Another consideration that brings out the kola symbolism is the question of the rightful person to break it. In Izziland, is it the youngest or eldest in any given gathering in Izziland? There are two major traditions. In a place like old ohaozara in Ebonyi south, it is the youngest in any group breaks the kola, while in the north west and northern parts Igboland the eldest person breaks the kola. In both cases, the breaking of kola helps in the tracing of seniority in Izziland in particular, and in Igboland in general. The young man tradition says that the young is preferred because he is presumed to be innocent, and his hands are not polluted by blood shed in battle. This tradition has a loop – hole because at times there are gatherings where no one is really young in Izzi, or where the youngest in the group is also elderly. This tradition is nurtured by the philosophy of Izziethical Puritanism. The puritan
ethics or mentality is strongly founded in izzland.
The old man tradition is preferred because the eldest man blesses the kola, holds the ofo and represents the authority of the ancestors. One of the strongest reasons for religious activities like blessings by the eldest person is that in Izzitraditional society, the first born or eldest man in a family or Umunna (kindred) assumes some priestly function ipso facto. It is more by reason of his priesthood and not necessarily because of his age that the eldest man is preferred, and this is why today, the eldest man gives an ordained minister the kola to bless as a privilege. The ndi icheie akwa mythology gives what seems to be the solution to the problem of the right of breaking the Izzikola as regards the two conflicting traditions in question. In Igboland as a whole, the aros became very powerful during the slave trade mainly because of the one Ndi Icheie Akwa which is in their possession. Thus they wished to dominate the Igboland as a whole and with the advantage of the oracle, they hatched a plan as the author puts it the aros then borught an Afa oracle message from God ‘chukwu” to all parts in Igboland
The divine message said that the Igbo tradition of the oldest persons rights to break kola had been abrogated by God so that the right had been transferred to the youngest person. This oracle message automatically gave the Aros who were the youngest of Igbo family groups, the right to break kola whenever the Igbo people were gathered as a nation, many communities in the southern part of Igboland, among which is the Izzipeople obeyed the divine message and changed their tradition of the eldest man’s right to break the kola. However, the most probable solution is that the eldest man blesses and breaks the oji and gives it to the youngest in the group to share and distribute. Another probable solution is that the eldest man blesses the kola and give it to the youngest to break and share not only in Izziland, but in the whole of Igboland .
This second alternative will eliminate monopoly of function by the eldest man.
References
Culled from Izzi identify and personality vis-à-vis Izzi/cum Igbo cultural symbols, being the thesis presented for the doctorate degree by Rev Fada Nwofoke E.N
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