By Dr. Chris Aniedobe
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him" (John 1:1-3).
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1: 14.
UmuIgbo:
In the past, I wrote about the Law of kolanut, and characterized as unethical, the merchandizing of the soul which act has been justified by some cultural irredentists as part of modern day reclamation of the kolanut ritual wherein money is used as a surrogate for yam and cockerel which would have been presented to onye Nze na Ozo.
In reading the various tortured
attempts to explain the meaning and concept of kola nut ritual and the Nze na
Ozo titled society, I was saddened to learn that even those who parade as ndi
Nze had the least understanding of the theology of kola nut ritual nor
understanding of the Nze society.
Johannine Theology Explained
Likewise, many theologians and philosophers struggle mightily with the Johannine declarations excerpted above. If I become the Pope today, I will mandate the teaching of Igbo culture and tradition to all aspiring Priests as a way to drive home the Johannine verses excerpted above which lie at the core of Christian theology. Let me tell you what John said:
Chineke bu isi aka ji ofo. Nya bu ofo no na ime Chineke. Chineke welu go ofo, ofo welu bulu mmadu na ime Christ.
Ofo in Igboland means truth, righteousness, and justice. John is saying that God is the fountain of all truth, righteousness, and justice. Then he proclaimed ofo and ofo took flesh and blood in the form of Christ and Christ then became aka ji ofor, an eternal Priest of the order of aka ji ofor Melchiezedek, a name which means “My king (eze) is righteousness.”
Ofor in Igbo Culture
Ndi Igbo of old lived the Johannine proclamations. As children of God, Umuchukwu, they understood that to be like God was to have ofor taken from the fountain of ofor himself, the supreme being called Chukwu. That pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice was symbolized by the sacred tree, ofor.
Holy Igbo men of old who understood that the purpose of life was to grow their ofor committed both spiritually and physically to the growth of their ofor. Just like you take ofor from the fountain of ofor which is God, so would they take a fall off from the sacred ofor tree and keep it in their personal okwa alusi to remind them that life was about the pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice. To increase and strengthen their ofor, they poured libations to their personal ofor, did oblations to it, and dedicated themselves to the pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice and they believed that one who had ofor, had everything.
Then came the Spiritual Society of Ndi Nzelu
Many assume wrongly that Nze means a rich man or one of material stature in Igbo land. So have they bastardized Igbo society that anyone who has $1999.00 to wire to their local ozo society assumes the title of nze as a mark of having saved a little US dollar.
Onye nze means someone who has committed to grow his personal ofor by izelu (avoiding) acts and practices which can diminish his pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice. The ceremony of becoming nze is not complete until such a person solemnly covenants to avoid acts which can diminish his ofor. Nze is a commitment to holiness in effect, a desire to be like God, a priest in one’s own right, dispensing ofor according to the size of one’s personal ofor. Ofor ka aja – a common saying is an admonition that being like God is better than sacrifice.
When you become Nze, the society teaches you what you must zelu in order to stay steadfast to your oath of both spiritual and physical cleanliness.
As you progress in the society of Ndi Zelu, the list of things you must avoid increases and so do your rights and privileges in the society. The highest nzelu title in Igboland is Ozor and that is why the highest ranking Ozor title holder in an Ozor society is called aka ji ofor – the highest spiritual title in an Igbo society and such a person is expected to commit to the pursuit of truth, righteousness and justice at its highest level. Such a person is bestowed with the Ofor of the town.
It is because ndi Nze have a long list of things to avoid (zelu) that members of their society greet each other with the famous phrase, “nke onye chili, nya zelu,” a solemn reminder that uncleanliness has profound consequences per the oath which each person swore to.
Ofordile
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:23
It is ordinarily sufficient for an Igbo person, Nze or not, to commit to growing their personal ofor – in which pursuit of truth, righteousness and justice, leads them to become more and more like God to where in fact, their ofor is capable of manifesting in forms which can be seen and perceived. They call that Ofordile and that is what Christ taught in Mark 11:23. One does not necessarily have to join the society of ndi nze in order to grow their personal ofor but the society is ordinarily useful in teaching an acolyte what he must do and what he must avoid in order to advance in holiness.
