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Education for change in a changing Nigerian Igbo society: Impacts of traditional African and western education on the upbringing of Igbo children
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Education for change in a changing Nigerian Igbo society: Impacts of traditional African and western education on the upbringing of Igbo children
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EDUCATION FOR CHANGE M A CHANGING NIGERIAN IGBO
SOCIETY: MPACTS OF TRADITIONAL AFRICAN AND WESTERN
EDUCATION ON THE UPBRMGMG OF IGBO CHILDREN
b y
Donatus Ikschukwu Eksnachi
A Disssrtation Pvasantad to tha
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillmant of tha
Raquiramants for tha Dagraa
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(EDUCATION)
Dacambar 2001
Copyright 2001 Donatus Ikechukwu Ekanachi
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UMI Number 3065783
Copyright 2001 by
Ekenachi, Donatus Ikechukwu
A ll rights reserved.
U M I*
UMI Microform 3065783
Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against
unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code.
ProQuest Information and Learning Company
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P.O. Box 1346
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
THE GRADUAT E SCHOOL
U NI VEI Sr TY P A J U C
L OS ANCX L E S . CALI FORNI A 9 0 0 0 7
T T i i s dissertation, written by
Eke N A a # Ifie e & tk w 0 a m jk s
under the direction of h Dissertation
Committee, and approved by all its m em b e rs ,
has been presented to and accepted by The
Graduate School, in partial fulfillment of re-
quirements for the d e g r e e of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Dean o f Graduate Studies
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE
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DEDICATION
This study was dedicated to the memory of my late father,
Pa, Augustine Nwokonkwo Ekenachi (1910 -1991),
whose fidelity to the Christian faith amidst the practices
of paganism of his time, inspired me to a vocation
in the Roman Catholic priesthood.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to express his heartfelt gratitude to the following
persons, institutions and organizations for their roles in making his studies
and this research work a success. The University of Southern California and
Rossier School of Education for providing the opportunities for me to arrive at
this point of my academic journey.
Professors who had guided me all through the rough roads of my
academic pursuits. William M. Rideout Jr. Ph.D., my advisor and mentor
who made me come to USC, as well as guiding me through all these difficult
years of studies; Nelly P . Stromquist, Ph.D., Janet Hoskins, Ph.D., and David
Eskey, Ph.D., for serving on this committee and for their guidance all through
the proposal and dissertation writing periods. Also, Mary K. McCullough,
Ph.D. of LMU, for her earlier academic guidance on my studies.
His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony E llonu, Catholic Bishop of
Okigwe, Nigeria, my local Ordinary and the Vatican, Rome, for giving me the
opportunity to further my studies at this time.
His Eminence, Roger Michael Cardinal Mahony, Catholic Archbishop
of Los Angeles, for accepting and giving me room and board in two of his
Church rectories of Saints Jerome and Michael all these years. My former
pastors Rev. James Kavanagh and Rev. Michael Meyer, the present pastor
Rev. Bruce Corrieo and his parishioners, for their friendships and support
Rev. Nelson Trinidad, for his goodwill. Rev Frs. John Dede and Ron.
iii
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Ashmore, pastors and parishioners of S t Margaret Mary Church, and Msgr.
Larry Moran of S t Patrick’s Church, Terre Haute, Indiana, for their support
and goodwill.
His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Adam Exner, Catholic Archbishop of
Vancouver, B. C., Canada and his priests, Msgr. David Monroe VG, Msgr.
Greg Smith, Chancellor, Revs. James Comey, James Fagan, Pat Tepoorten
and Augustine Obiwumma, for their paternal and fraternal support and
encouragement while with them before coming over to the United States for
further studies.
Helene Gdyk for her special support, Mrs. Rita Mcgovem, Martha and
her Onyejekwe families, John Vella, Austin Payne, Tony Peres, Mary
Catherine Breslin and Pius Okuma families, for their goodwill and support all
these years. The principal, Rita Smith, staff and students of Star of the Sea
School, Surrey B. C., for their prayers, respect and regular spiritual bouquets.
Msgr. Professor Festus C. Okafor, Rev. Drs. Thaddeus Onoyima,
Panteleon Umuchukwu, Malachy Nwabuisi CSSP, and Rev. Sr. Dr. Trinitas
Keke of the University of Nigeria Nsukka for their help and support during a
research visit Rev. Drs. Pat K. Uchendu and Simon O . Anyanwu, Dr. Mrs.
Fidelia Uketui of Abia State University, Uturu, for their support and
contributions to this work. Rev. Dr. John C. Iwe, of Seat of Wisdom
Seminary, Owerri, Rev. Dr. Michael Eboh, Fr. Temple Okoro and their
seminarians of S t Peter’s Seminary, Ihitte, for their prayers and participation
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in the research interviews. Also. Andrew Chlebek, a course mate, for his
assistance in group discussions and support
Rev. Sr. Clare Maris Ibeh, and her Madonna Nursery/primary school
community, with all the other participated schools and individuals in
Amakohia Ihitte, Mr. Martin Iwe, Mrs. M. Obi and Mr. C. I. Nwaokeafor, Mr.
Nick and Amaka Joan Egemonu, as well as Mrs. Nkechi Agbaraji for their
cooperation and support in the study. Rev. Dr. Emma Osuji. Frs. Kevin Ikpa,
Oliver Nwachukwu, Fr. Roberto Marie Ike, Ph.D., Fr. Oliver Obele, Rev. Srs.
Zita C. Ekezie, Uche E. Eziocha and Deacon Fidel Chukwu for their helpful
suggestions and support
Barrister Chima Anyanwu and family, Aloy and Mike Ezeagwula, Don
Ohiri, Mary Asoera, Ego Mmeje, Adaku Ezeoba, Drs. Chika Okoro, Ukeje
Agu, and Damian Nwiwu families, for their help and support, Mr. Leo and Dr.
(Mrs.) Aline Smith Uzoka, for their friendship and for proofreading this work;
Joseph Ogbueze and Kingsley Ofomata, for their goodwill and help.
To Rev. Fr. Michael Umeh, Anthony Ikebudu, Dr. Paul Amuchie and
the Igbo Catholic Community of Southern California, the Ihitte/Uboma Family
Association of So. California, and Ahiaeke seminary alumni in California,
I am very grateful for their prayers and support all these years.
To our secretaries Mary F. Orduno (USC), Maria Martins (S t Jerome), Laura
Lopez, Maria Garcia and Ofeiia Mendez, our housekeeper (St Michael),
Nkechi Ezekwe, I am grateful for their services and support
v
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Finally, to my family, my mother Angelina, and siblings Elesius, Martin,
Lawrence, Theresa, Chinyere, Peter, Rev. Sr. Onyekachi and John Paul,
with their families. My uncles Chief G.S. Chukwu, Barth. O. Chukwu and
Godfather Sir. and Lady Felix .U. Onuoha, I will remain ever grateful for all
their unconditional love, care and support all through these years. Thank you
and may God bless you all for your goodwill and support in my life and work.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES
Dedication......................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgements............................................................................iii
Abstract.............................................................................................ix
Chapter One: Introduction................................................................ 1
1 .1 General background: Historical foundations...................................... 1
1.2 What is Igbo education? ................................................................2
1.3 The Igbo Society, then and now: Historical foundations..................... 8
1 .3 .1 Change and social adaptation ....................................................14
1.4 Background of the study: Problem area............................................ 15
1.5 The Amakohia community: Historical foundations.............................16
1 .5 .1 Significance of a child in the family and community.......................18
1.6 Purpose of the study .................................................................... 20
1.7 Statement of the problem................................................................ 21
1.8 Research questions....................................................................... 2 1
1.9 Significance of the study ............................................................... 22
1.10 Assumptions .............................................................................. 23
1 .1 1 Limitations...................................................................................24
1.12 Delimitation ................................................................................ 25
1.13 Definition of term s....................................................................... 26
1.14 Organization of the study .............................................................28
1.15 Chapter summary........................................................................ 3 1
Chapter Two: Review of Literature................................................... 33
2 .1 Conceptual framework for the study.................................................33
2.2 Literature review............................................................................ 37
2.3 Chapter summary.......................................................................... 45
Chapter Three: Methodology..............................................................47
3 .1 Research design........................................................................... 48
3.2 Survey...........................................................................................48
3.3 Interviews ..................................................................................... 49
3.4 Direct observation..........................................................................49
3.5 Use of libraries and missionary education records.............................50
3.6 Mapping and use of dendograms .................................................... 50
3.7 Chapter summary ..........................................................................5 1
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Chapter Four Indigenous Education.................................................. 53
4.1 Traditional Igbo education: Non-fbrmal and Inform............................. 53
4.2 The family: Nuclear and extended.................................................... 55
4.3 Community involvement It takes a village to raise a child................... 56
4.4 The birth of a ch ild ...........................................................................57
4.5 Early childhood period: Ages 2 to 5 years..........................................59
4.6 Middle childhood period: Ages 6 to 10 years..................................... 62
4.7 Adolescent/Teenage period: Ages 10 to 18 years.............................. 63
4.8 The life-long use of proverbs in Igbo teaching .................................. 68
4.9 The importance of storytelling and folktales........................................78
4.10 Use of animals and objects in Igbo thought system......................... 84
4.11 Rules of conduct, respect for elders, and family name..................... 86
4.12 The umunne, umunna and umuada phenomena .............................87
4.13 Methods of discipline - rewards and punishment..............................90
4.14 The market square and cultural celebrations....................................9 1
4.15 Food and dietary rules...................................................................92
4.16.1 The kola nut: Oji.......................................................................... 93
4.16.2 Iri-ji: Eating of the new yam festival................................................97
4.16.3 The Mbom-uzo: Clearing road festival.........................................1 0 1
4.16.4 Religion and belief system......................................................... 102
4.17 Chapter summary........................................................................ 103
Chapter Five: Western Education......................................................106
5.1 Historical foundations of western education in Igboland.................... 106
5.2 Language use: Igbo and English...................................................... 108
5.3 Arrivals and works of early Christian missionaries.............................110
5.3.1 Missionaries activities in old Owerri province of E. Nigeria...............113
5.3.2 Missionaries activities in Amakohia in old Etiti, LGA ......................116
5.4 Government involvement in education ............................................ 118
5.4.1 Elementary/primary education: Grades 1 to 6 ................................120
5.4.2 Universal primary education program............................................ 122
5.4.3 Secondary education junior and senior sec. schools...................... 124
5.4.4 Vocational education.................................................................. 125
5.4.5 Responses from vocational schools samples.................................126
5.4.6 Discussions on the vocational education samples.........................138
5.5 Chapter summary........................................................................14 1
Chapter Six: Findings and Discussions.............................................143
6.1 New trend in nursery and primary ed. in Igboland..............................145
6.2 Questionnaire results..................................................................... 1 5 1
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6.3 Factors responsible for Igbos’ acceptance of the W est.....................203
6.4 A changing people........................................................................ 209
6.5 A changing behavior......................................................................212
6.6 A changing culture........................................................................ 213
Chapter Seven: Summaries, Conclusions and
Recommendations............................................................................ 215
7.1 Summaries....................................................................................215
7.2 Conclusions.................................................................................. 216
7.2.1 Policy implications...................................................................... 218
7.2.2 Local government level............................................................... 219
7.2.3 State government level............................................................... 219
7.2.4 Federal government level........................................................... 220
7.3 Recommendations for future research........................................... 221
7.3.1 Parental and community involvement........................................... 221
7.3.2 Involvement of private/voluntary agencies......................................222
7.3.3 Governments’ involvement......................................................... 222
References....................................................................................... 224
Appendix............................................................................................ 228
ix
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List of charts, maps, photos and Questionnaires in the study.
(i) List o f Charts:
Chart 1: Influences on the Igbo child..................................................... 52
Chart 2: School children* response on why “I like school"................ 153 -155
Chart 3: Teachers’ response on teaching experience 1 7 1 -175
(ii) List o f Maps in Appendix A.
Map 1: Nigeria, showing locations of ethnic groups............................... 228
Map 2: Igboland and its neighbors....................................................... 229
Map 3: Amakohia, villages and landmarks............................................ 230
Map 4: Ihitte/Uboma LGA and its communities......................................23 1
Map 5: Imo State and its neighboring states.........................................232
(iii) List o f Questionnaires in Appendix B.
Sample 1: Questionnaire for pupils/students.........................................233
Sample 2: Questionnaire for teachers..................................................234
Sample 3: For school administrators/community leaders....................... 235
(iv) List o f Pictures in Appendix C.
Pictures #1: Baby shower celebration.................................................236
Pictures #2: Seat of Wisdom nursery school........................................ 237
Pictures #3: Madonna nursery primary school..................................... 238
Pictures #4: Central school Ihitte primary 6 pupils................................ 239
Pictures #5: Children returning from local stream.................................240
Pictures #6: Ezechinyere printing press, Isinweke................................ 2 4 1
Pictures #7: Ben Superment fashion school........................................ 242
Pictures #8: Obowo Honda workshop................................................. 243
Pictures #9: Iwa Akwa ceremony in Amakohia..................................... 244
Pictures #10: Entertaining troops at Iwa Akwa ceremony...................... 245
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ABSTRACT
This is a case study in Amakohia community of IhitteAJboma LGA, Imo
State, Nigeria. Amakohia was chosen to represent the Igbo Society on
account of its centrality in Igboland, as well as being the hometown of the
researcher, where things are familiar to him.
The Igbo of Nigeria are one of the three major ethnic groups among the
250 in the country. Nigeria’s national and official languages are Igbo, Hausa,
Yoruba and English respectively. These were chosen as tools to enhance
national unity, economic and social development
Igbos are family-oriented, enterprising, religious and an education loving
people, whose quest tor knowledge and exploration of the unknown
motivated them to welcome early Christian missionaries. The missionaries
introduced Christianity with formal education as a tool for evangelization.
With strong faith in traditional religion and belief in the Supreme Being whom
they called “Chukwu” (the big God), in heaven and hell, a belief found
comparable to the Christian teachings on monotheism and worship of one
true God; the Igbos did not find enough reasons for not accepting
Christianity. Hence, they embraced this new Christian faith with pride and
hope, that later became rewarding as Igbos are today educators and
missionaries among themselves and others.
Traditional African education is based on informal and nonformal
teaching by parents, elders and siblings that take place in the homes and
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communities. This was the foundation on which western education in
Igboland was founded. Western education is structured and teaches literacy
and numeracy. Both traditional and formal educations play complementary
roles in the upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo children.
Future researchers of Igbo culture should look into the possibilities of
cooperation between the government parents and private/religious
organizations in handling primary and secondary education for a holistic
training of Nigerian Igbo students.
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CHAPTER ONE
1.1 GENERAL BACKGROUND: (HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS)
Introduction.
Nigeria is one of the fifty-five independent nations that presently make
up the continent of Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa and the
tenth in the world, with a total population of 123,337,822 million people
(2001 World Almanac, LA Times, 3/29/2001, A9). Nigeria is located along
the Atlantic coast of West Africa at 5 degrees north of the Equator.
Politically, Nigeria was a former British colony and gained its
independence bloodlessly October 1,1960. Its post independence civil crisis
that led to the military coup d’ etat and the consequent take-over of the
national government, culminated in the Biafran (former Eastern Region of
Nigeria) secession, resulting a brutal civil war from July of 1967, to January
of 1970 in which over a million lives were lost and accompanied by extensive
property damage.
Nigeria is today made up of thirty-six states and the new Federal Capital
Territory of Abuja. A functional democracy is now in place, headed by
President Olusegun Obasanjo (a former Army General), after forty years of
political independence, of which some twenty-nine years were devoted to
economic squandering and social disintegration under military rule. The
Igbos, the center of this study, are one of the three major ethnic groups
(Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba) in Nigeria which has some two hundred and fifty
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other ethnic populations with diverse and fascinating cultures and traditional
education systems, among other identifiable features.
This study of education for change in a changing Nigerian Igbo society
aims at looking into the lives of the Igbos, to identify who they are, and some
of the things they do. It also seeks to discover how things have evolved since
their first contact with the West in the 19'" Century, and how much this has
influenced their culture. In addition, it will compare life in the traditional Igbo
society with contemporary life in this same society to examine what has
changed, what is changing at present, as well as what will likely change in
the future. Hence the goal of this case study is to assess how changes have
been affected and influenced as a result of the impacts on Igbo children of
both African traditional and Western formal education. Education, therefore,
will be broadly looked into in this case, to assess how it affects the Igbos and
their culture, with more emphasis on the upbringing of their children.
1.2 What is Igbo Education?
Every culture, people and profession in the world has a stake in
education whether informal, non-formal, or formal. Education is used
synonymously here with learning, which is a process. Education is also
related to training but has some distinctive features from it Steven E. Tozer
et al (1998) quoted Abraham Flexner in 1927 who, stated that
Between education and training there exists a vast distinction.
Education is an intellectual and spiritual process. It has to do
with opening the windows of the human mind and the human
soul. It involves the effort to understand, to comprehend, and
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to be sensitive to ideas, aspirations, and interests to which
the individual might otherwise be rKkfferent This is not so
with training. Training connotes abSty to do something,
without deepened understanding, widened sympathy, or
heightened aspirations..........
Occasionally, to be sure, training must precede education.
One must be trained to read, before one can become
educated in literature; one must be trained to add and
multiply before one can be educated in higher mathematics.
(School and Society, p.3-4).
Education is informal when such learning processes take place in the family,
in the context of day-to-day interactions between parents and their children,
siblings among themselves, as well as the parents themselves and the
community. The aim of this process is to educate members of the family
about things happening and going on around them, as well as transmitting
values from parents and communities to children. Informal education
becomes traditional education when it is done according to the culture of a
particular group of people and includes customs and traditions. The
traditional African education of the Igbos of Nigeria is an example of this type
of learning experience. On this, P. K. Uchendu (1993), noted that
In traditional African society, the family was considered as
one o f die primary and indispensable cells o f African society.
It was there that the foundation of the traditional education
and culture were laid, and the young delicate conscience o f
the youths was reared according to the values o f the society.
Education o f children has been one o f the most fundamental
problems in man’s development and the Africans, although
referred to as the Dark Continent was (sic.) not unaware o f this.
For them education means a social process designed to
induct the rising generation into membership o f their society.
(Perspectives in Nigerian Education, p. 1).
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Babs Fafunwa (1974) also noted in affirmation to this view, that
It is a process for transmitting culture in terms o f continuity
and growth and for disseminating knowledge either to
ensure social control or to guarantee rational direction o f the
society or both (History o f Education in Nigeria, p.17).
Education is non-fbrmal when the process of learning is carried on in a
setting aimed at educating people. This is a non-degree-oriented program. It
often occurs in conferences, seminars, conventions and business retreats in
the Western educational approach. In the traditional African approach, non-
fbrmal education takes place in community and group town hall meetings,
market square gatherings, as well as in family and kindred meetings. During
these gatherings, people are educated or enlightened on some issues that
may, or may not concern them there and then, but may be beneficial to them
in the long run vis-d-vis their participation in their families and community.
These traditional methods of educating the people have always been
valuable in local communities, who love listening to community leaders and
well known individuals who talk to them about issues going on around them.
These community leaders and other well-known individuals have acquired
such highly recognized positions o f prominence among the people that the
community believes and accepts what they say and do on their behalf as
their worthy and trusted representatives without many questions asked
and/or answers demanded every now and then on various local and political
or national issues.
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On the other hand, a formal education is a learning process that is
carried on in an organized regular classroom setting and must be either
certificate or degree oriented. It covers primary and secondary schooling, as
well as college and university diplomas, or their equivalent With formal
education, people are prepared for the various life professions and careers
that require formal education - something almost non-existent in pre-colonial
Sub-Saharan Africa (including the Igboland of Nigeria).
Different people have tried to define education in different ways as it
affects their ways of life. For the Nigerian Igbo, education is Mmuta
(learning). It is the use of one’s innate abilities to study what one does not
know, and this is a life-long process and venture. As a learning process, it is
an on-going commitment from infancy to old age and until death. For the
Igbos, traveling and diverse experiences of life are also educational in nature
and content Hence the Igbo popular saying, "A traveler is wiser than a gray-
haired person”. This fact is well accepted by all Igbos everywhere (either
living at home in Igboland or anywhere abroad). Hence, this also guides their
worldview and perceptions. Other definitions and suggested general
functions of education according to some writers are that
Education is the process, by which people acquire knowledge,
skills, habits, values, or attitudes. Education should help people
become useful members of society. It should also help them
develop an appreciation of their cultural heritage and live more
satisfying lives. The most common way to get an education is
to attend school. But much education also takes place
outside the classroom (World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 6, p. 84).
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According to Professor Festus C. Okafbr (1974) on this discussion:
Education or acculturation ofchUdran has been one of the
most fundamental problems in man’s development The
importance o f education for man stems from his very nature.
As an animal, he is the most hopeless at birth for he cannot
help himself. As a rational being, he seems even worse than
animals in his early days, for his mind is created tabula rasa'
he has no innate ideas or knowledge, but has to acquire all
his knowledge by means o f sense experience. For as
phtosophers have rightly established, "ntoi est in intellectu
quod non estprius in sensu (whatever is in the intellect,
gets there through the senses). Consequently the education
o f man takes a very gradual process, and the most important
period o f his education is the early years o f his development,
when his mind is most tender and most pliable.
(Africa at the Crossroads, p.29).
Finally, Education also helps people adjust to change. This change benefit
has become increasingly important because, social changes today take
place with increasing speed and affect the lives of more and more people in
the society. Hence, “Education can help a person understand these changes
and provide the skills for adjusting to them* (World Book, Ibid. p 84).
Following the above definitions, this study also looks at education as
an instrument for affecting positive and progressive changes in a society.
Thus the coming of the European Christian missionaries and their political
colonizers with Western educational systems of schooling to the Nigerian
society in the 19m century, brought in some elements of comparison and
competition in the ways Igbo children were raised at the time, as well as
being still raised today in and outside Igboland.
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Segun Ogunsaju (1983, in Nigerian Education, Trend and Issues) noted;
The education o f the chid in the Nigerian society starts
from infancy. The chid learns from parents, and environment.
As time goes on, undos, aunties and relatives get involved
in the process o f educating the chid. They send him/her on
sm ai errands, teti him/her stories, teach him/her forms o f
obedience and respect for elders... a very important aspect
o f Nigerian education code o f behaviors. A young man or
woman should not took an elder in the face, it is a sign o f
disrespect (p.247).
Although the above statements may also be true of many other
societies, they are so profound in Igbo communities that a child who
misbehaves before an adult or looks directly into his/her eyes, or asks
probing questions while he/she is being talked to, can receive an immediate
disciplinary action there and then by that adult with a knock on the head or a
slap on the jaw and the community does not frown at it because such will
deter the child from any future reoccurrence. This is one of the good and bad
differences (depending on whom you ask) in raising Igbo children as against
Western children here in the United States where such actions would be
easily regarded as an issue of child abuse.
Nevertheless, a Nigerian educator, Professor Babs A. Fafiinwa (1974),
in referring to this cultural practice warns against what he sees as a
shortsighted vision of a child’s development and progress when he observed:
The average African parent still believes that the child is to be
seen and not heard, an outmoded concept. This approach
naturally stifles the chiefs curiosity and impedes the development
o f his reasoning powers. Most parents, particularly those who
are illiterate, tend to consider a three to six-year old’s questions
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as irritation or sheer impertinence; many even regard them as
bad manners, which of course, should be nipped in the bud by
hitting the chid. As if this were not enough, the chid meets with
even more rigorous resistance at the elementary school level,
if he is ever lucky enough to see the inside o f a school.
The teacher, who in many instances is either untrained or unsure,
or both, covers up his own ignorance by slapping down the
eager chid instead of giving him as much encouragement as
he can (New Perspectives in African Education, p. 16).
From the foregoing examples, education is seen as the source of
knowledge for self-improvement as well as the propelling force for
community development These instances illustrate why the Igbos see
education as the best means of building a future for their children as will be
seen in the succeeding paragraphs on the Igbo society.
1.3 The Igbo Society Then and Now: Historical Foundations
The Igbo are a major ethnic group among the Nigeria’s two hundred
and fifty ethnic groups, as well as a major language among the 400
languages spoken in the country. This ethnic group constitutes about 35
million, or about 30% of Nigeria’s 123,337,822 million people, according to
2001 World Almanac, Bureau of Census, US Commerce Department Report
(LA Times, 3/29/2001 A9).
The homeland of the Igbos, known as the Igboland, is located between
latitudes 5 to 7 degrees north and Longitudes 6 and 8 degrees east The
location is about 400 miles northeast of Lagos, the former national capital,
and about 350 miles southeast of the City of Abuja, the present Capital of the
Federal republic of Nigeria.
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Igboland occupies a total landmass of about 15,800 square miles. Its
non-lgbo neighbors include - the Ijaws, Efik and the Ibibios to the south and
southeast; the Edo-speaking Bini and Urhobo to the west, as well as the
Idoma and Igala speaking groups to the north and the northeast respectively
(see Appendix A, map 2).
According to John N. Oriji (1994), an Igbo historian in his book on the
Traditions of Igbo Origin”,
The etymology and meaning o f their name, “Igbo" vary
amongst researchers. M.D. Jeffrey, in his brief analysis,
maintained that “Igbo" was a name originally applied
to forest dwellers" . His definition needs to be examined
closely since the Yoruba claim in their legendary tradition
of origin that their putative ancestor, Oduduwa,
encountered the indigenous inhabfants o f the forest region
called the “Igbo" when he and his followers settled at lle-lfa.
Other sketchy definitions have been made by M. Onwuejeogwu
and C.K. Meek who respectively argued th at“igbo"
meant “a community o f people" and"the people".
In his own contribution, however, C . Ifemesia postulated
that “Igbo" simply meant “the ancients", a name he
claimed was derived from two Igbo words, “Ndi-gbo",
"Ndr(people and “gbo" (ancients) (p. 2).
Furthermore, Oriji argued and explained that
The name "Igbo", however, took on a different meaning during
the slave trade when some neighboring coastal and Igala
communities pejoratively associated it with slavery because of
the large numbers o f Igbo slaves they either acquired or
exported overseas. This definition is related to that ofForde
and Jones who have given the impression that “Igbo" was a
name Europeans invented and applied to any Igbo groups
during slavery. Before then, they argued, village-groups bore
tee names of their putative ancestral founders instead of
identifying themselves with tee common name "Igbo" (Ibid. p. 3)
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The Igbo live in nuclear and extended families, hamlets, villages and towns
also called communities. This is very different from what obtains in the
Western world where the concept of family focuses only on the nuclear, with
less emphasis on the extended family connections or identifications.
As Akalonu (1987) rightly explains in his work on the Igbo family:
The concept o f the family is quite different from the
European, or Western concept Whie the Western
concept is narrow and restrictive, the Igbo concept is
wide and elastic. While the Western family is made up
o f die parents and their children only (the nuclear family),
the Igbo is made up o f a number o f nuclear families which
includes grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. The
members of this extended family usually have the same
surname (Procreation in Igbo Marriage, p. 1 2 ).
These living patterns definitely influence and control their worldview and life
perceptions. The interdependent living was due to lack of technology in
traditional communities; hence they resort to helping each other by
developing their villages and communities. For example, in atypical
traditional Igbo communities, people are formed into local associations and
age grades according to genders. The women do home based compound
and village-cleaning work from time to time, while the men often gather to
clear the roads and build houses for the most less privileged of the
community, who cannot provide such for themselves, if left alone on their
own. Hence the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood was at work in the
communities and everyone understood that and made herself/himself
available to be part of this united and helpful communal living and efforts.
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The Igbos are well known for maintaining their culture and traditions,
as well as practicing them anywhere they are, in or outside of Nigeria. They
regard these cultural practices as part of their traditional beliefs, customary
norms, love o f family and community, as well as love for religion and
learning. The love for religion and learning, which is now embedded in their
pursuit of Western education, has created a paradigm shift from the old ideas
to the modem day Igbo ideology and philosophy of life.
According to Victor C. Uchendu (1965) on this on-going paradigm shift:
Today them is an important shift in what is necessary to make
a town “get up* Them is consensus among the Igbo that
education is the key to “ progmss" as it is now minterpmted.
The educational progmss of Igboland owes much to the
missionaries, for there am few Igbo leaders today who did
not attend mission schools. On the other hand, the
success o f the missionaries was in no small part
due to the cooperation and the community spirit of the
people among whom they worked (p. 36).
Both the evangelizers and the evangelized played cooperative roles to make
the education progress a priority for making Igbos to get-up. That is, helping
the Igbos to acquire western education that prepared them for future roles in
national development and professional work in Nigeria.
Hence the paradigm shift from the old notion of transmitting traditional
values and the emphasis attached to the acquisition of wealth, farmlands and
yams, marrying of many wives and traditional title taking, is a welcomed one
because those parents who have been affected and/or influenced by
products of western education are today champions of this change in their
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thought and values system. This fells in line with other progressive societies
across the globe. Thus education has become the instrument to effect this
change, as well as its enduring appreciation that is still in progress today.
Therefore, there is no gainsaying that traditional education for the
Africans in general, and the Nigerian Igbo in particular, is an indispensable
process in the upbringing of the child before he/she even starts to attend a
formal school. Simply put it is a key factor of the parents’ methods of
implanting in their children, those values, attitudes and good habits that will
help to shape their character as they grow up to adulthood. Hence both the
traditional and Western education systems have subsequently played
partnership roles in the upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo children who will grow
up to participate in the national and global competitive arena.
As the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan (2000), explained:
‘Education is key to the new global economy. It is central to development,
social progress and human freedom* (p. 24).
Furthermore, even though the Igbos share whatever they have
amongst themselves and with others, they are still a highly competitive group
among themselves. In the colonial era, they competed about who had the
biggest yam bams and farmlands, greatest number of wives, most popular
husbands, wealth and domestic animals in their compounds, as well as the
highest number of traditional titles one had received from his community.
Today, this same motivation and competitive spirit have given dynamism in
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exploring education. Even though they still cherish these traditional aspects
of human accomplishments, Igbo parents compete on how many of their
children have gone to secondary school, as well as how many have received
college and university degrees. Also, for the Igboman and woman of today,
to have educated heirs in the family is the greatest assets and legacy to
leave with one’s children, rather than having a bunch of illiterates in a family,
filled with arrogance and often seen quarreling and fighting over some pieces
of the so-called inherited material wealth. Hence to train and educate
potential heirs of the family and community, who will become the successors
of the adults of today, is toe right thing for good thinking people to do. This is
always, taken as a challenge for adults in toe family and community, which
they see, must be handled well in preparation for subsequent successions.
On this issue, Kofi Annan (2000) again noted:
Young people are a source o f creativity, energy and
initiative, of dynamism and social renewal. They learn
quickly and adapt readily. Given the chance to go to
school and find work, they will contribute hugely to
economic development and social progress (Ibid. p. 24).
When, therefore, young people are provided with opportunities to receive
quality education and sound upbringing, toe result will be on-going positive
changes and well-calculated social adaptation to that society’s evolving
culture. Hence there will be few, if any problems at all, in embracing this
type of change as will be seen in the next paragraph on change and social
adaptation with particular reference to Igboland.
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1.3.1 Chang* and Social Adaptation:
By change and social adaptation, the author means the
transformations that are associated with human development and
adjustments of ways of living in the society. It involves the ability of
people/parents and children in a given community to adapt to the evolving
social situations. Change and social adaptation also require that there be
sensitivity and consideration given to others within and outside the group
who are different (in other words, live and let live).
Simi Afonja et al, (Edt.1984) has rightly noted on this issue, that
Seeking to understand this reality o f social change in Nigeria
is as important to us, as formulating and executing effective
programs o f action for the improvement o f the quality of life.
Programs o f this nature are not formulated in a vacuum, but
are grounded in those theories which policy makers accept
as being effective (Social Change in Nigeria, pp. 232-233).
Therefore, the ingredients to affect change and social adaptation should
include those inspiring qualities of the human spirit which, should be
embedded in the positive side of the people’s culture, so as to accommodate
and adapt to the evolving conditions in living with others in harmony, as well
as accepting what is universally embraced as civility. This means, that, there
should be no inter and intra-fighting among various ethnic groups and other
groups, social or religious, who may feel they are not being heard, or
recognized by the dominant group. The Igbo here are the dominant group
and a force in Igboland with about 98% o f the residential population.
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Finally, change and social adaptation require awareness and
knowledge of how the society is changing, as well as the willingness by the
community to make the change happen. This is the case of the Igbo society
in general. Hence any change that would be worth having must be well
planned, supported and promoted, as well as implemented by all in the
communities through conscious obedience and adherence to the tenets of
law and order, transparency and accountability by all and sundry in both the
public and private sectors of the society. Where these are not considered,
the process for attaining a social change in the society may be difficult.
1.4 Background of the Study: Problem Area
Education is held very dearly amongst the Igbos and the methods of
impacting or transmitting it to children in Amakohia town and across Igboland
vary from Igbo traditional education to Western formal education. The author
also experienced this process while growing up in Amakohia community and
has chosen in this research project among other things:
(a) To examine the influences of both Igbo traditional African and Western
formal education methods in the upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo child, with
particular reference to Amakohia community in Ihitte/Uboma Local
Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria.
(b) Evaluate congruence and or lack of congruence in both of these
traditional and formal education methods in educating the Igbo child before
and after the Nigerian independence in 1960 to date in Amakohia town,
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(c) Investigate how the traditional notion of education influences the Igbo
interests in educating their children, in the light of modem methods of
western education, which they have all positively embraced.
(d) Assess Nigerian education of the early Christian missionary era with the
present as managed by indigenous educators today.
1.5 The Amakohia Community: Historical Foundations
Amakohia is a community made up of seven villages, namely; Amuzu,
Nnachievu, Umuoyo, Umuahi, Umuonyeche, Umuokoro-ezuka, and
Umuokoro-akam. It has a population of about twelve thousand people with
one traditional ruler and one elected local council member, who represents
the town in the local government administration. In addition, it has three
primary schools and three secondary schools and a junior seminary (See
map 3 in appendix A).
The population of this case study community is 99% Christian of different
denominations, Catholic and Protestants, according to the local
government’s current figures on individuals’ religious affiliations and about
1% for all others, including traditional religionists and few others who claim to
not believing in anything and, or practicing any religion.
Amakohia town is partly the center of the Ihitte/Uboma local
government headquarters at Isinweke, which is located some forty miles
west of the city of Owem, the I mo State Capital, and twelve miles north of the
city of Umuahia, the State Capital of Abia State. Amakohia is a rural
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community and lacks publicly provided infrastructures, such as good roads,
running water, electricity and transportation systems; a common
phenomenon across Igboland. Hence, the people’s survival is based on
personal and village-community efforts, even though they regularly pay their
taxes and fulfill other civic obligations as required of good citizens by the
national and state laws of the land.
Contemporarily, things are gradually changing in Amakohia town from
what they were during the pre-independence or the colonial era of the 1950s.
