OFOR HOLDERS AND THE IGBO NATIVES

'Ofor Holders And The lgbo Natives.

GISTERNEWS

Ofor (ofor na ogu) and the images that its conveys among the lgbo people of south eastern Nigeria, in the west African region. The lgbo’ traditional ‘ofor’ is gotten from a tree called Detarium Elastica, this particular tree is essential in the life of lgbo people generally, in some places in lgbo land, it is found in the village squres and communities playing grounds, where it also serves as a canopy or shades that’s protects people, from direct sunlight. it is important instrument and material of social and cultural order. It also have a material and mundane dimensions in the lgbo traditional belief system. It is called ofor by the lgbo people generally, but the tree from which this material come from is called, ‘ohoo tree’ by the people of ‘Isukwuato’ in Abia state, Nigeria west Africa region, this people uses the seeds from the fruits of this mystical tree, to make various soups, like the, ‘Oho-akwukwoho’ (ofe-ora) which serves as a thickener in the soup, after processing the seed traditional, (ohoo na ogu) the ogu here is the palmfronts leaves,(omu akwu) when it is attached to ofor, its becomes ofor na ogu. The ogu there signifies peace, uprightness, rightiousness, cautions etc.

Cultures in itself can be described or viewed, as people way of life, including the language they speaks, food, fashion line or styles etc. ‘Ofor’, before now, or even recently, especially personal or individual ofor, which is used by titiled men in the lgbo traditional communities, here it is a symbol of social glamour, achievements and also is a fashion accessories thats complements lgbo traditional and cultural clothing outfits, dressings etc.

It funtions as a staff of office in the traditional and cultural lgbo nationality . ‘’ofor is an ancestral staff or mace of authority that is handed over from son to another son, and from generation to generation’’ ( Maduabuchi.D). In the lgbo traditional belief system, ofor has forms, there is an individual ofor holder, as earlier mentioned above, personal ofor and there is a popular saying, concerning ofor that goes this way’, ‘’onye obu la si na ya ji ‘ofor’, ma so ‘ofor’ ma onye ji ya (Sir, warrior and the oriental brothers) affirming lgbo adage’, reasons because their is some cultural responsibility attached to those holding ofor. ‘’Ofo is like the Bibile, you do not carry it carelessly'' (Anekwe) wall Street Journal.

There is other types of ofor, family ofor, kindred, lineage (ofor Umunna) and general community ofor, which the later often regarded as ofor ala obodo, and the bearer, most time it is the oldest man from the family, kindred and the clan as the case may be, that has the right to bear it. It also serves as an age determinant in the community respectively. The family ofor is usually for prayers, decision making and communicating to the ancestors and so on by the holder.

While the community ‘ofor’, is used to appease the gods, when somebody desecrates the land, it is also used as means of communication prayer by the bearer, to their ancestors, for the peace and the progress, that is peaceful development of individual of the said community. In the traditional lgbo cultural belief system, ‘ofor symbolized, uprightness, justice, truthfulness, righteousness, fairness and the defender of the innocents etc. Any body holding ofor is expected to handle it, with an out-most care, both in professing and its use. ‘Ofor’, is a sacred material instruments of blessings, santification as well as purification of the home, family and land, Its also protects.

Bibilically Moses used, his own ‘staff’’, when he was instructed by God, to lead his people out of the land of their sojourner and lead, them to their promise land. There are other forms of ofor used religiously, like the one that represent the deities, use by native doctors, diviners, spiritualist and priest etc, it is used here as a sacred intrucments of prayers or worship. Ofor that is used adversely, (negatively) has its repercussions, such as removal of the ofor from the holder etc. Since the era of colonization and the embracement of christianity by the people, they are now shying away from the original ofor made from Detarium Elastica tree (osisi ohoo) by Isukwuato people.

Therefore by the lgbo’s and for the lgbo traditional belief system, ofor’, is an image of uprightness, fairness, righteousness and truthfulness in reference to the Ultimate Reality God.

Ajuju a na juzi wee buru, gi bu onye ji ofor, ma o bu onye enye fere ofor na aka, ina edowo kwa iwu ma obu nso ofor iji ?.