Ofo in Igboland


The Ofo is a particular type of staff that is carried by selected Igbo leaders - notably patrilineage priests, kings, onyishi and some masqueraders that signifies authority, the right to command, legal administrative powers, and/or the conferment of leadership and power bestowed by the gods.

Sacred symbol

The Ofo is a symbolic object. It is the sacred symbol of truth, authority, justice, law and administrative power. It primarily bestows upon the holder or bearer the right to offer sacrifices - as well as perform rituals, make prayers, swear to oaths, pronounce judgement, deliberate policy within the family, clan or community, and invoke blessings or curses. The Ofo may be made from bronze, brass or wood. It symbolizes a family, clan or community's authority and can only be handled by those who are authorized to wield it. It is revered by the group it represents, and is treated as an heirloom - passing from generation to generation.

Symbols of power

In the words of Nancy Neaher, the Ofo also serves as a symbol of power and authority for office holders and titled men, or as a sacred family icon. The Ofo represents the collective power of the gods and ancestors, as well as the truths given by Chineke to a person. The Ofo also symbolizes the link between the living holder of family or ruling authority and their ancestors.

Link to Chineke

The Ofo is believed to symbolize the link that exists between its owner's people and Chineke. It is a channel between the living, the dead, and those yet to be born. The Ofo therefore plays a role in prayer, ritual sacrifice, contact of spirit patrons, magic, naming ceremonies, determining schedules of events, affirming moral uprightness, sealing covenants, legitimizing states or offices, making decisions, settling disputes, taking oaths of administration, and promulgating and enforcing laws.