Externally, thatched and red-mud houses are being replaced with
block/bricks and corrugated aluminum zinc houses that would withstand the
heavy rainy seasons of the region. Some citizens now have motor vehicles
and even multi-story buildings. This is a sign of improvement in life styles and
changes going on in this rural community. Although, these have been
brought about through education and self-help efforts of the people, the
researcher could not believe what he saw during the months of October,
2000, to January, 2001, when he was at his home town in Amakohia
collecting data for this project Children were still carrying containers with
water on their heads (as in the days when he grew up in the same
community some thirty-five years ago), returning from a trek of two to three
miles distance of the local stream after spending over an hour in lines in
order to fetch water that is manually collected with small plates (see
appendix C, pictures # 5). Nevertheless, the community is not happy with the
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lack of tap water and reasonably good roads in the area. They are
disappointed with the local and state governments, despite their communal
developmental efforts to contribute to their own development Hence, they
called for a change in attitudes and management priorities of these
government units as the right way to improve the community’s present living
conditions, and to build a better future for their children and grandchildren.
1.5.1 Significance of a child in the family and community:
The birth of a child is a highly cherished and celebrated event in the
Nigerian Igbo culture because children are regarded as gifts from God to the
community, though he/she comes through one particular family. Hence this
duly explains why a child is perceived as God’s g ift not only to that family and
the immediate kindred, but also, to the entire village community. On this
issue, Professor Festus C. Okafor (1974) also noted that
Traditional Africa regarded the gift of children as one of
the most sublime gifts to man. A woman without an
offspring was a woman without joy. A couple with many
chffdren was a couple with immense respect Among
the Ibos, the people’s attitude toward children can be
seen from the meaningful connotative names given to
the children. Such names as the following, which are
s tH I borne by many individuals, express the ideals
of the people: Nwamaka (Literally: C h H d is great,
child is sublime); Nwakamme (Literally: C hid is better);
Nwekaego (C hid is more important than money);
Mmaduka (Human being is more important) ; Mmadike
or Mmedubike (Literally: Man is power) (lbid.pp.35-36).
Unfortunately more emphasis is still today placed on the birth of the first son
and sons in the family than on the first daughter and other female siblings
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because of the Igbo beliefs and practice of patrilineal succession where only
the male children w ill live and inherit the family lands, house and other
material properties, while the females have to marry outside into other
families in other communities. However, the village is obliged to help in the
upbringing of any child (male or female) in terms of donating material gifts to
the family (which begins at the baby shower ceremonies before the child is
bom, to fetching of water and firewood, donating money and clothing, etc.,
after the child is bom (see Appendix C, pictures # 1).
The village as a community also provides moral instructions, as well
as giving encouragement to the child while growing up. The villagers will
voluntarily and as a matter of routine, rebuke the child when seen
misbehaving, and parents are always in support of these practices, as well
as being appreciative to whosoever that helps them in this regard to train
their children in the appropriate moral and ethical way. This is the ancient
origin of the now world wide African proverb - “It takes a village to raise a
child”. The child in turn, is very conscious of these facts, and aspires to
conduct him/herself as one who is part of a larger family unit - the
community, rather than her/his single nuclear family. He/she willingly
welcomes and accepts offered contributions of good w ill from the community
in whatever form, instructional^, materially, monetarily, disciplinary and
otherwise. He/she in return, tries to behave in a befitting way that would not
be disappointing to these interested parties.
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Furthermore, the priority given to raising a child in Nigerian Igbo
families cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, to understand the
commitment given to raising a child, will also lead to understanding the
Nigerian Igbos’ philosophy and theology of life which influence and control
their worldview. In addition, this is why the Igbos’ love for education is
translated into the commitment to educating their children and engagements
in community promotions as will be discussed later in the following
paragraphs on the purpose of this study.
1.6 Purpose of the study:
This study seeks to: (a) discover those elements in Igbo culture that
make it unique among other cultures, especially in terms of its traditional
education contents that made the Igbo society susceptible to the western
education system. These elements include: (i) self-motivation to learn;
(ii) love of family and hard work; (iii) sense of community and self-help
efforts; (iv) strong sense of the existence of a supreme deity, the love of
ancestors and respect for elders; (v) competitive spirit and (vi) recognition
and celebration of accomplishments. (These are folly discussed in chapter
six - the Findings section, (b) Examine the extent to which these factors and
the educational methods - traditional and formal co-jointiy influence the
upbringing of Igbo children.
Finally, the researcher wants the end product of this study, (the
research findings) to serve as a resource book for future writers on Nigerian
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Igbos and their education because the roles o f both African traditional
education and formal education in the life of the Igbo child/children have
been the key areas of the foregone investigation.
1.7 Statement of the Problem:
Since the training of children is regarded as the highest job of any
Igbo parent and family, as is the case in many other traditional societies, the
study has: (a) examined the traditional and formal education methods of
educating the Igbo child and the extent of impacts they have on his/her
upbringing, (b) Looked into the similarities and differences existing between
the traditional and formal education as they apply to the education of the Igbo
child/children, and (c) examined how this formal education complements
African traditional education, or vice-visa in the educational training/formation
of the Igbo child/children.
1.8 Research Questions:
The following questions were asked to facilitate a clearer understanding
on how the traditional African education of the Nigerian Igbo children has
been influenced by the introduction of Western civilization with its educational
endeavors and evangelizing mechanisms, prior to and post independence in
1960, to date on the following issues.
1.8.1 What are the areas of congruence and lack of congruence between the
Western and traditional Igbo education methods in the upbringing of the
Nigerian Igbo child/children?
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1.8.2 What are the present factors and influences, if any, of traditional Igbo
education on the upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo child? What are the specific
areas affected?
1.8.3 Evaluate the main successes and failures (if any), of the traditional and
western education systems in Nigeria (Igboland) to the present day?
1.9 Significance of the Study:
The meaningfulness of this study lies on the fact that an Igbo of
Amakohia origin is at last writing and documenting the educational aspect of
the Igbo culture, which hitherto had been generally done by foreigners.
Hence, this research, the first of its kind in Amakohia, and probably in
Igboland, presents an original piece of work and contribution to the field of
education in particular, and to learning in general.
Secondly, the study is very meaningful to Igbo society in the sense
that most o f the practices of the traditional education and culture that had
long been passed on orally to generations have now been written down and
documented in a way that provides a resource base for future writers on the
Nigerian Igbo culture which, of course, includes the educational aspect
Thirdly, another significant aspect of this study is the discovery of the
existence o f marriage between the traditional African and formal western
education in their goals and objectives, as both complement each other in
preparing the Igbo child/children for a productive future life as an adult
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1.10 Assumptions:
It was assumed that this research investigation would take several
months to conduct within the Amakohia community in Imo State, Nigeria.
That the researcher might encounter some problems in trying to interview
those he went to school with as a child while growing up in Amakohia
community in the 1960s and 1970s,since he has been away from his
homeland for quite some time now. These former elementary school mates,
who are now active members of this very community, are also parents with
their own children and wards today in school.
Another exciting and memorable aspect of this work was going to visit the
primary and secondary schools in the community. The researcher hoped that
he could make use of the past records of these community schools that were
scarcely available because of the 1967-1970 Biafran revolutions that resulted
in the destruction of a considerable amount of Nigerian documented history.
In addition, the researcher’s hope to engage in conducting oral interviews
about Nigerian education, as well as observations on how schools and
classes are run at present was fulfilled. This was in order to contrast them
with the past experiences of the researcher in one of these same schools,
twenty- five to thirty years ago. In the end, everything went on well as earlier
expected to the enhancement of the study, which now provides documented
materials for future writers on Igbos and the Nigerian education system.
Hence a unique reference book is now produced out of this work.
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1.11 Limitations:
The following factors may have been possible limitations to this study.
1.11.1 As a qualitative case study research, the required data
overwhelmingly oral were difficult to collect especially when compared to
quantitative research where published books and other materials are already
in existence and easily available.
1.11.2 Computers, videos and other electronic equipment to facilitate the
research investigation, were not used. The inability to use these equipments
was due to the fact that electricity and phone lines were not available in the
area and the lack of these facilities had some frustrating impacts on the
researcher's early plans and schedule prior to his trip home.
1.10.3 The quid pro quo concept was a big factor when dealing with some
Igbos at home, where some people with helpful information were not inclined
to releasing them until some sort of gifts, or tips were given (such as giving
some money for buying a kola, drink, tobacco or for anything of interest). In
addition, the provision of these traditional courtesies involved spending a
considerable amount of the research budget more than what was originally
budgeted for the trip home and the research project
1.11.4 As an Igbo native researcher, documenting the Amakohia
community’s culture was not an easy task for the author, since he was
perceived far differently from former village colleagues based on his
education and professional career as a priest
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1.12 Delimitation:
The study was focused on the Amakohia community in Imo-State,
Nigeria, though it is discussing the impacts of traditional and Western
education on the upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo child in general. This
particular community has been chosen for the following reasons:
(a) The community is the hometown of the author, and the land of his birth.
Hence he is more familiar with the area and people than with any others in
Igboland and this study was limited only to his own area.
(b) The author had a uniquely better and quicker access to acquiring the
information he wanted than an outsider would have had since he is also a
member of the community in question that was being studied.
(c) The researcher and those being studied are all Igbos and no other
Nigerian none Igbos were included.
Imo State is one of the seven states of Nigeria that makes up
"Igboland” and Igbo people which include; Abia, Anambra, Delta, Eboyi,
Enugu, Imo and Rivers (See map 5 in appendix A). Imo State is also
regarded as the center of Igboland, with its own dialect of the Igbo language
popularly endorsed by igbo native scholars as the central Igbo language now
used in modem research and documentation.
The study had concentrated on schools and some individuals in the
Amakohia area of Imo State. These are duly expected to be representative of
Igbo communities because of the homogeneous nature of Igboland. Hence
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there are no doubts that what had been gathered, will reflect the Igbo
concept of education and love for the training of their children in Amakohia
and elsewhere. Because the geographical and cultural boundaries of Igbo
towns and communities over lap to each other, this study and its account do
indeed represent Igboland generally though, with some slight variations.
1.13 Definition of Terms:
Amakohia - The town/area of the research study with a population of about
twelve thousand people, which is made up of seven small villages.
Village - Is made up of groups of hamlets with a population of about five
hundred to three thousand people.
Kindred - A number of families and people that are blood related, and living
in a given locality. Members of a kindred group are known as kinsmen and
kinswomen.
Extended family - Blood-related members of the same families that are
living in different locations.
Town - A community o f people made up of many villages that may or may
not have a common local government council and traditional ruler. It could be
called an autonomous community when it has one traditional ruler and the
same local government council representative, or it could remain an entity
with a confederation of independent local council administrations and
autonomous communities.
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Local Govammant Area - A political unit of the State and Federal
governments’ administration at the local level. This is an equivalent of a
county administration in the United States.
Training - Used synonymously with upbringing. It is different from the word
schooling that stands for the academic training and formation of the child.
To raise a child - Means to train, to rear, and to educate the child by
offering him/her all the opportunities needed to grow up to adulthood,
spiritually, mentally, materially, physically and otherwise. This also involves
informal, non-formal and formal education all combined.
Igbo - An ethnic group that inhabits two-thirds of the southeast region of
Nigeria with a population of about 35 million people. Their native language is
also called the Tgbo language”.
Quid pro quo - A Latin term which means reciprocity of favors done to
someone. That is, “when I do this for you, you will have to do the other for
me”. It is not necessarily regarded as bribery, but as a goodwill gesture and
exchange of generosity, often implied when favors are done.
Kola Nut - The kola nut is an edible seed that is central to Igbo hospitality. It
is usually presented to a visitor/visitors at a home, and this implies that they
are welcomed, accepted and recognized by the host family, and should
therefore feel at home with them from that very moment on in the visit
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Chukwu (Chi>nke-ufcwu) (the big God) - is the Supreme God that created
the heavens and the earth. He is a being that must be listened to, obeyed, as
well as worshipped by all. Chukwu is believed to be kind, as well as just
Theo-names - The Igbo names that are given to children at birth which,
portray some attributes of God, who creates and gives the child/children to
the community as a g ift Some of these names include Ikechukwu (the
power of God), Chidima (God is good), Eberechukwu (the mercy of God),
Onyinyechukwu (the gift of God), Chinyere (God has given), Nwachukwu
(the child of God), and Chijioke (God gives the gifts), etc.
Igbo Culture - Igbo way of life, which includes: practices of customs and
traditions, ceremonies and rituals, education, religion and marriages, etc.
These are generally passed on or transmitted to successive generations
orally and by direct and indirect observations of the old by the young.
Age Grade - A village grouping of children who are bom within a space of
two to three years into an association for the purposes of carrying on
community tasks and many other undefined competitive activities. These age
grades groupings continue to adult life and only end up with the deaths of all
the members of the respective age groups at old age supposedly.
1.14 Organization of the Study:
This project was earned out during the summer, fell and spring
semesters of the academic year 2000/2001. It lasted for ten months. Of
these ten months; three months were for the preliminary reading, drafting
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and writing of the proposal, four months were for the gathering of data as
well as any other useful information that would be helpful for the work in
Nigeria and London, England, while the remaining three months were for
sorting out the data, for writing, correction, rewriting and, finally, the defense
of the dissertation.
The dissertation is written in seven chapters. Chapter one is the
Introduction section, which gives the overview of the study. It also explains
in detail: the subheadings, and background of the study, the purpose of the
study, statement of the problem, the research questions, the significance of
the study, assumptions, the limitations, delimitation as well as the definition
of some unique and or, unfamiliar terms used in the writing.
Chapter two presents the conceptual framework of the study, and the
literature review section. It also features some relevant documents used in
the study. All other sources of information considered useful to the project
were incorporated as the research progressed. The researcher also visited
the University of Nigeria, Nssuka, Abia State University Uturu, and the
University of London’s School of Oriental and African studies libraries where
some useful books and materials for the study were also collected.
Chapter three is the methodology section, describing the methods as
well as the research design and techniques used. These included
conducting personal interviews of teachers, school administrators, students
and community leaders. Each of these groups represented an important
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segment of the Amakohia community and, as expected, made useful
contributions to this study by sharing their views on the Nigerian educational
practices in both the traditional and formal education systems.
Chapter four presents traditional Igbo methods of education before and
after Nigerian independence up to the present day.
Chapter five has considered the advent of Western education as
brought by the Christian missionaries and colonizers, as well as the practice
of education from the post Nigerian independence era to the present day.
Chapter six is the finding section - the analyses and discussions of
research findings. These results, as expected, explain the ways things were,
and how far they have gone, improved and changed among the people, in
attitudes and in practices within the culture in general. The on-going changes
are noticeable based on the results of the oral interviews, questionnaires
answered, documents and books from the State Ministry of Education, as
well as from the researcher’s observations of the people.
Chapter seven includes the summary, conclusions and
recommendations for a better future.
Finally, there are the bibliography (references) and appendix, which contains
some illustrative maps, photographs and other information-clarifying
materials used, or mentioned, in the study.
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1.15 Chapter summary:
The foregoing discussed what the research study intended to
investigate on the rotes/impacts of traditional Igbo and Western education on
the upbringing of the Igbo child/children. Impacts evolve change in any given
situation (good or bad), including educational matters, which have eventually
affected the civil society. Oftentimes, elderly adults in Igboland are heard
discussing how things have changed and continue to change from what they
used to have around them. They talk of the good old days with happy
memories. This is a living reality of everyday Igbo experience today.
Secondly, the study also explored the various aspects of human
activities in the Igbo society through which these educational impacts that
lead to change had been carried out Thus, the research title - Education for
Change in a Changing Nigerian Igbo Society - is folly explained in the roles
the traditional African and Western education have played and continue to
play in Igboland. These are embedded in the Igbo worldview and philosophy
of life demonstrated in their day-to-day activities. Change also advocates for
a new orientation to holistic living and massive literacy engagements for all
and sundry in all societies, of which the Igbo society is part of the whole.
As Nelly Stromquist (1997) has noted:
Literacy is crucial to develop a critical mind, capable of
understanding its socioeconomic environment, seeing the
linkages between poverty, oppression, and ignorance, and
witting to engage in collective action to bring about social
changes (p.3).
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This type of massive education or learning is exactly what the changing Igbo
society requires/needs at this evolutionary period of its history, as it struggles
ahead to perpetuate its traditional communal spirit and activities to promote
rural development through traditional and western education. The results and
effects, if well carried out will be lasting and beneficial to all Igboland in
particular, and to Nigeria in general.
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CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual Framework for the study:
The framework of this study is based partly on the concept of cultural
processes in education and partly on education as an instrument for social
change. The author has tried to reflect on a few selected opinions on culture
and education as they affect social changes in individuals and societies.
As Edward Stevens, Jr., et al, (1992) had noted:
Culture is a system o f beliefs, behaviors, and ways o f
expression that constitute our social heritage. It is a
* seamless web’ o f shared meanings teat gives meaning
to our experience and gives us an identity larger than that
of any individual. Culture is part o f individual behavior and
thought and Inks us to others that share our culture. For
this reason, it is easy to identify cultural traits teat are unique,
defining characteristics o f a group. These traits are a source
of strength for those who belong to the culture, but the same
traits may be tee target for prejudice, discrimination, and
stereotyping by others (p.61).
Thus the old saying remains true, that “one man’s meat is another man’s
poison”. Therefore, the need for one culture to accommodate the other, and
those who practice those cultures to be open-minded, can never be over
stressed. Hence, for any modem and progressive culture to be worthy of its
name must be open, accepting and tolerant of other cultures around it.
According to George D. Spindler in his work on Education and Cultural
Process (1997), on the transmission of culture:
Each way o f life is distinctive in its outlook, content, the
kind o f adult personalities favored, and tee way children
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am raised. There am also many respects in which human
communities am skniar, that override cultural differences.
All major human cultural systems indude magic, religion,
moral values, recreation, and regulation o f mating, education
and so forth. However, the content o f these different categories
and the ways the content and the categories are put together,
differ enormously. These differences are reflected in the ways
people rose their children. If the object o f cultural transmission
is to teach young people howto think, act, and feel
appropriately this must be the case (p.275-276).
This can explain why the Nigerian Igbo invest their lives and wealth in
rearing children in fulfillment of their cultural goals and practices. Today,
such involvement comprises of giving them both the African traditional and
Western education, because for the Igbo, man and woman, education is
seen as the key to a better future for every child. Hence their beliefs and
notions of education as an investment for the future are enormous and
motivating. They usually believe that when a child is well trained/educated,
the family has made a good human resource investment that would be
rewarded in the future. This reward is that the child should be aware of the
family’s expectations of him/her, and as such, conducts herself/himself in a
way that would not be disappointing to every party involved.
In education as an instrument for social change, according to Mark
Bray, et al, (1986) Emile Durkhiem:
Distinguished between societies of the ‘ mechanical’ and
‘ organic’ type. Those o f the first type, he suggested, am
simple and undifferentiated, and their members have similar
attitudes, skills and lifestyles. A small nomadic group of
hunters with very little specialization o f labor is an example of
this type o f society; each person masters the same basic skills
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o f hunting, and the society survives because no sing/e member
is ktdispensattie.
Organic societies are much more compfex, and are organized
on the basis o f deference rather than simiarity. This type o f
society is increasingly dominant in Africa and is the one,
which concerns us at the national level. There is considerable
specialization and division o f labor, and most individuals and
groups have specific attitudes, skills and lifestyles that are not
common in the whole. In these societies, there is considerable
interdependence, for specialization usually means that individuals
gain skills in one task at the expense ofskils in others. If one
group brooks away o r (ties, the whole society is Hattie to collapse
because it is unable to replace their knowledge and expertise.
Education plays a role in maintaining this type o f society not
only by providing individuals with skills but also by providing
them, particularly during chfdhood, with attitudes, which permit
the whole society to function. Lews are made to regulate the
way each individual behaves for the benefit o f all. Sometimes
individuals threaten society by breaking these laws. In these
cases society controls them by sending them to prison or
regulating their behavior in some other way (pp.23-24).
The Nigerian Igbo society belongs to the organic type of the larger
human society, which explains why priority concern is attributed to their
interests and commitment to family, community and education of children.
The traditional Igbo society believed in law and order and these were
maintained through the village leadership, usually made up of the
Eze/lgwe/Obi and Ndi Nze na Ozo (chiefs and titled men and women).
On this Hanny Hahn Waanders (1990) writes that
Traditional rulers in Igboland mostly bear the tide ‘ Eze’ or ‘Obi.
They rule in unions with the council of elders, consisting o f the
family elders and members o f the 'Ozo' society.
Eze is selected from several candidates o f the royal lineage,
whereby integrity of character and merits on behalf o f the vtilage
group are decisive criteria. Wealth, which guarantees material
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donations to the people, is also desirable. Furthermore, tim e
is vistole evidence that the future ‘ Eze’ lives in harmony with
his ancestors (Eze Institution in Nigeria, p.38).
Through such an administrative set up, the various communities in the
Igboland of which Amakohia was, and still is, a part, were administered.
They have agents or officers of the various lower levels who oversee what
happens on the kindred and hamlet levels that report to the
village/community leadership. Igbo children are groomed and taught to
respect these institutions and systems as they grow up because of their
cultural significance and roles in the society. In addition, they are encouraged
to leam what goes on in the community by personal observations and their
own curiosity to know. Therefore, as the Igbo traditional society gradually
evolves toward modem ways of living, there is the great need for
governmental assistance in maintaining and enforcing law and order to meet
up the challenges of such growth amongst a complex and changing people.
Afonja et al (1990), were quick to point out when they stated that
The family within a modem social structure is expected to shelve
its traditional functions to specialized institutions. But the
Nigerian family still performs some o f the traditional roles and
in addition performs others which are usually associated with
other institutions (Ibid. p.237).
Since the reasons why many institutions are established, among other
things, are to protect and provide for the communities and people under
them; therefore, what is required between these institutions and Igbo
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Nigerian families, is complementary and symbiotic roles, where each works
for the common good of the people.
2.2 Literature Review:
The literature review section features some of the relevant documents
used in the study. Many other sources of information were subsequently
incorporated into the study while it progressed. Some of these books
reviewed for references in this research study, include:
Chinua Achebe’s (1958) Things Fall Apart”. Professor Chinua Achebe
is an internationally recognized first Nigerian Igbo playwright and Nobel Prize
winner in literature, whose works have been translated into many foreign
languages. In this book, Achebe saw the Nigerian Igbo society as one that
had been held together by customs and traditions, which were transferred
from parents to children through the centuries. The Igbo of ‘ Umuofia town”
(the name of the ancient Igbo town where the scenes of the stories in the
book had supposedly taken place), had lived together as a people and
shared common values, practiced a common religion, as well as spoken with
one voice on issues affecting them. But the coming of the “White man”, who
intruded into the people’s culture and religious affairs, brought pollution and
divisions among the people that had lived and shared their lives and values
together in peace. As a result of this intrusion, he writes:
How do you think we can fight when our brothers have turned
against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly
and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his
foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our
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brothers and our people can no longer act tike one. He has
put a knife on the things that held us together and we
have fatten apart (intro, v m ) .
This dearly marks the end of the old system, as well as setting the stage for
the frequent and on-going changes that have infected the Igbos and their
culture through the past two centuries. Things will never be the same for the
Igbos and their culture again, either good or bad. Things have really fallen
apart in the sense that a people that once spoke with one voice are today so
diverse in ideologies with so much interest in the white man’s religion, politics
and education. The author saw these intrusive activities against the Igbo
culture of that period as “anarchy around the comer”. Today, ironically the
Igbos will agree that those early encounters with the white man have become
blessings in disguise, as this white man’s religion and Western education
also brought modernization to Igboland and to Nigeria in general. This is an
unfolding hidden mystery that is bringing sotial changes and structural
transformations across all Igboland of our time.
Victor C. Uchendu, an Igbo, in1965 wrote ‘The Igbo of Southeast
Nigeria”, one of the early anthropological studies and accounts of the culture
of the Igbo. Uchendu was a professor of cultural anthropology who taught at
the University of California, Berkeley. He conducted an intensive qualitative
case study research on the Igbo of southeast Nigeria and documented his
findings on the various aspects of their lives. These included; the Igbo world
view, how the Igbo make their living, Igbo ways in government, helping the
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town to get up, growing up in an Igbo village, Igbo hospitality, the kinship
network, founding of a new family, as well as non-kinship associations. In
these discussions, Uchendu explains how the Igbo have grown as an
interesting cultural group others could emulate. He demonstrated how some
aspects of this Igbo culture could be cherished and embraced by people of
other lands. In addition, this can enhance peace, unity and fraternity among
other cultures in the world. For him, the Igbo are people with a mission for
the world and ought to be given the opportunity and encouragement to
accomplish this goal for humanity.
Adesina, S. et al, (1983), edited and presented “Nigerian Education,
Trends and issues” in what I will describe as the harvest of Nigeria’s
progress in the educational field. Nigerian experts in the field were
assembled in a national educational symposium at the University of llorin
Institute of Education in 1981, to discuss national educational issues. These
ranged from foundations and philosophies of Nigerian education, to its
development, growth, administration and management, its finances, as well
as problems hindering efficiency and transparency in the management of the
present day schools and school systems.
Progresses made, as well as problems facing primary and secondary
education since independence, were given prominent recognition in the
discussions, as they are the bases for any future educational studies for the
child. The most striking aspect of this symposium and its outcome, was to
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have Nigerians and experts in the educational field meet by themselves with
a common purpose to discuss Nigerian education and how best to improve
what had been inherited from foreigners, two decades ago. Though this was
not the first of such gatherings since independence in 1960, the documented
outcome of this conference has become an unprecedented treasure for all
interested in the Nigerian educational progress.
Professor Festus C. Okafor who wrote in1974, “Africa at the
Crossroads, Philosophical Approach to Education”, is a Catholic priest and
an educator of international acclaim, who studied in the United States and
taught at some of its universities. Professor Okafor subsequently became
the Dean of the Faculty of Education of Nigeria’s premier University at
Nsukka (UNN) on his return to the country in 1983 to contribute to the
intellectual development of the nation. In this book, he examines some
of the issues that still affect Africa as a continent in general. These include:
(a) aspects of African culture before advent of western civilization; (b) need
for renascent Africa - a selective integration of culture; (c) education and
the African renaissance, and (d) education and African nationalism, etc.
According to Professor Okafor in his own words:
This book is an attempt to make a departure from the general
approach of most authors of African literature. Tune is due,
if not overdue, when African scholars should approach the
African problem with philosophic insight and use the hard
thinking which philosophy provides to restudy and reformulate
the principles, which must inspire the Africa o f today in order
to build securely on foundations that can endure so as to provide
a safe habitation for the Africa o f tomorrow (Ibid, Preface).
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He looks at a new Africa that w ill have the virtues of being both itself as well
as transcending itself. Education is seen here as the most common area of
interest for this renascent Africa in which the Nigerian Igbos share the same
ideology and philosophy of life.
Therefore, traditional Africa must get rid of those elements that dehumanize
its people, such as, ethnic or tribal rivalry, nepotism, despotism and the
promotion of the wealthy irrespective of how the wealth came about. Illiteracy
should be eradicated and the leaders should pursue integration of the best in
both African and Western cultures to build a progressive and educated Africa
where freedom of religion, respect for elders, transparency, spirit of
nationalism and political democracy are in place.
Africa on the Crossroad is also Professor Okafor’s attempt to X-ray
the old Africa’s attitudes to life, cultural practices, and slow-paced modem
development that will be replaced by the new emerging Africa that will march
forward to catch up with the rest of the developed world. This new Africa of
his vision is one that must promote educational development from traditional
to formal, and in all primary, secondary and higher education levels. In
addition, there should be appropriate provisions made to promote technical
and other aspects of manual education, to cater for the developmental needs
of those who are not proficient at pure academic learning. Such diversified
educational and technical pursuits are what will bring up a new transformed
Africa that will improve and develop itself as it moves into the future with
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hope and optimism. The Nigerian Igbo share the same vision and
aspirations, which, eventually, will lead to social change and transformation
of the Igbo people and their culture.
Professor A. Babs Fafunwa in1967 wrote "New Perspectives in African
Education”. An educational psychologist by training, and an alumnus of an
American University, Professor Fafunwa is one of the early Nigerian foreign
trained educators after political independence in October 1,1960. He wasted
no time to write about new perspectives for Africans and Africa, which would
hopefully lead unto a new direction, to a new goal and a common approach
to development through educational emancipation and economic freedom
from Western dependency.
In this premier work on Africa’s educational future by a well-educated
African (rather than the usual foreigners), Fafunwa discusses the following
issues as key to building a new African approach, namely:
(a) the challenge of our time; (b) pre-school education of the African child;
(c) universal, free and compulsory education; (d) the post-primary education;
need for curriculum; (e) teacher education; (f) African universities, and
(g) adult education and national service. He made commendable
suggestions on these themes that constituted the various chapters of his
book. In his own words:
The answer does not lie in increased budgets and number
of personnel alone but in adopting a radical or unconventional
approach to the question of finding solutions for Africa’s
problems. To proceed otherwise is to condemn Africa
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to the perpetual role o f a bystander in a world
that is moving at supersonic speed. Africa’s greatest
potentials are its human and natural resources, and
unless these are fuHy developed and harnessed tor
her services, Africa wtil continue fora long time to
be a continent in travai (Preface).
Fafunwa advocated that the new African direction should begin with the
building of massive nursery schools in every village square, communities and
towns across the entire continent With this strategy, the young minds of
children of ages three to five would be captured early enough and
subsequently channeled to formal education. By the time these children had
completed their primary and secondary schooling, they would be able to
make up their minds on what area of specialized professional studies they
would undertake in colleges and universities, so as to contribute to national
and continental development He wants African political leaders to make
primary education free and compulsory as well as making sure that no child
is left out in the educational development race. Secondary education must
also be made free for all children of school age.
Nigeria is today paying attention to this radical education
development proposal through the federal government's commitment to the
Universal Free Primary Education program, which is now referred to as
Universal Basic Education Scheme. The Igbos in their philosophy of life,
are already well into these ideas and into the promotion of early children
education for a better future and rewarding results for their families.
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P. K. Uchendu, wrote “Perspectives in Nigerian Education” in 1993.
A Roman Catholic priest and educator of high recognition with over thirty-
five years of teaching and educational administration experience, Dr. Pat
Uchendu of the Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria, in this work looks into:
(a) education in traditional African family; (b) the missionaries and
educational development in Nigeria; (c) educational planning and national
development; (d) the Nigerian primary school system: need for change;
(e) The 6-3-3~4 system of education in Nigeria: a realistic approach to the
future, and (f) the nation's future expectations from its universities, etc.
He is of the opinion that the present planners of Nigeria’s educational
systems must be futuristic in approach, being fully aware of the past
educational history, what is going on at present, and what we would want the
future to be. That whatever is good in the past educational systems -
traditional African, or Western as inherited from British colonialism and
missionaries, must be upheld and valued, while creating a new educational
system that will be really Nigerian in planning and orientation. In his own
words, Uchendu explains:
This book focuses on different perspectives in Nigerian education.
It attempts to recapture the best in the past and present
Nigerian educational systems and places education hi the
perspective o f the future. The greatest task that is feeing
the Nigerian society today is the attempt to cope with
the increasing tempo o f change (Introduction, vi).
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For him, the leaders of Nigeria today must make adequate provisions to
prepare a contemporary youth population that will be the leaders of tomorrow
on whom the affairs of the nation will rest Hence in the book, he stated:
This is very important for the youth o f tomorrow to cope with
challenging problems. For the youths the future will be confronted
with many more choices them was for the previous generation,
as they would be surrounded by a bewildering array o f
alternatives. There/brother education should prepare them
to face those alternatives and make wise choices. But the
present educational system is rather inadequate to prepare
them for these challenges (Ibid, vi).
He therefore called for new perspectives in the Nigerian educational
systems from the primary and secondary, to the college and university levels
for a better future for Nigeria and all her citizenry.
2.3 Chapter summary:
Materials so far reviewed in the foregoing readings point to the fact
that the Igbo society has gone through some recognizable stages of
development, growth and transformations. These were as results of the
various influences that have affected them ever since the first contact with
European missionaries and colonialists. Thus education is gradually
becoming an instrument for change in this changing traditional Igbo society.
The Igbos believe that much of the traditional methods of education had not
been lost or destroyed by their newly embraced methods of Western
education and standards of living. They also believe that a partnership had
been formed between the traditional Igbo education and Western education
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with the result that the Igbo child is now better prepared educationally to
meet the modem day challenges than before. Thus, traditional and formal
educations complement each other in the upbringing of Igbo children who
would grow up as part and parcel of the global human community.
Conclusively, Africa, Nigeria, and Igbo leaders of today must plan well
for the future of their peoples and their development by educating the youths
of today so that they will be better prepared to serve as future leaders with
the responsibilities of moving their ethnic populations, countries and the
African continent forward to catch up with the rest of the developed world.
These should be the aspirations of our present day political, religious and
cultural leaders as they poised to build-up a better and greater tomorrow for
all in the continent.
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CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Introduction:
A qualitative case study research is a method of research in which the
researcher gathers his/her information/data through surveys, interviews, and
direct and indirect observations, etc. Unlike the quantitative method that
deals with collections of data from books and documents already in existence
somewhere, the researcher in a qualitative research has to go out and hunt
for materials by interacting and talking/discussing with human subjects.
Stephen Isaac and William B. Michael (1995), rightly explained that:
Qualitative methodology addresses the manner o f generating
data by underscoring its contrast to quantitative methodology
that is so pervasive in conventional research. It principally
reflects the role o f subjective judgment in generating data.
Typical examples would be survey research originating in
sociology involving the attitudes or opinions o f human
subjects and observational research involving the judgment
o f an observer. Common themes within a body o f information
are sought and interpreted as are discrepancies and
inconsistencies (Handbook in Research and Evaluation,
p.218).
Subjectively, the researcher studies and acquires what he/she wants rather
than being restricted to quantitative data that are objectively stated within a
restricted approach. Nevertheless, a combination of the quantitative and
qualitative approaches has been undertaken in this case study, aimed at
yielding a diversified but balanced result
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3.1. Research Design:
The goal of this research is to find out how tor the Igbo child is
influenced, or affected, by African traditional and Western formal education in
her/his upbringing, which covers the period, extending from the birth of the
child to the ages o f eighteen to nineteen years old. By the end of the teenage
period, he/she should have completed secondary education studies, or have
completed vocational and apprentice school programs. At this stage of life,
one is no longer a child. He/she is becoming an adult even though he/she is
still living together with the rest of the family in the ancestral country home.
However, those included in the study's population at the primary level
were from age ten and in elementary grades five and six; beyond the sixth
grade of elementary constituted the secondary school level including those
up to ages eighteen or nineteen years old. Also included in the study were
adults including teachers, school administrators, parents and community
leaders. Fortunately, over ninety-seven percent of the respondents
cooperated and returned the questionnaires, which enhanced the research.
3.2 Survey:
The following prepared open-ended questionnaire (see appendix B)
was administered to 350 people of Amakohia community origin to ascertain
their views on some issues of both traditional and formal education nature.