From eating Kola nut to Holy Communion
Theologians will tell you that Christ, aka ji ofor, the eternal priest, said to bread, be my flesh and it became his flesh and he said to wine, be my blood and it became his blood, and when he, the aka ji ofor passed that ofor to his disciples and charged them to do so in remembrance of him, he instituted the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist has three elements – first is the bread and wine; then the transmogrification by one who has ofor, and then the communion by the faithful in need of sanctification. Unless these three elements are fulfilled, there is no Holy Eucharistic Sacrament.
Likewise, the kola nut ritual has three elements in Igbo land – first is the kola nut itself; then igo ofor oji, in which one having ofor imbues in the kolanut the sanctifying graces of truth, justice, and righteousness in agreement with the communicants. At that point, it becomes not just a fruit plucked by human hands but a solemn manifestation of the spirituality of onye golu ofor oji in communion with those present, to be now shared amongst partakers in spiritual communion so that they may be sanctified by the proclamations of good wishes, truth, righteousness and justice of onye golu ofor oji.
When you affirm “ise” during igo oji, it is no different than saying “Amen” during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, when a Priest – aka ji ofor invokes the powers of God to transform ordinary bread and wine to a sanctifying meal. So also do the solemn invocations of igo oji, by aka ji ofor in that particular gathering, transform an ordinary kola nut to a sanctifying life giving fruit.
Life Giving Food
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51
'Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you shall not have life within you' (John 6:53)
How many times have you heard a true Igbo elder say: “Onye wetalu oji, wetalu ndu. Onye tatalu oji, tatalu ndu.”
Indeed, the blessing of the kola nut by one having ofor transforms the kola nut to a life giving food. The food, just like in the proclamations above, gives life because truth, righteousness, and justice, that is ofor, is the true essence of life.
UnHoly Communion
If the ofor element is missing in any kola nut ritual, it is just the mere eating of kola nut. Some folks in secret society get together to dip and eat kola nut in each other’s blood. Is that the Holy Kolanut ritual? – No. Politicians meet and eat kola nut while discussing how to rig elections – is that the Holy Kolanut ritual? – No. If people are gathered in an unrighteous purpose, they can go ofor oji from here to Jericho, it would not make the oji holy and they only deceive themselves. That is why if you come to a group gathering, the best person to bless the kola nut is the one who is deemed to have ofor.
In fact, Oji in Igboland is now used by the political effendi (originally an igbo word meaning ndi ana efe) to perform a common political ritual in which kola nut is but one element of it. Igbo politicians meet, eat kola nut and share money from one who needs political favors to one who is expected to provide such favors. This is a different gesture from Holy Kolanut Communion. In fact, it is more like politicians sharing bread and wine and having some crazy person who has access to the Internet declare that the politician was passing out Holy Communion.
Cockerel, Yam, and Ghana Must Go full of Money
Going back again to members of the ndi Nzelu society, they are not to knowingly partake in an act which might diminish their ofor. Some of them are stricter than others including avoiding unclean food. Some of them go through a symbolic cleansing of their lips and eyes, a ritual which reminds them that they are to avoid unclean speech and unclean sight. Presented with a cockerel, they go through a symbolic cleansing of their mouth and eyes with the neck of the cockerel and set it aside to eat later with the yam provided.
Today, to stay steadfast to the custom of affording ndi Nze na Ozor the privilege of cleansing their mouth and eyes, people now use a few token coins or naira notes. Many of the contrived Nzes of today’s society simply pocket the token money, open their mouth to keep talking trash and use their eyes to ogle at wild women in his midst, while all the time thinking bad thoughts about how to violate the laws of the society to their personal advantage. Today’s Nzes think of the cockerel and yam as an entitlement and have no idea that it does come with a solemn obligation.
Johannine Theology Explained
Likewise, many theologians and philosophers struggle mightily with the Johannine declarations excerpted above. If I become the Pope today, I will mandate the teaching of Igbo culture and tradition to all aspiring Priests as a way to drive home the Johannine verses excerpted above which lie at the core of Christian theology. Let me tell you what John said:
Chineke bu isi aka ji ofo. Nya bu ofo no na ime Chineke. Chineke welu go ofo, ofo welu bulu mmadu na ime Christ.
