By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
A Catholic cleric, and a Professor of Philosophy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Unizik, Rev. Fr. Prof Bona Uchenna Umeogu, has called on Igbo people predominantly living in South-East, Nigeria, to sustain their rich Kola nut tradition.
Umeogu, former Dean Faculty of Arts, Unizik, spoke at the University Auditorium while delivering the 50th Inaugural Lecture at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, recently.
He said: ‘The Kola nut is a multivalential symbol of Igbo thought and culture and correctly depicts the multidimensional individuality and personality of the communalistic Homo symbolicus: onye Igbo.
‘The information, out-formation, transformation, conformation and even deformation of the kola nut reveal how God, the world, human existence, society, and knowledge, came to the world through Igbo land and culture; but I have to establish both for now and forevermore, that the genesis and ontology involved in the context under attention is symbolic, or at best, symbolismic.
‘So, the conflict of ontologies involved in the consideration of the polyglot genesis of Igbo reality is resolved in and by the logical significance of the kola nut’s symbolismic universe: of kola nut symbol, of kola nut symbolism, of kola nut symbolismic expression and Kola nut symbolismic deposition.’
Rev Umeogu’s lecture was not without an innovation as he discovered and produced Igbo Kola nut juice for stimulation, energizing and sustenance of the body, even as he had over 400 Metaphysico-Communion Living Drugs from BonaChristus’ Symbolismic Pharmaceutical Laboratories.