Through this process, the researcher was able to gather detailed self-
reflected information on traditional and formal education practices in the
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Amakohia town. Open-ended questions permitted respondents the latitude
and freedom to say what was on their minds. Respondents’ answers to the
survey are in chapter six, the findings section of this study.
3.3 Interviews:
Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the following respondents
to gather their views, as well as to see if there were, or are, any conflicts
between traditional and formal education; these included:
(a) Some parents, school children, elementary and secondary school
teachers and school administrators concerning formal education. These were
chosen to represent the elite in Amakohia, as well as those who have stakes
in education and community leadership.
(b) Some community leaders were also interviewed on traditional Igbo/African
education. Contributions from these members of the community also threw
more light on the practices of traditional education in Igboland.
(c) Telephone interviews of those originally from Amakohia who are now
living in far away locations, were carried out from the United States on the
researcher’s return to Los Angeles for lack of access from his home. These
gave some comparative perspectives when compared to data provided by
those living in their home town of Amakohia, Imo State, Nigeria.
3.4 Direct Observation:
The author also observed three elementary schools, three secondary
schools and a junior seminary. In addition, two nursery schools, a
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commercial school, and some apprentice workshops and offices were also
visited. These were all located within the Amakohia community. The
researcher had very meaningful discussions with the students and teachers
because these were conducted in both English and Igbo languages. (See
Appendix C, pictures 2,3,4,6,7 and 8).
3.5 Use of Libraries and Missionary Education Records:
In order to analyze what was collected orally from people and from
personal observations, visits were made to some libraries to look for
educational records about Nigerian education written by the early
missionaries and Nigerians as well. The data collected from some churches,
local universities, and from the University of London’s School of Oriental and
African Studies libraries, were of immense help to this research project
3.6 Mapping and Use of Dendogram etc:
The use of some research techniques or instruments, such as
mapping below was employed in the study, to be able to explain in visual
forms the developmental education process of an Igbo child. Pictures and
maps to substantiate some points were also used, as will be seen in
Appendices, A & C.
In the mapping below, the Igbo child is simultaneously influenced by
traditional and formal education organizational structures as he/she grows
up, which include:
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(a) traditional education as taught in the family by parents and siblings, in
villages and communities, by elders, playmates and age grades, including his
or her own age group and then, the general society.
(b) the child in the formal education context, is influenced through the school
systems, namely, primary, secondary, teachers and students. Also, as a
young adult after secondary school, or through college/university, work place
and the society in general.
At the post-secondary school juncture, the child as an adult is ready to
find his/her way in the immediate and external environments as he/she
struggles for survival like anyone else in the society.
3.7 Chapter Summary:
Conclusively, since the Igbo child is implicitly influenced by both the
African traditional and Western formal education in his/her upbringing, it’s
then very pertinent to say that the methods of gathering the used
data/information were appropriate and productive. In addition, the author
acknowledges that these were the best approach considered fit for the study,
given the local situations, as well as the rural nature of the area.
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C hart 1: Influences on the Igho C hild
The Child
Adulthood
Formal Education Traditional Education
College/University
Society/Work Place
Parents, Family, Village Primary/Secondary
School
Community, playmates
and Age grades
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CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 TRADITIONAL IGBO EDUCATION: (Non-formal and Informal)
Introduction.
By traditional Igbo or African education, the author means the different
forms of informal and non-formal methods of educating the Igbo child outside
the formal western education system. The informal includes parents’ day-to-
day instructions to their children directly or indirectly in their families, the
passing on o f cultural norms and traditions to the children by parents and
siblings talking to each other, as well as parents among themselves.
Similarly, non-formal traditional education involves the community and the
many other existing components of learning processes that are not certificate
oriented. Thus, these would also include community gatherings, kindred and
village seminars and conferences, as well as village-hall meetings and
market square occasional gatherings. Children learn gradually and
systematically through these participatory community methods of information
gathering even while also engaged in formal education in school system.
Put in another way, Uchendu (1993) argues and explains that
African traditional or indigenous educational system refers to the
system o f education that was prevalent in Africa before the advent
of colonialism, Islam and Christianity. These two important religions
influenced African indigenous education very greatly. In traditional
African society, the purpose of education was dear and the mam
guiding principle was functionalism. For them, education was a
means leading to an end. Traditional African education emphasized
social responsibility, job orientation, spiritual and moral values.
The children normally learn by doing and so were the adolescents
(Ibid. pp. 1-2).
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Hence the influence these traditional education methods have on children
lasts for a lifetime as a result of the parental and traditional child rearing
techniques, as well as the influence of the Igbo culture itself on the individual.
As Adeniji Adaralegbe fl983J, noted:
It must be acknowledged that even before the Europeans and
the Europeanized Africans brought the western formal education
system into Nigeria in the 1840’s, Nigerian communities had
had their own systems o f educating their chfdren. This was
through a system variously described as occupational or traditional
education. The purpose o f that education was simple and pragmatic.
In the first place, it was to make the young persons grow up in such
a way, that they would understand the norms and nature o f the
society into which they were bom and in which they live.
Secondly, and more perversely, through traditional education
children were to acquire through experiencing, the knowledge and
skills, and also develop the correct attitudes and values that would
be needed, not for them to live in their local communities, but also
for them to be able to play their own roles in and make their own
modest contributions to society at large (Nigerian Education,
Trends and Issues p.3).
Thus it would be unfair for anyone or any authority to attempt to substitute
this form of education with whatever might be thought of as a replacement
Such would not work, because traditional forms o f education are quite
different from western methods of education and serve their own purposes,
although both are for the formation of the same child/children. Many times
the traditional form of education appears even more practical and meaningful
to the life of the child, since she/he learns by example and imitation of adults
and by on>the-job types of learning by doing. Like the old saying “practice
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makes perfect", the child grows up to know his/her subject and occupation
better than those theories taught in formal school that are easily forgotten
as soon as they were learnt by children. This does not mean that formal
education should not be encouraged. What the author is saying is that the
role of traditional education in the life o f the Igbo child is very pertinent and
helpful in his/her development as a person, and as a future contributor to the
society's labor force. Therefore, traditional education should be encouraged
and supported by Nigerian educational planners, who might even borrow a
leaf from this, all important and valuable traditional education system.
4.2 The Family (Nuclear and Extended):
What is family life like for the Igbo child/children? This is a question
that requires open-ended responses. The Igbo child is always raised to
respect the family and to see it as a home that shields and protects him/her,
and all other members from outsiders. The family provides a home that
cherishes and nourishes her/him. Hence the child leams from early life that
both the nuclear and extended families are institutions that not only are
responsible for his/her being, but also for her/his protection and well-being.
As Okafor (1974) again noted:
The family institution was a very important factor in the
African society not oniy because o f the cultural theocentrism
whereby in parts of Africa the father o f the family attained
ipso facto the dignity of the priesthood, but also because it
was the cornerstone on which the superstructure of the
community and brotherhood o f the African life rested. The
father o f the family had immense authority. The wife and
children were bound to give him loving obedience. On the
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other hand, he also had tremendous respect for the wife
whom the chtidren were bound to obey in everything. The
children were controlled with rigorous ctisdptine. They were
not allowed to have their way until they had grown up to
maturity and even then, the demands made by the parents
were not to be tightly disregarded. A great deal o f this
cultural structure is still operative today. (Ibid. pp.37-38).
Parents will let their children know of their obligations to raise them in the
most beneficial manner possible. When parents cannot adequately do this,
they often solicit the help of extended family members. Thus the family
(nuclear and extended) becomes a safe haven for the child who looks at the
family as having the answers to all his/her problems, though he/she would
sometimes rebel against this establishment and, of course, with a
consequent price to pay for “biting the finger that has fed her/him”, so to say.
What then is the role of the community in all this in the life of the Igbo child?
The next section addresses this question in its totality.
4.3 Community Involvement (K takes a village to raise a child)
The Igbo community does not need anyone to remind it of the popular
African proverb that says - “It takes a village to raise a child”. This proverb
among the Igbos originally came from the expressions of Igbo elders -
Nanim’ azula nwa (Literally translated, let me not train my child alone), or
“Nwa bu ihe oha” (A child belongs to the community), or “Oha nwe nwa”
(The public owns the child). Simply put, all of these phrases explain a
community’s involvement in the life of every child bom in any given village
throughout Igboland. Consequently, the children are taught to recognize and
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accept the positive roles and influences of the community in their lives.
These influences are transmitted by individual interventions at one time or
another whenever a child is seen doing something wrong, as well as by
following and obeying established societal conventions, rules and regulations
guiding people’s behaviors and practices. The family, community, and sense
of community are part of the child’s internalized truths while growing up as an
Igbo girl or boy anywhere in Igboland.
Nathaniel Ndiokwere (1998), commenting on this, said:
That H takas a whoie village to raise a child in Africa dearly
demonstrates die importance Africans attach to the good
upbringing o f children. This sacred and delicate duty is never
delegated to an immature person. On this account, unwad
mothers in Africa are rarely entrusted with the burden o f bringing
up their children. Immediately after the chiki is weaned, it is
taken away from the unfaithful lady and given to the charge o f
a mature adult The young unwed mother is thought to be a
“baby" too. ft is a calamity to allow a baby to go on nursing a
baby fo r more than a short period o f time. In spite o f their
orchestrated poverty, Africans are known to dislike giving
away chtidren for adoption (pp. 290-291).
The child is therefore seen as part and parcel of the community that
cherishes and cares for him or her at all times. Hence the child will respond
to these gestures with loyalty and respect for community leaders, as well as
observing cultural norms and regulations for own good and for others’ sake.
4.4 The Birth o f a Child:
The Igbo are family loving people who believe in the supremacy of the
family as a unit rather than emphasizing that of the individual persons. This is
why they would do everything possible within the law to protect the good
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name of the family if ever its reputation were being smeared or threatened by
the misdeeds of anyone, including members of the family. Hence they also
believe that the birth of the child must be within wedlock, which provides
stability and adequate moral and economic parental provisions and care for
the child, while she/he is growing up in the family and community.
The birth of the Igbo child brings joy into the family expecting his/her
arrival, and all children are seen as blessings from God and therefore
welcomed with appreciation. Usually, the birth of the first child to any family,
boy or girl, receives much attention from parents and the community as
compared with the birth of a child who has other siblings before her/him.
In addition, depending on how many children there are in a given family,
mothers, whose first bom are sons are more celebrated than those whose
first bom are daughters. This is because of the Igbo patrilineal family
succession practice, by which the daughters get married outside the family
while, the sons will stay to continue the family line.
As Kevin J. Dougherty et al (1992) rightly observed:
The famtiy is cafeful to see that the firstborn w it not be
jealous o f a new arrival. The firstborn will sleep with the
father while the newborn sleeps with the mother. Sometimes
the firstborn will be spanked if he hits his new sibling, but
usually the mother will say, "This is your baby whom you must
love” . Although every family seems to treat the sibling jealousy
problem differently, there are often enough people around so
that the first chtid does not suffer much toss o f attention (p. 109).
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This is a way to teach a child from early life the need to accept, love and
respect family members. In addition, the disciplinary measure of spanking the
child for mistreating a younger sibling is meant to remind him/her that he/she
cannot get away with wrongdoing. Hence as the child grows up, this
becomes a good lesson he/she must have learned. The child learns
intuitively and also, through the process of informal education from the
parents, to love and cherish his/her family unconditionally. Furthermore, the
Igbo crown this ancient traditional practice with the aphorism - "blood is
thicker than water”. This means that the family bond between members of
the same blood should never be compromised for anything, because the ties
are great and have no adequate replacement with a substitute of any kind.
4.5 Early Childhood Period - (Ages 2 to 5 years)
The period between the ages of 2 and 5 years is what the author refers
to as early childhood. At this period of the child's life, before being enrolled
for the first grade in elementary school, parents have the responsibility of
teaching him/her at home. Today the child may sometimes be sent to nursery
school from age three to five.
Fafunwa (1967) promotes this trend when he advocated for the
establishment of nursery schools across the entire African continent in order
to help children channel and develop their young and tender minds earlier in
life and education.
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In Fafiinwa's own words:
All African countries south of the Sahara should develop a
system o f nursery education both in the vilage and urban areas.
All vMages in particular should have at least one nursery center
each. In the case o f rural communities, the village square, the
community center or any other meeting place would be
appropriate for this purpose, and where this is not available, the
chiefs compound would provide a ready-made classroom (Ibid. p. 18).
Where sending a child to nursery center or school is not immediately
considered a priority, parents would employ the services of a baby sitter that
lives with them and takes regular care of the child even when parents are in
the house. The child at this age is usually taught how to speak and behave
well in different situations, as well as to respect her/his parents, siblings, and
seniors around him/her. This is a critical period in the child’s development
when parents have to start laying the foundations that will mold his/her
character and future behavior pattern.
According to Victor C. Uchendu (1965):
Unlike American children, who are often confined to their
own work/, Igbo children grow up and participate in two
Worlds - the world o f children and the world o f adults.
Igbo children take an active part in their parents’ social
ami economic activities. They are literally everywhere.
They are taken to the market, to the family or village
tribunal, to funerals, to a feast, to the farm and to religious
ceremonies. They help entertain their parents’ guests.
There are no children’ s parties which they are encouraged
to dominate, nor are there parents’ parties from which
they are excluded (p. 61).
In support of the above argument the researcher remembers his
personal experiences when he was growing up as an Igbo child in the fifties
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and sixties. At that time, he used to accompany his father to places, including
working together with him at his block-molding occupation, farm work, palm
tree cutting and tapping, as well as helping his mother in carrying out home
chores. Such chores included fetching water and firewood, cooking and
cleaning the house and the compound, etc. These activities and
engagements were/are all of traditional educational experience for him, as
well as for all other Igbo children, who from their early time in life are trained
to succeed their parents. Hence learning their parents’ occupations becomes
an advantage in securing the children’s future. This has also been an
expedient aspect of informal and nonformal education experiences for Igbo
children. Here, informal education experiences are what children leam from
parents, siblings and elders at home and in the community, while the
nonformal are learning outside the structured formal education settings, or
the classroom, which includes, apprenticeship training in motor and Honda
mechanics, tailoring, printing, cabinet making, trading and bricklaying, or
mason work/occupation, carpentry and driving/transportation services, etc.
Dougherty et al (1990), also explained the Igbo traditional practice of
educating the child informally from his/her early years when they noted that:
A child is encouraged to start helping with chores as soon
as he is able to walk. Beginning with the task o f fetching for
the mother, the child will later carry water, sweep, gather
firewood, and care for younger siblings. He is rarely forced
into more complicated work, but he is encouraged to watch.
(Ibid. p.109)
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The power and values of informal and nonformal education in the life of an
Igbo child in the home and community are inseparable and irreplaceable.
No substitute can be found for such experiences. Other cultures may also
use these methods of transmission of values and tradition to their children,
but the Igbos naturally make a special good use of this early childhood period
in their cultural transmission processes. The researcher is of the opinion that
the early induction of children into the Igbo cultural living in their homeland,
is the reason why this culture is going to continue its existence and practices
for a long time to come.
4.6 Middle Childhood Period - (Ages 6 to 9 or 10 years)
As the Igbo child progresses into the middle childhood years, he or she
will be more attracted to other children outside of the family, some of whom
become his/her friends, as is the case also of all children in other cultures.
Such associations are seen developmental^ as healthy and necessary for
children of that age level, though oftentimes monitored by parents. Some of
these friends outside the family will eventually become part of his/her
playgroup and age group. As Kevin Dougherty et al (1992), have noted:
During this period the playgroup becomes the primary
educational institution for the child. Through various forms
of play the children mimic adult behavior, strengthen their
muscles, stimulate their intellect, and develop their power
of observation, imagination, and imitation. It is common to
see children constructing and sailing miniature boats,
spearing fish, sling-shooting fowl, and imitating dances
and songs they have seen their parents perform on festival
occasions (Ibid. p. 110).
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This is a good period in the stages of human development when children
begin to have a foretaste of what awaits them as teenagers. Moreover, Igbo
parents are folly aware of this threshold transition to adolescence, a period
when children indulge in taking risks and all sorts of experimentations. Hence
parents do not appear to be over protective and concerned about this period,
in fact less so than they would be for their three and four year olds. In
addition, at this period parents are able to predict the direction any of their
children is heading to, in terms of defined interests, likes and dislikes, as well
as their future aspirations that needed to be guided and encouraged.
Although, this is a tough period for parents with children of the age level
under study, the “toughness” evolving cannot be compared with that of the
adolescent period as will be seen in the next subheading - the Adolescent or
teenage period.
4.7 Adolescent Period/Age Grade Association (Ages 11 to 18)
The adolescent period is the most critical stage in development for the
Igbo child who starts experimenting with things in foil swing like teenagers of
any other cultural group, in an effort to assert his/her own identity outside the
control of the parents. As he/she begins to develop in body size and growth,
so also he/she will improve his/her thinking and reasoning abilities. This is
also the period when they begin to form themselves into groups and
associations of age grades - a very popular practice in Amakohia and many
parts of Igboland today.
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As Ekenachi (1982) explains:
This is not only an association but also an institution as
old as the Igbo race. It comprises the grouping o f children
bom within a space o f three year cycle and had served as
the greatest powerful organ o f instructing and educating
Igbo youths prior to the genesis o f Christian education in
Etiti in the later part o f the nineteenth century. The youths
start forming their various groups from the age o f nine and
at twenty-one are initiated into manhood undergoing the
customary ceremony o f Iwa-Akwa (wearing doth).
(Unpublished BD. Thesis, p. 48).
This is a very important developmental stage, and perhaps the most
demanding of all children’s stages of development on route adulthood.
On this, Victor C. Uchendu (1965) has also observed:
In adolescence the age system assumes a formal character.
Schooling has affected this institution. In the preschool days,
boys passed through a formal initiation known as ‘ ima-ogwu-’
a rite o f passage, which enabled them to acquire aggressive
medicine. Girls passed through "mgbede” , a ceremonial
sedusion known as the fa t house”. Today it is the social
division o f labor and the needs o f village fife that have
preserved the informal age-set institution. The age grades
represent their villages in inter-village dances and wrestling
competitions. They contribute financially to the welfare
programs o f the vMlage-group, censor the morality o f their
members, heighten their funeral ceremonies, and provide
the essential pressure groups, which make for change in
political and social life (lbid.p.63).
It is a period for doing, competing and giving to the family, community and
friends by the youths involved in age grade associations.
Age Grade Association is a common practice in most parts of
Igboland. The educational contents that are taught during this stage of
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development emphasize making children responsible and contributive to the
overall welfare of their communities. In addition, they are encouraged to
embrace a life of competition both as individuals and as members of groups,
as a foretaste of what they will fece in their adult life. This practice is
culturally seen among the Igbo as healthy, sound, as well as being
competitive in community development and not as rivalry as an outsider
might think. As members of an age grade grow up, they will take part in the
community’s Iwa-akwa ceremony (wearing doth ceremony), which initiates
them into adulthood usually from the age of twenty-one theoretically and
thereby embradng adults’ responsibilities. They are expected from this time
on to get married, the young men in their fathers’ house to continue the
family line, and the young women outside to another village or community.
Girls are always taught from early life that for a woman to be respected
in child bearing requires marriage; she is not to have children in her father’s
house before this time. Hence the girls will try to behave themselves and
defer child bearing until marriage, which goes with parental blessing. The
age grade cyde then continues to the next generations of youths with its
pride, spirit of competition, obligations, as well as admiration and joy for
being part of the communities’ dedsions makers and promoters.
There were two striking and unique things that the researcher noticed
about the age grade institution in Amakohia and some parts of Igboland
during this study period, namely:
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(a) He was able to meet and reunite with some of the members of his
childhood age mates, with whom he had participated in the wearing cloth
ceremony (Iwa-akwa) over twenty years ago. Some of the age mates were
very helpful in this study. They contributed their own opinions in responding
to the research interviews and questionnaires, and
(b) The researcher also observed that the changing tides of time and the
general economic hardship in the country have today affected the initiation
ceremony period, (the Iwa-akwa ceremony) from the original age of twenty-
one as noted above, but to somewhere between the ages of twenty-four to
thirty-six. Today, the average age is thirty years, varying from one village
and town to another across Igboland. Some of these initiates are even
married to their wives and husbands and have children, a sign of adult living
with family responsibilities already attached. Critics and elders see this new
trend as a shame, since it contradicts the fundamental principles of the
initiation ceremony, which is an entry to adulthood. Today they have already
been living as adults before the said official ceremonies. In many instances,
parents and family members still make financial contributions for the
celebrations, a sign that some of those who are participating in the program,
though up to thirty years old, are still financially dependent on their families
and friends. One old man said to the author, "this is not what we are looking
for in our culture and tradition. The trend is making these people to be
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irresponsible, always hoping for help and looking at their families to continue
carrying their financial burdens for them".
The h w a Akwa ceremony (wearing doth ceremony) is a celebration of
the initiation of youths into adulthood. The ages of these initiates vary today
from twenty-four to thirty-six years, as against the original age of twenty-one
that was the country’s legal age of one becoming an adult
In Amakohia community, the average age of the initiates undergoing
through the wearing doth ceremony is thirty. This ceremony is a unisex
celebration for all indigenes of the community, whose age group is to be
initiated. It is a-four day celebration of feasting in the homes of those
celebrants, who on the evening of each of the four days of celebration will go
in a group procession in jubilation and dancing round the local markets
where they are cheered by family members, friends and admiring spectators.
(See Appendix C, pictures 9 & 10).
There are no significant differences between males and females in this
ceremony, these days. The only known point of difference is that with the
current development of a later age for the ceremony (now at the average age
of thirty years) most, if not all the females have married outside the town and
will be coming to partidpate from their marital homes with their children and
husbands to support them, while the males partidpate from their paternal
homes in the town. The females will stay for few days and then, return to
their matrimonial homes with no regrets.
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This is part of the ongoing changes from the old practices in Amakohia and
across Igboland that the people have to accept and live on with as a reality of
the present age, as well as the price to pay for modernizing their culture and
life styles. Western education is also partly responsibly for these changes.
4.8 The Life-long Use of Proverbs in Igbo Teaching:
The Igbo are good storytellers who use different types of proverbs to
drive their points home. This is always noticeable when adults are discussing
issues among themselves. They never express their thoughts directly and
plainly without use of proverbs, which sometimes may be difficult to
understand by their listeners. On this Chinua Achebe (1958) wrote:
" Among the Igbo, the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and
proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten” (Ibid. p. 5).
The use of proverbs is very popular in Igboland and everyone agrees that
different proverbs should be used to address appropriate human issues or
problems. The following proverbs, as we shall see, are used in teaching
children and adults the wisdom in Igbo thought patterns, namely:
(1) Ezi aha k* ego, (Literally translated; good name is better than money).
This proverb is used to emphasize the need for honesty, sincerity and upright
living in the society. It teaches both children and adults that ill-gotten wealth
brings a bad name to the family and community, and vanity must be
abhorred. Therefore, dignity in poverty is a priceless virtue and the best way
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for people to go through life rather than, an ivory tower type of living and
wallowing up in an ill acquired wealth of iniquity.
(2) Ewi adighf agb* oeo ehffie n * efu (Literally meaning; a rabbit does not
run in the daytime without a cause). For the Igbo, a rabbit is a nocturnal
animal that lives in its hole during the day for safety against human predators
and comes out at night in search of food. Hence whenever it is seen running
about during the day, there must be a cause for that Someone must have
broken into its home and this is why its security is in danger. The teaching for
ail to learn in this proverb is that there is nothing that happens in life without a
cause, or a reason for it Therefore, people should always try to understand
why something is done in the way it was done before passing judgment.
Always give to people the benefit of the doubt in your dealings with them. For
the Igbo person, this is human and reasonable. Hence the children must be
taught these lessons very early in life as they grow to adulthood.
(3) Ana ‘ ji ututu ama-njo ahia (Literally translated; early morning shows
how bad the market day will be). This proverb teaches about first
impressions in whatever one is doing in life, which matters a lot. That one
should not be rude and negative in dealing with people in the first instance
because the first encounter is what one remembers from time to time in any
given situation. Hence one should not be casual with a given first chance or
opportunity that comes into her/his way in life. Children are warned in early
life to guard against making such mistakes that historically have destroyed
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or ruined many people in life.
(4) Nwanne di uko na Mba (Literally translated; a brother/sister is scarce to
get in a foreign land). The Igbo use this proverb to emphasize family bonds,
love and sharing among members, because one can never get a
replacement of these, most often “taken for granted” until when living
somewhere else. Parents say this to their children over and over again; to
remind them of their family’s caring for each other, no matter what, because,
at the time of crisis and difficult moments, only family members will be there
for you unconditionally. It is also emphasized to them that they also have an
unconditional obligation to the family, to provide their support as well.
This proverb and its lessons are taken very seriously among the Igbos
(old and young alike), everywhere, including those living here in the United
States and in other foreign lands across the world, who often use some
proverbs in speech among themselves whenever they gather for occasions.
(5) Onye n’ atufugh’ ihe, anagh’ atuta ihe (Literally translated as; one who
does not loose something, will not pick up anything). This is used in teaching
about the spirit of sacrifice and giving. One gives of oneself when doing or
giving something to another person. It is believed that the more you make
sacrifices for others, the more others will do for you. Hence there will be
healthy development and growth o f the family and the community at large.
When everyone in the community cultivates the spirit of sacrifice, giving and
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producing rather than squandering and destruction, the society will be a good
place for all to live and share together its bounties from the creator.
(6) Otu aka anagh’ e fca e ngwu-gwu (Literally translated as; one hand does
not make/tie a roll). The proverb here is talking about unity and strength in
the family, community and among groups and people. That is to say, it refers
to the wise old saying - "United we stand, but divided we fell”. There are
things one can never do alone, but when teamed up with another persons, it
becomes a possibility. Therefore, one should always look for help in difficult
situations because no one is an island. In addition to this, people must
always be encouraged to work with each other, in groups and communities
for the realization of the common good. This is the strength of the Igbo.
(7) Ukwu n' age wamwam it* ag’ anya n’ alee wamwam n’ alee ya
(Literally translated as; a leg that moves/walks fast will always be seen by an
eye that equally sees/looks fast). This proverb is used in teaching children
about transparent living. That nothing will ever be done in secret that will not
be seen and made public. Cheating of any kind must not be tolerated in the
family and community. Hence a child will think twice before trying to play
smart or stupid, because he/she will surely be caught and eventually
punished. Therefore, one who lives an honest and transparent life has a lot
to gain rather than to loose. This is very inspiring for children to look up to.
(8) Aguo buter* ajucha’ anara (Literally translated as; hunger makes one to
eat the food that was previously refused/rejected) The lesson here is that one
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should not over tempt his/her fellow man or woman, because there is a limit
to what one could endure in a difficult situation. Because people w ill always
react when pushed to the wall, one has to learn how to tolerate and
accommodate the others' ways and feelings, in other to live in peace and
harmony with them both in the family and the community at large. No one
should therefore, judge and condemn anyone if his/her reaction to a situation
was as a result of being pushed to the walls earlier by the complainant
(9) Onye burn chi ya uzo, ogbagbue onwe ya n’ oso (Literally translated
as; anyone who goes ahead of his/her god, gets stepped on unnecessarily,
or over runs him/herself). The proverb teaches that there are ways of doing
things in the right order and one has to follow this process in order to be
successful, no matter how difficult the process might be. This means that
when one fails to go about things in the right way following the proper
procedure, it may never work out well. Therefore a person must either do
things right or not to do them at all. Otherwise, you will sooner or later
discover that all your efforts had been in vain because you failed to do it
initially in the right way. It discourages quick fix or solutions to issues that
does not resolve the problem from the root, because it will rise up again.
(10) Mgbochi oria ka mma karia ogwugwo ya (Literally translated as; It is
better to prevent a sickness than to cure it later). The lesson to be learned
from this proverb is that prevention is better than a cure. This is a popular
saying among the Igbos, which means that, it is always better and wiser to
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prevent an incident from happening than undertaking damage control after it
has taken place. Hence some issues are better resolved earlier than later, in
the interest of peace and harmony of the parties involved.
(11) Nwayo wayo k * eji aracha o ffs d * oku (Literally translated as; slowly
and slowly, one licks/drinks a hot soup). This proverb teaches that successes
and accomplishments in life are not accomplished in a hurry or just overnight
One should always take time to do things right and not haphazardly, because
patience and hard work are always very rewarding. Hence one should never
overlook or neglect the process of doing things right rather than doing it
quickly to gain some immediate advantages, only to regret later.
(12) Agadi nwanyi anagh* akanka n’ egwu oma 'gba (Literally translated
as; an old woman is never old when dancing her familiar dance). This
proverb is used to teach the need to value experience in making some
decisions and judgments in our lives. The services of people who have
experience in whatever field of human endeavors should be sought for when
dealing with their field of expertise, because they know better than others
about/on those areas/issues.
No one therefore, should presume to always have the right knowledge
in everything, otherwise, he/she could become “Jack of all trades, but master
of none”. This is why, in traditional Igbo life, children are encouraged to leam
from their parents, seniors and elders believed to know more than them,
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given their years of life exposures and experiences. In the end, children will
be guided so as to prevent felling into errors.
(13) Nwantakfri putara n’ uzo n’ agb’ egwu, ihe n * akuni ya egwu no
n’ime ohia (Literally translated as; A child who comes at the middle of the
road and starts dancing, his/her drummer must certainly be in the nearby
bush/forest beating the drums).
This proverb is used to talk about “cause and effect” in the home and
community. The Igbo hold that there must always be reason for something to
happen. In other words, “there is no smoke without a fire”.
As an organic society, the traditional Igbo live dose to nature in rural
communities of hamlets and villages, surrounded by vegetable and fruit
gardens, and neighborhood farms often separated by uncultivated land
called bush. Hence, when walking from one village to another, one will be
crossing through some bush roads. A child is advised to be careful before
joining any group as friends and acquaintances. That is to say, “look before
you leap”. Do not make friends for friendship’s sake, a child is often told, but
rather have a good reason and choose the right friends for yourself.
(14) Okuko ‘naghi echefu onye fbro y’ odu n’ udu mmiri (Literally
translated as; A chicken does not forget the one who removed its wings
during the rainy season). Igboland enjoys three different seasons of the year
and the people use them to transmit certain messages. Thus, there is a rainy
season from the months of May to the end of October when it rains heavily at
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times and affects business activities, the harmattan season from November
to January which is good for soil and agriculture; and the dry season from
February to mid May which provides good weather for all purposes, namely,
business dealings and outdoor activities, etc.
The message here is that people should never forget those who had
done them some favors in their times of need as they have journeyed
through life. This lesson is emphasized in teachings occurring early in
children’s lives so that as they grow up, they w ill become appreciative of
those who have helped to train them, including their parents and other
people of goodwill in their communities and beyond.
(15) Ony’ atulu ilulu, kowara ya, ego ejiri luo nneya lara n' iyi (Literally
translated as: anyone who expects or wants an interpretation of a proverb,
which has been spoken to him/her, indicates that the dowry paid on the
mother has been wasted, or did not solve the purpose).
This proverb talks of maturity and the need for people to grow up in their
views and actions. No one should be a child forever. Hence, as a child grows
up, she/he should listen to her/his parents and elders to understand the
meaning of any of the Igbo proverbs, so that whenever the proverbs are
spoken around him/her, he or she will get the message and act accordingly.
(16) Akpaf atufuo’ anagh’ eji y’ ab’ Ogaranya (Literally translated as; no
one becomes rich by continually loosing his/her wealth). This proverb
teaches the need for people to preserve and maintain whatever they have or
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own. In times of prosperity, people are often wasteful in their spending and
unable to take stock of what goes out and comes in. Hence this proverb
reminds the Igbo that if you want to be rich, you should better not misuse
what you have already, because a continuous practice of giving away without
replenishment will dry one’s pockets.
Another lesson from this proverb is that of “maintenance culture",
which is lacking in present Nigerian cultures, including the Igbo culture,
especially when it comes to maintaining public properties or utilities. Every
Nigerian today agrees this is a problem, that the Nigerians lack the culture of
maintaining what they have in the public life/arena, which is the opposite of
the traditional Igbo society that encouraged people to take care of each
other’s properties, as well as living by the Biblical injunction of “being your
brother’s keeper”. Hence children are today trained and encouraged to take
proper care of whatever is entrusted to them, or whatever they own, because
this is the best way to build up a prosperous future and therefore, to become
wealthy gradually and solidly.
(17) Onye ije nwe ula (Literally translated as; a traveler must always go or
return home). This teaches that there is always an end to everything under
the sun. Therefore, one must always make provisions for the end of things
and disappointments that go with life. Life is full of risks, which must be
anticipated and prepared for, in so far as possible, for nothing lasts forever.
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The foregoing proverbs and their uses indicate some of the wisdom of
the Igbo-thought pattern, which also influences their perceptions of life and
the universe. Uses of proverbs are philosophical and powerful means of
delivering messages in the Igbo culture. Hence every opportunity for a family
gathering also becomes an informal learning period for children from their
parents, caretakers and seniors. For example, an informal educational
experience in an informal setting, may take this form.
■ Children sat around their mothers’ cooking fire telling stories, or with their
father in his obi warming themselves from a log fire, roasting and eating
maize” (Achebe, Ibid. p. 24).
When the author was growing up as child over thirty years ago,
storytelling and folktales were traditionally highly popular in Amakohia
villages and everyone appreciated their involvement He can still remember
some of the stories and folktales he heard from his parents as a child in the
fifties and sixties, which are still ringing bells in his ears. These stories varied
from lessons in self-motivation to tactfulness, and from one’s examination of
conscience, to vanity in worldly acquisitions, etc. Such practices today are
not like they used to be, though kids still gather among themselves
occasionally to tell stories, have fun or make jokes. The following examples
of Igbo stories and parables will explain these points clearer.
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4.9 The Importance of Storytelling, Folktelos:
(1)On Tactfulness and Raparcuaaion:
The Igbo have a story of the tortoise, the most wise and cunning of the
animal kingdom and his simple and straightforward wife ‘Alia*. Once upon a
time, there was a famine in the animal kingdom and everyone was dying of
hunger. Then an invitation came from those living in the sky, inviting all birds
for a feast The birds were all excited and started preparing for this great
occasion since they had been dying of hunger. However, when the tactful
tortoise heard of the preparations for the feast he invited himself to the
meeting of the birds and requested to join them on the trip. They all refused
to accept his request citing his past tricks and misbehaviors against other
animals. With strong argument, the tortoise was able to convince them that
he was a changed someone. Then the birds accepted the tortoise’s request
to follow them on their trip to the sky.
