Introducing Igbo Cultural Subjects In School Curriculum: Ndigbo Political Survival Impossible Without Igbo Value System… Ohanaeze Youths

Introducing Igbo Cultural Subjects In School Curriculum: Ndigbo Political Survival Impossible Without Igbo Value System… Ohanaeze Youths

By Charity Uwakwe

Following the extant death threats facing Igbo politics, as prompted by the diminishing Igbo Value System, Ndigbo have been urged to have a rethink on moral conscience, social re-engineering, reorientation, and sensitization.

In a bid to restore and sustain the seemingly lost Igbo Value System,  the Apex Youths Socio-cultural Organization of Ndigbo Worldwide, Ohanaeze Youths Council, OYC, has resolved to introduce in the schools’ curriculum, new Igbo cultural and traditional subjects.

Among these subjects, which the youths’ body insisted must be included in both primary and secondary schools’ curriculum to resuscitate the dying value and norms of the region include; Igbo history and Religion;
Igbo Craft and Weaving; Igbo Ethics; Igbo herbs and Traditional medicine.

Comrd. Igboayaka lamented that the long nurtured desire for the political survival of Ndigbo would end in utter futility without an existing core Igbo Value System.

Igboayaka stated this today, Thursday, in his address, during the second National Political Summit of Igbo National Council (INC), with the theme: “Timeline of political Developments on mean Nigeria: 1960-2021 and its Impacts on the Igbo National”.

“In order to sustain Igbo value system, culture and norm Ohanaeze Youth Council has proposed the introduction of the following subject into primary and secondary schools;
Igbo history and Religion
Igbo Craft and Waving
Igbo Ethics
Igbo herbs and Traditional medicine
This must be done with Five years from now or we will lost Igbo identity in it’s entirety. And this must be done with five years from now else we will loose Igbo identity in it’s entirety” Igboayaka added.

The prominent Igbo youth leader described the cultural norms and traditions of a nation as indispensable factors for her successful political and economic development.

According to Igboayaka, Ndigbo have, over the years, been  struggling more on political and economic development, adding “while neglecting many of her cultural norms and social identity that made us Ndigbo.

“Today, February 24, 2022 will mark a new dimensions of Ndigbo in the quest of political survival. Apparently, the rapid decline in Igbo Value System has affected our political developments. Development actually means from a particular thing to new things, and not from nothing to something. The basic ground of Igbo socio-political and economic development has been shattered since 57 years.”

Continuing amidst agonies, the illustrious Igbo son lamented that; “the Nigeria Biafra Civil-War had no much negative effect on our economy and political life, but the war threw out our cultural and value system into the garbage. So Nigeria/ Biafra Civil-War was not just a political and economic displacement to Ndigbo, but in its actual sense and reality, it was a stark displacement and loss of our identity.”

He decried the abominable acts indulged in by Ndigbo in their lustful quest for wealth, as he recounted that, “after the war, there was drastic change of quest for wealth by Ndigbo. Therefore, the philosophical value of “Ezi Aha Ka Ego”  “Ndu Ka Uba” ” Uba Si Na Chi” “Nwa Ka Ego” “Madu Ka Uba” and “Ndu Bu Isi” was buried. Unfortunately, as hunger for good life increased, upright life and integrity was replaced by quest for Wealth by every means necessary.

The address read in detail:

“Ezi Afa Ka Ego implies that an upright life and a man’s integrity is valued more dearly than wealth, but this philosophical concept was buried, hunger for quick wealth took the place of Ezi Afa Ka Ego, today it’s “Ego Ka Afa”

“By every historical index” none of “Otu Ogwu ego” originated in Igbo land rather it became rampant after the war. Today one of the greatest challenges in Igbo land is the nickname and modernization of ” Otu Ogwu Ego” which is now “Yahoo Yahoo” and Yahoo Plus”.

“Nwa Ka Ego in Igbo philosophy shows that, it is Igbo belief that, to have a child is more precious and valuable than wealth or money, therefore, it contradicts the way our young generation pursues Wealth and money, that a man will sacrifice his son or daughter for quest for riches. This has nullified the Igbo philosophy of “Ezi Afa Ka Ego”

“The Human Life is very sacred and precious to Ndigbo; the value of human being in Igbo concept is above every other thing on earth. That’s why Ndigbo have this name, Madu Ka Uba” but our generation have contracted this ancient value system, our generation maim and kill “Madu” (human being) to have Uba, (wealth), exalting Uba than Madu. Which means “Madu A Kaghi Uba”

“Were is our generation heading to with this new concept of “Uba Ka Madu”?Were is our generation heading to with this new syndrome of ” Ego Ka Nwa”?

