Kola Nut

Cola nitida is a tree of the mallow family, Malvaceae, native to the rainforests of tropical West Africa: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria. It is an evergreen that grows 12 to 20 metres tall. Its common names include kola nut, cola and kola. The seeds contain caffeine, theobromine and tannin, and are chewed as a stimulant and used in the manufacture of soft drinks. Wikipedia says the nuts and other parts of the tree have many uses of a ceremonial nature and in traditional medicine. It says parts of the plant are used in rituals such as weddings, child naming ceremonies, the induction of village chiefs, funerals and sacrificial ceremonies. The leaves, twigs, bark, flowers and nuts are also used in traditional medicine. The article does not say which people hold which of these ceremonies.