Oji Aka Ano: Significance of Four-lobed Kola in Igbo Tradition

In Igbo tradition, the four-lobed kolanut is a powerful symbol of peace, unity, and spiritual balance. Representing the four Igbo market days (Eke, Orie, Afo, Nkwo) and the cardinal directions of the earth, this kola variety is revered as a sign of divine approval and communal harmony. It is the kola of the people — Oji Ezinaulo — uniting men and women, families and ancestors, in a shared blessing. At weddings, family gatherings, ancestral rites, wherever it shows up, the four-lobed kola affirms the presence of peace, completeness, and ancestral alignment.