26th September 2024, NewsOrient, Opinion, Column, News
By Emeka Nwosu, PhD.

Culture, generally, is identified as the way of life of a people. It embodies such values as language, customs and other expressive attributes like the food the people eat, the way they dress, their religious practices and worldview. It is the totality of these values that constitutes culture. And a man is defined by his culture.

Given the broad meaning of culture and what it represents in society, its importance in the scheme of things cannot be overemphasized. People jealously guard their culture because it is what gives them identity as a social group. When a people lose their culture, they lose their identity.

One key ingredient of culture is the spoken language. When people lose their language, they suffer the crisis of identity. The transmission of language and culture generally from one generation to another is the major means of preserving the existence of a people in perpetuity.

The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, brought these critical issues to the fore yesterday when he hosted a meeting of South East traditional rulers in Umuahia, Abia State capital. As a true Igbo leader who understands the essence of culture in the life of a people, Dr. Otti charged the traditional rulers to promote and preserve the Igbo culture and prevent it from being eroded by forces of westernization.

In his insightful address to the royal fathers, Otti strongly urged them to be at the forefront of projecting, defending and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Igbo ethnic nationality in Nigeria, adding that “culture is an identity that defines a people”.

In a moment of truth, the Governor lamented the unscrupulous conduct and actions of some monarchs who have engaged in bloody contests to emerge in their various communities. In the process, they caused divisions and conflicts that have continued to threaten the peace and development of such communities. He noted that such infighting has often resulted in the destruction of family ties and relationships because of the ambitions of some individuals who want to be traditional rulers at all costs.

He said that anyone that truly wants to serve his people cannot seek to destroy the bonds that hold the community together. For him, those who seek power at any level must do so for service and not for self-aggrandizement and self-glorification. He informed the monarchs that Abia is succeeding today under his watch because his government sees power as an opportunity to render stewardship, calling on the people to hold those in authority accountable.

His words: “Everyone that emerges as a leader is answerable to the people. A good leader should be a good listener”. Otti thanked the leadership of the South East Traditional Rulers Council for choosing to hold their meeting in the State and assured them of the famed hospitality of Ndi Abia.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Council, HRH Eze E.C. Okeke, who also doubles as the Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers appreciated Otti`s laudable achievements and his determination to transform the State. He said that the Council resolved to meet in Abia to discuss and make critical decisions on issues confronting the region and thanked Otti for the prevailing peace and security in the State.

What is poignant in the interactions with the monarchs is Otti`s thesis on the essence and centrality of culture in the life of a people and the need for traditional rulers as the custodians of our culture to promote and preserve it because if we lose it, we have lost our identity.

The Governor must be commended for telling the monarchs the home truth about how the inordinate ambitions of some individuals have destroyed the peace of many communities.

If people truly mean to serve the public interest, why would they go to the length of instigating crises and conflicts which have left many communities badly devastated? This poser was not left to the monarchs alone to chew. I believe it is for everyone to reflect on if we actually want to build a better society.

Our culture is our pride. Without our culture, we are steeped in normlessness. We must, therefore, at all times do everything that is humanly possible to preserve our culture, especially in this era of globalization. If we allow the forces of globalization to sweep away our culture, we are gone as a people.

That is why the admonition of Governor Otti must be taken seriously by not only our traditional rulers, but also by Ndigbo as a people.

One major area that has been of great concern is the Igbo language which UNESCO says may go extinct if Igbos do not do anything to keep the language alive. All hands must, therefore, be put on the deck to ensure that this prediction does not come to pass. Our traditional rulers and governments at all levels must give serious consideration to the promotion and preservation of the Igbo language in perpetuity.

Dr. Nwosu, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Umuahia.
Email: cdnwosu2@gmail.com

~ NewsOrient

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