Traditional Igbo Society Research Articles

A Study of Colonial Confrontation in The Things Fall Apart

This research paper critically examines the portrayal of colonial confrontation in Chinua Achebe’s "Things Fall Apart," highlighting the themes of suppression and oppression. It argues that Achebe adeptly reconstructs the historical and political context of the Igbo people's recent past, illustrating their suppression and oppression by European colonizers. Furthermore, the paper explores how Achebe portrays Igbo community life and demonstrates how the arrival of white missionaries and colonial administrators gradually undermined traditional Igbo values. This erosion occurred initially through religious conversions and later through the imposition of colonial political structures, ultimately leading to the dismantling of traditional Igbo society. Thus, the novel addresses various forms of suppression—social, political, religious, cultural, economic, and educational—imposed on the Igbo tribe by the British colonial administration.

Gender, Age and Context in the Use of Sex-Related Verbal Taboos in Traditional Igbo Society

The study investigated how gender and age disparities, and situation/ context shape the use of sex-related verbal taboos. It adopted the qualitative orientation which involved semi-structured interviews with a total of 20 participants drawn from four purposively chosen communities or Igbo areas namely, Edda/Afikpo, Owerri, Uzuakoli and Awka. It was framed around the taboo theory of gender differences. The study identified some terms relating to sex and other parts of the body which constitute verbal taboo, and highlighted how gender and age disparities, as well as contexts shape the use of the verbal taboos. It also observed more female restrictive use of the taboo terms/expressions than male which speaks to the culture of patriarchy. Varied contexts or situations of use of the taboo terms were identified including ‘closed’ and ‘open’ contexts. It was concluded that gender and age disparities as a feature of verbal taboos depend on the culture and their underlying beliefs and values.

Interpersonal symbolic communicative practices in the traditional Igbo society

This study examines interpersonal symbolic communication in the traditional Igbo society, which entails culturally-learned, often nuanced, socially shared system of communication between individuals by the use of instruments as symbols, in which the relation between the symbol and the signified concept is arbitrary. Data for the study were drawn from oral interviews and participant observation as primary sources, while secondary sources were library materials and the internet. Findings indicate that there exists yet another form of non-verbal communication that is symbolic (involves symbols) and is exclusively interpersonal in “the various Igbo culture areas” (Onwuejeogwu 1975). The examples are sub classified based on what they communicate. The study concludes that interpersonal symbolic communicative practices could be used as tools in interesting and complex ways for the description and reproduction of varied sociocultural world of the Igbo.

Postponement and Transfer of Death in Traditional Igbo Society: The Case of Ngwere Ishi Enwoo Among Nsukka People: A Historico-Philosophical Analysis.

Traditional medical practice among the Igbo is not limited to therapeutic or curative role of healing the sick. It extends to exploration and manipulation of powers inherent in nature and material entities to achieve some ends. This is popularly known as ime ọgwụ (igwọ ọgwọ) in Igbo parlance. One of such manipulative function is the phenomenon of postponement or transfer of death from a patient to another individual without any direct or physical contact. The process raises serious philosophical concerns about causation as well as the ethical justification of the act. Employing simultaneously the empirical method, the philosophical methods of phenomenological analysis and hermeneutics, the present paper sets out to investigate the possibility of relating the cause with the effect in the phenomenon of postponement and porting of death from an individual to another. The paper explores the Igbo-African ontological understanding of realities as forces and mutual interaction of forces.