On the day of the party, the birds each gave a feather to the tortoise to
make two wings since he had none, and while they were traveling as a
group, the tortoise spoke and convinced the birds that on occasions like this,
people usually adopt new names. The birds agreed to his suggestion and
each picked a name for itself. In the end, the tortoise told them, that the
name he had chosen was ‘All of you”. The birds welcomed the name, not
knowing the implications. When the birds and tortoise arrived at their
destination, the sky dwellers were all happy to receive them and presented
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the traditional kola nut, as a gesture of their hospitality. At this reception, the
tortoise became a self-appointed spokesperson for the group and spoke very
eloquently that the birds were happy having him in their company. As a result
of this, the hosts recognized the tortoise as the chief of the birds, since his
name was “All of you* and had also spoken well on their behalf. Then, they
brought out assorted types of food, including “foo-foo", pounded yam, ‘equisi*
and bitter-leaf soup, rice, porridge yam, meet, chicken and pots of palm wine
for the celebration. However, before the eating began, the tricky tortoise
asked the hosts who had the food. They answered all of you. At this, the
tortoise convinced the birds that the food was for “All of you* and not for
everyone. Since the tortoise answers “All of you”, he started eating the food
alone, while all others were watching and grudging in anger. After the tortoise
had eaten to his full, he left the distorted leftovers for the birds that ate in
anger and disgust Some even refused to eat and in their anger and furry,
the birds took back the feathers they had contributed to the tortoise and
headed back home to the earth, leaving the tortoise over there in the skies as
a punishment for his greedy actions at the party. The tortoise begged them to
take a message for his wife “Alia” but they refused. Later on, the parrot came
back to collect the message. In the message, the tortoise told the wife to
bring out all the soft materials in the house and line them up for him to jump
down to the earth since he had no more wings to fly as before. In revenge to
what the tortoise did against the birds at the party, the parrot told the
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tortoise’s wife “Alia” to bring out all the hard objects in the house, including
hoes, gun, cannon, knives and shovels, etc. At this juncture, the tortoise
looked down and saw the wife bringing things out of the house, but did not
know exactly what they were. The tortoise then let himself fell down to the
earth from the sky where he had been very desperate to leave. He fell, and
fell and fell, and in the end, he landed on the top of most hard objects anyone
can think of and broke its shell into pieces but fortunately, he did not die. This
is the reason why the tortoise shell is never smooth.
There are many lessons to be learned in the above story: (i) “He, who
lives by the sword, shall perish by the sword", so says the Christian scripture.
This shows that, since the tortoise was used to tricking people all the time
and getting away with it also another that got away with it tricked him too.
(ii) The popular believe that, "what goes around, comes around” was well
demonstrated in this story. Since the tortoise did not show sympathy to the
birds that gave him the wings to fly to the skies for the party, they, in
retaliation, took their wings back without any consideration on how he was
going to get back to the earth. Hence he only received the seed of deceit he
ha d planted by deceiving and cheating other animals.
(iii) Evil deeds w ill always be punished at one time or the other, therefore,
people should avoid indulging in evil deeds against each other irrespective of
how smart, or clever they think of themselves, because there w ill be a pay
back day sometime for their actions.
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Thus, children are encouraged to learn and use these lessons in the
story to guide them in their dealings with other people. They are told to
remember the old saying -"O ne good turn, deserves another”. Therefore,
whatever seed one sow, he/she will eventually reap the same in the end; "all
things being equal”, as the old saying goes.
(2) On Igbo Metaphysics:
A life and death story is told. Once upon a time, an argument arose at
the "Igwekala” residence of the creator on whether people should live longer
lives or not A dog and a toad were chosen to bring the message of yes or no
to the people. If the dog comes home first the verdict will be favorable in that
there will be no more deaths and people will live forever. This choice was
popular because the dog was known as a fast runner and could outrun the
toad. On the other hand, if the toad came firs t the news would be bad. There
will be death and people would no more live longer. After consulting and
agreeing with the creator, the two competitors set running for home. The dog
ran well ahead of the toad, but when it diverted from the race to look for its
food (human wastes), the toad slowly passed the finishing line with an
unbelievable victory and won the race. With this result, death will not be
abolished and people w ill no more have long lives. The race is now over and
the majority lost with their hopes gone. What a tragedy and disappointment
to the human family of those days. Things similar to this could happen in our
contemporary times and circumstance.
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The morals of this story is that people should always have a sense of
duty in whatever they are doing and put personal interests and needs off
while on a mission. The selfishness o f the dog had caused much pain and
loss to those mentioned in the story, and such could happen in our own time
when people put personal needs and interests ahead of those of the general
public, and the common good they supposed to protect and promote.
(3) On Self-motivation:
Young people are often told the story of a hard-working, enterprising
and intelligent lizard that climbed up to the top most part of an” iroko tree"
which was and still is, the tallest tree in Igboland. Among the animal
kingdom, anyone who climbed to that height was hailed as brave and
successful, since one cannot get to that height very easily. Unfortunately,
when the lizard mistakenly fell down from the top most part of the iroko tree,
it expected some recognition and praises from its compatriots, but nothing
came. Instead of being depressed and discouraged with itself, it got up and
wiped away the sand on its body saying in self-promotion that “if no one
praises me, I will definitely praise m yself.
This is a story always told to children and even to adults to empower
and to motivate them to regain self- confidence and reliance in times of
difficulty. They are encouraged to be enterprising and to never be
discouraged by their failures, or from lack of human appreciation of their
efforts. Such was the case of the lizard in the story that moved beyond the
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non chaliant attitudes of its friends, and compatriots by motivating and
congratulating itself on the fall that would have been regarded as a
misfortune and a failure in achieving its objectives.
(4) On vanity of human Acquisition:
A story is told of a “madman” who once went to a funeral of a rich man
and urged those digging his grave to expand it and make provisions for his
cars, houses, wives and many children. This emotionally disturbed person
wondered why the rich man should be buried alone and leaves all those
properties he tirelessly acquired and wives behind. In the end people reacted
and said, “Hay you there, madman, who invited you here? Get out of here,
your suggestions are not needed”.
The story presents the vanity associated with human acquisitions and
why people should live honest and descent lives as a legacy to the world
when they are gone. Therefore, one should pay more attention to being good
and helping people in need with his/her wealth rather than pilling up wealth,
since no dead person carries material acquisitions to the grave and the next
world, as was the case of the rich dead man in this story.
(5) On Self-examination of Conscience and good Character
Another story is told of a person who went to ”Eke market" and there
was trouble, then to “Nkwo market”, there was trouble. Again he went to
“Orie market” and there was trouble and finally to the “Afo market” and there
was trouble there too. Who then is causing all these troubles in these native
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markets? Are these troubles in the markets causing themselves, or is this
person destroying the business nature of these markets?
This story gives a lesson on how people should engage in self-analysis
when confronting their own problems, rather than pointing accusing fingers at
others. Everyone must be responsible and in control of his/her actions.
Playing the blame game, instead o f facing one’s problems, does not help the
person deal with those problems in the long run. Therefore, one must be
ready to face the consequences of his/her own actions and make positive
changes in his/her life, rather than blaming others.
The foregone are some of the ways proverbs and folktales are used to
communicate in Igbo culture and language. The wisdom here is to promote
critical thinking skills because without such, one would neither understand
these proverbs, nor the Igbo philosophy, or the Igbo metaphysics according
to naturally established conventional wisdom. These ideas and uses are still
there, and have not been affected by the ongoing changes due to their
educational contents and the feet that these messages are truths of life,
which are transmitted from one generation to another.
4.10 Uses of animals and Objects in Igbo Thought System:
Reasons for frequent Igbo use of animals and objects in their thought
system could be explained as follows:
(a) As an organic society, the traditional Igbo lived dose to nature in villages
that had undisturbed environments with different sets of animals around
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them. In addition, trees and bushes grew around, and there were hills,
valleys and rivers flowing in their natural channels unhampered by man
through irrigation and the building of dams. Modem development and its
technologies were not a problem for them in those days, unlike today
when trees, forests and even rivers have disappeared as a result of human
interferences with developmental constructions.
(b) Stories of animals are told to bring out the wisdom or stupidity in their
behaviors and apply them to human situations, since the humans are also
dose to the animal kingdom or spedes. For example, the tortoise, called
“Mbe", is known as the wisest and most cunning of all animals. It can adapt
to any environment in water and land, cold and hot weather as well. As a
traveler, “Mbe" (the tortoise), can slowly travel long distances, and the Igbos
believed that a traveler was. and is, a wise person. He/she gathers
knowledge moving from place to place. Hence using this particular animal in
stories, which usually end up in its favor as a result of its dever and patient
attitudes are meant to help humans to do the same in their own life struggles
and challenges.
Another example is that of the lion, “Agu", which symbolizes strength
and power. Humans are meant to be strong like the lion and fight for their
concerns and not surrender easily without putting up a reasonable fight.
They should also recharge their inner power in the midst of difficulties and
crisis and persist in such trials until vidory is won, or accomplished.
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(c) A person’s name may reflect those of animals such as - "Ogbuagu”
(Literally translated; one who kills lions) to depict his strength in the
community, or ‘Nwaturuocha” (Literally; the white lamb), depicting a quiet
man, who like the lamb does not make trouble or, "Nwokonkwo” (Literally
translated as; a man that was bom on “Nkwo” market day), etc. These types
of names, and many others, are also significantly used in Igbo family stories
and these have lasting memories and influences on those who listen to them
being told by the elders o f the family and community, whose own life
experiences are also stories to be told. Ambitious and studious children
always learn a lot from these family story-telling activities, which add to what
they know and thereby increase their wealth of knowledge and perception of
life in their immediate environment and beyond.
4.11 Rules of Conduct, Respect for Elders and Family Good Name:
The Igbos believe in the love and bonds that hold the family together.
These explain why the Igbo will provide tor each member of the family, even
at the adult age, if she/he becomes economically less privileged. However,
this goes with a high price to pay by those family members who must be loyal
and respectful to the family, the elders, as well as doing everything legally
and morally possible to maintain the family's good name. Children are taught
early in life to follow these patterns, which have become the behavioral
codes of conduct and tradition for them, and these are ongoing learning
experiences as they grow up to adulthood.
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Regarding respect for elders, elders in this context means one’s
seniors, for example, older brothers and sisters (not a council of elders or old
people). Thus, whoever was bom before you, is your elder and you have to
give him/her the due respect as culturally required. This includes addressing
him/her with the title Dede for males, and Dada for females. Hence, for a
child to call his/her seniors by their first names is an act of disrespect in
Igboland that is rebuked and corrected there and then by that senior, or any
older person around. This aspect of the Igbo culture is so popularly accepted
in the society, and as such the practice is carried on to adulthood and
everyone enjoys it, because, as one respects his/her seniors, so also, will
his/her juniors respect him/her in return.
4.12 The Umunne, Umunna and Umuada Phenomena:
The ‘‘Umunne'', ‘‘Umunna" and "Umuada” phenomena are traditional
practices by which the various groups of the Igbo families, extended families,
compounds, and kindred constitute a traditionally legal body/force and
entities, which empower them to promote their causes as well as to settle
families’, villages’ and community disputes. This phenomenon dates back to
the pre-colonial times when the Igbos ruled themselves in their own ways
through representative government of all compounds, kindred, villages and
towns, etc. Each of these units also handled its own communal affairs
traditionally and legally according to its cultural norms.
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The Umunne are those in the community that have a common
maternal ancestry. The bond of association is strongest among this group of
the three groups being discussed. Children are always taught to respect and
honor the Umunne family group, as well as joining them and participating in
their functions as they grow up. Traditionally, there used to be a shrine at the
center of the big compound of Igbo families or in the Umunne meeting hall
(called "Isi-ulo", first house) that held/preserved the Umune (the family chi or
god). Here, members met for group and family discussions about their
common affairs and any member not present had some explanations to
make each time. The ritual practices and worships at the family and village
“Umune” (chi or god) are no more today’s realities as were done in the past
on account of Christianity which has converted the people, who now look at
those things and practices as idolatry and having false gods.
The Umunna on the other hand, are members of groups of “Umunne”
who live in a given area. This constitutes what is known as kindred members;
those who usually work together as a political unit that has representation in
the village administration. The kindred was/is usually headed by Onye Nze
(a titled man) who represents the people at the Exe’s palace (traditional ruler
in Council). Through the stewardship of this representative the kindred are
attended to by the traditional and political governments. Children are also
taught to respect the decisions of the Umunna in their lives too, as is the
case with “Umunne”. This is justified by the Igbo saying - “Umunna bu ike”
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(Literally, home people are strength/powerful). Like the “Umunne” federation,
any member who absents himself/herself at gatherings without reasonable
explanations, is often looked upon as a dissident and candidate for
ostradzat'on, if such persists.
The Umuada group is a “federation” of all daughters of the kindred and
village who are married to husbands in other villages and communities. This
group is highly respected and accepted by the people as peacemakers, and
is often invited by the men (their brothers) to come and settle cases and
issues that could destroy the community without their intervention. In
addition, this group is seen in Igbo traditional society as the court of appeals
and their judgments in community cases are final and as such, usually
accepted by all the involved parties.
They also attend the funerals of their brothers and sisters on the
village level and give some sanctions to family members who did not take
care of the deceased relative while he/she was alive. Their judgments were
and are always accepted by all family members as disciplinary and a means
of preventing a future repetition of such misbehaviors.
One might argue here that the type of unnecessary tensions between the
male and female genders in the Western world are absent in Igboland,
because every one understands his/her role in the family and community.
This system of gender roles had worked and still works in Igboland. The
author recommends that the “Umuada* functions should continue in Igboland
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because of their invaluable contributions to peace making and conflict
resolutions among the people in families and communities.
4.13 Methods of Discipline - Rewards and Punishment
The Igbo have peculiar ways of rearing their children and discipline is
enforced from the moment the child is bom. What one culture may call child
abuse may be conventionally accepted in another as a way of disciplining the
child. Children are taught to be open and trustful of the parents and family
members; that everyone is responsible for his/her behaviors. Hence the
children will always anticipate a reward, or punishment in whatever form for
something done, as a means of affirming approval or disapproval. In addition,
children are often reminded of the need for humility in their lives, no matter
how economically privileged their families are in the society. The proverbial
saying of the Igbo sage explains this clearer in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
Those whose palm-kemels were cracked for them by a benevolent spirit
should not forget to be humble'’ (Ibid. p. 19). This means that wealthy people
should not insult or undermine the struggling-to-survive poor people in the
community, because there is no human condition that is permanent In other
words, the rich should help the poor, and not insult them with their wealth
under any circumstance. Thus, the child’s worth is not measured by the
family he/she comes from or by his/her family’s wealth, but by what he/she
does and grows up to accomplish. Hence children are taught to be self-
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motivating, hardworking and goal oriented. These attributes will make them
successful and to become the pride of their parents and communities.
4.14 The Market Square and Cultural Celebrations:
The Market Square is the community’s local market where people
come to buy and sell as they have chosen, once in a four-day or weekly
cycle. Amakohia community has the “Nkwo” day as its market day and
people on every four days or eight days, come there for commercial
activities. Hence, Igbos have very high regard for the local Market Squares
as essential places for every Igbo community’s commercial activities, as well
as for all sorts of gatherings and celebrations.
There are different sizes and uses of the Market Square, which are
usually identified and called by the name of the kindred, villages and towns
that own them. The big market that unifies the small markets belongs to the
entire village or town, and it is at this square that celebrations that involve the
whole community and traditional rulers take place. In Amakohia town, the big
Market Square that unites all others in the area is called the “Nkwo Ihitte
Market”. Most community celebrations and festivities, such as: the “ibo-uzo”
(road clearing ceremony), the “iwa-akwa” (wearing doth ceremony), the “ima-
ogwu” (initiation into the medidne dub ceremony), dandng competitions,
reception of important visitors to the community, as well as the community
leaders addressing their constituents, take place at these marked out areas
of the village or town. In a way, the Market Squares are well known for their
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multi-purpose uses by the community, which include: commercial activities,
as well as celebrations, meetings and political rallies, etc.
Market Squares are also used for non-formal educational purposes.
Whenever community leaders have something to communicate to large
members of the community, or the political government or politicians
campaigning for votes, health services campaigns, as well as village-to-
village discussions, the Market Squares are the venue. Children are taught to
respect such places. They are also taken to Market Squares by their parents
to attend and witness and participate in some of the activities and
celebrations that take place there. These are non-formal educational
learning, which cannot be learned in the formal education classrooms. Hence
these learning experiences are invaluable to all Igbo children at all times.
4.15 Food and Dietary Rules:
Traditionally, parents eat with their children together from the same
dish. This is meant to teach them eating manners, discipline, tolerance and
accommodation of one another. In families with many children, those who
usually eat faster than others, are made to slow down, or would be denied
the meal as an immediate measure of correction and teaching good behavior
and to avoid a repeat of that bad behavior. Such was the way things used to
be with Igbo families in olden days.
However, the idea and practice of sharing food separately at meals
among Igbo children was a later development that came with western
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individualism that was brought about by formal education and life style.
Children now often eat from their separate plates and use their own specific
cups for drinks. Although the table rules of not talking during meals and of
sharing still apply today in Igbo families, things are no more what they used
to be, for the changes have been drastic. These days, families rarely eat
together at the same time. They are rarely all in the home at the same time to
assess how each child is doing in relation to others. This trend is continuing
and may become more complex in the future. Thus, the social change aspect
of our study is already taking place before we can even realize what is going
on elsewhere in Igboland. The Igbo society has folly embraced these
modernizations as part of the outcomes of formal education which they had
freely bargained for with their acceptance of the early Christian missionaries.
4.16.1 The Kola Nut (Qfi).
An edible seed among the Igbo, the kola nut (Oji), wears many hats.
The foil meaning of the name O ji means ojikotalu ndi Igbo onu (binding the
Igbo together). “Oji” (kola nut) is believed to be the cross road between the
dead and the living. This is why before a traditional Igboman breaks the kola
nut he will first invoke the presence of the spirits of his ancestors to come
and participate in it, as well as asking fo r protection and guidance in all he
does, and for all those who are going to eat it with him. This very practice is
today earned out in a modernized form where most of the people have been
Christianized. Instead of calling on the spirits of their ancestors to come and
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participate in the kola nut people now invoke the name of Almighty God to
come and bless the occasion and the kola nut so that those who would eat
it will be blessed too, as well as being protected from the evils of the world.
Functions of Kola Nut (Qfi):
(i) The presentation of the kola nut is generally accepted as the most
significant way of showing Igbo hospitality to visitors at a home or at
community gatherings and celebrations. It must appear before or with
whatever food items one has for a visitor/visitors, otherwise, the guests will
feel unwelcome at that home or at the occasion at hand.
(ii) As an icon in Igbo hospitality, where there is no kola nut seed (Oji)
available, people usually present whatever edible thing or drink they have as
a substitute for the real kola (Oji), while making some excuses for its
absence in the house.
(Hi) The kola nut (Oji) brings life, good health, reconciliation, peace, joy and
prosperity to all those who will participate in chewing it when it is presented
and the appropriate ceremonial ritual is performed by one qualified to do so
by either old age, title, seniority, and/or religious office holder.
The Kola Nut ritual:
By this, is meant foe special ceremony and prayers that are usually
conducted and said over foe kola nut (Oji). The kola nut (Oji) is normally
presented by foe host to his guests in the home or at community gatherings.
He hands it over to the nearest of kin, who in turn will follow the same pattern
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until all the male guests from different communities present have touched the
kola nut, or verbally acknowledged that they have seen it At this juncture,
one of the titled men, or the oldest man that is present where there is no
titled man or religious office holder, will be asked to offer a prayer over the
kola nut at which he calls upon the Almighty God to bless the kola nut for the
occasion. All present will also add their wishes in support of the prayers by
saying, amen (Literally; let it happen as you have said). The man who says
the prayer will break the kola nut and take a little piece as his aka oji (hand
piece of kola). He will then hand it back to the host/presenter, who then
invites the youngest in the gathering to complete the breaking job and then to
distribute it to all present This ritual is known as the breaking of the kola nut,
(hwa-Oji), after it had been passed round to guests (ire-Oji), and is held very
highly among the Igbo. Whenever this process has not been well carried out,
people would disagree, quarrel, and may call themselves names. Hence
every Igboman takes his time when the kola nut comes up at Igbo gatherings
in order not to make a mistake that w ill be seen as disrespect to the culture,
as well as portraying the ignorance of the presenter. There is nothing that
humiliates an Igbo person more than telling him/her that; “You don’t know
Igbo culture”, (imagh’ omenala Igbo). This is an embarrassing phrase to
hear by an Igbo in any public gathering.
Traditionally, the Igbo believe and brag that the kola nut does not hear
or speak any language other than “the Igbo language”. Thus it is always seen
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as disrespectful to the Igbo culture when the tola Nut (Oji) is presented
directly in another language, or to women, or eaten on an occasion without
the ritual selling, speeches and ceremonial breaking. On occasions where
women are present they are told of the presence of the tola nut (Oji), but
they do not participate in the ceremonies according to Igbo customs and
tradition. The reason for this discrimination has not yet been given, nor, is
there any foreseen prospect for a future change. However, children around
are always advised to open their eyes and minds to learn what goes on in
the ceremonial presentation and breaking o f the kola nut at occasions and
celebrations because such customs and traditions are not otherwise seen
written about in books.
According to a celebrated Igbo Nobel Prize winner, Professor Chinua
Achebe, the traditional ritual prayers said over the kola nut are as follow:
*We shall a ll live. We pray for life, children, a good harvest and happiness.
You will have what is good for you and I w ill have what is good fo r me. Let
the kite perch and die eagle perch too. If one says no to the other, let his
wings break" (Ibid. p. 14).
This pattern of prayer epitomizes Igbo philosophy and religious convictions.
In the above prayers over the kola nut children are taught of the need to
accept each other and to live in peace with their neighbors. To be good and
kind to people are the sources of happiness. Simply put, the “golden rule” is,
do good and think well of others, if you want others to do the same for you.
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Another significance of the kola nut is its desirable bitter-tasting flavor.
This was a later development and meaning attributed to the kola nut The
kola nut’s bitter-tasting flavor is caused by its caffeine content that acts as a
stimulant in the body. It is believed that whoever chews the kola nut (Oji) is
kept awake to work and contribute to the production and growth of the
human society rather than becoming lazy and telling asleep when he/she is
not expected to do so during the day.
Secondly, the bitter-tasting content of the kola nut is also believed to expel
evil intentions, bad blood and feelings against each other among those
chewing it Hence, whosoever eats the kola nut with evil intentions against
his/her neighbor is said to have eaten oriko (which means the condemnation
and judgment on oneself). In addition, all the participants must avoid this.
Finally, it should be noted that though the kola nut presentation
ceremony is commonly practiced in Igboland, each Igbo area has its own
way of carrying out this presentation and the kola nut-breaking ritual. Hence
this practice is widely respected and accepted among the people as long as
there are no visible and intentional signs and acts of disrespect to the
generally perceived dignity that goes with it
4.16.2 Iri-ji Festival (Eating of New Yam Festival):
This is an annual yam harvest festival celebrated in villages and
communities across Igboland at the beginning of the harvest season. The
months of July. August and September are a remarkable period for such
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celebrations. Hence, the practice of eating the new yams of the year with
festivities, teach children how to celebrate successes and accomplishments.
It also promotes the dignity of human labor. From these activities, children
also learn to appreciate themselves and what one is able to produce through
hard work. In addition, it is a time for sharing one's wealth in forms of food
and drinks with friends and relations in thanksgiving to God who has given
them the abundant harvest Invited and uninvited guests usually come from
neighboring and far away communities as friends and well wishers.
Everyone, guests and hosts alike, feel happy in seeing each other on such a
special occasion. Then a time of entertainment ensues with eating and
drinking. According to Chinua Achebe (1965) in his “Things Fall Apart”:
The Feast of the New Yam was held every year before the
harvest began, to honor the earth goddess and the ancestral
spirits of the dan. New yams could not be eaten untH some
had first been offered to these powers. Men and women,
young and old looked forward to the New Yam Festival
because it began the season of plenty-the New Year ( p 26).
These traditions are still being celebrated today across Igboland but in a
modernized Christian form as the majority of the people are now Christians
of different denominations. The Christians place much emphasis on
thanksgiving to God the creator of Heaven and earth who has given them the
abundant harvest Hence Chinua Achebe’s description of the purpose of the
New Yam festival as a time to give honor to the earth goddess and to
ancestral spirits were the celebrations of the past which of course worked for
them at that time. Christianity has taken deep root in Igboland for over a
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century and today Christians celebrate the festival in their own ways with no
reference to any celestial powers other than the Almighty God who created
the heavens and the earth and all therein.
Another evolutionary phase of the new yam festival in Igboland today
is the "Intellectual Harvest Festival” begun in 1979 and celebrated on the last
Friday of the month of November each year. This is a recognition and
celebration of the Igbo love for learning where Igbo scholars and experts in
their various academic disciplines are invited to conferences and lecture
sessions. The last day of this two days conference is the open forum for all
called the "AHIAJOKU LECTURE & FESTIVAL” where a renowned Igbo
scholar presents a well-prepared academic lecture to the audience on a
selected topic that affects the Igbo as a people/society.
Professor A. E. Afigbo, the Chairman of the year 2000 Ahiajoku
Lecture and Festival Planning Committee while giving the citation on the
events of the day had this to say:
Ahiajoku is about Igboness. Igboness is about those things
that distinguishes us from other Nigerians, and indeed from other
peoples worldwide. Igboness cannot be defined in terms either
o f gene pods or of spiritual qualities. At the genetic level we
are the same with all peoples classified as Negroid. A t the
as die holy books of the world put it, all breaths o f God.
Igboness is defined and can be defined, only in terms o f
culture that is in terms o f mentifactual, sodofactual and
artifactual aggregates, which in turn define and constitute
the way we are bom, live, die, and are buried -
our culture and civilization (Year 2000, Citation).
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This points out clearly the whole idea of the Igbo worldview and philosophy
of life that revolve around their inherited culture and traditions. The Igbos still
see and will continue to see themselves as a people of one blood and
destiny on the Nigerian scene, and across the world, irrespective of the feet
that they are now located in seven separate political states of the federation.
Hence, one of the goals of the annual Ahiajuko Lecture and Festival is to
awaken the Igboness of every Igbo person, as well as to unify and promote
their solidarity in Igboland, Nigeria and beyond.
The researcher had the opportunity to attend the year 2000 Ahiajoku
Lecture and Festival held on November 24,2000. The topic was on the age
long controversial phrase, “Igbo Enwe Eze” (Literally; the Igbo have no king),
delivered by a renowned Igbo Science Scholar and Vice Chancellor Emeritus
of the University of Ibadan, Professor/Chief Cyril Ogodi Onwumechili.
According to the revered scholar
“In fact, the saying ‘Igbo Enwe Eze” is a reference to the characteristic traits
of the Igbo. It should not be taken literally as a total denial that any king ever
existed anywhere in the entire Igboland" (Year2000 Ahiajoku Lecture, p. 15).
The occasion was well attended by over ten thousand people from all
works of life and the discussions were very enlightening and informative. It
was a real celebration of the academic accomplishments of Igbo sons and
daughters who were represented by a selected few in the fell academic
gowns of their various universities. Such a procession and gathering were
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very motivating to young people, who after witnessing the occasion would
decide to be serious with their school life so as to be like them some day.
This was a very memorable occasion for the author and any one that
attended celebration on that day. One memorable definition that everybody
went home with from the occasion was that of a successful leader as defined
by the year 2000 Ahiajoku festival committee. “A successful leader is one
who during his/her tenure in office was able to train a successor, or series of
successors for continuity”. The researcher and many of the guests agreed.
4.16.3 The Mbom-Uzo Festival (Clearing Road Festival):
Like the new yam festival, the Mbom-Uzo festival is an annual
celebration in some parts of Igboland, especially in the I mo and Abia States
of Nigeria. It is a celebration of keeping-clean the environment, especially the
local roads which are carried out by the age grade associations, but
celebrated by all, the young and the old alike on specific local market days by
different autonomous communities.
The "Mbom-Uzo” festival enables children and youths to see
themselves as members of cultural groups, having a sense of duty to their
communities in particular, and to the society at large. In a world foil of
struggles and competition, the age grade associations are good starting
points for local children to get prepared for the wider society challenges that
exist out there, waiting for them as they grow up. Therefore, the participation
in this road-clearing festival not only promotes community unity, but, also,
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fraternal socialization of the traditions and customs with others. Moreover,
since a child of today becomes an “adult” tomorrow, children gradually
observe and learn what goes on in the festivities, as they w ill eventually take
over from the present day adults. The celebration is always done in the
traditional feasting and merry making format, where members of extended
families from other villages and towns, friends and well wishers, come to the
party that goes on for the whole day as visitors come and go at their own
time, after they have eaten and drank to their satisfaction.
4.16.4 Religion and Belief System:
The Igbo have great respect for religion and believe in the existence
of the Supreme God known as Chi nke-ukwu (the big God), or Chineke (the
God that creates). The traditional Igbo also believed in the existence of small
and personal gods, known as chi nke-nta (the small gods), who are the
messengers of the big God (Chi nke-ukwu or Chukwu). Traditionally too,
every child had his/her own chi that guides him/her in life as well as giving
protection against human enemies and evil forces. This was why the people
believed that when someone said yes to hard work for survival, his/her chi
also supported the proposition and says yes. The lesson for the young ones
to leam here was to be optimistic and hopeful in life, amidst hardships and
disappointments that might come up at one time or the other. They should be
prepared for the rainy day that would eventually come, because life, as the
western saying goes, is not “a bed of roses” (life is not easy to live).
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With the Igbos’ sound traditional belief in God and the practices of
religion all through the centuries, Igbo children today have generally grown
up becoming strong Christians and patriotic citizens of the nation, assisted by
the foundations created and laid by the early Christian missionaries. As a
result of the Igbos’ deep faith, respect, and loyalty to a higher power (God),
they did not have serious problems switching over to Christianity from their
traditional religion, because Christianity also satisfied their worship of the
Supreme Being (God), “Chi-nke-ukwu" (the big God). The Igbo believed, that
the absence of loyalty to this higher power, coupled with anti-religious
attitudes and sentiments of people in most societies today are part of the
perennial problems of the modem world.
4.17 Chapter summary:
From the foregoing discussions, we noticed that the Igbo society tries
to maintain most of its traditional style and methods of educating its children,
while at the same time keeping the doors open to Western methods of
education and any other form of new ideas. Furthermore, Igbo teachers and
community leaders of various ranks are fully aware of the fact that children
are the future hope of the society and as such, must be given, right from
birth, the tool they will need to succeed in the wider society. This tool is seen
as education - both traditional and western which, when combined,
constitutes a life-long process of special significance in learning before a
child’s nineteenth birthday that provides the foundation for adulthood.
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As a competitive and caring society, the Igbo try to raise and educate
not only their own children, but also to make collective contributions in
communities to offer educational scholarships to some bright and intelligent
children from poor families. This is because the parents of these children, if
unassisted, would not be able to sponsor them through secondary and
university education. Igbos believe that these children when given the
opportunities to acquire sound educations w ill, in turn, come back to support
and promote the communities that had helped them to realize their dreams.
This is what the Nigerian Igbo Anthropologist Victor Uchendu referred to as,
“Helping the town to get up”, a very familiar program across Igboland. The
nuclear and extended families and community involvements in raising an
Igbo child are what make the Igbo society unique among other Nigerians.
In spite of all foreign influences that have encroached upon the Igbo society
through the years, Igbo philosophy and practices are still very strongly held
and cherished among the people.
Finally, it is very interesting to note that the Igbo culture was an open-
minded culture, which made it possible for the Igbo to embrace the Western
style of education/training of children well before independence in 1960.
They also became more interested in modem education and committed to it,
though after the Yoruba, but later surpassed them and other Nigerian ethnic
societies. This was because “Mmuta” (learning) was/is generally accepted
by the Igbos as a right for every child/one, no matter the background, or
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educational level. Again, the Igbos are very open-minded people, resourceful
and quick to learn, and, when they have learned something, will improve on it
and even strive to surpass their teachers. This is a unique characteristic of
the Igbo wherever he/she may be found and they have neither regrets nor
apologies to make for being what they are, seen as naturally willed by their
‘Chineke” (Supreme God).
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CHAPTER FIVE
WESTERN EDUCATION
5.1 Historical Foundations of Western Education in Igboland:
Nigeria was a former British colony from which it inherited its western
educational system at independence on October 1,1960. This system of
education as at that time, ran from two years of pre-primary schooling before
the child reached the school age of seven years; to primary education that
lasted for six years, from standard one to six. At that time, a child began
primary education at the age of seven or eight and it went through the ages
of thirteen or fourteen, depending on his/her mental development and
academic progress. Primary education was designed to last for 6 years,
while secondary education lasted for 5 years (from classes 1 -5), and usually
from the age of 14, or more, to 19 or more.
In 1964, the primary education program was reorganized and given a
different name, elementary education, but it still lasts for 6 years, beginning
now at age six, and from elementary 1 to elementary 6. The previous two
years of pre-primary education were eliminated, but nursery education grew
within the private and voluntary schools’ sector replacing it in a way. From
this time onward, the six-year elementary education model has continued
across the nation to the present day.
To continue the overall educational restructuring program in the
country, in 1977, the federal government of Nigeria introduced a new
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National Policy on Education known as the 6- 3- 3- 4 educational systems.
This means, 6 years of elementary schooling, 3 years of junior secondary
school (JSS), 3 years of senior secondary school (SSS), and 4 years of
university education, or its equivalent in polytechnics/colleges of education.
The 1977 reorganization of Nigerian education and the establishment
of the new 6-3-3-4 system of education have been described as the most
noble and radical thing that the federal government has been able to
accomplish in Nigerian education. This is because attention has been given
to, and provisions made for, Science and Technological Education, which are
key to modem development. As Professor Okafor (1988) put it
With regard to the second area of government action as
per above, it must be said that the 6-3-3-4-education
system is, perhaps, the most important action to date
in response to the stimulus o f awareness o f tee crucial
importance o f technology education. The 6-3-3-4 education
system can become a veritable launching pad teat can
propel Nigeria into a greater acceleration o f progress,
if adequate safeguards are taken, particularly in the
approach to teacher education (Nigeria Teacher
Education, p.118).
With this new program, a Nigerian child attends six years of elementary
school and is supposed to graduate from secondary school before his/her
19* birthday (the population group of this research study). Today, some
intellectually bright and gifted children do graduate from the senior secondary
school at 16 or 17 years of age. In the 1977 federal government’s White
Paper on education, it was clearly stated th at
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Education in Nigeria is no more a private enterprise,
but a huge Government venture that has witnessed a
progressive evolution o f Governments complete and
dynamic intervention and active participation. The
Federal government o f Nigeria has adopted education
as an instrument par excellence for effecting national
development (National Policy on Education, p. 5).
As the Nigerian federal government has adopted education as an
instrument for effecting national development as well as stating its active
participatory status, one expects national government officials to commit
strongly to these statements, which would bring about the anticipated
development and change. If this were done, it would also affect the Igbo
society, (the object of the present study). Unfortunately, Nigeria changes
governments and policies incessantly. There is, therefore, no guarantee that
what is promised in the 1977 document will ever be folly honored by
succeeding central administrations that could always find easy ways out of
previous federal commitments. Unfortunately, the present new Nigerian
democratic government is yet to release its White Paper on a new Policy on
Education, which is today seen in all quarters as expedient and overdue.