Ofo in Igboland means truth, righteousness, and justice. John is saying that God is the fountain of all truth, righteousness, and justice. Then he proclaimed ofo and ofo took flesh and blood in the form of Christ and Christ then became aka ji ofor, an eternal Priest of the order of aka ji ofor Melchiezedek, a name which means “My king (eze) is righteousness.”
Ofor in Igbo Culture
Ndi Igbo of old lived the Johannine proclamations. As children of God, Umuchukwu, they understood that to be like God was to have ofor taken from the fountain of ofor himself, the supreme being called Chukwu. That pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice was symbolized by the sacred tree, ofor.
Holy Igbo men of old who understood that the purpose of life was to grow their ofor committed both spiritually and physically to the growth of their ofor. Just like you take ofor from the fountain of ofor which is God, so would they take a fall off from the sacred ofor tree and keep it in their personal okwa alusi to remind them that life was about the pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice. To increase and strengthen their ofor, they poured libations to their personal ofor, did oblations to it, and dedicated themselves to the pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice and they believed that one who had ofor, had everything.
Then came the Spiritual Society of Ndi Nzelu
Many assume wrongly that Nze means a rich man or one of material stature in Igbo land. So have they bastardized Igbo society that anyone who has $1999.00 to wire to their local ozo society assumes the title of nze as a mark of having saved a little US dollar.
Onye nze means someone who has committed to grow his personal ofor by izelu (avoiding) acts and practices which can diminish his pursuit of truth, righteousness, and justice. The ceremony of becoming nze is not complete until such a person solemnly covenants to avoid acts which can diminish his ofor. Nze is a commitment to holiness in effect, a desire to be like God, a priest in one’s own right, dispensing ofor according to the size of one’s personal ofor. Ofor ka aja – a common saying is an admonition that being like God is better than sacrifice.
When you become Nze, the society teaches you what you must zelu in order to stay steadfast to your oath of both spiritual and physical cleanliness.
As you progress in the society of Ndi Zelu, the list of things you must avoid increases and so do your rights and privileges in the society. The highest nzelu title in Igboland is Ozor and that is why the highest ranking Ozor title holder in an Ozor society is called aka ji ofor – the highest spiritual title in an Igbo society and such a person is expected to commit to the pursuit of truth, righteousness and justice at its highest level. Such a person is bestowed with the Ofor of the town.
It is because ndi Nze have a long list of things to avoid (zelu) that members of their society greet each other with the famous phrase, “nke onye chili, nya zelu,” a solemn reminder that uncleanliness has profound consequences per the oath which each person swore to.
Ofordile
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:23
It is ordinarily sufficient for an Igbo person, Nze or not, to commit to growing their personal ofor – in which pursuit of truth, righteousness and justice, leads them to become more and more like God to where in fact, their ofor is capable of manifesting in forms which can be seen and perceived. They call that Ofordile and that is what Christ taught in Mark 11:23. One does not necessarily have to join the society of ndi nze in order to grow their personal ofor but the society is ordinarily useful in teaching an acolyte what he must do and what he must avoid in order to advance in holiness.
From eating Kola nut to Holy Communion
Theologians will tell you that Christ, aka ji ofor, the eternal priest, said to bread, be my flesh and it became his flesh and he said to wine, be my blood and it became his blood, and when he, the aka ji ofor passed that ofor to his disciples and charged them to do so in remembrance of him, he instituted the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist has three elements – first is the bread and wine; then the transmogrification by one who has ofor, and then the communion by the faithful in need of sanctification. Unless these three elements are fulfilled, there is no Holy Eucharistic Sacrament.
Likewise, the kola nut ritual has three elements in Igbo land – first is the kola nut itself; then igo ofor oji, in which one having ofor imbues in the kolanut the sanctifying graces of truth, justice, and righteousness in agreement with the communicants. At that point, it becomes not just a fruit plucked by human hands but a solemn manifestation of the spirituality of onye golu ofor oji in communion with those present, to be now shared amongst partakers in spiritual communion so that they may be sanctified by the proclamations of good wishes, truth, righteousness and justice of onye golu ofor oji.