The Social Use of Language: An Ethnography of Communication in Chinua Achebe’s <i>Arrow of God</i>

During colonization, the English language was not only the primary language of government and administration but it was also used in the education of colonized subjects. Consequently, English became a national language in the colonies and had since then complicated its own status as a significant medium of communication because of the colonized conflicting attitudes towards it. Since a writer brings his personality, experience and the totality of his personhood to bear on his work of art, postcolonial writers and critics felt that the use of English from its standard form as well as the cultural values it carried cannot give genuine artistic shape and form to their creative impulses. While some advocate for the return to writing in indigenous African languages others are of the opinion that the use of a foreign language is pointless. In this sense, Chinua Achebe’s quest for a postcolonial literary aesthetic is delineated in <i>Arrow of God</i>, where, with an unparalleled dexterity, he adapts the English language to suit the cultural norms, social interactions, ideas and ideals of his traditional Igbo society. The study was conducted by applying a postcolonial approach to literature which suggests that post-colonial writing seize the English language and replace it in a discourse fully adapted to the colonised place. The primary material used for arguments in this study is <i>Arrow of God</i> where data were purposely collected. Much more data informed by Igbo’s indigenous tradition and culture were abstracted from internet sources and many critical works. The result of the analysis shows that language and culture intertwine to subvert the colonial perspective on the colonized.

Culture and Igbo notions of masculinity in Nigerian children’s literature

Children’s literature conveys the cultural and indigenous artistic experiences of the people to whom it is attributed. Earlier studies on modern Nigerian children’s literature focus mainly on the representation of moral etiquette with little attention to gender. The twin theme of culture and masculinity has not been paid close attention by scholars of children’s literature in Nigeria. In applying Igbo notions of masculinity, in this article I examine the role of oral tradition and culture in the construction of masculine identity in children’s literature in Nigeria using Ifeanyi Ifoegbuna’s Folake and Her Four Brothers, Anthonia Ekpa’s Edidem Eyamba and the Edikang-Ikong Soup, and Ikechukwu Ebonogwu’s The Champion of Echidime. I show how the ideals of masculinity, as visible and permissible in the traditional Igbo society, are, in particular, constructed and communicated through various oral and cultural norms such as praise poetry, war songs and dance, wrestling, and drumming. I reveal that oral and cultural traditions in children’s literature reflect attributes such as strength, toughness, honour, protection, respect, heterosexual desirability, and the projection of self-pride as acceptable and embraced masculine values among the Igbo in Nigeria. I also demonstrate how oral and cultural tradition is replete with masculine ideologies and messages that promote male dominance in the Igbo society.

Exploring Ruth 1:16–18 in the context of mother and daughter-in-law relationships in Igboland

This article read Ruth 1:16–18 in the context of mother and daughter-in-law relationships in Igboland. Literary analysis was adopted in this study. The literary construct of Ruth 1:16–18 was ranked amongst the Locus Classicus of Old Testament. This pericope celebrated Ruth’s vehement resolution to remain with Naomi, her mother-in-law, despite Naomi’s present hopelessness and slim prospect of the future. Ruth understood that by entering into marriage bond with Naomi’s son, she has also accepted to love and care for her and adopted her husband’s people as her own. The traditional Igbo society had similar cultural norms and values of respecting and caring for their elders. The finding of this study, however, disclosed that the wind of westernisation and modernity has negatively affected the extended family system that was the bedrock of mother and daughter-in-law relationships in Igboland. This article argued that the hermeneutical relevance of Ruth 1:16–18 will help in strengthening mother and daughter-in-law relationships in the modern Igbo society. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The literary construct of Ruth 1:16–18 was ranked amongst the Locus Classicus of Old Testament. This pericope celebrated Ruth’s love and determination to remain with Naomi, her mother-in-law. The text of Ruth 1:16–18 was studied in the context of mother and daughter-in-law relationships in modern Igboland. Disciplines implicated were Old Testament exegesis and contextual biblical hermeneutics.