5.2 Language Use: (Igbo and English)
Language is not only a mode o f expressing the culture
o f its native speakers but also is itself a part o f that culture.
For this reason; we cannot reach the depths o f the
culture of a people unless and until we are able to
understand fully, the language of such a people.
To misrepresent the language o f a people is therefore
to misrepresent the culture o f such a people.
(Igwe Osita Agwuna 111, in Igbo, A Lang. & People, p. 19).
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The Igbo language was the predominant language of the Igbo people
spoken in Igboland, and beyond, among the Igbo of Nigeria before the
advent of the Europeans, either as Christian missionaries or colonizers.
This language became the basis and foundation for interpreters and
educators to teach and promote the English language, which has now
become the national and official business, educational and governmental
language of all daily transactions.
Today, the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba languages have been made three
major national languages out of the two hundred and fifty languages that
exist and are spoken in Nigeria. These three national languages are today
made compulsory for all children in the Federal Government’s secondary
schools and colleges as one of the tools to enhance national unity and
patriotism among the younger generation o f Nigerians. O n the other hand,
the Igbo and English languages are the two dominant languages, popularly
spoken in Igboland, and are also taught daily in schools across Igboland as
languages of education, administration and business transactions. Moreover,
to speak and write well in English has always been seen by the Igbos as
modernization and development because with the knowledge of English,
one is better exposed to the outside world, which means having a better life,
as well as employment opportunities. However, critics see it as “bad taste
and bad business”, since this is reducing interest in the Igbo language which
is the mother tongue of the Igbos, and the only thing that identifies and
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unifies them ail over the world. How and whenever this issue is going to be
resolved is open for a debate, and for future researchers to explore.
The Igbo language is a friendly language in terms of its use of
pleasantries and complementary words, which not only boost frequent Igbo
use of the language in Igboland and elsewhere the Igbos may be found, but
also attracts non-indigenes to learn to speak it Such words as, for example:
“Kedu nk’ idi" (How are you doing); ‘ Imela, Chukwu gozi gi” (Thank you, and
God bless you); "Ubochi odi kwa na mm a” (Is everything going on well with
you); “Jisie ike” (Take it easy, take time and courage, it will be alright), etc.,
portray the Igbo language’s friendly nature to all users.
This research study was conducted in both Igbo and English
languages, and the reason was to allow respondents to express their views
in the best ways they were able to in either language without difficulties.
5.3 Arrivals and Works of Early Christian Missionaries:
To talk of western education in Igboland is to talk of the early Christian
missionaries and their efforts in this part of Nigeria. This is a common
agreement among most Igbo scholars. As P.K. Uchendu (1993) put it
In order for one to write an authentic history o f education
in Nigeria, one must pay a special attention to toe no /e
played by the missionaries. This is because toe early
missionaries were the pioneers of education in Nigeria
and they used the school system as their main strategy
for evangelization, especially in the former Eastern Region
of Nigeria. To them the schod and the church were
interwoven and everybody that went to school eventually
became a Christian (Ibid. p.14).
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As Rose Adaure Njoku, (1980) also constructively observed:
The solution to limited expansion proposed by Reverend
Father Shanahan was fully applied by the pioneer
missionaries of Oweni Province. Father Walsh understood
the mentality of the chiefs he was dealing with. The chiefs
could not easiy understand what he meant by his new
religion. He lured them by telling them that he would tike
to start schools in their area where youths would be taught
how to read and write. Although the chiefs did not initially
want to send their sons to school, they readtiy gathered
children and asked them to listen to the white man and his
interpreters (The Advent o f the Catholic Church in Nigeria p.58).
The first attempt of the Roman Catholic Portuguese missionaries in 1487 in
Benin City and Old Warn town in the Western Region of the country was
short lived. This earlier missionary venture was said to have failed because
the missionaries’ evangelization strategy in these two areas did not win over
many natives who were also uncooperative. Their native rulers, called chiefs
and “Obas" were uncompromising with the missionaries. On this issue, Rose
A. Njoku (1980) again argues and explains that the:
Roman Catholics were the fast to send missionaries to
Southern Nigeria. By 1487, the Portuguese, who had already
opened up trading connection with Benin City two years earlier,
sent out Portuguese Catholic Christian missionaries to Benin City
and Old Warn. These early missionaries laboured under difficult
conditions. Despite the initial good reception, the mission to both
Benin and Warn collapsed due partly to inadequacy o f the
numerical strength o f the missionaries and partly to the “cold feet”,
which the Obas and their people developed later. The military
and political reasons tor which the Obas received the
missionaries were no longer coming forth so they lost the
patronage o f the Obas. The unfriendly climatic conditions also
contributed to the discontinuation o f the missionary work.
It finally collapsed as there were no natives strong and
convinced to carry on, but the sites were identifiable (Ibid. p. 25).
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The second wave of Christian missionaries arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, in
1845. This was a fruitful missionary venture as the new groups were able
to penetrate the Nigerian hinterland. Learning from the mistakes and
experiences of the first failed Christian missionary endeavors in Western
Nigeria, these second groups of missionaries were able to adopt a new
method and different native culture-friendly approaches.
The first among these new groups to come was the Church Missionary
Society (CMS) from England which later spread to all parts of the country. In
the same trend, the Roman Catholic missionaries arrived in Igboland in 1885
at Onitsha, which later became the headquarters of Christianity among the
Igbo and around the former eastern region of Nigeria that has now been split
into eight political states in the new Nigerian federation. The missionaries
came with the objective of educating the population in order to achieve their
goal of converting them to Christianity. Hence, they were able to initiate an
educational and evangelizing movement before anyone ever thought of
Nigeria becoming a nation. Therefore, there is no gainsaying that a befitting
credit should be given to the early European Christian missionaries when
writing, and talking about western civilization and education in Nigeria. These
evangelizers (though working differently from separate denominations) had a
common goal and focus; that is, the goal of converting their Nigerian Igbo
adherents to Christianity through the education of the young.
Adeniji Adaralegbe (1983) put it clearly when he said:
Christian missionaries took lead in the development of
Western formal education in Nigeria. They thought that
the establishment o f European type o f schools was
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inevitable in Nigeria in order to make it easy for European
intentions in the country to be achievable. From 1845 when
the CMS established the first school onwards, the other
Christian missions established schools in various parts of
Nigeria and ran them on the line skniar to that o f the English
Charity Schools o f foe 1 9 F Century, but with modifications
necessitated by the social status o f their Nigerian pupis.
(Nigerian Education, Trends and issues, p.3-4).
5.3.1 Missionary Activities in the C X d O wmtI Province of the former
Eastsm Rsgion of Nigsria:
After the early Catholic missionaries arrived in Onitsha from Lagos in
1885 which later became a vicariate, a diocese, and finally an archdiocese
as the metropolitan of the Church in the former Eastern Region of Nigeria,
the next point of stop in its expansion crusade in Igboland was at Emekukwu
in the old Owerri province. Also, Agbaghara Nsu in the Mbano district of the
old Okigwe division became an out station of Emekukwu mission and
eventually became a Catholic parish, from where Amakohia, the town of our
study also became an out station in 1919. As from this time onward, the first
seed of western education was sown in Amakohia. Explaining the arrival and
activities of the early Christian missionaries in this part of Igboland,
Felix K. Ekechi (1989) constructively explained:
It was not until after the pacification of the Owerri District
that missionary Congregations began to stake out claims
in the area. The earliest missionaries in Owerri came from
Onitsha. The first Christian mission to arrive was the Church
Missionary Society (CMS), which had been at Onitsha since
18 57. It established its mission station a t"Egbu" , three miles
from Owerri, in 1906. It was followed some years later by
the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) under the direction o f
the Irish Holy Ghost Fathers. In later years other Church
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denominations tike the Baptists, Methodists, the African
Church and the Salvation Army joined in the missionary
enterprise. The coming o f the missionaries, as we shall
soon see, brought far-reaching changes in the entire society.
(Tradition and Transformation in Eastern Nigeria, p. 60).
As time went on, things were not friendly and smooth among these early
missionaries from various Christian denominations. No sooner than they
came to settle among the Igbo natives, that they began to see each other as
rivals. It is likened to what happened at the historic colonial “Scramble for
Africa” among the European powers of the eighteenth century which resulted
in the partitioning of Africa into countries against the wills and interests of
their people which still cause ethnic and boundary problems between these
countries today. In short, elements of “religious politics” transmitted by these
missionary messengers began to interfere with their divine message. These
Catholic and Protestant missionaries got on each other’s nerves; to the
surprise and scandal of the ethnic Igbos they had come to convert to
Christianity. The religion of Jesus Christ that preached tolerance, good
neighborliness and love of one another was what these missionaries had
come to preach. However, why, and what were their reasons for the
subsequent diversions are yet to be explained.
The answers are not far fetched. According to Felix K. Ekechi (1989):
Until 1912 the Protestant Church (CMS) dominated the
mission Held in the Owerri Division. From that date, however,
its preponderant influence was effectively challenged by
the Roman Catholic missionaries. The resultant
interdenominational competition and rivalry significantly
quickened the pace of Christianization. Moreover, the
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coming o f the Roman Catholics accelerated the pace o f
social change as reflected in the establishment o f schools,
hospitals, maternity Centers and Christian societies. On the
other hand, the struggle for dominance between the Catholic
and Protestant missions generated an atmosphere o f
intolerance among die different religious bodies. It also
fostered conflict among the church adherents themselves.
The religious cleavage inevitably impaired the political unity
of many village groups.
The Protestant response to the Roman Catholic presence
was markedly hostite. As a matter o f fact ever since the Catholic
missionaries came to Onitsha in 1885, relations with the Anglicans
had been acrimonious largely because the Protestants regarded
the Roman Catholics a s "intruders - hence the mutual antagonism
between foe two denominations. The nervousness o f the Anglican
missionaries may be understood from this report about the arrival
of the Roman Catholics in 1912: m A new danger threatens this
district in the arrival o f the Roman Catholics”, warned the
Reverend Cecil Brown, then Secretary o f the executive
Committee o f the Niger Mission (Ibid. pp73& 77).
The Igbos, though now divided by the two giant Christian religious
groups, namely, the Roman Catholic Mission and the Church Missionary
Society, did not allow their natural faith and belief in God, the Supreme Being
“Chineke”, to go down the drain because their supposedly Christian religious
teachers were not getting along with each other. They were rather so
fascinated with their educational and medical services and other social
involvements, that they (Igbos) were not discouraged from joining the “white
man’s new religion”. Their patience, tolerance and fidelity to the new
Christian faith were very rewarding, as the new religion continued to grow in
Igboland and spread around the eastern hinterland with the result that over
98% of the Igbos are today Christians.
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5.3.2 Mtesionaries’ Activities in Amakohia Town, in tha Old Etiti L6A:
Christianity came to Amakohia in 1919 as an out station of the new
Agbaghara Nsu parish under the apostolate of the Irish Holy Ghost
missionaries. The seat of this new mission was exactly at the site of the
present Ihitte Roman Catholic parish church. As a mission station the
Amakohia church grew in strength, and as the center of the Ihitte clan, there
were constructed in the town, both S t Joseph’s primary school Ihitte in 1934
(now Central School Ihitte) and the Holy Rosary Women Teacher Training
College in 1938. Amakohia was also the site for the Madonna Boys High
School established by the Roman Catholic missionaries in 1958, with the
then Rev. Fr. Anthony G. Nwedo CSSP, as the first prindpal, who a few
years later became the first Bishop of the new diocese of Umuahia. Bishop
Nwedo became an educational bishop and established many schools and
colleges across all nooks and comers of his Umuahia diocese, which earned
him the popular name - the Apostle of Education.
When Mater Dolorosa parish was created out of S t Columba’s parish,
Nsu in 1961 with Rev Fr, Donald G. Shelly as the first parish priest
consisting of all Ihitte towns and villages, namely, Amanyi-Ukwu, Amanyi-
Nta, Umuihi, Amakohia, Umuderim, Nkwume-Ato, and Umuezegwu;
Amakohia on account of its centrality, was again chosen as the site for the
building of the new parish. This was the background through which our case
study town grew up. Today, there are 3 primary schools, 3 secondary
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schools and a junior seminary in Amakohia. It also once harbored the former
Imo-State University before it was later transferred to its permanent site at
Okigwe (now changed to Abia State University, Uturu).
As one retired Amakohia native zonal inspector o f education summarized it
Western Education in Amakohia shea the time o f the
Nigerian independence in 1960 has led to tremendous
changes both in the peoples’ mode oflffe, Suing
standards and interests. Better bwkSngs have been put up.
Great interests have been shown in the education o f
both boys and girls. Female education has now been
given pride of place, as weS as that o f the mates.
Quest for higher education has now taken place
and this interest in higher education has led to the
production of well qualified graduate teachers,
lawyers, doctors, engineers and in almost aS fields o f education.
Before the 1960 independence, only a few secondary
schools run by the missionaries were in Ihitte but since
independence, there is no community in the area that can’t
boost of at least one secondary school. The quest for higher
education has ted our own sons and daughters to travel
Overseas to get higher education.
(Mr.C.I. Nwaokeafon written interview 12/30/00).
The successes and general accomplishments of the early European
Christian missionaries in Igboland were very great and unprecedented, their
denominational differences and personnel relationships, notwithstanding.
Many of the Igbo scholars and well-placed people in Igboland and Nigeria
today were mostly those that had directly or indirectly benefited from the
early missionary educational endeavors. In addition to the above facts, the
results today are that the Igbos are highly educated people with higher rates
of both college and university degrees in Nigeria in various fields of
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learning as well as having a large proportion of Igbos who are Christians.
Furthermore, the Igbo are presently becoming missionaries all over the
world. The author of this study is one of such Igbo native missionaries, who
was bom in Nigeria, educated by the Catholic Christian missionaries, and is
presently living and working in Los Angeles, U.S A What a great story to tell.
5.4 Government Involvement in Education (A later development):
The direct involvement of the colonial government in Nigerian
education was a later development after many decades of Christian
missionaries’ establishing and running their private congregational primary
and secondary schools. As noted by Adekunle Akinyemi (1983):
The 1908 Ordinance had an important provision, which was
the classification o f Schools in the Colony and Protectorate
o f Southern Nigeria. Classification was for the purpose o f
grants-m-aid as follows:
(a) Infants Infant 1-111 and Sub-Standards 1 and 11
(b) Primary Standards 1-V11, with most finishing in standard V 1
(c) Secondary Class 1- V o f which 1-111 corresponded,
more or less to Primary Standards V-V11.
(d) Trade or Technical; (e) Agricultural (Source: Taiwo 1980)
Educational development again took another phase in
1925 (eighty-five years later) when the first comprehensive
statement o f the British educational poticy in colonial Africa
was made. That policy was an offshoot of Phelps-Strokes
mission to Africa 1920-24. O f significance to primary education
in the thirteen-point report was the H e m , which states:
A complete educational system should indude primary
(including infant) education, secondary education of different
types, technical and vocational schools and institutions "some
o f which hereafter reach University rank tor such subjects as
teacher education, medicine and agriculture; adult education.
The education o f the whole community should advance
pari-passu.(lkejiani 1964, p.6, in Nigerian Education;
Trends and Issues, pp.65-66).
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The independent Nigerian governments involvement in education and
its eventual take over of educational policymaking did not happen until
October 1,1960. Although the missionaries and colonialists had come with
education in the 1800s, what was implemented in the educational programs
was the British agenda, meant to attend to their needs, rather than those of
African nationalism. And as Segun Ogunsaju (1983) reflected:
The education system inherited was good to a considerable
extent It was good for the country and society for which it
was planned; good for Britain and the British society. Its
relevance to Nigerian needs is questionable because it
neglected largely the country’s cultural and social background.
(Ibid. Nigerian Education, Trends and Issues, p.244).
However, with the handover of power and authority of political and
educational policymaking at independence, the native Nigerian federal
government now became involved legally and financially responsible for its
educational systems and schools. Without doubt this was a heavy burden for
the new all indigenous and inexperienced federal administration to carry as
unprepared as it was at the time for the job.
Nevertheless, some considerable progress had been steadily made
in the Nigerian education scene since independence in 1960, in that
There were as at 1993-1994 academic year, 38,245 primary
schools, 5, 959 secondary schools and 55 colleges of education,
45 polytechnics and colleges of technology and 35 universities.
Compared to the situation of education at independence in 1960,
when there were, only one university college, one college of
technology, no colleges o f education, (only 280 low-level teacher
training colleges) and 443 secondary schools (Fafunwa, 1974).
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These educational gains have doubled since the 1990s to date (2001), and,
unfortunately none of these new institutions has been included in our study.
5.4.1 Elementary/Primary Education (Grades 1- <):
Elementary or primary education, what is it? How does this affect the
educational systems of Nigeria, including secondary and tertiary levels of
education? Why must we be worried and concerned about its inappropriate
handling in any country, including Nigeria as a developing nation?
According to Lockheed, M. E., et al (1991):
Primary education has two main purposes: to produce
literate and numerate population that can deal with
problems encountered at home and at work, and to
serve as a foundation on which further education is built
In many countries in the developing world, educational
systems are unable to meet their objectives. First they
do not teach children already in school the core skill
contained in their national curriculum; second, they do
not provide all school-age children, particularly girls,
with the opportunity to attend school. As a result
these primary educational systems are ineffective
and jeopardize national efforts to buH d a base o f
human capital for development (p. 1).
The problem of human capital development has been as old as Nigeria itself.
This is because we cannot loose sight of the feet that Nigerian educational
planning from the time of independence in 1960, has experienced untold
political interferences (either military or democratic administrations), and
positions of management offered as “kick-back” gifts to party loyalists and
supporters from the top, and down of the administrative ladder. Those who
are better qualified for jobs in education were rarely given the opportunity to
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serve their fatherland in such policymaking and management capacities.
Even when experts make good educational recommendations to those on
the top, such recommendations have rarely been fully implemented. This is
the reason why there are inadequacies in the running of primary education in
the nation. The six years of elementary education are supposed to provide
the foundation, as well as prepare the child, for future academic endeavors.
But the Nigerian primary/elementary school system seems to have foiled
serving the Nigerian purpose due to its strong attachment to, and operation
within the inherited British system, despite the fact that Nigerians have
different cultural and environmental needs, quite different from those of the
colonial master, Britain. As P. K. Uchendu (1993) noted:
The Nigerian primary school system as based on tee
British system has fated to produce dynamic Nigerians
with a social outlook beyond their families, clan or tribes.
This is because it is foreign in nature and lacks the
necessary social cohesion, cultured unity and the common
values it should have if it had been developed from tee
Nigerian environment (Ibid. p. 51). For Philip Foster (1970),
T hat is why education contributed as much to Nigerian
disintegration as it did to nation building (History of
Education, Summer Quarter, in Perspectives of Nig. Ed).
The need for a new Nigerian orientated and designed primary education
system can never be over stressed by anyone or group of people. This will
go a long way, not only to correct the present primary education anomalies,
but also to prepare a better educational future by producing new generations
of patriotic citizens who would contribute positively to the proposed
educational and political reforms in the country.
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5.4.2 The Uni versal Free Pri mary Educati on Program:
The Nigerian Universal Primary Education Program (UPE) was
established by the military government of General Olusegun Obasanjo in
1976, with the goal and objective of making primary education free for every
child to attend school, thereby giving to all children especially those from
poor families, the chance and opportunity to acquire basic education.
Although the program encountered some initial setback from critics’
suggestions that the possibility for its success was for fetched, it finally took
off as scheduled in 1976 amidst difficulties and uncertainties. Unfortunately,
the same military government that started the program, shortly thereafter
redirected half of the funding responsibility to the states, and local
governments, and abandoned the golden project after three years in 1979.
This was because the federal government claimed that it could no longer
afford to provide the funds for the project as earlier envisioned, given a
drastic fell in petroleum revenues at the time. The message this has for the
country portrays, how shortsighted and unplanned the Nigerian central
governments have been concerning educational matters all through the
years of military rule, and even beyond.
Nigerians in the post military era are looking at the newly and
democratically elected government of President Olusegun Obasanjo (who
was the military head of State in 1976 but now retired), to review and restore
the Free Primary Education Program as the economic hardships on the poor
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masses continue to grow and many children as a result are dropping out of
school for lack of school fees. The federal government can conveniently fond
this program from today’s booming petroleum sales, if only that the national
planners and budget managers would be honest and truthful in distributing
and spending the allocated annual education fond appropriately as
earmarked in the yearly budgets.
However, it is interesting to note that the federal government
answered this call in the year 2000 by accepting to continue the funding of
the previous free primary education program, now under a new name;
Universal Basic Education Scheme. This new change is to accommodate
everyone who needs basic education, including adults and school dropouts.
Under the new program, children who started nursery one in the year 2000
through the six years of primary school, to their three years of junior
secondary school will be beneficiaries. In addition, the federal government
accepts to pay the salaries of all primary school teachers, and of course with
some help from both the state and local governments as it may find fit.
Although this new program has been applauded and welcomed by the
majority of Nigerians, critics see the whole business as being:
(a) III conceived like the first time in 1976, when planners did not weigh the
pros and cons and how practical the implementation would be;
(b) A step backward for a Universal Basic Education rather than forward,
because no provision is made for children already having basic education;
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(c) A program designed on purpose to favor those in the northern part of the
country more than the southerners, and
(d) Methods for funding the project and teachers’ salaries, which will remain
ambiguous, may create more problems in the future rather than providing
solutions. Hence things have to be streamlined first before going further.
5.4.3 Secondary Education (3 years of JSS and 3 years of SSS):
Presently, Nigerian secondary education is divided into the Junior
Secondary School (JSS), and the Senior Secondary School (SSS) programs.
The objectives for the two divisions of the secondary education are to groom
the children at this middle stage of their academic life to select subjects and
careers that will assist them to choose the right academic, technical,
mechanical and vocational professions, etc, for which they have the abilities.
According to the aims of this program division, at the end of the three
years of Junior Secondary School (JSS), students who demonstrate strong
academic mastery in the program of studies and have high scores in most
subjects are encouraged to proceed to the senior secondary school (SSS).
These would be the academically minded group that has the potential for
gaining college and university admissions. On the other hand, those who
cannot master these scholastic requirements are advised to prepare for a
trade or vocational school careers henceforth. Nevertheless, how far this well
intentioned-policy is being implemented is yet to be seen, as lots of things
seem to go wrong nationally with school administrators and management.
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The goal of this study was to find out what is going on in this regard and
suggests ways for improvement These issues are presented in the next
chapter, namely, the chapter six-research findings.
5.4^4 Vocational Education (4 or 5 years, Ages 12 -1 9 years):
By vocational education, is meant attendance and acquisition of some
knowledge at technical and mechanical, or trade, schools, as well as
apprenticeships either in public or privately owned businesses. This is tagged
vocational education (which means “call”), because only those who have
demonstrated some natural talents and inclinations can be effective for the
vocational professions. It takes between four to five years to graduate from
these schools and apprenticeship training, and students at the end of their
training are supposed to either work with some companies and business
organizations, or to open up and run their own private businesses. These
vocational/technical programs constitute an important area in preparing
skilled workers for the economy especially the developing world to which
Nigeria belongs, but unfortunately the political authorities do not seem to be
much concerned about them. This is either due to the feet that they are
ignorant of the need for training people to acquire those skills, or that they
purposely refused to do their jobs as required. Hence, such education is
neither coordinated, nor promoted, by the local, state or national government
departments of Labor, Commerce and Industry. Something must be done to
this effect for the good of the nation and its future labor force.
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5.4.5 Responses from th t Vocational School Samples:
The following responses are from direct oral interviews with four selected
groups from vocational programs owned and run by private individuals at the
Isinweke business center of Amakohia town. These are the (a) Ezechinyere
Printing Press Services; (b) the Ben Superment Fashion Designers; (c) the
Obowo Mechanic Honda Workshop; and (d) the Oxford International
Commercial Academy, Amakohia. Interviews with each of these entities are
narrated in sequence of their foundations, work and their prospects and
expectations for a better future development and growth.
(a) Ezechinyere Printing Press Services: 12/13/2000.
This is one of the oldest businesses in Isinweke and the oldest printing
press in the area. By all accounts, owners of most of the new printing
workshops in the vicinity and beyond were once apprentices of Ezechinyere.
Presently, the Manager/Director (Mr. Ezechinyere) has two female
apprentices who had already completed their School Certificate Secondary
studies before coming to join the printing services. Interviews with
Ezechinyere Press services personnel were held on 12/13/2000.
Researcher How many years have you been in the printing business?
Ezechinyere: 32 years, from 1963 to this year 2000.
Researcher What was it that motivated you to take up this type of work?
Ezechinyere: I had interest in going to secondary school and to study law
later on in the university, but things did not work out Since I could not get
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into the secondary school for lack of sponsorship; I decided to learn printing
work, and this took me four years to complete. After the 1967 -1970
Nigerian civil war, I went back to printing work and I am still in it today.
Researcher How many apprentices have passed through here since then?
Ezechinyere: About 42 of them, both males and females, and about 12 of
these people have employment Out of the 42 apprentices, 9 were females
and are today self-employed and doing well in the printing business.
Researcher Do you have any governmental involvement or regulations to
satisfy some requirements in this printing job?
Ezechinyere: Yes. One has to register with the local/state/federal
governments as a professional and as a contractor. For every work you get
from the government; you must pay them 10% of the cost, excluding the
non-refundable deposit for the advertisement of the job.
Researcher How and what do you teach your students/apprentices?
Ezechinyere: I teach my apprentices both theoretically from some manuals
and practically from some books, magazines and other related materials.
I also show them on-the-job how to correct mistakes on any work done.
Researcher: What are your advice and suggestions to the general public and
the government on the future o f the printing profession/job?
Ezechinyere: (i) For the government
They should give us gainful work, as well as paying us for the jobs
done when payment is due. Furthermore, they should not give us work
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through middlemen contractors who make matters worse by subtracting from
the full cost of the jobs. Government should make some regulations
forbidding non-professionals from getting involved in the trades and work
they are not qualified to do or handle.
(ii) For future Apprentices and youths:
(a) They should come with the knowledge needed to get work at the end of
the course in order to make a descent living.
(b) Many young people are not interested in this type of work, hence I urge
and encourage them to do what they really want to do that will give them job
fulfillment and happiness at the end of the day, and not just to learn this job
or any other work that they may not have interest in.
Researcher Any other general comments on this issue or anything else?
Ezechinyere: Yes. For the progress of the country, let only those who are
qualified be given printing work from the government There should be no
favoritism, nepotism, cronyism and godfatherism in giving out governments'
printing jobs that should be open for all citizens to apply and to compete.
Furthermore in the interview, to find out from the female apprentices'
side of the story, the researcher had a chat with these two young women
who identified themselves as Ngozi Nwokorie and Okwuchi Okafor.
Researcher What are your ages and formal education levels attained?
Ngozi: 22 years old and a graduate from SSS 3 program.
Okwuci: 21 years old and completed the SSS 3 program also.
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Researcher What exactly motivated both of you into this type of work/job?
Ngozi: I wanted to further my education, but there was nobody to sponsor
me. My parents wanted me to either learn hairdressing or fashion and
designing, which were common work for females around my home. Instead
of any of these, I decided to go into the printing business with the help of my
unde since the month of May,1998.
Okwuchi: I finished secondary school in 1996, but had no work to do since
then. Hence my parents encouraged me to join my friend Ngozi in learning
the printing work/trade here at Isinweke.
Researcher What would you say to those critics who say that this is not a
female type of work/job for you to learn?
Ngozi: For me, this work is for everybody. One should go into what will be
useful in the future and the future is for all of us and not for males only.
Okwuchi: For those who say that it is for males; I say to them that, that the
time is gone. Both males and females can do the same type of work today.
Researcher What do you intend to achieve from this profession?
Ngozi: I intend to continue being a printer after my graduation, either with the
government any company or to be self-employed.
Okwuchi: I would like to be a printer anywhere, whether here, or elsewhere
because I like the printing work.
Researcher Do you have any advice/suggestions for other young females
who are considering which professions to enter?
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Ngozi: Yes. I would warn that any one who wants to get involved with any
tradetoork should avoid getting into trouble and go for what he/she wants.
Secondly, one should avoid being idle at any time. A youth should try and
learn what is in her/his interest so as to have J o b fulfillment in it
Okwuchi: My advice is that everyone should have something to do. One has
to work and suffer to build up a future in order to be rewarded and be happy.
Secondly, I want to encourage anyone who wants to go into any field of work
to do so, because there are no boundaries for males or females.
Researcher Any suggestions for the government and the society at large?
Ngozi: Let the government tries and patronize professionals in their work,
rather than promoting godfatherism and corruption. Let printers be
encouraged and promoted in their work. Our community leaders should look
into what the young people are doing and help to sponsor and promote their
aspirations. The youth themselves should be able to make the right decisions
and choices in life because those who are being helped should also make
efforts to help themselves.
Okwuchi: Let the government help to promote those who are in these
professional work/jobs. And let only those who are qualified be allowed to
get the jobs from the governments (state and local), and not the other way
round whereby the authorities prefer to promote godfatherism, nepotism,
favoritism, tribalism and cronyism, etc., with their award of contracts.
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(b) In b rvi m with B«n Supernient Fashion Dssigntfs on 12/15/2000:
This fashion and designing business and vocational school is owned
and run by a young woman named Bernadette, who said that she specializes
in all sorts of modem fashions. The following are what she also said about
her fashion and designing school and business enterprise.
Researcher How long have you been doing this fashion and designing
work/job in this place/town?
Answer Four years, since 1996.
Researcher How many students do you have now in your school and how
long is their program?
Answer I have currently 16 students and the program is for 2 years.
Researcher How are they admitted into the program?
Answer One has to apply by filling the application form, as well as agreeing
with all the policies of the school by signing the agreement document
Researcher How many students have you graduated so far from this fashion
and designing school?
Answer Four of them have graduated so far and are now happily running
their own businesses as we are doing here.
Researcher What is the method of their training and your teaching them?
Answer (i) On the job couching and instruction; (ii) They have to observe the
manager cutting cloths and other materials, i.e., doing practical work;
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(iii) Working with papers assigned to them from time to time. Those who
failed to perform will continue the assignments until they get them right
Researcher Do you look for any special qualification for admissions?
Answer Yes. The basic is the First School Leaving Certificate. In addition,
being in a secondary school, or to have completed SSS 3 program, are
required.
Researcher Are there any governmental regulations regarding this business,
and do you belong to associations or trade unions?
Answer None. No regulations are applicable to us here right now. Everyone
is on her own, doing things as she finds fit
Researcher Do you have any advice for the government and the young
people of today as well to consider?
Answer Yes I do. Let the government encourage and promote trade and
industry and make materials available and affordable to us.
(ii) For the young people, anyone who wants to join us is welcome.
Usually, new apprentices are given the opportunity to stay with us for a
month, at which they will make decisions whether to continue or not
Researcher Do you have any further comments on anything at all?
Answer I want to point out that after graduation, students have the options or
choice of going for six months industrial attachment experience at some
other bigger school before opening their own businesses.
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Secondly, on graduation day, students are given a certificate of completion
and some other memorable gifts.
The following responses came from the students themselves on their
own personal study experiences in the school.
(a) Onyinyechi: Age = 20 years. Qualification on entry = SSS 3 Certificate
holder. Reasons for vocational work after secondary education: My parents
could not train me any further to attend college or university.
Researcher What are your goals in coming to this vocational school?
Onyinyechi: After my graduation I w ill have to go for 6 months industrial
attachment experience before opening up my own business.
Researcher Do you have any advice for youths who are considering a
profession in life to take?
Onyinyechi: Yes. Let them try and make the right choice on what they want.
Researcher What advice do you have for the government?
Onyinyechi: I would like the government to guide the destiny of young
people, to avoid wastage of humans' brains and lives.
Researcher to all students: Do you all hope to open up your own business
and school some day?
Answer All the students responded that they look forward to completing the
fashion and designing program and opening up their own businesses some
day. The students recommended th a t
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(a) There should be some form of governmental intervention in sponsoring
those who could not afford to purchase a sewing machine at the completion
of the course to take off from their feet;
(b) Making loans available is a good gesture from the government;
(c) To resume the national diploma examinations and certificate award in
fashion and designing that were once issued from Owerri, the state capital,
(c) Interview with the Obowo Honda Mechanic Workshop on 12/15/2000:
This Honda mechanic workshop is owned and run by one Chief Ojukwu
Okafor who services and repairs all forms of Honda products, ranging from
motor cycles, generators and other forms of hand operated machines, etc.
Okafor is a young man in his late twenties and the following are his
responses to some questions on what he does and how he trains his three
apprentices in the job at the moment
Researcher. How many years did it take you to leam this Honda mechanic
work that you are doing?
Answer Three years, and after that I lived and served my master for 5 years,
which, makes it a total of 8 years in all, before opening m y own workshop.
Researcher How many apprentices do you have and is there any gender
discrimination in their selection?
Answer I have 3 apprentices right now and only young boys are admitted.
Researcher What actually do you do and are they any government
regulations on how you are to operate in the business?
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Answer I repair and service Honda motorcycles and generators. There are
no government regulations for now that I know about in the town and state.
Researcher How did you come into this Honda mechanic work?
Answer. I was once a trader but decided to leam this work when my business
was bad and things were not working out well for me..
Researcher What advice do you have for young people considering which
professions to go into?
Answer (i) They should always go into something of interest to them;
(ii) They should be serious with themselves, their work and be honest
in dealing with people the interact and work with;
(iii) Let the government promote industry and the efforts of our young
people in order to avoid idleness and trouble making situations.
Researcher What are your hopes and plans for the future of your job?
Answer I hope to expand and begin to sell spare parts, so that those who
come here with work to be done can also buy repair materials from us too.
The researcher also had a chat with the three young apprentices in the
workshop whose ages ranged from 1 1 to 17 years and the following were
their thoughts and responses.
Researcher Why do you like this work and how long have you been here?
Answer Chimaobi; I have been here now for one year and I like the work
because my whole mind accepts doing it and it is good for me.
Joseph: 4 months. I have great love for the mechanic work.
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Peter 3 weeks. I like it and enjoy doing it as well, though I am new in it
The three apprentices all expressed having interest in the work as their
motivation for becoming a Honda mechanic apprentice irrespective of the
facts of the dirty nature of the job. They also stated that they would open their
own workshops on completion of their apprenticeships.
It should be noted that the Obowo mechanic workshop is one of 12
independent Honda mechanic workshops at Isinweke, Amakohia.
(d) Oxford International Commercial Academy Amakohia, Ihitte
1/19/2001:
Another private business educational enterprise visited on this study
trip was the Oxford International Commercial Academy in Amakohia that was
established by one Mr. Linus Ogurie in 1994. He has the objective and goal
of providing commercial education to youths who have an inclination toward
vocational studies and work afterwards.
