The Philosophical Investigation of the Symbolistic Imports of Kola-Nuts in Igbo-African World View

Abstract

Culture is defined as people's way of life. Every given society has a systematic way of doing specific things at any given time. These systematic ways of doing things are handed over from one generation to another generation of the people of that society, and the general notion is that culture is not written or contained in any document or code. The activities making up a given culture is learnt by observing how the elderly ones in the society, carry out such activities in any given circumstance. In Igbo-African society, these cultural tenets and practices also exist. In the Igbo-African society; there are objects which are of great value and symbolic to the people and their culture. The value ascribable to these objects implies that the objects should be handled and used in a respectful manner and condition. Amongst these objects which the Igbo-African society attach a great estimate of value to, is Kola-nut; thus, the essence of this paper. Kola-nut is an object that means different things to different cultures. The people of different cultural heritage treats kola-nut in accordance with the value and usage they think of it. However, in the Igbo-African society, kola-nut is treated with value due to the symbolic purposes it is meant to serve. In Igbo-African society, kola-nut is not just chewed or used as one pleases; there are rites and rituals involved in the usages. Its usages may be in the domestic settings or public functions, or traditional religious rites and rituals. This paper will make a philosophical investigation to analyze the symbolistic imports of kola-nuts in the Igbo-African world view.