Kola Nut has a significance in Nigerian Tradition

In my past articles on certain perks of the Nigerian culture and tradition, I have always made mention of the fact that food also has a role to play in the Nigerian culture, but I did not mention fruit. It is not only about food, but there are also certain fruits in the Nigerian tradition that have a certain significance attached to them, and one of them is the kola nut. It is not just about the significance, but there are certain messages that are sent across when such fruit is seen and it comes with its use case.

For the fruit kola nut, it symbolizes hospitality, unity, and respect. Something like a welcome to my humble house before the serious conversation starts. This is quite common with the Eastern part of Nigeria, the Igbo people. Be it a traditional marriage, village gathering, or something that has the presence of people and elders, first, the kola nut must be broken to indicate the mutual respect and welcome of everybody at the gathering. Aside from the welcoming spirit that comes with the kola nut, there is another important symbolism attached to the kola nut. It tells that something serious is about to go down. There is even a saying that “he who brings kola brings life.” This proves that kola nut is a product of both deliberation and ceremony. It was brought with the intention to welcome guests.

It is not only about bringing the kola nut to the gathering, but there is also a traditional process carried out on the kola nut. First, it is handed over to the eldest person in the gathering or the most respected for prayers and blessings. The prayers and blessings could be for health, long life, or prosperity for everyone present to eat the kola nut. Then the kola nut is open for all to eat. But only after the prayers and blessings have been done can the kola nut be eaten.

With that done, it is important to know it is not over yet, but accepting the kola nut also comes with its symbolism. It symbolizes that you accept being a part of the gathering and share in the blessing. It returns the welcoming spirit with the same enthusiasm with which the kola nut was brought on board in the first place. It is important to know that rejecting the kola nut is a bad sign, and it is very unusual. It kind of sends the wrong message that you are not welcoming or do not wish to be a part of the gathering.

The uniqueness of the Kola nut comes from the fact that it is multipurpose. It can be used in different settings. A burial ceremony, wedding, town meeting, or any form of gathering that requires the presence of people coming together, which in turn gives it the unifying element for the people. It is more like we come together, break bread, and merry together but this time it is kola nut. Different tribes come with their eccentricities that make them unique. For the Igbo people, it is kola nut, while for other tribes it could be something else. These things are what make us special and unique given the fact that diversity is an exciting spice that make our cultures different from one another.

_{I am Hive account@samostically, a chess player and writer. I love to share the experience I have gained from different battles over the 64 squares and the knowledgeable insights from books I have read. But most importantly, I am a Midnight Owl and I founded the community Midnight Letters.}

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