According to the current principal, Mr. C. I. Nwaokeafor, a retired
zonal inspector of schools in the former Mbano local government area, the
school population in the 2000/2001 academic year, is 56, which shows a
drastic fall of about 30% from the previous year’s enrollment The reason for
the drop in enrollment was mainly financial as the management could no
longer recruit and retain an adequate number of graduate teachers. Hence
the students come and go in search o f quality tutors/teachers. However, with
the presence o f this new veteran principal, the past glories and confidence in
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the school are once again coming back to the academy. The list of subjects
taught in the school include: English language, Literature in English,
Economics, Mathematics, Commerce, Biology, Typing, Shorthand, Social
Studies. Secretarial Duties, Accounts and Office Practice.
Their final examination is the National Business and Technical Education
(NABTE), which is an equivalent of the West African Examination Council
(WAEC) certificate. Students with five credits from this examination w ill gain
admission straight to polytechnics and colleges o f education.
Researcher How many teachers and classes have you in the school?
Answer We have 8 teachers on the whole, 2 full time, and 6 part time.
(ii) Our classes run from JSS1-3 and from SSS 1 to 3.
Researcher How much do students pay, and what are teachers' salaries?
Answer Students pay N 700 per term, and teachers receive between the
sum of N1,500 and N1.700 (about $14 - $16). and the principal receives
N2.500, which is about ($23.00) per month.
Researcher What future do you see for vocational schools in general?
Principal: With the present trend where students are taught almost the same
subjects as in secondary schools, the average person will be sending his/her
children to vocational commercial schools, since those with vocational school
experience are being employed or offered jobs quicker by businesses and
governments than the academic secondary school students.
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Researcher What problems do you foresee affecting vocational schools?
Principal: (i) The problem of mushrooming commercial schools springing up
here and there in many localities, (ii) Lack of government aids or subvention
for us to employ permanent staff who will be paid good salaries too.
Researcher Do you belong to any known union or organization/association?
Principal: Yes. We belong to the association of approved vocational schools
where all school proprietors are invited to occasional meetings.
Researcher Have you any further remarks or comments for the public?
Principal: It would be good, if the proprietors of these vocational schools
would be people with some basic educational training, or school
headmasters. This w ill encourage an informed and balanced commercial
school management system across the board.
5.4.6 Discussions on the Vocational Education Samples:
Looking into these four samples of commercial and nonformal education
units owned and managed by private individuals at Isinweke Amakohia, one
finds certain commonalities among these businesses.
(a) The owner of the printing press, Mr. Ezechinyere went into this profession
as a result of having no one to sponsor him in secondary school, after his
primary education. Following the same trend, the two female apprentices -
Ngozi and Okwuchi- finished their secondary education, but neither had jobs,
nor any sponsors or means to go to college or polytechnic or university. This
is a common phenomenon in Amakohia and Igboland, which could be
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otherwise, if there were governments’ sponsored programs in place. Youths
living in similar situations can only wait and hope that the future will improve
for the better and that help should come before it is too late.
Secondly, we see parental influence on children in the Igbo culture at
work in the case of these female apprentices irrespective of the feet that
these two young women were 19 and 20 years old respectively at the time
and could have made their own decisions as young adults. Igbo family life
and its bond among members always demand faith on and obedience to
one’s family members, especially to parents, even if one is married and lives
far away from her paternal home.
(b) In the second business group, the “Superment Fashion Designers" there
were similar personal experiences regarding some of the students not
furthering their education in the formal schooling system by attending college
or university. The leader of the students, Onyinyechi, stated that the reason
why she is in this profession was because no one in the family was able to
sponsor her further after acquiring secondary school education. However,
the group is optimistic that with the right guidance and training, they would
succeed in life through their new embraced professions. The government
and community leaders, according to them, have to intervene on the plight of
young people from poor families, who, after secondary school education,
cannot go further for lack of sponsorship or patronage.
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(c) In the third group, the proprietor of the Obowo Mechanic Workshop
changed from his first trading job to be trained as a mechanic, because his
first business was not doing well. For similar reasons, the three apprentices
had come into the profession as a result of not doing well at school. Maybe,
these were justified decisions to try something new, if the first chosen paths
were not working well. Hence, the call to the government for intervention by
establishing some programs that would promote job retraining and
adaptation to a second job after leaving the first For today's Nigerian
youngsters, this option is neither superfluous, nor out of place for survival.
(d) The fourth group, the Oxford International Commercial Academy
management has good intentions for promoting youths’ vocational interests.
Although this is a business school, its goals and objectives are noble and
patriotic. This is why the need for government to provide some sort of help to
boost the efforts and the future of many young people who cannot go through
the formal secondary school educational process, is both critical and
expedient The good aspects of the commercial educational training process
should be encouraged and promoted by the political authorities in Igboland.
However, the most critical situation in Amakohia, Imo-State and
Igboland right now, is that of growing numbers of youngsters between 19 and
22 years old who have finished their secondary school education, but could
not pass up to the required 5 subject credits for gaining college and
university admissions. Some even take this West African Examination
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Council (WAEC) test up to three times without passing the grades. Hence
governmental intervention by establishing programs to take care of this
population group would be a good idea, as well as providing improved
management of human resources departments, rather than allowing them to
loiter about as wasted population.
5.5 Chapter summary:
The Nigerian federal government has to redefine its position on
education, and make serious commitments to it in this twenty-first century,
especially at the primary and secondary levels since these levels deal
directly with children that are still under the Nigerian legal age of 21 years. It
has to state if education is only of a federal interest, a state responsibility and
for a local concern, as is the case in some progressive countries, which
unfortunately Nigeria is not one of right now. However, the federal authorities
should remember th a t "Whoever plays the pipes, dictates the tone of the
dance”. This means that, if the federal government provides the funding for
the country's education, then it will have the moral authority to formulate and
implement educational policies. Some attention has to be given to vocational
education that is currently fast growing in private and business hands without
any stated standard or uniformity as such.
The educational system needs to be restructured and reframed
according to Nigeria’s own means and needs, rather than imitating systems
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of those already developed foreign countries that do not have backgrounds
and problems similar to those of Nigeria, as a developing nation.
This was what Okafor (1988) earlier warned about when he noted among
other things wrong with the Nigeria’s education system, that
The educational system, which was in vogue in this country up
to the early 1980’s was largely bequeathed from our erstwhfe
colonial masters and patterned with a lopsided emphasis on
the famous 3- Rs. There is a profound reason for this lopsided
emphasis on 'Literary Education’. The reason is best articulated
in the Ashby Report The Report states the reason as follows:
The first Western schooling brought to Nigeria was a literary
education, and once civil rule was established the expatriate
administrators were graduates most o f them graduate in arts.
Therefore, the literary tradition and the university degree have
become indelible symbols o f prestige in Nigeria; by contrast
technology, agriculture, and other practical subjects, particularly
at sub-professional level, have not won esteem. It is small
wonder, then, that training fo r qualifications other than
degrees, especially in technology, is not popular (Nigerian
Teacher Education, p. 150 & Investment in Education, 1960; p.5).
The above reasons are pertinently identified as part of the Nigerian education
problems and woes. Therefore, any well-meaning and realistic federal
government must take the bull by the homs and do something about this
outdated educational system. Hence every one knows that it will take a lot of
sacrifice, time and money to restructure the educational systems, but this is a
task that must be done for the better future of the nation and its peoples.
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CHAPTER SIX
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
This chapter contains most of the results of the research findings, as
well as the analysis of the data, including the interviews and the discussions
(except for vocational education already discussed in the previous chapter)
that followed. According to Herbert J. Rubin et al (1995):
“The purpose o f the data analysis is to organize the interviews to present a
narrative that explains what happened or provide a description of the norms
and values that underlie cultural behavior* (Qualitative Interviewing, p. 229).
The research findings show how popular the notion of education is as
an effective instrument for social change in the Nigerian Igbo society. The
findings also explain how, and the type of changes that have taken place
since independence in the following areas, namely, in the people’ s lives, in
their behaviors, and in the culture in general. All these have educational foci
that represent the two sides of the equation, namely - the pros and cons.
Ekechi (1989) represents the pros that hold the following social, economic
and educational positions. For them:
Education is regarded today as the most effective instrument
for social and economic development For this reason, African
governments, including that in Nigeria, have invested a great
deal o f their income in all branches o f education. In Imo State,
where the education revolution has now taken a fwm hold,
schools and colleges today absorb a large proportion of the
State’ s expenditure. It is estimated (1979) that about 40% of
the State’ s income is devoted in education. Without a doubt,
State governments as well as communities have now fully
recognized the importance and necessity of western education.
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For individuals and communities, & provides a way of escape
from chronic poverty and underdevelopment
“Without education” , an elder told me recently, “we shall remain
in darkness all our lives’ (Ibid. p. 91).
The above narrative is exactly what the goal of the study is out to explore
and establish as stated in the research questions, namely:
(i) The areas of congruence and lack of congruence between the western
and traditional African education methods in the upbringing of the Nigerian
Igbo child/children;
(ii) The factors and influences, if any, of traditional Igbo education on the
upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo child. What are the specific areas affected?
(iii) To evaluate the main successes and failures, if any, of the traditional
and western education systems in Igboland to the present day.
6.1 New Trend in Nursery and Primary Education in Igboland:
The research findings are very revealing with information beyond what
the researcher had anticipated. One of these unanticipated facts is the new
trend of private nurseries and primary schools springing up in Igboland.
Parents and guardians of children, who are disappointed with the public
school system, now prefer sending their kids to these private schools where
they pay higher school fees and get rewarding results for their children’s
educational progress and future. The researcher’s visits to two of these
private nursery and primary schools in Amakohia, namely: (i) the Seat of
Wisdom Nursery School Isinweke; and (ii) the Madonna Nursery/Primary
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School, Amakohia Ihitte, confirm the facts of this new trend everyone is
talking about (See Appendix C, pictures # 2 ,3 & 4).
(I) Visit and Interview with the management of the Seat of Wisdom
Nursery School, Isinweke (Amakohia) Etiti. 1/19/2001.
As the name implies, the Seat of Wisdom Nursery School was
established in 1993, with the objective of grooming little children very early in
life for formal education. It is a 2 year nursery program for children from four
to five years old, who, when they graduate, go to any of the public and
private primary schools in the Ihitte/Uboma local government area of I mo
State. In the following discussions that took place, the school director
explained what the work and business of the school are all about.
Researcher How many children and classes have you in this school?
Director We have 100 pupils and they are in two classes, namely;
Nursery 1 with 60 pupils, and Nursery 2 with 40 children.
Researcher What do you do with these children who are running up and
down here as we speak?
Director They are taught the children’s basics and given orientation to formal
education, as well as keeping them away from home for some periods of
time during the day. People may call it babysitting, and that is okay with me.
Researcher I heard you teaching them some prayers and songs, what
happens at the end of their two years of stay here?
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Director At the end of their second year of stay is the graduation, whereby
the graduates will come with their parents, wearing graduation robes, and will
be given certificates of completion in the school’s nursery program.
Researcher How many teachers do you have, and what do the children pay
you to be able to attend the Nursery school?
Director We have 3 teachers and the children pay N300.00 a term ($4.00)
which is enough for us to run the school.
Researcher Are you happy and satisfied with what you are doing?
Director I am. This is what I had long wanted to do, and I am happy now that
I am able to have my dreams come true.
Researcher’s Remarks: The school opens at 8.00 am in the morning and
closes at 12 Noon when parents come and collect their children. Children
who go through the nursery school programs are said to behave well at
home, better than their counterparts who do not attend to such programs.
(ii) Visit and Interview with the Principal of Madonna Nursery/Primary
School, Amakohia ttritte on 1/19/2001.
This is a religious institution run by the Sisters of the Daughters of Mary
Mother of Mercy Congregation (DMMM). The school was established in 1993
as the Madonna Nursery School, which gradually grew up to primary school
level/status. Currently it has a population of 340 pupils in nursery 1 to 3, and
elementary 1 to 6. The nursery has 90 pupils with 30 children in each of the
classes; while the primary has 250 pupils in classes one to six.
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According to the principal, Sister Clare Maris Ibeh, the subjects taught
in the school are the same as those in the public schools since they take the
same First School Leaving Certificate Examination. These subjects include,
among other things: the English language. Mathematics, Primary science,
Agricultural science, Home Economic, Social Studies, Health Education,
Music, Writing and Fine Arts.
Researcher How many teachers do you have to teach all these subjects, as
well as to control and direct the pupils/children?
Principal: We have 12 teachers and my humble self, the Headmistress.
Researcher What are their salaries. Are they well paid like those in the
public schools around you?
Principal: No. They are paid less because we do not have the money to pay
them equally. It ranges from the sum of N1,400 (about $13.00) to N3.500
about (about $32.00) per month as against the least sum of N5,000.00
(about $46.00), paid to public school teachers. This is the best we can offer
to them for now. Things can improve in the future and we will then pay more.
Researcher What do you see as the future of private schools in Nigeria?
Principal: The private schools have the potential for overtaking public schools
in spite of their increases in school fees, since the private schools deliver the
educational goods and the parents of children are aware of that.
(ii) The Universal Basic Education Scheme of the federal government does
not seem to have any effect on the enrollment of pupils into private schools
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right now. Our enrollment figures have increased this year more than what
we had in the previous years. Moreover, this is a good sign for the future.
Researcher. Any advice for the government and parents in this new trend?
Principal: The government should allow parents to send their children to
whatever school of their choice. Freedom of speech also means freedom to
educate the child according to parental choice of school.
It should be noted that a new state law now in effect specifies that all
teachers in public schools whose children are attending private schools
should withdraw them and register them in the public schools where they are
teaching. So far, no one is enforcing this new law, because those responsible
for its enforcement have either their children or grandchildren in private
schools in which they and other parents have faith and trust on these schools
for the training of their children, and would not then fight unjust battle.
Secondly, the trend in Nigeria today is that, a majority of the people
trusts whatever education programs their religious faith communities are
handling more than those of the government which are seen with apathy as
never-work-well type of enterprise. Hence such competition between private
and public schools should be seen as healthy and be encouraged, as is the
case in developed European and north American countries, whose ways
Nigeria is trying to emulate and follow.
Thirdly, elementary fifth and sixth grade pupils of the school, numbering
34 and 35 respectively, participated in both the written and oral survey
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interviews of this research and did very well. Ten from each of these classes
took part in the written questionnaire survey. The researcher first explained
to them in groups, what he was doing and the nature of responses required
from them. Then the questionnaires were handed over to then and a date
fixed for their collection through their teachers. All the pupils in those two
classes participated in the oral interview, which took place in their
classrooms with the researcher walking in and conducting questions and
answers session with them.
Researcher’s Reflection on the New Trend in Education:
Examining the two private nursery and primary schools, which
represent this new trend of private and voluntary agency schools springing
up across Igboland and Nigeria, one discovers that both the Seat of Wisdom
Nursery School and the Madonna Nursery/primary School have many
similarities, in their goals and objectives.
The Seat of Wisdom Nursery School with a population of one hundred
children of ages three to five is located in an environment and building that
might be approved as suitable to accommodate forty children in a normal
classroom setting. But this little space of corridor was accepted by parents
who send their children and wards there every morning, Monday to Friday,
from 8.00 am to 12 Noon for 4 hours. Why? Because the school as a private
enterprise is seen to have a clear goal, as well as performing at acceptable
standards what the parents want for their children. The school’s clear goals
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of preparing children for formal education, is seen by parents as being well
handled and the objectives achieved.
No wonder then that the old saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention" is
true in this case. In spite of the fact that the building and the entire
environment harboring the school have insufficient space and basic
infrastructures, the parents of these children do not care. They prefer to pay
the N300.00 (about $4.00) a term to give their little kids a good start for
formal education, notwithstanding that this would be free at public schools.
This shows how strong this trend is in this Nigerian Igbo community and the
precarious situation in which the country finds itself on this issue today.
Similarly, the Madonna Nursery/primary School shares the same private
and volunteer spirit of coming to the rescue of parents who are looking for
good schools to which to send their children. The Madonna Nursery/primary
school structures in Amakohia that are accommodating the 340 school pupils
enrolled for the 2000/2001 academic year, cannot be recommended for more
than 200 children. Why is that? The reason is still the same. That is, that
parents are fed-up with the public schools’ system, and are looking for
alternative schools, religious or private, where their children will be given the
attention they need to leam how to read and write, to become educated etc.
The Madonna Nursery/primary School as a missionary managed
school attracts children from surrounding villages and towns, and even from
public schools in the vicinity. Most of these have lost pupils to this private
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school. A dose neighbor, Ekwereocha Community School, lost over a
quarter of its pupils to Madonna Nursery/primary School with the result that it
now has only about a hundred students this school year. This is because the
parents of these children have seen that the private school can perform
better than the public school. Hence they prefer sending their children there
to get a good nursery and primary education training for their future.
Both the Seat of Wisdom Nursery School and the Madonna
Nursery/primary School have been tested by the Amakohia community, and
found performance worthy. Hence they are preferred to any public schools in
the area. From this, we leam that such preferences and trend could continue
in the Nigerian educational scene, as long as public schools remain in their
non-performance and un-business-like state.
6.2 First Group of Respondents: Results of the Questionnaires given to
School Children from ages 10 to 19 years and in Elementary 5 and 6,
and Secondary classes one to six.
In pre-test sessions in the different schools involved in the study,
the researcher had first of all explained to the children what the study was all
about and the nature of their responses to the questions. These explanations
were done in the presence of their teachers or a school administrator, who
were coordinators between the students and the researcher. The researcher
also discouraged the pupils/students from writing their names on the
response sheets so that they would have the freedom of “speaking their
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minds* without any fear of being known or identified, which is often a big
factor when trying to collect facts from children on some issues.
A total number of 75 pupils/students in elementary 5 and 6, and
secondary classes 1 to 6 of the selected schools were given questionnaires
containing ten questions each (See Appendix B, Sample Question 1). Out of
this number, 72 copies, or about 97% were returned. Everything was done in
the English language, which the pupils/students study in school as a
compulsory subject The teachers of these students/pupils played
intermediary roles between them and the researcher who after addressing
them in groups, came back to collect their responses in two to three weeks
through school administrators.
The purpose of these questions was to ascertain and evaluate the
students’ interest and love for education, as well as to understand the roles
these factors play in their upbringing as Igbo children. Only 5 of the 10
responses have been included verbatim in this discussion. The questions
posed were directly linked to the research questions of this study.
Furthermore, the responses from the other 5 questions also overlapped with
the first group and the researcher was able to internalize the knowledge
derived from them in his general remarks. Another reason for selecting only 5
of the questions was that the researcher did not see the need to include such
repeated questions with similar responses that equally conveyed the same
ideas and meaning. Hence he decided to discuss the only five questions.
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QUESTION 1: DO YOU LIKE SCHOOL AND WHY?
Chart 2.
Age Class Rasponsas
15 SS2 Yes 1 do, because 1 want to be educated, civilized, polite and
useful to my community and the nation as well.
15 SS2 Yes, because it is a place for learning to read and write.
15 SS2 Yes, school 1 know is a place that prepares the “young” for a
greater and brighter future. It develops the brain by helping
you acquire knowledge concerning the large “body” you find
yourself in called Earth and everything in it A school is a
place for academics, spiritual and moral excellence.
16 SS2 Yes. The reason why 1 like school is that it is a place where
one acquires knowledge that will determine his/her future.
Such knowledge will help you know how to move into the
wider world and interest with people of different kinds.
1 4 SS2 Yes, in fact education is power but dangerous. 1 like school
because knowledge is more powerful than everything.
1 6 SS 3 Yes, because 1 want to be an educated person.
1 6 SS 3 Yes, because when you go to school, you w ill be educated
and after being educated, you will be given a post for your
education such as becoming a doctor, a nurse, a lawyer and
an engineer, etc to contribute to the wider society.
1 6 SS 3 Yes, because it increases my intelligence as a person.
1 5 SS 3 Yes, because it will help me to be somebody in the future
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Chart 2. Continued
1 8 SS3 Yes. 1 like school because it helps in the uplifting of a child. It
makes people to be educated. School is very useful and
important in the world today.
1 8 SS3 Yes, because school is one of the main places where the
young are taught to be good and to think ahead.
17 SS3 Yes. 1 like to go to school because without knowledge, 1
cannot excel in life and it helps one to be educated, since
knowledge is power and 1 will like to have this power too.
1 7 SS3 Yes, because it is very important in the world today and from
school you leam so many things which will help you to
become something and build yourself up for the future. Again
if you are not educated, your respect will be invalid and poor.
1 7 SS3 Yes, because by acquiring further education, you may likely
defend yourself in public and help your parents at home, so
that they will live long in the future. Good education will lead
you to be a good citizen in your country, and education is the
key to a successful life, which everyone wants.
14 JSS3 Yes, because 1 leam good conducts which will make me to
be somebody in life. It is the key to progress.
1 3 JSS 3 Yes, because in school you will be educated. Without school,
there will be no certificate that will prove that you are really
educated. It helps us to know how to read and write. But
people who are illiterate who cannot read and write w ill go to
educated people to read and write for them, and interpret it in
their mother tongue. So, school is very important for me.
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Chart 2. Continuad
14 JSS3 Yes, I like school because you go to school to leam how to
read and write. There are some people that did not go to
school but have money but they cannot read/write the right
amount they have. In this case, they will go and call
someone who went to school to come and read for them
and they have to accept whatever they are told. Therefore,
school is important and I like to go to school for these
reasons.
15 JSS3 Yes, because it is school that will determine what I will be
in the future whether to be a priest or in another profession.
It is school that taught me how to read and write, without
which I will not be writing these answers to your
questionnaire. School has a future and better life for me.
14 JSS 3 Yes, I like school because it is through school that people
get knowledge, and knowledge is power. Educated people
are highly respected in communities and societies. Through
education, we get doctors, teachers, priests and scientists,
etc. Education helps one to be quickly employed after
graduation. Because, if you are not educated, you will “work
your finger to the bones”, and if time is not taken, your
children w ill not be educated too.
1 1 Prim. 6 Yes, because I will leam how to read and write and to
acquire knowledge that will help me in the future.
10 Prim. 5 Yes, because my school is one of the best schools. It is a
mission school, and it trains one to be a good person in life.
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In the 68 responses, all the children said, “yes" that they like to go to
school. However, 19 children have different answers as indicated above. 20
responded that the reason for going to school was because they "want to be
educated”. 18 staled that their reasons for going to school were because
they "want to leam how to read and write and to acquire knowledge”; while 7
of the children responded, "yes, because it is a place for learning to read and
write" and one stated yes, that ‘ I want to be an educated person”.
The researcher also went into the primary/elementary 5th and 6th
grade classrooms o f the Central School Ihitte and the Community School
Amakohia and asked the same question - "Do you like school and why” to 45
pupils and 43 pupils respectively on November 23 and December 14, 2000.
Their answers, like their comrades’ in the written questionnaires were "Yes”
and the reasons given in their answers were that they want to be educated
and to have a better future life as contemporaries had earlier stated.
QUESTION 2: WHAT DO YOU NOT LIKE ABOUT SCHOOL?
When this question was asked to the same students and pupils who
had enthusiastically earlier expressed their love and interest in going to
school for a better future, the following responses were given.
(a) I don’t like the increase of school fees done every term, when we do not
even have social amenities in our school.
(b) I don’t like school because of the characters of some teachers who
frighten me from time to time.
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(c) The perfect place called school could be turned into a place of horror, if
you unfortunately meet with wicked and jealous teachers or lecturers, and
also irresponsible students. That is what I hate about school.
(d) What I don't like about school is that the time duration tends to be too
long and tiresome, thereby discouraging many students.
(e) Why I say that I don’t like school is because in school we have a lot of
problems, like secret society/cult, which are evil, misleading and not good for
a student either to belong or be associated with.
(f) There is too much of forcing and flogging in school. It makes school bitter.
(g) I don’t like how the school fees always increase each term and also some
textbooks needed for quality education are not available when needed.
Teachers with high qualifications are not easily seen, resulting in recruiting
what we call half-baked teachers who don’t know the modem aspects of their
subjects and how to deliver them to their students.
(h) What I don’t like about school is to be suspended. It ties someone down.
(i) I sometimes feel uncomfortable when I cannot express something clearly
and correctly, and I am not given enough time to do so in the class.
0 * ) Because it is there sometimes where the students leam bad things by
joining bad companies, which could destroy them in the future.
(k) In feet, there is nothing I can say that I don’t like about school, but at
times, I may feel bad when a teacher cannot express something clearly and
vividly to m e when I am in doubt
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(I) I don’t like the breaking of lockers and chairs, and jumping of walls, which
students do at times that are too distracting. Some students are even likely to
be pregnant and there is smoking going on in the school by group of
students. I dislike exam malpractices during examinations.
(m) I do not like to fail my examinations or tests, or even to be flogged by my
teachers and seniors in school and, or in class. I hate school when these
things happen to me and there is nobody to help me out
(n) What I do not like about school is examination malpractices, which are
becoming the order of the day. In addition, doing the boy friend and girl friend
thing, which is the life in the schools now. This is why I hate school.
(o) What I do not like about education is that people are mainly corrupt and
also children go to school just to play and joke. Now educated people are not
respected in Nigeria. Why? Because in Nigeria only money speaks. If you
don’t have money, people will be neglecting you.
(p) What I don’t like about school is paying high school fees and teachers are
not teaching well due to lack of equipment and also due to the fact that the
time allotted to them is not enough and they do not use it properly.
(q) Some students discourage their fellow students and some also like talking
in class on any topic brought up even when the teacher is there. Another
thing is that some teachers are not serious with their teaching and don’t care
much about their students’ progress.
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(r) Lack of qualified teachers and expensive materials required for school
bothers my parents and me a lo t if one cannot get what he is coming to
school for, there is then no need to come there for nothing.
QUESTION 3: WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TRADITIONAL AFRICAN
(IGBO) EDUCATION?
This question was extracted from the second research question of this
study namely, “What are the factors and influences, if any, of traditional Igbo
education on the upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo child/children”. This is
aimed at evaluating the students’ knowledge and understanding of the
impacts of traditional education in their life and upbringing. The following are
their various responses to the question.
(i) It is the basic education and it is also called informal education, and it
helps the children to have good manners right from home..
(ii) Traditional education I may say is simply any form of learning outside the
formal education and is formally based on tradition. For instance, when the
first son of the messenger of the orade was not allowed to attend to any form
of school but just to stay by his father's side during divinations, that was a
form of traditional education for them. The father was the teacher, and the
son, the learner. The same thing can also happen between mothers an d
daughters and daughter’s in-law in the homes, villages and communities.
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(iii) Traditional education can be defined as the informal education one
receives outside the four walls of the classroom through our parents, elders
and seniors in the community/society. This is strictly based on tradition.
(iv)Traditional education is the type of education we get at home through
experience and also from our parents and elders.
(v)Traditi'onal education is the first education we acquire at our respective
homes. This education stands to be the basis at which knowledge is judged.
If someone is well under traditional education, it is assumed that the person
will also do well in modem education - that is, formal education.
(vi)Traditional education is usually informal. This is where the child leams
from his/her parents and from elders the importance of traditional religion,
and customary laws. It was there that a child first leams the traditions, history
and philosophy of his/her people/community.
(vii) It is the education we receive from our parents at home and community.
(viii) Traditional education is an oral education you receive from parents and
communities before starting your formal schooling.
(ix) Traditional education inculcates in people traditional values through
socialization and makes children know about the culture of their people.
(x) Traditional education deals with culture, respect for elders, worship of
God and calculations of things happening around you (from a ten-year old).
(xi) It is the education that I receive from my parents and seniors at home
and in my community as I am growing up (another ten-year old).
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(xii) What I understand by traditional education - another name for it is
informal education, which is rendered by parents to their children. For
example; teaching their children how to greet people, how to eat properly,
and how to do so many other things in the house and outside.
(xiii) What I know about traditional education is that it is the process by which
parents and elders of the community train and bring up the child/children in
the right proportional and respectful way.
(xiv) This is the type of education passed unto us by our ancestors to our
parents. It is also a type of education adopted by our ancestor for the training
of the young ones who will succeed them.
(xv) I know that it helps a lot in ones life. I know that traditional education is
what you were taught by your parents since you were bom (eleven-year old).
(xvi) What I know about it is that, it is the education you gain from your home.
It makes you to be respectful, honest and obedient (an eleven-year old).
(xvii) It is the nursery way of success in school, because you will know things
at home before you come to school.
(xviii) Things I know about traditional education is that we derive them from
our ancestors. They are the education passed unto us from our ancestors.
They can also be education we learn from churches, mosques, temples,
market places, and in the home kitchen when cooking, etc. This is what I
think to be traditional education and it is the first process of a child’s learning.
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QUESTION #4: IF YOU WERE TO SUGGEST TO YOUR TEACHER TO
IMPROVE IN HIS/HER TEACHING, WHAT ARE YOUR SUGGESTIONS?
This question was composed from the first research question of this
project, namely, "What are the areas of congruence and lack of congruence
between the western and traditional Igbo education methods in the
upbringing of the Nigerian Igbo child/children? It was so designed in this form
to hear students’ opinions on, and advice to, their teachers to improve their
teaching methods, since the teachers often apply both traditional and formal
education methods of teaching in their classrooms.
The following are their various responses to the above question.
(a) My suggestions will be that teachers should come to class in time and
always teach in a way that students will understand what they are teaching.
For example; if it is in the science subject, the teacher should try to carry out
experiments to explain what he/she is saying.
(b) I will suggest to the teacher as a student to be a little bit free with his/her
students, because if he/she tries to be over strict or unfriendly, he/she will
end up not imparting any knowledge on the students due to the fact that
when he/she is in the class, the students would not be concentrating. They
would be after all not doing anything to attract his/her punishment or
sometimes, may not even attend classes. Teachers should also try to be
steadfast in their lessons and also be punctual and regular to classes.
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(c) My suggestions to him/her is to attend dass whenever he/she has
lessons to teach and try as much as possible never to miss dasses, because
it will affect the students. A teacher should try to teach the students in the
way they can understand and have interest and love for the subject he/she
teaches. If not, students might hate him/her and the subject
(d) Teachers should not be too harsh on their students, because it makes
students afraid of asking questions. Teachers should not equally be too
lenient because, they would not be able to control their dasses either.
(e) My suggestions to teachers will be, among other things, to:
(i) come to school and dass early every day as a priority of his/her day;
(ii) teach with slow speed and give an assignment on any topic treated in the
dass each day or session, for students to digest;
(iii) treat the students as his/her own children, and
(iv) help the students to understand that education is sweet by making it a
little bit easy to them through his/her exciting approaches.
(f) I suggest that the teacher should be firm in his/her teaching by making
sure that the students understand what he or she is saying in the dass. The
teacher should also try to understand the students’ problems too.
(9) My suggestion is that he/she can be able to research his/her books at any
time so that he/she can’t forget what was learned during his/her education
time or by giving homework, which he/she will later corred and thereby
learning from it too when working together with his/he students.
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(h) My suggestions are that a good teacher is the one who teaches with
jokes so that we can open up to understand. He/she should explain
everything to students very well. Any teacher who is likely to teach like this, I
think, will be doing well with students. He/she should also, after some
lessons, revise the topics from time to time.
(i) My suggestion is that he/she should speak loud, make his/her teaching
practical by making use of maps and drawings (A primary six pupil).
0 I would want my teacher to prepare his/her lessons well so that we will be
given the best. He/she should give us assignments regularly and also mark
them with corrections soon enough. He should write his notes well and make
sure we do all the subjects in the timetable, (eleven year-old in primary six),
(k) My suggestions to the authorities and teachers in schools are that
(i) the teachers should explain things more carefully to their students;
(ii) they should give enough notes to their students to study at home, and
(ii) they should give tests to their students regularly to assess their progress.
(I) If am given the golden opportunity to suggest to my teacher to improve in
his teaching; I would suggest that he takes more time in teaching each topic
but not to be too dull. Again, I will suggest that he should be giving the
students assignments or tests to see if they understood what he taught them,
and also, he should be putting on a good face, not frowning or sad face.
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(m) My suggestions are to tell him/her to come to dass on time and make
sure that he/she teaches before going out of the classroom. He/she must
settle down and make notes for us, or teach us howto make good notes.
(n) What I will suggest is that when a teacher wants to teach, he/she should
first of all make the students quiet, so that the students will understand
his/her teaching. Again, teachers should regularly be present every time they
have their dass periods. They should deliver their lessons bit-by-bit
QUESTION # 5: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP
AND AFTER YOUR EDUCATION, WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR YOUR
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY?
This question was so framed to ascertain the children’s ambitions for the
future, as well as to probe their sense of the Igbo family and community life
pattern. The question is based on the research question number three which
states, “Evaluate the main successes and failures, if any, of the traditional
and western education systems in Igboland to the present”. The idea is to
evaluate through the students’ own thoughts, reflections and commitments to
the future, the impacts of both traditional African and formal education in their
lives and upbringing. The following are the students’ responses, as well as
their candid objectives for the future.
(a) I want to be an engineer when I grow up and I will make sure that I send
all my family members (siblings) to quality schools, as well as helping to
building a school and a hospital for my local community.
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(b) By God's grace, I will be a medical doctor. However, to show gratitude to
my family for their loss of some worldly pleasure because of my education, I
will make sure that they don’t lack anything within my reach. I would lift up
the burden of training my younger ones off their shoulders and show
gratitude in any way I can to make them live well and feel happy. For m y
community, I would defend them anywhere I find myself in the country and
make sure I bring them the best of social amenities and sound education
possible to train the younger ones for a better future.
(c) I will like to be a medical doctor by the grace of God. After my education,
what I will do for my family and community are enormous. I w ill make sure
that my (family) parents who suffered for me are well cared for. I will try m y
best to train my junior ones and will encourage young people to be educated.
In my community, I will see that everything about education are given
more attention in the society. I will make sure that young boys and girls are
encouraged to be educated at least at the “Ordinary Level” grade. I will try
my best to save lives in m y community by building for them a well-equipped
hospital to take care of their health matters.
(d) When I go to the university, I will read law to become a barrister, and with
m y job, I w ill help my brothers and sisters, and build a house for my family
(people). I w ill use the opportunity to put electricity in my community. Another
thing is that I will give scholarships to young people in need.
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(e) I will like to be a medical doctor when I grow up. When I start work after
my education, I w ill make efforts to help my family and community at large by
rendering my services when needed. I will make sure that my family has a
well-trained person with medical background, and also will teach the whole
community how to prevent some killer diseases like AIDS. Teaching the
community the essence of making and keeping a dean environment to
promote health standards. I will also serve as a linking point between the
community and the government on certain issues like bringing good water
source and electricity to the community.
(f) I will be an accountant when I grow up and will help my family and
community by supporting them both finandally and morally, making sure that
all community funds are accounted for, and used for their welfare.
(g) I will like to be a business administrator when I grow up. What I will do for
my family and community is to spend lots of money and time in educating
people, as others have educated me.
