebrated, respected and used, by the lgbo natives in their Cultural and religious rites is quite different and unique, from the one cultivated by the Yoruba's as earlier mentioned above.

"Oji-lgbo, (Kola acuminata).lmage: wikipedia

The Oji-lgbo (cola acuminata) is slightly different from other types of kola-nut species. Firstly, historically, it's grows wide, in the lgbo natives land, and becomes domesticated in the lgbo soil. Secondly its comes with it special kind of shell or (pod), that is brown or grayish in color and with smooth pod (shell) and many cotiledon, when you open the nut (braek it), while that of nitida, known as koro by Hausa's, comes with green shell (pod) with very roughly shell and lesser cotiledon, when the nut is braeked.

Historically, Igbo people use Oji for hospitality, offering of prayers, to God, gods, 'lgo-Oji, ' lche-Oji', ' lkpu-Oji' , eating of the kolanut, marriage prayers blessing and many other religious rites. Nowadays it has become domesticated and planted very close to the family compounds, for easily access, harvest and use, when the fruit matured, most times they fall down by themself's, and will be pick-up by the owners, or by other people.

Culturally the lgbo people, don't use any other types of kola-nut species, other than Oji-lgbo, to perform some certain, important and sensitive traditional rites, like presenting them during marriage prayers rites, ogo Oji, iche Oji, ukpu-oji and other essential traditional religious, rites.

But in other, ordinary gatherings and when there is an absence of Oji-lgbo, other types of Kola-nut and things can serve, that is can be substituted with Oji lgbo, you can use oji-kworo, white chalk, (Nzu) garden-eggs, bitter kola, palmwine, gins (hot drinks) drinking water, Ugbaa (ukpaka), bush-meat etc.

Just for instance, traditionally, if you visit's an English or an European man, very early in the morning, he or she offered (served) you a cup of hot coffee, to drink and to warmed up your body, so' it is "Oji-lgbo', (Kola-nut) to the lgbo people and their visitors generally.

For Igbo's 'Oji-lgbo', is Ontological and Symbolic's like the Palm tree to the lgbo people of South Eastern Nigeria.

There is an lgbo adage, that's says, '' who ever bring Kola-nut, brings, life''. For other people ( lgbo's) Kola-nut maybe very tiny, small, to behold, as a gift, wellcome present, it is actually mighty in the sights of an lgbo man.

There are so many things, left untouched in this very important, topic concerning this respected, celebrated and wonderful, fruits of life Oji-lgbo (Kola-nut) by the lgbo speaking natives. Yes, so many questions left to be answered, and other ultimate questions that need to be explained concerning the 'Oji-lgbo' (Kola-nut), which we can take care of one after the other in our subsequently updates. Like

5. Preservations of the lgbo Kola-nut

6. Okwa-oji na ndu ndi lgbo

6. Historical connection between the lgbo's and Kola-nut.

Unu makwara na emume, omenala o bula lgbo ji Oji eme, o buru na Oji aputa bee, imara na emume ahu ebido beyi.