By Apostle Patrick Nwanze (Agu Anioma)
At the rate of which Igbo people are migrating to different cities and other parts of the world, if care is not taken, Igbo culture and tradition may go into extinct. This is why it is important to discuss the circumstances surrounding this so that everyone will put hand on deck to ensure that Igbo culture and tradition do not sink.
I want to talk about culture and tradition of Igbos. Ejiri mara ndi Igbo na omenala ndi Igbo. These differ from region, state, towns to villages. Various Igbos have different cultures and traditions but the similar and related ones can be used as standards for practice.
We should also know that culture and tradition also change from time to time, generation to generation and from age to age. The changes can be caused by migration, civilization and new knowledge. What this means is that when Igbos relocate to a new place, they may adopt the culture of the place as well as drop some of them to be able to live in harmony with their hosts.
Culture and tradition are not spirits. They originate from certain set of people at a particular period out of one necessity or the other. These are influenced by the people’s social, economic, political and geographical setting. That is why only one feature cannot make a whole culture and tradition of the people. Culture and tradition include language, ancestral heritage, geographical location, dressing, music and dance, marriage, way of life and behaviour, belief system and customs. As we have human beings with same physical features but different colour, behaviour and pattern; so is culture. It has different features but can be inherent in one person.
There are people that share similar occupations such as farming, trading, teaching, bone setting, medicine and herbs, priests and warriors etc. In their ways of life, there are negative and positive behaviours among them. Those who are hostile and those who are homely and peaceful; those who are criminals, killers and cannibals and those who are hospitable and accommodating. Some people share similar marriage rites, customs and values, method of investigation and administration of justice.
Igbo culture can also be influenced by the geographical location of the people. Those who live in the forest region, behave differently from those who live in coastal and mountainous regions. Those who live in clusters behave differently from those that live demarcated areas. All of these behaviours and cultures are dynamic and change from time to time. There are various factors that lead to such changes over a period of time. Despite the change, people may not have same cultural heritage within a particular period and in one particular place. What i mean is that they may not share the same features such as language, custom and tradition, dressing code, food, music, belief system and ways of life.
I am giving these instances and backgrounds to explain the fact that culture among the people is dynamic and change with the people. The changes can be triggered by various things. And despite these changes, the people are still seen as the same no matter the geographical location where they find themselves. Thus, there are Igbos who live in Lagos, Abuja, London, united states, Canada, Japan and Accra who exhibit same culture that is known of the Igbo tribe back home. These can also be practiced and sustained and the people identified with such despite the cohabitation.
That does not mean that Igbos who live in these foreign places have different Igbo culture from those who live in the eastern region of Nigeria. As long as the cluster of people who live in these areas exhibit similar cultures and tradition attributed to Igbos, they will still be referred to as Igbos.
It is also possible for one to possess one or two feature of Igbo culture and tradition and yet cannot be referred to as an Igbo. Thus, you can be an Igbo without knowing how to speak the language. It is also possible for one to speak Igbo language, bear Igbo name, live in Igboland without being an Igbo. Just as we explained earlier, one can be Igbo through language, ancestral heritage, geographical location and been born in a region called Igbo land.
There are Igbos who have lost their identity and heritage due to migration and relocation. For instance, those who migrated to foreign land outside Igboland and abroad, and marry from such places will most likely procreate children with mixed cultures. If such children produce other generations in such places, they will likely lose their Igbo identity. This is because they will definitely adopt new cultures different from the original ones and live with such over these periods of time.
There are also those who acquire new cultures and after a period of time, they drop their original cultures. That is why you see Igbo people who wear English, Yoruba and Hausa dresses, speak their languages, adopt their marriage, and burial rites as well as the belief and family lifestyles.
So, how can Igbo culture and tradition be retained especially among migrants? This is the main purpose of this discourse. This can be done by sustaining such culture in any place they find themselves through teaching the new generations about them, passing them through mentorship and through celebrating such cultures from time to time.
This can start from exhibiting Igbo cultures in Igbo families where you give babies Igbo names, introduce them to Igbo languages, lifestyles, customs, food, music and family life. Institutions can be developed to teach these cultures and traditions thereby transferring them from generation to generation wherever Igbos are located. Through these, children would know Igbo days, markets, language, value system, tradition and ways of life. Since Igbo kingdoms have been developed in various places where Igbos have migrated, with village and town unions, the Ezes and leaders of such groups must promote Igbo cultures within such kingdoms and associations.
Parents should name their children Igbo names instead of western names, encourage them to marry from their tribe and relate with their kinsmen who live in various cities and countries. They should be encouraged to join their village, town and state unions through which the culture and traditions would be promoted. Many Igbos in other cities are not members of their village and town’s meetings.
One of the most effective ways of promoting and sustaining Igbo culture and traditional heritage is by organizing Igbo cultural week or day at least once in a year in every city or state outside Igboland. This will create opportunities to showcase various Igbo cultures and traditions such as language, food, dress, music, and art. It is also an opportunity to exhibit books, farming tools, artefacts, relics, videos and records. Various Igbos who have distinguished themselves in various areas of life would be honoured for their achievements setting them as models for the youths.
Just as i earlier stated, culture is dynamic. There are new cultures in Igboland which have developed some years back. They are in the areas of entrepreneurship, arts, creativity, mentorship, science and technology, education, industrialization, engineering, medicine, entertainment, and discoveries. During such event, notable people who have distinguished themselves in these new areas of culture would be honoured jointly by Ndi Eze and other Igbo leaders.
If this is done at least once in a year, in various cities, such as Lagos and in diaspora, Igbo culture and tradition will not go into oblivion or be swallowed by those of the people where Igbos migrate to. It will also give all Igbos sense of belonging. It will create love, unity, peace and progress among Igbos wherever they are. It will give the people sense of patriotism and pride thereby relegating to the background the fear of oppression and marginalization. Cry of marginalization is a sign of inferiority complex. And Igbos are not inferior to other tribes in the country.
Igbos have a very rich cultural heritage and the best way to sustain these will be to celebrate them in all parts of the world. Wherever it is done, all Igbos must join hands in doing this to prevent Igbo culture from going into extinction.