When you affirm “ise” during igo oji, it is no different than saying “Amen” during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, when a Priest – aka ji ofor invokes the powers of God to transform ordinary bread and wine to a sanctifying meal. So also do the solemn invocations of igo oji, by aka ji ofor in that particular gathering, transform an ordinary kola nut to a sanctifying life giving fruit.
Life Giving Food
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51
'Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you shall not have life within you' (John 6:53)
How many times have you heard a true Igbo elder say: “Onye wetalu oji, wetalu ndu. Onye tatalu oji, tatalu ndu.”
Indeed, the blessing of the kola nut by one having ofor transforms the kola nut to a life giving food. The food, just like in the proclamations above, gives life because truth, righteousness, and justice, that is ofor, is the true essence of life.
UnHoly Communion
If the ofor element is missing in any kola nut ritual, it is just the mere eating of kola nut. Some folks in secret society get together to dip and eat kola nut in each other’s blood. Is that the Holy Kolanut ritual? – No. Politicians meet and eat kola nut while discussing how to rig elections – is that the Holy Kolanut ritual? – No. If people are gathered in an unrighteous purpose, they can go ofor oji from here to Jericho, it would not make the oji holy and they only deceive themselves. That is why if you come to a group gathering, the best person to bless the kola nut is the one who is deemed to have ofor.
In fact, Oji in Igboland is now used by the political effendi (originally an igbo word meaning ndi ana efe) to perform a common political ritual in which kola nut is but one element of it. Igbo politicians meet, eat kola nut and share money from one who needs political favors to one who is expected to provide such favors. This is a different gesture from Holy Kolanut Communion. In fact, it is more like politicians sharing bread and wine and having some crazy person who has access to the Internet declare that the politician was passing out Holy Communion.
Cockerel, Yam, and Ghana Must Go full of Money
Going back again to members of the ndi Nzelu society, they are not to knowingly partake in an act which might diminish their ofor. Some of them are stricter than others including avoiding unclean food. Some of them go through a symbolic cleansing of their lips and eyes, a ritual which reminds them that they are to avoid unclean speech and unclean sight. Presented with a cockerel, they go through a symbolic cleansing of their mouth and eyes with the neck of the cockerel and set it aside to eat later with the yam provided.
Today, to stay steadfast to the custom of affording ndi Nze na Ozor the privilege of cleansing their mouth and eyes, people now use a few token coins or naira notes. Many of the contrived Nzes of today’s society simply pocket the token money, open their mouth to keep talking trash and use their eyes to ogle at wild women in his midst, while all the time thinking bad thoughts about how to violate the laws of the society to their personal advantage. Today’s Nzes think of the cockerel and yam as an entitlement and have no idea that it does come with a solemn obligation.
Now, how do you give Ghana must go full of money to members of an organization paying a courtesy call to you, and you order them to share the money to everyone present whether Nze or not, and call that part of the kola nut ritual? Chineke. How bastardized has the Igbo culture become? How did this Holy ritual of kolanut Communion degenerate to a meaningless act by money miss roads who 1. Are not committed to growing their personal ofor; 2. Who think that igo ofor oji is the talking of any trash using oji in one’s hand not realizing that it is an act of making solemn pronouncements in which one’s ofor manifests in a transformed kola nut; and 3. To be shared by people worthy to share in it.
Worthy Partakers of Holy KolaNut Communion
Ndi Nzelu understood that just as in receiving the Holy Communion, one who comes to partake in ofor of the kolanut must come with clean hands. That is why they clean themselves. Many of us should understand how important it is to clean ourselves, whether nze or not, in partaking of the Holy Kolanut Communion. We are all called by Igbo culture and custom to have our own personal ofor and to commit to growing it by pursuing truth, righteousness, and justice so that that becoming more like God, our words can manifest truth, justice, and righteousness.
Aniedobe
chrisaniedobe@yahoo.com
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