BLESSING OF KOLA NUT IN IZZI LAND – NIGERIA

The blessing of kola, igo goi in Izzi land, is the right of the eldest person in  any  gathering  or it may be that of the  Eze (King)  as the case  may be. However,  the oldest person is preferred in most cases because he is the custodian of truth and closer to the ancestors. In the evolutionary trend of the tradition, an ordained minister or one consecrated to God   now takes precedence in the blessing of the kola, but the eldest person or the Eze who  has this right will give or transfer it to minister as a privilege, not as a right . The ndi icheie iboko Izzi mythology gives an account of the blessing of the oji in Izzi land, “ the   principle behind this Izzikola culture is that the nut cannot be broken without saying of prayers or  incantations by the eldest in the gathering. This gave rise   to the proverb”.  He   who brings kola brings life”  because in the kola nut prayers, the elder in addition to his  wise sayings normally requested for peace, prosperity, long life, happiness and protection from all ill fortunes”.

Not only do the Izzi people say prayers before the breaking of the kola nut, no traditional  Izzi man would drink or eat without sharing  at  least, with the  ancestors, thus, writes  E . Elochukwu  Uzukwu that  “ the kola nut, a  symbol of life and commensality   which is never   omitted in the morning cult, is broken, the traditional part for the spirits is given to them, and those present share the rest”  the kola libation or blessing is employed in all occasions, formal and informal. Thus we now present a  case of an old man who called his sons to give them his final blessing before he would join his ancestors. The man is question  is Ezekuna,  the father and founder  of the Izzi, Ikwo and Ezza clans, the meeting opened  with the normal blessing of kola nut when they were all seated. He took one kola  nut and sad to his dead father these are the sons,  the sons  EKE KEREUWA gave me,  and to whom I am now giving  my blessings  as you my father  once gave to me” 

He raised  the kola and said

“Eke  kereuwa, this is kola, 

My  father and the ancients this is kola, 

Ala Izzi, this is kola 

Four days that make eight , this is kola” 

 

Eke  kereuwa is one of the Izzinames for God in this case it means “ the one who made the world”  iboko is  a local deity  to whom the towns market, iboko is dedicated. A  brief analysis of this kola – prayer  shows that all beins, spiritual and human are invited to partake of the kola and therefore  accompany    this family meeting. But  ultimately the blessings to the sons come from eke kereuwa (God)   THEORUGH THE  DIETIES AND ANCESTORS. This cosmic meeting is made possible, thanks to the kola symbolism of  commensality. Here the kola sysmbolism unites   man, the ancestors, cosmic forces, the deities and   God. As a symbol of life, the kola libation makes clear this truth when ever it is celebrated.