“As we aspire to position Ndigbo politically in Nigeria, we must first accept to rescue our value system and social norms, that’s what will spice up our political adventure in Nigeria.

“The quick money syndrome has also weakend our cultural titles in Igbo land,  the Nze, Ozo, Ichie and Chieftain titles are now accorded to ones with Wealth and Riches. The time of meritorious title in Igbo has gone, as titles are now currently for sale. It’s been sold by our traditional rulers. There’s no longer moral standard or principle of Chieftaincy title that guides chieftaincy coronation in Igbo land, we have lost it by commercialization of Chieftaincy title by our traditional rulers. Get money and get chieftaincy coronation. It’s now how to honor criminals and men of questionable characters.

“Today in Igbo land, the chieftaincy title is a banner to cover a notorious criminals, our politicians have bagged Chieftaincy titles after looting our public fund. So the reward of stealing public fund is chieftaincy title, this has encourage political looting and quick money syndrome by the Igbo new generation.

“With the zeal of quick money syndrome, everybody is now a king or Mmanwu na eti Onwe Ya”. This has drastically affected the Igbo communal life system. If you want to know how backward Ndigbo has gone, go round our communities see the condition of things we have in general, take for instance the deplorable condition of our primary and Secondary Schools, Markets and Town Halls. Many of our community primary and secondary Schools have no roof, windows, doors, toilets; our community Town Halls look like poultry, our community markets look like hut of shrines.

“Today Ndigbo have fallen victim of Religion. there is no Igbo community without a beautiful and well designed four or five Churches, yet look at our primary and secondary schools, Markets and Town Halls, you will know that Ndigbo are in sorry condition.

“Yes we have mansion of churches were we pray to God, but there are no mansion of Schools were we train our children except for private schools; there is no mansion of Town Halls were we gather and reason with God on economic and political developments as a community people. Yes, there are communities in Igbo land with different churches, yet no Town Halls and functional Primary Health Centres.

“In order to sustain Igbo value system, culture and norm, Ohanaeze Youth Council has proposed the introduction of the following subjects into primary and secondary schools;
*Igbo history and Religion
*Igbo Craft and Waving
Igbo Ethics
*Igbo herbs and Traditional medicine
This must be done with Five years from now or we will loose Igbo identity in it’s entirety.

“The rapid decline in Igbo value System has made us to list the spirit of ” Igwe Bu Ike” Onyeaghala Nwanne Ya, Umunna Bu Ike, Imi Bewe Anya Ebewe, Nwanne Di Na Mba, Girigiri Bu Ugwu Eze, Onuru Ube Nwanne, Agbala Oso and Biri Ka m Mbiri.

“On leadership or governance we have suffered more setback than any tribe in Africa, our leadership standard has gone into extinction.
In the past, it was good names, such like “Ezi Afa” Knowledge “Amamihe” Wisdom “Ako na Uche” that earned someone a position to lead others in Igbo land but not anymore. There is a social virus that has eaten Ndigbo, the electorates in Igbo land with the concept of “Ikwo Ose” that’s why we have mere political “Mama Put” and political pepper Soup”. Wealth has redefined and taken place as a notable quality of a good leader. Hence politicians prepare good delicacies, give clothes and share money, he is qualified to govern us.

“Today the syndrome of quick money system has raptured Igbo political space. Therefore, it’s  expedient that we go into political field with our political 4th eleven not even 3rd eleven that’s why we have failed in all the political tournaments since 1970 till 2021, yet we cry of marginalization from those who engage their political 1st eleven.

“Today, political election is very cheap in Sokoto, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, but very expensive in Anambra, Imo, Abia, Rivers, Delta, Enugu, and Ebonyi. Therefore, political positions from Governor to even Councillor is very lucrative in Igbo land. This has given birth to political mediocres, profiteers, quagmire and political maradonas in Igbo land.

“Instead of enriching the people as a leader, the Leader will become more rich than the entire state. This is core primitive looting of our common ‘Treasury’. It’s in Igbo land that after unsuccessful eight years tenure as a Governor, the Governor Rochas Okorocha claimed that Imo State is owing him 8 billion naira, while Mr. Peter Obi after Eight years as Governor left 88 billion in the state Treasury without owing workers or any contractor. Indeed “there was a Governor in Imo State from from 2011 to 2019”.

Certainly I may have digressed on politics concerning the theme of this summit, but no nation will develop politically without her culture, value system and social norms. Ndigbo must urgently return to were they had their bath to pick up their towels.

There’s urgent need to have a rethink on moral conscience. There is urgent need for social re-engineering, reorientation and sensitization in Igbo land.
Ala-Igbo must be better!