The Role of Traditional African Festivals in the Sustenance of the Ecosystem: Ikenge Festival in Utagba-Uno, Southern Nigeria as a Paradigm

Abstract

This study examines the role of indigenous African festivals in the sustenance of the ecosystem. It aims to demonstrate how Ukwuani/Utagba-Uno indigenous festivals, cultural taboos, and sanctions have played a crucial role in preserving the environment and preventing its degradation. It explores the imperative of Ikenge festival in Utagba-Uno, in South-South Nigeria in environmental sustainability. Indigenous festivals are of special importance in the collective existence of a people because they represent their way of life and help them understand their natural environment. The conservation of biodiversity, therefore, calls for the integration of indigenous festivals in curbing the destruction of the ecosystem. The paper argues that an indigenous festival like the Ikenge in Utagba-Uno plays a significant role in the peaceful coexistence of the Utagba-Uno people and their immediate environment. The study employs the ethnographic research design which is a valuable tool for understanding the cultural practices, beliefs, and traditions of a particular community. In this case, the research design explores the natural resources conservation potentials of the Ikenge Festival in Utagba Uno.