The Protagonist’s Masculine Perceptions in Things Fall Apart as the Sign of Igbo Society Breakup

Things Fall Apart (TFA) is the novel written and published by Chinua Achebe in 1958 for recounting all social and cultural life and beliefs as well as the arrival of British Colonizers in the Igbo society of Nigeria. This paper aims at identifying the effects of the protagonist’s masculine perception in Things Fall Apart as the sign of Igbo society breakup. Okonkwo, the protagonist of the TFA is said in the whole novel and his different behaviors are still analyzed until now. This study elucidates the Okonkwo’s resistance against the British colonizers where he refuses to submit himself to them after slaying their messenger and prefers to die as a man by hanging himself, the act the Igbo society consider like an abomination. Along with that, the research analyzes how much Okonkwo scorns the women by considering them like weak people. Based on the analytical findings, this research reveals how his masculine perceptions portray the breakup of Igbo society socially and culturally as it has been noticed from TFA where he often blames those who behave like a woman among his clan members. The protagonist’s suicide openly exhibits the end of traditional Igbo society for the benefit of the British colonizers. Keywords: Masculine, perception, Protagonist, Gender Abuse, Society breakup DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/75-02 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

A discourse on communication and security in traditional Igbo society

A discourse on communication and security in traditional Igbo society

Migration Wars in the Traditional Igbo Society and the Challenges of National Security: The Abakaliki Experience, 1800-1920

Traditionally, state formation was characterized with wars of different magnitude. The nature, types and causes of the war differed from one state to another. The Igbo nation was one of those areas that witnessed migratory wars arising from state formation, land dispute, slave raiding and boundary crises. Considering the fact that the Igbo history of origin underpins diverse integrations and accounts, one can say that some Igbo sub-groups at different times, fought different wars with one another in search of national homeland. The outcome of these wars underscores the migration and settlement that predated the Igbo nation before the 18^th century wars, particularly the Ezza that are scattered all over Nigeria. The continuous movement of these people and many other Igbo sub-groups has led to the intermittent wars that characterized Nigerian state. This manifested in boundary disputes between several Igbo groups with her neighbours such as Ikwo-Nsobo and Osopo of Cross River State, Izzi –Osopo and Yala of Cross River State and Mgbo-Igala of Benue State. Evidences of these wars translated into indigene/settlers’ question that tend to decimate Nigeria’s nation. Against this background therefore, this paper seeks to interrogate how war of migrations in the traditional Igbo societies have continued to challenge Nigeria’s national security. The position of this paper is that, war is a natural phenomenon that can still occur despite migration, but the inability of the National Boundary Adjustment Commission to embark on complete interstate boundary adjustment increases the volume of wars, thus, challenging the Nigeria’s national security. Hence, the paper concluded by arguing that wars that challenge Nigeria’s national security are man-made and could be avoided if the Nigerian state rises to take up her responsibilities.

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and the Role of Women in Igbo Traditional Religious Culture

The paper examines the role of women in Igbo religious culture as portrayed by Chinua Achebe in his classic novel, Things Fall Apart. It explores the position of women in Igbo cultural practice by highlighting the valuable and indispensable role of Igbo women as derived from the novel. Achebe’s portraiture of the feminine gender has continued to draw a lot of attention as a result of their largely perceived degrading roles. This was done by a critical analysis of the novel, Things Fall Apart, which ultimately formed the fulcrum of the study, as well as other relevant documents. Based on the key religious, educational, socio-cultural and other roles of women as derived from the novel, the paper finds out that contrary to the general notion that women are to be seen and not to be heard, women are actually seen and heard especially, as a result of their indispensable roles in the traditional Igbo society. The place of women in Igbo cultural society is pivotal and very critical in the sustenance and continuance of human society.

