A Professor of African Fiction, Damian Opata, has described “offo” as the most celebrated tree in Igbo land.

He equally highlighted its role as a potent protective object and an antidote for poison, attributing moral uprightness to its bearers.

Prof. Opata noted the ritualization of the stick in prayer, emphasizing its representation of truth.

While acknowledging the historical use of Offo by the oldest members in a community, he observes a shift influenced by Christianity.

He points out the potential misuse of substitutes, like the crucifix, and warns against the repercussions for those who bear Offo dishonestly.

The professor underscored the symbolic and protective nature of Offo, stressing the importance of moral integrity for its effectiveness.

He details the proper ritual for picking a fallen branch, involving prayers and an orientation toward the North-south position.

Finally, Prof. Opata expresses concern about the contemporary fabrication of Offo by individuals with questionable morals, asserting that authenticity is crucial for its cultural and spiritual significance.

He said “Offo, is the most celebrated tree in Igbo land because of its uniqueness.

“Just as other trees shed leaves, Offo branches fall off the trees, nobody cuts the branch or pluck it, it has to fall by itself.

“For the Igbos, it represents moral uprightness. It can be ritualised when you want to use it as an item of prayer by speaking to it to activate the efficacy inherent in it.

“I bring the one handed to me by my father whenever I do my morning invocations as a witness that whatever I am going to say is the truth.

“In the olden days, the oldest man in a clan spoke to the Offo to show that he is not misleading the people, but a lot of things have changed now. Most oldest people in our communities no longer bear it because of the influence of Christianity. Some of them use the crucifix as Offo but they are not the same thing. Many of them intentionally dodge it, especially, when they want to thwart justice. This is because the bearer of Offo must say the truth, be it in land, marital or any other cases which he presides over. Anybody who bears the item and thwarts justice suffers the repercussion, directly or through his younger generation.

“Oldest person in a family, clan or village normally bears Offo. However, a diviner may require a person to bear it, whether he is the oldest or not, to demonstrate that you are being accompanied by the spirit of uprightness. In that case, it becomes a symbolic object protecting the bearer from evil forces. However, for the Offo to be effective, the bearer must be upright in moral standings. It is the greatest antidote to poison and it is better than carrying charms around.

“If you must pick the fallen branch, you must go with kola nut with which to pray to the land that you are picking the Offo to do good, not the opposite. There is an orientation in picking the Offo because it has faces. In Nsukka cultural zone, it must face North-south position while you are picking it. You then take it home and ritualise it in a shrine through prayers. You can even kill a fowl or goat during the prayers depending on your capability,” he explained.

Report by Chibuike Ezekwesili

News Editor: Okuh Ikeme

Published by Odoh Ngozi