The basic truth is that the Izzi people use the kola nut to
welcome a guest and either establish
or reinforce their interaction rate (Akpagu C 47). The oji-ugo, or white kola nut, is distinguished from other colored kola
nuts as socially important and is considered a symbol of “luck, social distinction
and potential prosperity”. Guests are presented with a kola nut as symbol of
welcome, and especially welcome if they
receive a white kola nut, which can happen on purpose or by accident. Kola nuts are
important for both formal and
informal events.
The most important events in the Izzi community are weddings, funerals, and title-acquisition. At these occasions it is especially important that the kola nut be presented
first before anything else. Informally, the
kola nut is simply used as food because it is recognized as thirst-quenching and as an energy sustainer. But anytime a
kola nut is presented to people who do not share the same residence, a formal situation is created. The nut is first presented to the host who then presents tit to the next
ranking male in his family. It is passed through male lineage and ranks and
then presented to the guest who in turn
gives it to the host, but it almost
never passes through the hand of a woman
After the presentation comes
prayer for life, peace, and the
downfall of enemies.
Next, the host breaks the kola nut into k its cotyledons and
distributes it according to seniority.
The host eats the fist piece to show that it is not poisonous, dipping it
into peppered gravy, as it is traditionally eaten for this ritual. Food in general, is very important to the Izzipeople,
an agricultural community living mostly at
the subsistence level. Throughout
the history of the Izzipeople, agriculture
was highly ritualized
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