(h) I will do mass communication to become a journalist when I grow up. For
my family and community, I will try and help them out in their finandal and
other economic and sodal problems.
(i) I will like to be a d v il engineer when I grow up. To help my family and
community, I will firs t of all make sure that I w ill train others to be in the
position or above the position I am up to, or have reached. Also, to make
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basic amenities available and to improve the good health conditions of the
whole community, etc., I will sponsor medical and social services projects.
0) When I grow up, I will like to be a computer engineer. I w ill help my family
and community, and will provide them with basic infrastructures like
electricity, good source of water supply, good roads and other necessary
things. I w ill also give every needy student assistance for a good education,
(k) I will like to be a civil engineer when I grow up.
What I will do for my family and community are numerous to mention. To
start with; I will first of all assist those in school both in primary, secondary
and tertiary institutions to achieve something as I have achieved, so that
when my own generation is passed, there will still be people that will make
the community regain its status and to keeping moving forward.
(I) When I grow up, I would like to be a pharmacist, and I w ill help my family
and local community by supporting them both financially, and medically. I will
see to it that, the sick who come to me will always get the right medication.
(m) I will like to be a Reverend Sister and a nurse. For my family and
community, I will take care of their health and encourage the sick to always
go to the hospital or clinics for medical treatment
(n) I would like to be a medical doctor and a Reverend Sister in the Catholic
Church. Also, I will help my parents to train m y siblings, as well as taking
care of my parents and other members of the community.
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(o) I will like to be a nurse to take care of the sick and other people. I w ill also
take care of my family and build a house for them. For m y community, I will
give scholarships to students from primary to SS3 for our own progress.
(p) I will like to be a Reverend Sister by God’s grace when I grow up.
My promise is to help them to build up the remaining things at home and I
will make them to be a very happy family and good Christians.
(q) When I grow up, I will like to be a priest of God and serve the society.
After my education, I will pray and thank my family for supporting me in my
school. And, if there is still money, I will give them for feeding and other
things. To my community, I will set scholarships so that those who are in
school will put up more efforts to complete their studies and not to drop out
(r) When I grow up. I want to be a medical doctor and look after patients
kindly. I will help them in such a way that they would not regret about the
money they spent on my behalf, and I will do good things for people without
discrimination that my parents will be happy and boast of m e .
(s) I will like to be a lawyer when I grow up. By God’s grace after my
education, I will help and send my younger brothers and sisters who are less
privileged to attend school. I will reward my parents for sending me to school
if then they are still alive by taking care of them and making them happy.
Furthermore, I will also help my community by fighting hard to
eliminate the evils of bribery and corruption, which have eaten deep into our
nails and fingers, as well as fighting for the right of freedom of speech
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(t) When I grow up, I will like to be a priest of God to serve humanity.
After my education, I will be helping my family by rendering help to my
younger brothers and sisters; and will like my parents to reap the fruits of
their labor for training me in school all these years.
For my community, I will render development opportunities and make
sure that the children are all educated without any form of discrimination,
because education is the key to the future for every child.
Second Group of Respondents: Primary/Secondary School Teachers’
Responses to the Open-ended Questionnaire.
A total number of 40 questionnaires were distributed to some teachers
in the chosen primary and secondary schools of this study. In addition, out of
this number, 36 responses were returned, which should be about 93 % of the
number distributed. Only four of the ten questions (See Appendix B , Sample
Question 2), have been enclosed for discussions.
These questions were a compilation of three research questions and
aimed at ascertaining the teachers’ own thoughts and opinions on how
African traditional and western education have influenced and are still
influencing the upbringing of Nigerian Igbo child/children. Their responses
pnd those of the children, who are the subjects of the study, when combined,
will give a dearer picture of what the changing situation is with the Nigerian
Igbo sodety. All teachers mentioned here in the study are all Igbos as is the
case in many other rural community schools in (mo State.
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QUESTION # 1 : HOW DOES YOUR IGBO TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
OF EDUCATION (MMUTA) AFFECT YOUR TEACHING AS A TEACHER?
Charts
No. of
Teachers
Years of
Exp.
Grade
H FVM
Raaponaaa
1 5 years 08 Igbo traditional knowledge of
education drastically affects my
teaching as a teacher in that
sometimes, I apply some methods
used in Igbo education when
teaching in formal education.
2 1year TC2 It affects it adversely because “Igbo
language” is not one of the subjects
which I learned or which I majored in
school. Hard work, consciousness
and enterprising which are
embedded in traditional education,
affect my ways of teaching too.
3 6 years 08 The traditional education centers on
hard work and self-reliance. This,
therefore, affects my services as a
teacher. Being a hardworking
teacher despite the government’s ill
treatments to the teaching
profession, I have to teach well.
4 8 years 08 The Igbo traditional knowledge of
education affects teaching because it
makes learning and teaching to be
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Chart 3 Continued
more effective, hence people can
understand their traditional method
of doing things and the people’s way
of life as well.
5 18 years 09 It has positive effect because
teaching which is abstract is made
to be real by bringing it home.
6 16 years 08 It helps teaching to move smoothly.
7 19 years 09 Traditional knowledge of education
affects teaching positively because
there are certain topics, which are
better, explained and understood by
our mother tongue.
8 10 years 10 The feet that education improves
man’s standard of living, health
conditions, and the understanding of
things around us. Igbo traditional
education helps formal education by
making some of its educational
terms more meaningful to learners.
9 18 years 1 0 Charity begins at home, the saying
goes. A child has to be groomed up
at home first by his/her parents
before starting school, that is, from
informal to formal education.
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Chart 3 Continuad
10 25 years 12 The Igbo traditional knowledge of
education is acquired by an Igbo
child from birth to school age and
beyond. If parents inculcate the right
norms of the society into a child
before school age, that child will be a
disciplined child in school thereby
affecting the learning and behavior of
that child. The child that acquires the
right Igbo traditional knowledge of
education w ill also assist the teacher
in his/her teaching too.
1 1 20 years 10 This affects teaching in translation
and explanation of certain words.
1 2 14 years 10 Students who are well groomed at
home come to school well prepared
and as obedient students, while
those who are over pampered at
home come to school to be deviants.
13 18 years 12 The Igbo traditional knowledge of
education (mmuta) believes that
"knowledge is power” and that
whoever has power, has everything.
This affects my teaching as a
teacher, in that since I equally
believe that knowledge is power,
therefore, it becomes a serious
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Chart 3 Cont i nuad
responsibility on my part to impart this
knowledge to my students, to equally
have that power too.
14 46 years Retired I have always realized and made use
of my traditional knowledge in most of
the school subjects like Mathematics,
Social studies. Story-telling, and
Agriculture, etc. After all, the formal
education should be a continued
process of informal education with
modifications.
15 17 years 12 It affects it greatly because, to the
Igbo knowledge is power, and having
this at the back of our minds, the
teacher strives to impart the real
knowledge; that is, norms and values
of the society to the child.
16 25 years 10 Traditional knowledge of education
helps to impart knowledge to the
learner/student
17 27 years 09 It serves as a stepping-stone for
imparting western education to the
child or children.
18 21 years 12 It helps me to explain certain issues.
19 18 years 9 Traditional knowledge of education
encourages moral standards, as well
as being very helpful to teachers.
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Chart 3 Continued
20 1 year 08 It helps for easy communication and
encourages good morals.
21 25 years 10 Traditional knowledge of Igbo
education gears and motivates me to
always impart the right knowledge to
my pupils and always in the mood to
encourage them to develop keen
interest in education for it is power.
QUESTION # 2: IF YOU HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TO IMPROVE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION IN NIGERIA, WHAT ARE THEY?
This question was designed to hear from the “horses’ mouths", (the
teachers themselves), who are always blamed for students lack of
performance in examinations and bad behaviors at school. Their
suggestions, if taken by the Ministry of Education then presented and
accepted by the Federal government to implement could bring a new era of
primary and secondary education in the country for the common good and its
future progress. The following are their responses to the above question.
(a) For the improvement of primary and secondary education in Nigeria, the
government has to: (i) reinstate its aims and objectives clearly and ways to
attaining them, and (ii) recruit qualified teachers, as well as paying and
improving their conditions of service as done in other professions.
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(b) To have standard textbooks for all classes of different levels rather than
the frequent changes that confuse the school system, which includes the
teachers, parents and students as well.
(c) Parents should do their homework of teaching their children at home, as
well as teachers to be given their proper place in the society with dignity and
respect Their good work in teaching children should always be recognized.
(d) The Ministry of Education should be at the center of reviving education at
the secondary and primary school levels, and making sure that
(i) teachers will receive their salaries on time, even before those in the
ministry offices who are currently more favored by the government
(ii) they should stop registering private schools where Commissioners train
their own children at any cost leaving public schools to suffer;
(iii) they should intensify their efforts toward instilling discipline in students
and teachers in both primary and secondary schools, and
(iv) they should involve parents, students and teachers in beneficial seminars
and workshops as are obtainable in ministries.
(e) My suggestions are that there should be, among other things:
(i) regular payment of teachers salaries as at, and when due;
(ii) adequate supervision of teaching and learning in schools all the time;
(iii) provision of the right and well-maintained infrastructures to schools, and
(iv) promotion of teachers when due, as well as giving other forms of
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incentives to those teachers who perform well with their students and the
school in recognition to their outstanding services to society.
( Q They should improve on the teachers/students relations, as well as
making teachers welfare a priority to motivate them to action at all times.
(g) My humble suggestions are that they should be among other things:
(i) regularization of payments of teachers’ salaries on and at all times;
(ii) good supervision of schools and the Ministry, to minimize abuses, and
(iii) involvement of missionaries in disciplinary aspects only in public schools.
(h) My suggestions to the Ministry of Education for the improvement of
primary and secondary schools in the country are to:
(i) encourage parents and teachers associations (PTA) in schools;
(ii) plan school programs that would last for at least five years;
(iii) see that materials supplied to schools are acceptable materials and duly
used for the purposes they were given in the classrooms and school offices;
(iv) see that the culture of the society is not totally isolated;
(v) see that every subject gets its own fair treatment in the scheme of work or
module as w ill benefit students, and
(vi) see that those appointed to be the heads of departments or supervisors
know more about their areas of specialization for easy assessment, etc.
(i) My suggestions are the following:
Parents should be disciplined in order to discipline their children because
proper learning cannot take place unless one is disciplined;
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The government w ill have to send teaching aids, textbooks, diaries and
registers to schools on time in the required areas.
Government and communities should maintain school buildings in order not
to allow the buildings to collapse as is the case in many schools today
Teachers should be disciplined and hardworking so that they will do their
work effectively and professionally, and again,
Teachers should be encouraged to take part in refresher courses,
workshops, and in service training programs to update their knowledge.
(j) These are my candid suggestions for fixing primary and secondary
education in the both in the state and nation:
(i) the government and society at large should bring back the lost pride of
teachers by once more recognizing them and their efforts as molders of
people and character, as well as imparting knowledge to students;
(ii) teachers salaries and allowances should be paid to them as a t and when
due, to make them concentrate on their job;
(iii) parents should provide their kids with the needed materials and
recommended textbooks for effective teaching and learning;
(iv) the government should regularly monitor and supervise schools and try to
call erring teachers to order with some disciplinary actions;
(v) the students should be advised on the need to take their studies seriously
because most of them do not know why they are attending school, and
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(vi) the government should enforce the promotion of only those teachers who
pass their examinations, as well as meriting it through hard work.
(k) My suggestions to the Ministry of Education are that
(i) they should employ more teachers to meet up with the increase numbers
of students in the public school system, and
(ii) that any meaningful improvement must take the following three aspects of
education, namely - the child, teacher and the subject matter.
(I) My good advise to the Ministry of Education is the following:
(i) they should abhor constant strike actions of teachers by providing them
their needs. Provide the students with the right materials and textbooks;
(ii) encourage teachers to go for regular in-service training to up date their
knowledge and to improve in their areas of specialization, and
(iii) to promote teachers who are due for promotions and retire those who
have reached the age of retirement with the payment of their right gratuity.
QUESTION # 3: WHAT LINKAGES DO YOU SEE BETWEEN THE EARLY
MISSIONARIES’ ROLE IN EDUCATION IN IGBOLAND AND WHAT WE
HAVE IN TODAY’S SCHOOL SYSTEM?
This question is designed from research question number three to
obtain the teachers’ thoughts from their years of readings and experiences in
teaching that might be based on the early missionaries’ established western
education system which is essentially the system we have today. From their
responses, one could be able to determine and evaluate what successes, or
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failures that could be attributed to the initial missionary educational work and
other activities in Igboland. The following are their responses.
(a) What I see as linkages between the missionaries’ role in education in
Igboland and what we have today, is that
(i) the missionaries had the upper hands in the training of children and turned
out good and intelligent pupils who are today in high positions in the country ;
(ii) they imposed discipline, which everyone accepted and maintained;
(iii) they had regard for their teachers and godliness was practiced. Some of
these are still around in our school system today, though in a different form.
(b) Some of the linkages are grants to schools, provision of books to schools
and payment of teachers’ salaries that are still going on today in the public
school system, though not as effective as they were at that period.
(c) The linkages are that missionaries’ education in the past led to the
abolition of slave trade, human sacrifices and the killing of twins that were in
practice in Igboland. The extrinsic value to this is the ability of both the rich
and the poor to receive formal education, given the ability of your brain freely
without tears today. Poor children can today go to same school with the rich.
That missionaries’ education brought about the development of the Igbo
talents in all aspects, though usually under cover, is not debatable today.
The missionaries brought the Biblical Christianity to us, which is still in
practice in schools today, many years after their departure.
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(d) The missionaries’ used converted indigenes to teach in schools but today,
the same indigenes of Igboland have been trained as professionals to teach.
Secondly, their roles in education helped to improve the child, but they had
discipline, which we do not have today in schools to the contrary.
(e) The missionaries mainly taught the 3 Rs, that is; reading, writing and
arithmetic, which we still have today, although there was no education in
technology. This was a big omission in their educational endeavors.
(f) The projection of Igbo people among others in the Nigerian society then
and now, is still an on-going trend as inherited from the missionary era.
(g) The linkages between the early missionaries’ role in education in Igboland
and what we have today include, among other things:
(i) the room created for voluntary organizations to own and run schools is still
open today in a different way and operation;
(ii) total use of Timetable” for teaching and learning for easy operations;
(iii) teaching of moral instructions or Religious knowledge in schools still goes
on in most public schools today;
(iv) their role has helped the Igbos to be inquisitive on education, and
(vi) it has made many to be literate in Igboland and Nigeria in general.
(h) The early missionaries have helped to train individuals to be literates.
This helped us to be civilized. The education we acquired has helped us to
develop socially, culturally, economically and otherwise - using the English
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language as the medium of teaching and learning, thereby wiping out
illiteracy that is still going on today across the nation.
(i) Most of the mission schools were integrated into the present day public
schools as a result of the government’s takeover of private schools in 1970.
Again, those who were trained by the missionaries are still in the school
service today hence, the link is there, though not visibly noticed by all.
(j> There is no linkage in these roles because the early missionaries worked
with full zeal backed by the government to promote education, but presently
the government is playing with education in all its aspects.
(k) The early missionaries had a purpose and they strived and achieved that
purpose, but for today, we have a purpose but have no means of achieving
the purpose because the entire system is corrupt
(I) The linkage is that the education that was brought to Igboland and Nigeria
by the early missionaries is still the western education we have today
(m) Both the missionaries’ and the present periods have not laid much
emphasis on the practical and technological aspect of education, and this is
still putting us behind on the way to progress.
(n) Both of them gave western education to the child, tested the graduates
and awarded certificate o f merits to them as evidence of their education.
(o) The linkages are many. They affect the development of m an physically
and mentally. Those linkages are no more there because of what is going on
in the society today, hence there is moral decadence in the system.
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(p) Most of the schools under the missionaries were not phased out Rather,
they were embraced or taken over by the government to constitute the
present schools. Furthermore, most teachers brought up by the early
missionaries continued until retirement Therefore, there are some linkages
between the old and the new education systems.
(q) The linkage is that the early missionaries' role in education in Igboland
paved the way to the system of education in use today. Illiterate parents at
that time started sending their children and wards to school to be educated.
This trend has continued till today and education is cherished in all families.
QUESTION # 4: WHAT ROLES DO YOU THINK TEACHERS. PARENTS
AND STUDENTS CAN PLAY TOGETHER TO IMPROVE STUDENTS'
PERFORMANCE?
This question was so designed to solicit input from teachers on what
they think about the possibility of a teaming together of the teachers, parents
and students on educational matters to improve students’ performance
holistically. Since everything good and bad in education revolves around this
group, and still more on the teachers, candid suggestions from them,
if followed and implemented, might make a difference on what is going on at
the moment in public schools. The following are their responses.
(a) My suggestions are that teachers, parents and students of any given
school can engage in the following roles to improve students’ performances:
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(i) teachers have to teach, using the syllabus, scheme of work, lesson plan,
and the instructional materials required for the best outcome;
(ii) parents have to supply what their children need, including teaching and
learning requirements.
(iii) students themselves have to make up their minds on whether to really sit
down to study and do well or to withdraw from school. This decision is
necessary because some students are not even convinced that they should
be in school for their own good and for a better future.
(b) My suggestions to them are as follow:
(i) the government should make an academic pass in the vernacular
language compulsory and acceptable in the national curriculum;
(ii) let the government also encourage and make the teaching of the
vernacular language in schools mandatory;
(iii) parents should teach their children the Igbo language and culture at
home before they ever start formal education at school, and
(iv) students develop the courage to learn the Igbo language at school for
effective teaching in the vernacular to really take place as expected.
(c) My contribution and suggestions are the following:
(i) teachers should resolve to take their work seriously and see it as an
obligation rather than leisure or charitable acts;
(ii) parents should provide their wards with all the required textbooks, as well
as looking into their class and school activities regularly, and
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(iii) students should also be serious with their studies and call it a duty to
study, rather than being pushed by either parents and school authorities.
(d) My suggestions and candid advice to them, are that
(i) the parents should, as the old saying goes, “spare the child and spoil the
rod" and should also see the teachers as helping to do the work of training
their children for them; hence they should show them some appreciation of
some kind for their efforts, rather than being criticized, even before students;
(ii) students should be ready to welcome the efforts of their parents and
teachers toward bettering their future by showing signs of hard work and
appreciation to all that are being done for them;
(iii) the teachers should reciprocate to the efforts of the government, parents
and students by emulating the examples of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was,
and is, the most positive teacher of all times. This will enhance qualitative
education in Igboland and Nigeria as a whole, and
(iv) lastly, there should be cordial relationships between the teachers,
parents and students, and each should also understand the role of the other
in their combined efforts in the training of the Nigerian Igbo child/children.
(e) My suggestions are the following:
(i) effective teaching by the teacher, as well as effort to avoiding other
distractions at school during teaching hours are good for students’ success;
(ii) parents to supervise their children, and students to read and avoid
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cheating during examination, which is as a result of lack of serious studies
and preparation by students before going in for the examination.
(f) My contributions are, among other things, that
(0 parents should visit their children and wards at school on a regular basis;
(ii) teachers should know and visit the homes of their students frequently;
(iii) there should be thorough supervision of students’ work by both teachers
at school and parents when their children return home each day.
(iv) students should carry out their given assignments as required every day,
as well as submitting them when they are due, and
(v) finally, parents and teachers should jointly organize seminars and
workshops for students’ intellectual development enrichment and progress.
(g) My good suggestions or recommendations will be that:
(i) school children should be encouraged and exposed to educational drama,
arts exhibitions and excursion to places of learning enrichment and
(ii) finally, financing of school projects that encourage teaching and learning.
Third Group of Respondents - School Administrator and Community
Leaders in Amakohia Town, Ihitts/Uboma LGA.
This is the third group in the study’s survey and interviews. The reason
for selecting these administrators and community leaders is that, as the
custodians of the community and its educational institutions, their knowledge
of the past history of the place, and that of the present, will definitely help to
plan for a better future for this community, for Igboland and Nigeria at large.
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A total number of 40 questionnaires were distributed to this group in
Amakohia and 37 copies, or 96% were returned. Five of the ten questions of
the questionnaires have been included in this account These questions were
designed from the study’s research questions with the aim of getting their
input in tackling the issues of congruence and lack of congruence, factors
and influences. The successes and failures of traditional and western
education and their roles in the lives and general upbringing of the Igbo
child/children, before and after Nigerian independence in 1960, are also
discussed in this presentation.
QUESTION # 1: FROM YOUR PERSONAL LIFE EXPERIENCES, HOW
WOULD YOU EXPLAIN WESTERN EDUCATION INFLUENCE IN
AMAKOHIA SINCE THE TIME OF NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE IN 1960?
(a) Western education has the scheme of planned work, diversified to meet
the needs of people. However, western education in Amakohia has helped to
eradicate illiteracy, and to acquire skills that facilitate their getting
employment immediately after completing school programs. It also exposed
people to real Christian life against the worship of idols (paganism).
(b) The life style of the people of Amakohia has been greatly influenced by
the introduction of western education through reading and writing.
The economic life of the people has improved, as well as their mode of
dressing, also changed. Scientific methods of agriculture have also been
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introduced whereby people now use fertilizers to grow their crops and animal
feeds for breeding their chickens, which was not the case in the past
(c) Since independence in 1960, the education of the child has taken a new
direction for the future of the community. From making the child literate, it
has begun making him/her functional. In addition, from making education the
monopoly of the boys, it has been made available to girls, the deformed and
the handicapped. In Amakohia, the old fashioned colonial ways have
provided education for all boys and girls, and men and women, who care to
look forward for the future. Now there is no room for traditional education in
Amakohia as a whole, because of the influences of western education.
(d) Western education as a civilizing fector/agent in Amakohia has made our
people educated and given them the desire to know what are their rights and
how to pursue them constitutionally, economically and socially.
(e) Since independence, many Amakohia sons and daughters have become
graduates in different fields of endeavors and are found all over the place.
(f) It has helped to eradicate illiteracy in Amakohia and Igboland, as well as
molding our people’s ways of life to embracing other people and cultures.
(g) It has formed the family pride and the priority in the scheme of affairs from
the family to the local, state and federal government levels.
(h) Western education had transformed the mode of life of the people of
Amakohia. In the areas of culture and customs, most beliefs of the people
have however been dented by this new ways of life.
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(0 The life of the people of Amakohia has been greatly influenced by the
introduction of western education, which is formal and highly organized. It
also makes use of well-qualified teachers to impart knowledge.
The people of Amakohia in general have totally embraced western
education, and families train their children to acquire it This has changed the
former primitive ways of living, the marriage system, mode of dressing, as
well as scientific methods of agriculture. The people can now train their
children to acquire western education so as to get employment in any field of
life as professionals, educators, as well as becoming members of the clergy,
(j) Western education in Amakohia since Nigerian independence in 1960 is
oriented toward acquiring literacy, getting suitable jobs and learning modem
techniques of doing things in the new world.
QUESTION # 2: WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE EFFECTS OF TRADITIONAL A ND FORMAL EDUCATION
ON THE UPBRINGING OF AN IGBO CHILD IN AMAKOHIA OR
ELSEWHERE?
(i) Traditional education aims at training the Igbo child to acquire the ethics
and norms, as well as the culture, of the people, while western education
trains the child to formally acquire literacy in arts, sciences and technology.
Secondly, traditional education abhors obnoxious values while western
education is very permissive and perverse.
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(ii) In traditional society of the Igbo race, most Igbos placed values on the
apprenticeship system of learning new jobs, but with the introduction of
western education, a new system called professional system of acquiring
skills in science and technology has been introduced.
(iii) Traditional education introduces the child to the environment around
him/her by inculcating into the child its culture. The child is taught to acquire
skills in odd jobs like palm wine tapping, building mud houses, being native
doctors, cutting of palm fruits and farm work, but the western education
makes the child to be all, around efficient The child is trained to acquire
professional skills, which will enable him/her to get white-collar jobs.
(iv) Western education places much emphasis on certificates while traditional
education is on life-long skills and learning on the job, or learning by doing.
(v) Traditional education teaches the child to uphold his/her cultural identity;
while formal education helps in molding the character, as well as sharpening
the intellectual faculties of the child toward modem science and technology.
(vi) Traditional education is a functional education, while the formal type of
education creates room for unemployment and self-insufficiency.
(vii) Traditional education has no guided timetable since it has no definite
place of learning and specific curriculum, while
Western education has a time table guided curriculum, as well as organized
learning with definite designated structured classrooms (places) for studies.
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(viii) Traditional education limits a child’s understanding to his/her immediate
environment while formal education takes care of the child’s total self within
and beyond his/her said location to compete with others worldwide.
(ix) With little traces of traditional education, boys can climb palm trees and
may try to bring down palm wine, cultivate the soil with hoes and try carrying
loads on their heads. Most of these home children continued doing these
traditional activities while they were attending school until they are now
graduates, educationally equipped for public office and private white cola
jobs. The advent and practice o f formal education have almost strangulated
traditional life in our community, as we knew it growing up in the twenties.
(x) Traditional education teaches the child about the culture of the society
which deals with religion, language, mode of dressing, etc. Similarly, formal
education modifies the culture and guides the children to live the accepted
norms of the society. Both formal and traditional education aim at making a
child to be morally sound, and to acquire skills in reading and writing, and
finally get employed as an adult in reward to his/her educational efforts.
(xi) The differences between traditional education and formal education
received by an Igbo child are the following:
Traditional education of a child involves breastfeeding of the child by the
mother who does not do any other thing until after three months of giving
birth. The father goes about gathering food and wine for the mother, for easy
flowing of the breastfeeding. By the age of 5-6 years, the child is taught how
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to greet people after his/her meals, when he/she sees somebody in the
morning, afternoon and evening, on a return of any person from somewhere,
respect for seniors and sisters/brothers. The child will also be taught how to
go for errands, and can locate places of people, like relations, market
squares, as well as mastering the native way of counting numbers.
On the other hand, formal education takes off from what the child has
learnt from traditional education. By this time, the child is about 6-7 years old.
Here, the child’s education becomes folly formal as he/she goes to school.
Formal in the sense that the education now begins to have a set standard of
work, “called scheme of work” which undertakes to sequence from infancy to
teenage and adulthood. The child’s inherent propensities or instincts are first
taken into consideration, curbed and nurtured by the formal education, such
as: the food-seeking instinct which makes him/her always look for food when
hungry, and/or to work for food, the fighting instinct that makes him/her
always fight The child is now taught to use such energy to fight his/her
difficulties, like studying and developing good leadership habits, etc., while
growing up in the traditional Igbo family in Igboland.
(xii) Differences between the effects of traditional and formal education on
the upbringing of an Igbo child in Amakohia, or elsewhere, are that
traditional education trains the child from an early stage to have an interest in
the customs, culture and tradition of his/her people with the result that he/she
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grows up and develops great interest in the culture and tradition of his/her
immediate environment and beyond.
Formal education on the other hand, gives the child the scope to read
and write and makes him/her enthusiastic to move away from the immediate
environment in search of knowing more about other areas outside his/her
home. The child is thus brought up to have wide experiences in the course of
his/her association with other people with whom he/she communicates.
QUESTION # 3: IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE EDUCATIONAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FAILURES OF THE EARLY MISSIONARIES
TO IGBOLAND? IF THEY WERE TO DO IT AGAIN, WHAT ADVICE
WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
This question was designed to get the input of the educational
administrators and community leaders on what they have experienced, heard
and read about the early missionaries whose memories are still everywhere
in Igboland. The following are their responses.
(a) The missionaries’ educational commitment was centered on what I will
call the 4 Rs, namely; reading, writing, arithmetic and reiigion.
If they were to start all over again, I would ask them to be more pragmatic
and scientific and consider encouraging students into technology by
introducing most science subjects.
(b) Some of the accomplishments of the early missionaries include;
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(i) condemning the worship of idols and modifying the culture of the people,
for example, the killing of twin babies and human sacrifices by native doctors.
(ii) laid emphasis on good morals and mass literacy in Igboland and Nigeria.
(c) The early missionaries accomplishments were in the following areas.
In the art of reading and writing, better conditions of acquiring wealth were
emphasized, resulting in improved conditions o f living.
On the other hand, their failures were in the areas of the Igbo belief system,
which were relegated to nothing as superstitious. My advice to them, is that
the Igbo belief system should have been looked into with some respect and
better ones encouraged, while less decent ones would have been improved.
(d) The missionaries brought literacy and religion but nothing in the technical
and commercial subjects. When starting again, they should consider these
areas, as well as other functional education subjects in science, etc.
(e) They built schools and produced disciplined generations of Nigerians.
(f) They promoted the fear of God, building schools and hospitals, as well as
training of native teachers, the clergy and other religious m e n and women.
(g) The missionaries’ accomplishments were on civilization and in the spread
o f Christianity in Igboland and beyond. However, their failures were that
They brought only the 3 Rs form of education, neglecting the sciences;
Only the master’s voice (language) was heard, while neglecting the needs
and language of the society (Igbo language) they came to evangelize.
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If they were to come again, I would advice them to study the people to know
their needs before teaching them how to be self reliant and enterprising.
(h) Missionaries education brought light to the people and to the entire
Igboland and all of Nigeria as well; it made the people literate but also
brought along religious discrimination with their education that wanted people
to see things in their own ways instead of being themselves.
(i) The early missionaries brought better focus to life, though they did not
teach us much of technology. They should have been open-minded to other
areas of modem educational interests like the sciences and trade etc.,
Q ) They taught us the 3 Rs, namely, reading, writing and religion but foiled to
include the sciences and vocational training in their curriculum. It should
have been better balanced, than remaining one-sided.
(k) The accomplishments of the early missionaries were in the areas of:
(i) the art of reading and writing, building of schools and colleges, hospitals
and health centers, abolition of the slave trade and human sacrifices, killing
of twin babies and their mothers, stopping worship of idols, and persuading
people to leave their old and primitive ways to adopt better conditions of
living and ways of acquiring wealth.
(ii) If the missionaries were to come again, I would advice them to teach
more about Christianity because many people are still practicing what they
preached against like human sacrifices for quick money (ogwu-ego) and
worship of idols (idolatry), presumed to have long been overcame.
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(I) The early missionaries introduction of education, led to:
(0 human development and acquisition of skills in professional jobs, such as,
medicine, law and engineering, and in technology, etc;
(ii) high economic life which led to development of communities, and
(iii) people’s better understanding o f their environment led to improvement of
health and extended life span as a result of healthy and improved living.
On the contrary, there are some failures in these areas, namely, Igbo
customs and beliefs. Instead of using western education to encourage them,
they relegated them to issues and practices of no importance.
(m ) The educational accomplishments of the early missionaries are as follow:
(i) the first primary and post primary schools were built and run by the early
missionaries who were all and all at the time;
(ii) the missionaries were able to train and produce the manpower required
in schools and offices. Through their influence they were able to produce the
teachers for the primary and secondary schools as well as the clerks
required in offices. However, they gave their attention to the teaching of the 3
Rs and little attention was given to science and technology subjects, and
(iii) the missionaries also were able to nurture and produce the first
philanthropists like late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macaulay, and Mbonu
Ojike, etc., who were the pioneer movers for Nigerian independence.
On the other hand, the noticeable failures of the early missionaries were
that (i) they did not give our people wide knowledge in education;
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(ii) they limited their teaching in the areas of the 3 Rs, and gave no attention
to science and technology, or the trade and vocational subjects;
(iii) they did not allow the Igbos to participate in the school administration.
Positions of authority were only in the hands of the missionaries. At the end
of the civil war in 1970, when the missionaries left, it was not easy to get the
personnel to fill the vacuum created by the exit of the missionaries. Hence, it
took sometime before people were trained to operate the posts and fill those
vacancies. This gap/vacuum, also created tension among the ethnic groups.
If they were to do it again, they should increase the scope of learning
to embrace science subjects. They should not monopolize all authority in
administration, rather they should allow the Igbos and lay people to take
some positions o f authority and help in the administration of schools.
QUESTION # 4: WHY IS TRADITIONAL IGBO EDUCATION AN
IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE UPBRINGING OF IGBO CHILDREN TODAY
AS IT WAS IN THE PAST?
This question was designed to ascertain the views of the respondents
on the reasons why Igbos see traditional education as an important factor in
raising their children at every given age. As parents/grandparents,
administrators and community leaders, their inputs will be very vital to the
study. Their responses are as follows:
(i) Igbo traditional education, which was based on the mode of life of the
people in the past gave way to the western education of today, and this has
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affected the upbringing of the Igbo child. Oral history telling by our forefathers
has given way to western written history. The apprenticeship system of
acquiring job has also given way to a more sophisticated professional system
of skills acquisition which, the Igbos are always comfortable with.
(ii) The Igbo train the child collectively and the society influences the child’s
training. The child is therefore expected to be useful both to the family and
the community as he/she grows up, in or outside the community.
(iii) As a vehicle o f culture, traditional Igbo education helps to preserve what
is good in our culture and traditional values.
(iv) Traditional Igbo education is important because education starts from the
home. A child learns how to greet/welcome/treat people from his/her home,
as well as how to perform some family errands/duties before going to school.
(v) This is the earliest lesson the children learn, like greetings, good
manners, etc., and especially Igbo moral values.
(vi) The traditional Igbo education forms an integral part of the upbringing of
the Igbo child, because it starts as the foundation and stepping stone for
greater heights. With this foundation, the proper upbringing of the child will
work well and therefore, for now as in the past, traditional Igbo education is
important and must always be encouraged in homes and communities.
(vii) Traditional Igbo education is an important factor because it teaches the
child the way of life of the Igbo people. It is important because as an informal
education, it begins from the child's home at birth.
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(viii) It is an important factor because it prepares the child for formal
education as it is also the foundation for formal education.
(ix) Traditional Igbo education is very important in the life of children today
because right from the home, a child is taught to respect and obey his/her
seniors, and to acquire fundamental skills necessary in life, such as
speaking, dressing and the morals needed to live effectively in the society.
(x) This is an important factor because traditional Igbo education is more
practical, informal, cordial in approach, personal and relative. It is the
bedrock for shaping the personality of an individual.
(xi) Traditional Igbo education has always been fundamental in the life of a
child since he/she must take off firom the family. Hence he/she must be
taught by the parents at home the arts of speaking, walking, talking, eating
and decency in dress and behavior, etc.
QUESTION # 5: IF YOU WERE TO START SCHOOLING AGAIN, WHAT
WOULD BE YOUR CANDID ADVICE TO TEACHERS AND
ADMINISTRATORS IN NIGERIAN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
SCHOOLS?
This question was designed to obtain in depth suggestions from
these experienced people that could help to prepare future teachers and
administrators. Their following responses are therefore very useful in
proposing how Nigeria’s future primary and secondary schools are to be
administered, considering the present day situation of education.
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(a) My candid advice to teachers and administrator is that
(i) teachers should be proud of their profession, take interest in the students,
teach with devotion and dedication, prepare their lessons well and leave
good impressions as memorable legacies, which the students will ever
remember and be grateful for, and
(ii) to administrators, there should be proper and regular supervision.