Igbo World View on Death : The Role of Funeral Artist at the Burial Ceremony of an Adult in Traditional Igbo Society

Igbo World View on Death : The Role of Funeral Artist at the Burial Ceremony of an Adult in Traditional Igbo Society

The Institution of Masking, Wall and Body Painting in Traditional Igbo Society

The Institution of Masking, Wall and Body Painting in Traditional Igbo Society

The Meaning of Marriage in Buchi Emecheta’s Works: Metaphor for Servitude

This paper examines Buchi Emecheta’s biographical novel The Slave Girl, arguing that in traditional Igbo society, a girl’s life is teeming with lots of bondage that reduces her life to servitude. With this is mind, I will be placing an emphasis on “slave girl burial” episode that can bridge The Slave Girl and The Joys of Motherhood. The latter treats the plight of Nnu Ego, the protagonist, whose tragic life stems from marriage itself burdened with polygamy, bride price, son-preference, resulting from the cursed concept of patriarchal society and slave-like position in a traditional society. Meanwhile Ojebeta in The Slave Girl, who was sold for 8 pounds of ransom by her brother, spent 28 years as a slave at Ma Palagada’s; and although returns home free, she becomes once again a slave to her husband. It is because she considers Jacob, her husband, her ‘master’ and ‘new owner.’ Within Ojebeta the slave mentality has not been completely eradicated. She has experienced change, but not enough of it to make her absolutely free. That is what Emechta tries to point out in the novel. By paralleling Nigeria’s colonization by Britain with that of Ojebeata’s slavery both mentally as well as physically, Emecheta might have told Nigerian women’s ineluctable destiny using a slave-metaphor to dramatize women’s servitude through inhumane oppression.

English

This paper examines the communicativeness of incantations in the traditional Igbo society. Incantations are given force by oral tradition, a practice whereby the social, political, economic and cultural heritage of the people is communicated by word of mouth from one generation to another. It was the most predominant part of communication in many parts of Africa. Prior to colonialism, the African society, including the Igbo used oral tradition as a veritable tool in information gathering, sharing/dissemination and indeed worship. They lived normal and satisfactory lives, cultivated, built, ate, sang, danced, healed their sick, created and communicated. Incantation is one of the modes of communication in the traditional Igbo society. In an incantation, all words stand for something and are meaningful. Most of the cultural displays of the Igbo society employ incantations in communicating with spirits. While some aspects of the practice may appear fetish and obsolete, several others are purely traditional and, destroying it out-rightly amounts to throwing away a baby with the dirty water. This article traces the effectiveness of incantation as a mode of communication, examines its uses and purposes, while highlighting the implications of allowing it go into extinction. It recommends that the people’s way of life should not be extinguished, but preserved. Key words: Communication, incantation, African traditional religion, Igbo, kolanut.

Community Policing in the Traditional Igbo Society: A Model for Preventing Crime in the Contemporary Nigerian Society

Community policing is neither foreign nor novel to Africa. Long before the coming of Europeans, the traditional Igbo society of the now south-eastern Nigeria had devised means of policing its communities and curbing or preventing crime using primarily the age grade system and masquerade secret society. This approach was very effective in enabling the pre-colonial Igbo society in not just fighting crime but also in preventing crime. Given the current security challenges in the contemporary Nigerian society, there is a need to revisit this model of community policing for the purpose of preventing and curbing crimes such as terrorism, insurgency, armed robbery, commercial hostage taking (kidnapping), militancy, pipeline vandalisation, oil theft (illegal bunkering), etc. The paper also noted that taking into consideration the ‘acephalous’, decentralised, egalitarian, communalistic, ‘gerontocratic’, villagised, largely republican and directly democratic character of the traditional Igbo society is necessary for adapting its mechanism of community policing into the more complex, less decentralised, republican, federal, capitalist and indirect democracy of the modern Nigeria. The study is essentially descriptive, historical and qualitative.

Policing the Community or Community Policing: Implication for Community Development in Nigeria

Community policing is fast becoming a global trend, especially in the 21st century. But the key elements or core component of community policing is not foreign or new in Africa, for example, the pre-colonial Igbo society did not distinguish between policing or fighting crime with the overall role of the society. Consequently, the role of policing in the traditional Igbo society was diffused in that there was no specialized institution which specific role or primary purpose was to police or fight crime. It was the role of the entire society, thus, the saying that “elders do not allow goat to be strangulated by the forest”. Yet the age grade and masquerade society were prominent in the role of policing and the task of policing and fighting crime among other roles or functions, and all adult male citizens belong to both the age grade and masquerade society meaning that the task of policing is that of the entire society.

