What are “kola nuts” and how they are used in the novel? What do they represent or symbolize?

In the novel Things Fall Apart, the author tries to portray symbols relevant and important to the Igbo society. Kola nuts are very important to the community and appear occasionally throughout. When reading the novel, one will eventually ask themselves what do kola nuts actually represent. Kola nuts within the Ibo culture represent a sign of respect. In many occasions, one may not speak because he/she has not been offered kola nuts by the host, and this is a sign that they do not feel welcome. This means that kola nuts represent traditional hospitality. Kola nuts also represent spirituality, given the fact that when one breaks a kola nut it is a spiritual process. This can be seen in a part of the novel, when Okoye and Unoka meet, that Unoka “prayed to their ancestors for life and health and for protection against their enemies”, at the time of breaking the kola nut. The process of breaking the nut is very honorable and spiritual, given the fact that it symbolizes respect and hospitality. They were about to discuss a very important topic, but they did not start until the kola nut had been broken. Kola nuts represent respect against each other and furthermore make people feel welcome within a home.