OKWA-OJI NA NDU N'DI IGBO

OKWA-OJI NA NDU N'DI IGBO

Okwa-oji

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Kola-nut is a very important and one of the most respected fruits among the lgbo speaking natives of Nigeria, West Africa.This particular fruits kolanut (Oji-lgbo) is adored, hornour and respected, among the lgbo people, that's traditionally, the people has a special dish (plate), designed specifically for the serving, offering, (presenting ) of kolanut to their guest, as a sign of hospitality, welcoming, embracement, peace, unity and joviality etc.

This special dish (plate) for the Kola-nut presentation to a guest or groups of people, is what is called, ''Okwa-oji Culturally, It is carved (design) from wood work, ceramics, steel materials, nowadays some people design their own Okwa-oji from precious materials, onaments and stones, but in the absence of Okwa-oji, you can use Other thing's to present the Kola-nut, like sausa and traypan, depending on the number of guests and the people to be served, and also in relation to the quantity of kolanut available to be presented to the quest or the people.

Culturally, among the lgbo traditional speaking natives, 'Okwa-oji', ls owned by the head of the family, kindred, clan, or Obi of a community, as the case may be, in the typical lgbo Cultural settings.

Symbolically Okwa-oji is like an ''Ofor'' in lgbo land, in the sense thats, it is transferable, especially, for the titled men.

When the head of the family passed away ( dies ) automatically, it's will be one', of the property that's will be inherited by his eldest 'Son', nowadays it's may varies depending mostly on the particular community consensus, but it is a tradition.

Okwa-oji ln lgbo land, is accorded some respect's , for instance, a woman will never own or have okwa-oji, even in absence of the husband, secondly, a woman cannot present Kola-nut (Oji-lgbo) with okwa-oji, when the husband or any other man or even when a little boy is in the house, to do thats.

Woman cannot brake kolanut (Oji-lgbo) to be precise, when a man is around, even if it is a little boy, he will be asked to perform that important kolanut rite's, and a woman cannot climb kolanut tree, to plug the fruits, it is forbidden among the lgbo natives traditionally.

But in the other light, a woman can prepare kolanut, wash them and give its to his husband, or any other man in the house to serve their guest or visitors.

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After the Kola-nut blessings and prayers, it will be brake in such a way that's, it will reach everyone present.

When serving the Kola-nut, its also very important to bring water for washing of hands that's is to show that cleanliness is very essential in the life an lgbo man. Some times a white chalk accompanied the Kola-nut, inside the Okwa-oji, sausa (Nzu) when the Kola-nut is being presented to be served. And you, don't give the Kola-nut to the guest, visitors or the people in their hand's, you allowed them to pick by themselves from the Kola-nut plate (okwa-oji), when serving the Kola-nut.

It is only woman, that's you can give kolanut, from the Okwa-oji, (kolanut dish) to their hands (Oji-lgbo), if they are around or present during the Kola-nut breaking and sharing in a gathering, expectially where titiled men are.

Reasons because you don't know, which woman is pure, (nso ehichi) because Okwa-oji (kolanut plate) is regarded as a plate for ndi ichie (Ancestors) the ozo titiled holders, (traditional prime ministers) etc.

Actually there is an exceptional Occasions, where a woman can brake kolanut, in their gathering and in the absence of a man, it must be the eldest of them or titiled woman among them.

Eleba anya na edemede a, I ga aghota na Okwa-oji, bu ndi Nweke na enwe ya, na ahu kwa maka, ihe n' ile gbasara ya bu Okwa-oji, di ka omenala ndi lgbo si wee di.