Criticisms given must be constructive. They should not be seen as terrors or
dictators, but should see themselves as partners in the educational
advancement and proper upbringing of the students.
They should see that their workers are regularly paid. Promotions of workers
should be on merit and efficiency. They should be fair in the discharge of
their duties and avoid bribery and corruption.
(b) My advice is that, they should stop automatic promotion, introduce
languages one at a time. The child should be allowed to progress at his/her
own rate without undue pressure.
(c) The mistakes of the past should not be repeated with discouraging
regularity. In spite of our many years in the educational arena, gross acts of
irresponsibility on the part of the teachers and administrators have marred
our achievement of any meaningful development and are making the
students social misfits, turning out liabilities rather than assets to society. We
are technologically underdeveloped and our skills remain within the “craft
stage” of technology as a result of these factors..
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Both the teachers and administrators should be more serious,
dedicated, eloquent, sensitive and scientific in their work, training the young,
(d) They should ensure that our education is child centered; and teachers
should take their work more seriously than before. In addition, students
should be encouraged and they need the help of guidance counselors to
direct them in choosing a profession in line with their individual abilities and
competencies.
School administrators should monitor the implementation of policies made;
offer employment opportunities to students to keep them busy and off the
main roads and pathways where they are vulnerable to committing crimes.
(d) My humble suggestions are that:
(i) the children should reach the appropriate school age before starting
primary one class in school;
(ii) the authorities should provide trained and adequate teachers for schools;
(iii) provide the right infrastructure, that is, the right buildings and school
equipment made available;
(iv) reduce class size of children in every public school and employ more
teachers for effective teaching and listening, and
(v) finally, let the curriculum be designed to reflect children’s age and the
national goals of education.
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(f) Teachers should be natural in their teaching and dealings with students
as well as making sure that basic things that come first in a child’s
upbringing are adequately taken care of in the classroom and elsewhere.
(g) Teachers and administrators should be dedicated to their professional
duties. They should also stop all incessant strike actions, and rather
negotiate their welfare at round table conferences with the Ministry of
Education of the states and the nation.
(h) Both the teachers and administrators should be dedicated to their work;
Administrators should pay teachers’ salaries regularly and when due.
The authorities should not neglect informal education because it is the basis
for formal education, which has brought development and progress to
Igboland in particular, and Nigeria in general.
(i) My advice is that only teachers with interest in education should be
employed to teach students for the good of the society.
In addition, special teachers should be posted to primary schools to teach
special subjects, such as, English language, Mathematics and General
science. Teachers should be honest and serious with their students.
0) My simple advice to teachers and administrators is that children should be
of school age before they are admitted to primary one;
Trained and adequate teachers should be provided to schools with the right
infrastructures, including science laboratory buildings, well-equipped
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classrooms, required textbooks, and recreational and sporting school
equipments to carry out the right activity at all times.
Furthermore, education should be child centered and pupils/students should
be encouraged to be more serious with themselves and their studies.
Finally, the child should be guided to choose a job he/she has interest
in, so as to make progress in it rather than being stuck. Many young people
who, are said to have been forced or influenced to go into areas of training
with little or no personal interests, have the sad history of quitting before the
completion o f the program. Hence children should be helped to develop their
own interests and to follow their hearts’ dreams.
6.3 Factors Responsible for the fgboe’ Susceptibility to the Western
World and their successes and failures as a people.
From the findings of this study, as has been seen earlier, the following
six factors or issues have been identified as playing tremendous influencing
roles in the lives of the Igbos as a people. These factors include: (i) strong
sense of the existence of a supreme deity, the love of ancestors and respect
for elders; (ii) love of family and hard work; (iii) sense of community and self-
help effort; (iv) self-motivation to learn; (v) competitive spirit, and
(vi) recognition and celebration of accomplishments.
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(1) Igbos* strong ssnss of ths existence of s suprsms dsity, tbs lovs of
ancsstois and respect for elders:
These factors played an influencing role in the Igbos’ acceptance of
Christianity that started the educational and development movements in the
late 19*1 century. The findings of the study prove that the Igbos’ beliefs in a
supreme deity, whom they called “Chukwu” (God) was supported by
Christianity’s belief and promotion of monotheism (worship of supreme God).
Furthermore, the Igbos’ reverence to ancestors and respect for elders
also helped them to understand Christianity’s teaching about the saints, and
respect for the religious authorities in the Church. They were able to see the
teachings about the saints as those of elders in the eternal family of God,
and, as such, could be call upon or prayed to solicit favors from God at times
of difficulties. Also, ordained ministers and other office holders in the Church
were seen as comparable to the local community elders and leaders, whose
services help to better the lives of the people. Therefore, they have to be
respected and obeyed. With these comparable beliefs and practices, the
Igbos did not hesitate so long in embracing the “white man’s religion" as it
was called at the time. With Christianity now introduced as a change agent
and accepted by the people, gradually it moved along with the people, and
today, many changes have been made among the Igbo in Igboland and
beyond. Hence, any account given on Christianity’s emergence and survival
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in igboland without a mention of Igbo traditional faith and beliefs, would be
unfair and also an incomplete account of history.
(ii) Love of family and hard work:
The research study affirmed that love of family and hard work are some
of the innate qualities of the Igbos that make them unique and also open to
western influences, including government religion and education. Igbos’ zeal
for hard work and accumulating savings for their families and children was
reinforced with the western promotion of the dignity of human labor and
industry. Teachers and school children in the study all recognized these facts
when they advocated for cordial relationships between families and school
authorities to help make them effective and successful, which would benefit
the students and everyone else in the end.
The importance of family love and hard work cannot be over
emphasized among the Igbo wherever they live and work at every age level.
The students in our study in several of their responses expressed strong
desires to work hard and help their families when they grow up. Some even
promised to help in building houses for their families, building schools and
hospitals, and to bring in pipe-born water supplies and electricity to their
communities. To execute objectives such as these are some of the reasons
Igbos train their children, namely, to continue the family line as well as to
care for and help each other and the community in times of need. Hard work
and success often go together and children are trained in this Igbo
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philosophy right from the family, in order to groom them early enough in the
art of embracing work/labor with love and dignity.
(iii) Sense of community and self-help efforts:
The Igbo as an organic society still for the most part, live in rural
communities of villages and towns. This means that there is extensive
sharing and working together especially when compared with urban areas,
where people are inclined to individualism and self-centeredness, with little or
no attention paid to the person living next door.
A sense of community which children usually inherit from their families,
motivates them to engage in programs of self-help as they grow up, whereby
they will work to make contributions financially, materially, in terms of human
volunteerism and otherwise, in order to provide their communities with the
basic necessities of life, such as: provision of good drinking water, roads.
electricity, schools and hospitals, etc. There are no Igbo children that go to
school simply to learn about community and self-help efforts as a school
subject, because this is what one learns from the family by watching, seeing
and living and participating in community activities meant to promote
themselves and their communities. This is what Victor Uchendu (1965) had
referred to as, “helping the town to get up”, which he explains thus:
To get up is a sentiment, which nourishes community spirit;
the fruit o f the latter is community development. To belong
to a forward-looking town is a source o f pride to the villager
and th e “son abroadto suggest how a town can “get up"
and to help realize this goal is to be a good citizen,
a man o f great prestige (Ibid. p. 34).
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Sense of community and self-help efforts have been part of Igbos’ life for a
long time as means for providing their communities with those social
amenities that could not have been provided, if left alone by themselves
operating on an individual basis.
(iv) Self-motivation to learn:
Igbos are generally self-motivated people, who are very quick to leam
both about things around them and those coming from the outside. This
proclivity prepared and opened the Igbo up to western education and other
influences. They are very often creative and exploring. Risking-taking, as well
as self-motivating in whatever they do. Hence their acceptance of
Christianity, one hundred and fifty years ago, was a socio-cuitural innovation
that is now rewarding to all generations of Igbos at home and abroad.
Teachers in our study pointed out that the abilities of students to leam
are hampered by an uncondudve environment and failure to provide
appropriate infrastructures in schools. Furthermore, the slow pace of
development in science and technology in Nigeria could be attributed to the
lack of promotion of those subject matter areas, dating back to the
missionaries and colonial era, when students with such motivations were not
encouraged and/or academically directed and challenged.
(v) Competitive spirit-
Another factor/quality that is characteristic of the Igbo, which made
them embrace western influences at the time they did, was/is the spirit of
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competition. They always competed and still compete among themselves,
and each person’s yardstick for measuring individual and family successes
was/is by making references to those that had succeeded around him/her.
This competitive spirit is seen as healthy and children are trained early in life
to develop it With this quality, the Igbos were not only able to embrace
western education that would later promote their society and aspirations, but
also competed individually among themselves, and within families.
The individual and interfamily competitions were on who would educate
their children better and higher in terms of educational attainment This was
the order of the day before the Nigerian civil war. Today, our teachers in the
study complained otherwise, that “the money bag speaks louder” This
means, that with your higher education, if you are not rich, people still will not
listen to you any more, as they would to the “money man or woman”. What a
tragedy! It is an aspect of failure in the Igbo culture, because this goes
contrary to the Igbo philosophy of life and traditional values.
(vi) Recognition and celebration of accomplishments:
Both the traditional and contemporary Igbo people always recognize
and love to celebrate individual and group accomplishments. Traditional and
contemporary Igbo society are designated here as being represented by
those who live perpetually in Igbo villages and towns, do not travel much and
are known as “the home branch". The traveling type, who are always coming
in and going out of Igboland are known as "the Abroadians” or (Ndi abroad)
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and all Igbos today in the United States and other countries of the world
belong to this contemporary group (the abroadins).
The Igbos’ reasons for recognizing and celebrating individual and
group accomplishments, like in many other societies, are two fold, (a) to
thank God for helping the celebrants actualize their life dreams in what they
have accomplished despite all inherent difficulties, and (b) to encourage and
promote the spirit of enterprise and ambition in order to attain one’s goals
("getting up”). These have educational lessons to teach and it is also very
attractive and motivating for those who work hard to celebrate their
accomplishments. Such celebrations like traditional title taking in the villages,
knighthood in the church, building and opening a new house, the wearing
cloth ceremony, getting married (traditional and church marriages),
baptism/naming ceremony of a new bom child in the family, promotions at
work, priestly ordinations, religious professions, as well as academic
graduation ceremonies, etc. These, and many others, are causes for joy,
recognition and celebrations of accomplishments among the Igbos in
Igboland and elsewhere.
6.4 A Changing People:
When anyone who has been in Amakohia, or known it since 1960, is
asked to compare what he/she knew and saw then, with what is going on
now in this town, the remarks would be that things have changed and are still
changing. This is because the scenery is not what it was before. There are
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more beautiful houses built here and there now than were at that time. The
roads both native and government constructed, are now wider and there are
more of them than they used to be, and people are busier with more different
activities than ever. Today, many citizens have been to school and have at
least an elementary or secondary level of formal education, which
consequently influences their life styles and worldview, all things being equal.
Furthermore, the open-ended questionnaire responses from the school
administrators and community leaders in Amakohia show how things and
people have changed and are still changing from what they used to be.
Several of our respondents in the study expressed similar views on this on
going phenomenon, which is based on the fact that western education
brought to them by the early missionaries in the Iate1800s introduced this
radical movement As one of these respondents puts it
Western education has been o f tremendous help to
Amakohia in many ways. Firstly, improvement in the standard
o f living is seen everywhere as one looks around. There are
now very good buildings of modem standards in Amakohia.
There are also changes in the style o f dressing.
Secondly, the kitting of twins has been eradicated and
about 85% o f the people are now literate. In Amakohia
today nearly every family can boast o f at least one university
graduate and children acquiring a secondary school education.
Thirdly, in religious professions, many sons and
daughters o f Amakohia are now priests, Reverend
Sisters and Reverend Brothers, and in the Anglican Church,
many of our sons are now pastors.
Lastly, there is great quest for higher education. This has
led to the movement of our sons and daughters to foreign
lands to acquire higher education and improve their standard
o f living. In recent tunes, many modem buildings are springing
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up here and there with wealth acquired outside.
(Mr. C . I. Nwaokeafbr, Ibid.).
Ekechi (1989), commenting on the swift and radical changes that are taking
place across Igboland since the advent of the early missionaries, also noted:
Christianity has obviously disturbed the traditional order
of society. Much o f its impacts are unquestionably negative
and destructive. On the other hand, it must be said that some
of the changes brought about by the missionaries were worth
whte and beneficial. For example, consider the practices o f
twin murder and slave immolation (human sacrifice), which
prevailed in pre-colonial days. In Igbo society as a whole,
giving both to twins was considered an abomination (aru)
Such babies were either put in earthen pots and thrown away,
exposed to the elements and a/towed to die.
On the other hand, Mothers of twins were either banished or
had to be cleansed before they were reintegrated into the
community. They bore a social stigma forever.
Such practices were not only repugnant to the missionaries,
but also reprehensible and inhuman. Hence they declared
frontal war against twin murder and human sacrifice.
Instead o f allowing the twin babies to die o f exposure,
missionaries took these unfortunate victims from their mothers
and nurtured them at tee missions. A t Egbu and Emekukwu
this rescue operation gave rise to tee establishment of hospices
or orphanages for which bote the CMS and the RCM became
famous. The crdches were in fact the foundation upon which the
Egbu medical center and Emekukwu hospital were butt (Ibid. p. 66).
The total eradication of these practices today is a good sign and evidence
that changes are really taking place in Igboland. Secondly, now that the
majority of Igbos have been converted to Christianity, and now, even serve
as religious missionaries, there is a good possibility that such negative Igbo
history will never be repeated as the people continue to move ahead to a
better future in today's systematically "globalizing” world.
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6.5 A Changing Behavior
From the questionnaires’ responses by a good number of the Amakohia
inhabitants living at home, the evidence shows that the people have changed
from what is called "their old or primitive ways” to what they referred to as "a
modem and civilized” life. There is no better group to talk about this changing
trend than the teachers in their responses. Some of these teachers have
taught for over 45 years - dating back to the era when missionaries
managed schools in Igboland before even the 1960 independence and the
Nigerian/Biaffan civil war of 1967 -1970 that sent the missionaries back to
their home countries. As these teachers noted, based on evidence from their
own personal lives and professional experiences, coupled with what has
been happening around them all these years, one would then wonder about,
or doubt that the Igbos behave very differently today from the pre-
independence era. These differences in behavior could be seen as positive
or negative, depending upon who is evaluating the changes, and under what
circumstances and life experiences the evaluators have encountered.
The following two testimonies from eyewitness, will dearly explain our points
and case. One of these veteran teachers explained from his personal and
professional teaching experience that
The students of our years in schools were more o f hardworking
ones when compared with those of these days. This is as a
resuit o f too much emphasis on material wealth these days
rather than acquiring the wealth of knowledge. The society’s
orientation these days o f placing the “ money bags” higher than
the educated citizen, and teachers in particular, make it difficult
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to get serious and hardworking students these days, because
they are directing their attention to quick money getting activities.
(Mrs. Anokwuru S . E , Questionnaire response 12/08/2000.)
Another explanation of these on-going changes comes from Pita Ejiofbr
(1984) who sees the reasons of these changes as something far beyond
students’ issues and their orientation to quick life. He explains th at
Today, the situation is different The cord of paganism and
tradition has more or less been out (sic.), but Christianity has
not yet become part and parcel o f us. City life has almost
broken the bond of communal ties. One may never know
the name o f the neighbour living next door though they might
have lived together for months and the accepted attitude is
one o f not prying into the other man’ s affairs. Gossipers are
now supposed to be those who have little to do. In cities,
people o f all sorts of character find birds of their own feathers,
and so, cannot be socially ostracized (Ibid. p. 80).
The above thoughts represent the different faces of change now going on
across Igboland that still remains essentially a rural and an organic society,
despite the fact that some big cities like: Owerri, Aba, Port Harcourt,
Umuahia, Okigwe, Enugu, Orlu, Akwa, Nsukka, Onitsha, Asaba, Isienu-
Ukwu, Abakiliki and Afikpo exist Therefore any change that would be
meaningful and worthwhile must be inclusive and develop across all of
Igboland otherwise it would, in the end, be seen as missing the mark (point)
by leaving the majority of Igbos behind, contrary to the initial collective intent
6.6 A Changing Culture:
An ethnographic observation and direct personal interviews with some
igbo families in Amokohia town, show significant changes in the practice of
what were believed for centuries to constitute the Igbo culture. The study
also points out how a mixture of the Igbo and some other outside cultures are
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in place and practiced together as Igbo culture. These changes, in people,
behavior and culture are attributed to some external influences and contacts
from and with other cultures and peoples of the West over two centuries ago.
As Pita Ejiofbr (1984), rightly observed:
Even the Igboman himself, (until quite recently) denigrated
his own culture, his history. Sectional snobbishness was rife.
Some even disowned the flow o f any Igbo blood in their veins.
The Onitsha, and the Arcs, who with the Nri people shared
the honour o f being the most enlightened Igbos before the
colonization o f Igboland by the British, never saw themselves
as Igbos. The Onitsha man was referred to all other Igbos as
"nwa onye Igbo". The Aro referred to the non-Aro people as
the Igbos. If being an Igbo man was something to be proud
of in those days, this attitude was unlikely to develop and persist.
Some Igbo speaking people today would not like to be
associated with the Igbo ethnic group. For instance, some
Western Igbos prefer to call themselves ‘lkas“ instead of Igbos,
while some in "Ikwere” areas, despites a ll evidence to the
contrary insist teat they are not Igbos. Some o f the first
Igbos to travel Overseas for higher education returned after some
years pretending they could no more speak the Igbo language
well (Cultural Revival in Igboland, pp. 30-31).
Nevertheless, the above stories add to the woes of this fast changing
situation among the Igbo in their world. Therefore, the Igbos must be
prepared for more of such behavioral and attitudinal changes in their towns,
communities and cities, or even in the villages and homes, as the price to
pay for social development and cultural modifications, which is the case with
the western world they are hurryingly racing hard to catch up with. Hence,
the study reminds the Igbos, and students of the Igbo culture, that change
must always be anticipated in any progressive human society.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
SUMMARIES, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 Summaries:
At this juncture, the study has given a summative evaluation of all that
was discovered in the research, which point to the disposition and willingness
of the Igbos to accept change. All put together, the findings explain the
Nigerian Igbo philosophy of education and its practice, which is central to
raising their children. Traditional African and Western education were
discovered to be playing complementary roles in the upbringing and lives of
Igbo children, and African traditional education as the base on which
Western education was built
The study also discovered that the Igbo culture plays an indispensable
role in preparing Igbo children to embrace both the traditional and western
forms of education, which, in the end, contribute to their overall educational
pursuits and attainments. In addition, the study discussed how, when all
these are put together, will constitute the element called - education, which
is the instrument for effecting the discussed changes in the Nigerian Igbo
society. These changes began with the arrival and work of the European
Christian missionaries in Igboland from 1885 to date, and have continued
through the work of the indigenous clergy and educators’ successors.
Conclusively, education and change have become inseparable
elements in the on-going social, cultural and developmental transformations
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that have been taking place in Igboland all through these years. Hence,
contemporary Igbos will have to continue the change movement by giving
their children a well-balanced education, which is believed to be the key to a
better future and a successful living.
7.2 Conclusions:
Finally, the research has tried to tie everything together as has been
discussed, while pointing out clearly the salient points of the findings. This
goes a long way to remind the reader of what the discussions have been all
about and where we will go from here. Both the traditional African and
western education as earlier brought by the Christian missionaries, prepared
Igbo children and people for participation in literacy learning activities, which
later motivated them to contribute to the country’s development and
progress. In the words of Ekechi (1989) on this education dilemma:
Had education been left to the government alone, very few
people would have had the opportunity to receive Western
education as government school statistics dearly shows. In the
Igbo country as a whole there were only eleven government
schools by 1931. Indeed, it was the coming o f the Christian
missionaries that led to the spread o f formal education
practically everywhere in Nigeria. It was they, infact, who
made education quite popular. “Without them", many villagers
today concede, “we would have been in the dark". “Whatever
else may be said about toe missionaries", an old man in his
late eighties remarked recently, “They showed us the light.
It is because o f them that we have made so much progress.
Clearly, it was the missions that opened schools in every
village m toe division. They made education accessible to
both the fheebom and toe slave and thus introduced a new
force that transformed the society. For it was education more
than any other factor which by and large created new
opportunities for social advancement as well as new forms
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of social differentiation. Education was dearly the decisive
factor that led to the rise o f new African etite whose political,
social, and economic influence has remained dominant factor
ever since.
Conversely, “the education revolution which created a
new e/ffe also created social inequality - or more precisely,
enormously magnified... incipient social inequalities.
(Ibid. p. 99).
Now that the European missionaries have come and gone, leaving
education, Christianity and health care management as their legacy to the
Igbos and other ethnic groups of Nigeria, it is the duty of their Nigerian Igbo
successors to "keep the flag flying”, in these known established areas, while
improving and correcting some of their mistakes such as, -
(a) Encouraging and promoting girls’ and women’s education, which they
(early missionaries) neglected when they were building only all boys
secondary schools across Igboland. This has to be corrected by building all
girls’ secondary schools, women’s colleges, as well as instituting educational
funds and awarding scholarships to needy females for higher educational
studies in the universities and other institutions of higher learning.
(b) To recognize and restructure some good elements o f the Igbo culture and
promote their educational and religious uses, rather than seeing everything
as evil and superstitious, which we, the Igbos, know to be otherwise.
(c) To encourage and promote science and technological education, as well
as commerce in the present day mission primary and secondary schools,
since these are the foundations on which any future careers in science and
217
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technology will be based. These are the few areas and things that the
Nigerian educators, missionaries, government and private individuals alike
must do, or pay attentions to, to argument the pioneer work o f the early
European Christian missionaries.
7.2.1 Policy Implications:
The findings also show how the work of elected politicians and
educational policy-makers affects both the present and future lives of families
and students. Furthermore, since lack of proper planning and adequate
implementation of policies were part of Nigeria’s past educational woes, the
study points out better ways of getting the educational job done, by involving
the various education providing groups of the Nigerian society. Such groups
would include: parents, schoolteachers and administrators, churches,
mosques, temples, and local, state and federal government etc. Each of
these groups has a unique role to play to enhance the general education
system of the country as a whole, to which Igboland is gloriously a part of.
O n this, Francis Cardinal Arinze (1981) strictly observed, that
The work o f education goes on from our birth to death.
We are being educated in the family, in our place o f work
and play, in the school, and in the society at large. The
school is a special institution to quicken the work o f education
(In the Church and the State in Education in Nigeria, p.17).
Hence an open call to everyone to support and promote educational
ventures, anywhere, anytime, and any day since one also learns by such
societal duties. As one Igbo axiom says, -“Mmuta bu ike” (knowledge is
218
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power). Therefore, education as the instrument for disseminating modem
knowledge and strength must be patronized and promoted by all and sundry.
722. Local Government Level
Involvement of the local government in furthering and promoting
education as discussed in this study, stressed the following -
(a) Grass roots educational promotion in the family and communities;
(b) Regular visits to local schools and monitoring of school activities;
(c) Maintenance and beautifying of school site and their structures, and
(d) Offering incentives that would include meritorious promotions to
deserving hardworking schoolteachers and administrators.
The achievements of students in Amakohia as seen in the study
demonstrate how their present efforts indicate what the future will look like
for successive students, their parents and school authorities. Therefore, the
local government as the closest political unit to families and communities
must be bonded with, and closely be connected with the schools, students
and their parents, to encourage and to promote their efforts.
7.2.3 State Government Level
The state government’s administration is closer to the people of
Amakohia than to the federal administration, and the study has also shown
how the state’s involvement, or lack of involvement, affects education. The
implications are that in a federal political system such as Nigeria, the
education of citizens is usually a state government’s responsibility with the
219
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burden of raising and spending over two-thirds of its schools’ expenditures
on teachers’ salaries in primary and secondary schools.
As already mentioned in the text, Imo State has one of the highest
school attendance rates in the nation; and an estimated 97% of school age
children are in primary and secondary schools, either public or private.
Therefore, politicians and administrators in the state should call it a duty to
promote, as well as create the means for raising funds to handle educational
expenses and not to depend solely on the annual subventions of the federal
government (the so-called national cake), which will never be enough.
7.2.4 Federal Government Level:
Deductively, the author thinks that the findings would inform the reader
how and why traditional and western education are seen, as indispensable
shareholders in the upbringing of Nigerian Igbo children.
Recently, the Nigerian new civilian federal government has agreed to
pay primary and secondary school teachers’ salaries in public schools. This
is a good beginning for the new democratic leadership now in place in the
country. In addition to this noble commitment the most important thing now
expected of the federal government is a review of the 1977 National Policy
on Education to reflect the overall commitment to education of this new
legitimately elected government May it also see that all policies in place are
strictly implemented as stipulated in its already existing, or the would be
anticipated White Paper.
220
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7.3 Recommendations for Future Research:
The author believes that the following areas and institutions are special
issues and factors for future researchers to explore for the improvement of
the education of Igbo children, and all Nigerian children in general, as we
move around in this twenty-first century. Educational research is very
important and should be given the attention it deserves, so as to be able to
discover areas that need change and improvement to boost Nigerian
children’s future through solid educational foundations.
7.3.1 Parental and Community Involvement
As a developing country, parents and communities have not folly been
given the recognition and independence they deserve regarding their
contribution to their children’s education. From the results of the findings, the
local/state/federal governments should accommodate and accept the roles of
parents and communities as partners in process of educational decision-
making. The research findings suggest that when parents, teachers and
school administrators work together in schools, the tremendous reward is the
unprecedented students’ improvements in good manners, friendships and
academic high performances in their examinations.
Future researchers could look into the various ways and possibilities
that this proposition would be made real to benefit the Igbo and other
Nigerian school children to build up a better and greater Nigeria of tomorrow.
221
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7.3.2 Involveinent of Religious and PrivataAfoluntary Agsnciss:
As the governmental role in education is always challenged by the
private sector that pressurizes it to do more, studies should look into better
ways these private, religious and non-governmental organizations can help
promote education to benefit children who are invariably the victims of such
struggle between the government and the private sector. These better ways
are good areas for future researchers to explore, since no political
government ever handles its educational services alone, nor attends to the
needs of its population adequately without the help of these private and
voluntary or religious organizations.
7.3.3 Local/State and Federal Governments’ Involvement
All levels of the Nigerian governments, namely, the local, state and
the federal authorities should recognize that religious and voluntary agencies
in Nigeria have both natural and legal rights to own and run schools and to
contribute to the training of the young for which all adults are responsible.
Arinze (1981) reminds these political authorities again, that
The State exists in order to promote the common good, the
temporal welfare o f U s citizens. For this, education is
necessary. Therefore the State must have a role to play in
education. The State has therefore the right to establish
a national system o f education in the sense o f free
and equal opportunities offered to the citizens according
to their abilities to pursue education, which is actuated
by certain common purposes.
The State can, and should establish and insist on
certain reasonable minimum standards which all schools
have to reach in order to prove that they can contribute
to the common good, and therefore that they qualify
222
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to receive financial assistance from public funds.
In particular, the State must respect Vie prior right o f
parents to choose a school fo r their chgdren especially in
matters o f religious education. If therefore, the
parents want denominational schools, the State should
see that they get them (Ibid. p.19).
Future researchers could explore more on how these joint efforts of the
governments, private/voluntary and religious organizations could improve the
education of all Nigerian children. Preferably, let the government supply the
funds, while private and religious agencies will provide their expertise in
moral and educational discipline needed in everyday running/management of
schools in any given society.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
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Uchendu, V. C. (1965) The Igbo o f southeast Nigeria: Case Studies in
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227
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APPENDIX A: MAPS OF NIGERIA, IGBOLAND,
AMAKOHIA, IHITTE/UBOMA LG A & IMO STATE.
M AUSA
K A J t U n t
FULANI
HAOSA
O A H O M C r «
GW ARI
HOPE
O THER TU BES * C AME R OON
TIY
O TH ER / w / N
TR I B E S • V
z \ I GBO
NIGERIA
SHOWI NG
TRIBAL OI STRI8UTTON
EFH i
U A \
M ap o f N igeria Showing Locations o f D ifferent Ethnic Groups
Source: Raph Uwechue, Reflections on the Nigerian Civil War
(New York: Africans Publishing Co., 1971), xxxi.
Reprinted with permission.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
MAP #2: IGBOLAND, SHOWING THE IGBO & ITS NEIGHBOURS.
See text, pp. 8-13.
B IN !
'to m
•Agbor
• O g w g s h i
Uku
' «Ubur
* _ _
j tA n**
a .
) ''•/wu^kbam
t f \
I '-'J2RJLL1A.
IS O K O
k iko(/x)
IG BO TERRITORY
. 0 I O 20 30
Seal* » . i - ■ . i
mitts
▲ Major Oraelat
229
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f l)
la
MAP #3: AMAKOHIA, SHOWING ALL THE IMPORTANT
LANDMARKS & VILLAGES. See text 16 -17 16 -117.
li d
5
I
f
I
S3
\
\
230
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MAP #4: IHfTTEAJBOMA LG A , SHOWING LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. See text pp. 16-17.
/-
i
3
3
231
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M AP S j Ha o S T / W E ,
MAP #5: IMO STATE, SHOWING IHITTE/UBOMA L.GJL A
ALL SEVEN NEIGHBOURING EASTERN STATES.
a
1
It
&
M
vs » .
1
232
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APPENDIX B: SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR PUPILS/STUDENTS,
TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS/COMMUNITY LEADERS.
/
Questionnaire for Elementary 5 and 6 and Secondary school students
October 2000.
D e a r student
Your answers to these questions will be very helpful to my research on
‘Education for change in a changing Nigerian Igbo society” - Impacts/roles of
traditional education and western education on the upbringing of the Igbo child.
Please write your a g e ...................and dass grade level.............................
(1) Do you like school?......................... W hy................................................
(2) What do you not like about school?,
(3) What do you know about traditional education?.
(4) Is the traditional education you receive at home and community helpful in
your studies at school?......................................... ...................................
(5) What are the types of traditional education do you receive at
home?........................................................................................................
(6) Do you like the education you now receive at school?
(7) If you are to suggest to your teacher to improve in her/his teaching, what are
your suggestions?
(8) Is your parents’ education, or lack of education helpful or not to you as a
student?....................................................................................................
(5) What do you want to be when you grow up?
(10) After your education, what will you do for your family and
community?.................................................................. .........................
233
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Questionnaire Survey for Teachers of Primary and Secondary school
October, 2000
D ear............................
Please help me in answering the following questions helpful to my research
on "Education for change in a changing Nigerian Igbo society" - Impacts/roles of
traditional and formal education in the upbringing of the Igbo child.
Please write your years of experience.................. and level.......................
(1) How does your Igbo traditional knowledge of education (Mmuta) affect your
teaching as a teacher?....................................................................................
(2) Are there some differences in learning techniques among students of your
years in school and those of today?.................................................................
(3) Are there any differences in methods of teaching in your student years and
today? What are they?......................................................................................
(4) What do you see as responsible for the differences in #2 and #3?
" (5) What do you suggest as solutions to those problems in #2 and #3?
(6) If you have some suggestions for the Ministry of Education to improve primary
and secondary education, what are they?.............................................................
(7) Do you think that elementary and secondary school education is better taught
today than your days in such school?...........................................................
(8) What linkages do you see between the early missionaries’ role in education in
Igboland and what we have today?...........................................................
(9) What roles to you think teachers, parents and students can play together to
improve students' performance?..................................................................
(10) Do you see any dangers or conflicts between traditional and formal
education in the formation of an Igbo child?..........................................
234
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Oral or written Questionnaire for school Administrators and community
loaders in Amakohia: October 2000
Dear..............................
Please help me in answering the following questions for my research study
on “ Education for change in a changing Nigerian Igbo society - Impacts/roles of
the traditional and western education in the upbringing of the Igbo child.
(1) From your personal W e experiences, how would you explain western
education in Amakohia since the time of the Nigerian independence in 1960?
(2) What do you think are the differences between the effects of traditional and
formal education on the upbringing of an Igbo child in Amakohia or
elsewhere?..................................................................................................
(3) What factors or reasons do you think are responsible for the Igbos’ interest
and love in the education of their children? Do you see this trend continuing?
(4) In your opinion, what are the educational accomplishments and failures of the
early missionaries to Igboland? If they were to do it again, what advice would
you give them ?...........................................................................................
(5) How has education - traditional and Western helped the Amakohia people “ to
get-up"?................................................................................................................
(6) What do you see as the educational influences of the Europeans on the Igbo
society in general and Amakohia community in particular?............................
(7) Which ways do you think that education can change the culture and people of
Amakohia?........................................................................................................
(8) Why is the traditional Igbo education an important factor in the upbringing of
the Igbo child/children today as was in the past?
(9) In which ways do you think that the traditional Igbo education is a preparatory
influence to the success of Western education among the Igbos?
(10) If you are to start schooling again, what will be your candid advice to
teachers and administrators in Nigerian primary and secondary school?...
235
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APPENDIX C:
Pictures # 1:*Baby shower ceremony” for a woman expecting triplets.
Priests were invited to pray for her and her babies, and people
came with gifts for the babies’ arrival. See text, pp.18,19,57- 58.
236
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Pictures # 2 : Seat of Wisdom Nursery School, Isinweke.
One of the many in the community. See text pp.144 - 146.
f .
I
p
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Pictures # 3: Madonna Nursery/primary School, Amakohia.
A private Roman Catholic School. S ee text p.146 -149.
238
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Pictures # 4: Central School I h a t f e e . Elementary 6 pupils.
Representing three public Schools in the Community.
See text, pp.50,120 -123 &156.
.V
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Pictures # 5: Children returning from local stream, carrying
water on their heads, a daily ritual. See text pp.16 > 1 8 .
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
Pictures #6: Ezechinyere Printing Press Isinweke, Etiti,
with his 2 female apprentices. See text, pp.126 >130.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
Pictures #7: Ben Superment Fashion/Designing School,
Isinweke, Etiti. See text, pp. 131-133.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
Pictures #8: Obowo Honda Mechanic Workshop,
Isinweke, Etiti. See text, pp.134 -136.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission
Pictures # 9: ‘ Iwa Akwa” (Wearing doth ceremony) in Amakohia
Community, Ihitte/Uboma LG A , Imo State. See text, pp.64-67.
- »r
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Picture #10: Entertaining troops with spectators at the
"Iwa-Akwa" ceremony held at the Nkwo Ihitte Market
Square in Jan. 2001. See text, pp.64-67.
245
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Ekenachi, Donatus Ikechukwu
(author)
Core Title
Education for change in a changing Nigerian Igbo society: Impacts of traditional African and western education on the upbringing of Igbo children
School
Rossier School of Education
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Doctor of Philosophy
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Education
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education, curriculum and instruction,OAI-PMH Harvest
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Rideout, William M. (
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), Eskey, David (
committee member
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), Stromquist, Nelly (
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)
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