A Critical Survey of the Growth, Decline, and Sustainability of Traditional Pottery Practice among the Igbo of South Eastern Nigeria

Ethnographic studies conducted in major women's pottery communities in Igboland have proved that Igbo traditional pottery is on the decline and has even gone into extinction in some areas as a result of the introduction of Western technology and education. Some writers have also stressed that despite the negative influence of modernity, the pottery tradition has continued in some parts of Igboland because of its role in traditional society. This study, undertakes a critical survey of the extent and period in which Igbo pottery flourished, when it began to decline as a result of modern influences, and the contribution to its survival due to the role it plays in traditional Igbo society. The study involved in-depth interviews with women potters in the study areas (Afikpo and Ishiagu) as well as critical observations of their present and past pottery practices. The study has established the fact that the influence of modernity started to be felt in the 1950s, but its effect was very gradual, enabling the pottery tradition to reach its peak in 1970s. The actual period of decline was the 1980s, about twenty years after the end of colonial administration in Nigeria. In the 1980s the Igbo embraced Western culture, flooded the market with modern containers and established modern pottery industries, which eventually led to the decline of traditional pottery in late 1980s. However, the social, religious and economic roles of pottery in traditional Igbo society have been identified as among the factors responsible for its survival in those communities that have continued production in spite of the negative effects of modernization.

'You're Responsible for His Death': Widowhood in Igbo Gender Construction and Struggle for Agency in Selected Literary Texts

'You're Responsible for His Death': Widowhood in Igbo Gender Construction and Struggle for Agency in Selected Literary Texts Chinwe Ezeifeka, Ifeyinwa Ogbazi Abstract The paper examines the construction of widowhood in the traditional Igbo society where the demise of a spouse makes the partner culpable, especially the female. Using three texts set in the Igbo culture, namely, two stories from Ifeoma Okoye's The Trial and Other Stories entitled "Soul Healers" and "The Trial"; and Akachi Adimorah-Ezeigbo's drama text, Hands that Crush Stone, the paper rethinks this facet of gender construction through the lens of systemic functional linguistics. The Transitivity analysis showed the predominant representation of the protagonists in vulnerable social positions as ‘carriers’ of stigmatizing ‘attributes’, as ‘actors’ of incriminating ‘goals’, as ‘receivers’ of accusing and dehumanizing ‘verbiage’, as objects (‘hands’) and as the wretched of the earth. The Mood system of the clause as exchange shows the widows at the receiving end of interrogative and imperative clauses showing that power structures in the society are skewed in their disfavour. The paper observes the lone struggle of these social victims and the desperate but ingenuous strategies they contrive to gain agency from repressive cultural and social practices. The paper concludes that these literary texts, though set in apparently enlightened fictional Igbo societies, mirror authentic social practices that need to be critically addressed. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/ijll.v2n3a8

Chinua Achebe's &lt;i&gt;Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God&lt;/i&gt;: a re-evaluation

Some literary critics of Achebe's novels, among who are Joseph Swann (1990) and C. L. Innes (1990) consider Things Fall Apart (1958) and Arrow of God (1964) to be mirrors in which the social, political and cultural realities of the Igbo people and even of Africa in general, can be seen. But considering the context in which the novels were written-Africa was being defiled by a certain category of European intellectuals and writers-could Achebe be an unbiased interpreter of such realities, or did he simply use his art with a view to beguiling his readers into watching and understanding what he wanted them to see and grasp about his culture? The present article tries to re-read Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God by presenting the two main protagonists, Okonkwo and Ezeulu, not as heroes, as has been the case so far, but simply as anti-heroes, who embody in actual fact, neither the intrinsic values of traditional Igbo society, nor its ideals and aspirations. Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research Vol. 1 2004: 1-13