Western Influences on the Socio-Cultural Institutions of the Bendi

Abstract

With focus on the family, marriage, age-grade, chieftaincy, music and dance, this paper examines aspects of Bendi history and culture from pre-colonial times to the present, pin-pointing the impact of western influences on the people’s life ways. It is argued here that the Bendi need to revive aspects of their culture in order for them to regain their lost glory. This is imperative because sustainable development as a positive socio-economic change does not take place in a cultural vacuum. Deliberate effort must be taken to stem the tide of the uncritical, undiscriminating swallowing of the otherwise dispensable influences of western civilization and the culturally strangulating elements of Judaic-Christianity in the area. The situation in Bendi compels us to take Onwuka Njoku’s admonition seriously: “One menacing challenge which increases by the day and which younger historians have to confront is that raging monster called globalization. Globalisation is increasingly contracting the world into a village and customising and panel-beating everything on its way according to Western values and ways of life. No country can sensibly escape the contagion and the key question is how to remain truly African even amidst the ruffle and tumble of globalization.” Bendi needs a cultural renaissance that can refocus her vision of the future. If this is not done, the community will be a victim, rather than a beneficiary of globalization.