Governor Soludo has promised to revitalize the core Igbo values which have, over many centuries, made Ndigbo a force to be reckoned with anywhere in the world. The Governor has, in various fora since the inception of his administration, decried the falling standard of core Igbo values and his desire to see to their corrections.
As a matter of fact, there have been persistent calls by notable stakeholders, members of the academia and traditional institutions for Nidgbo to return to the core Igbo values of hard work, truthfulness and resilience.
Indeed, the Igbo race, one of Africa’s largest ethnic groups, is regrettably known to live and invest outside their homeland. It is not an overstatement to say that the Igbos are the major development catalyst of most cities in Nigeria, and to a large extent, other countries in Africa and the rest of the world.
Sadly enough, the core values of the Igbos, which include prudence, solidarity, self-worth, family pride, integrity, bravery, hardwork and communal aspiration, are gradually getting abandoned.
Unfortunately, greed, opportunism, falsehood and ostentation seem to increasingly characterize the modern Igbo identity. Today, extreme materialism looks to have eaten away all that is good in the Igbo value system.
The Igbo cultural values are inscribed deeply in the spirit of the people and also in their history. As a people, Ndigbo respect the sacredness of human life, elders and parents, marriage and hospitality, among others. Unfortunately, again, these cultural values are currently being threatened by negative influence of globalization. The society for promotion of Igbo Language and Culture (SPILC), founded by Frederick Chidozie Ogbalu in 1949, made significant efforts to protect the ideal Igbo values. Same as Otu Subakwa Igbo, championed by Professor Pita Ejiofor.
Although, most notable Igbo cultural institutions are no longer evangelizing the good messages about Igbo culture and traditions, Governor Soludo has shown clear zeal to lead the way in the redemption of core Igbo values.
The governor must also be aware that the Igbo way of life is fast running the risk of cultural atrophy, following the intrusion of globalization which has altered world’s political, cultural, religious and social integrations.
These ugly phenomena have placed the Igbo cultural values in deep crisis, cut off the younger generation from their cultural roots and made it difficult for the Igbo man to maintain his cultural identity. This global issue has also made unwanted impact on the culture and religious life of the people by uprooting them from the comfort of their culture and religion.
This global influence has led Ndigbo away from their ancestral cultural practices and also weakened the economic and political system of kindredship in the Igbo traditional society.
It is gratifying to know that Governor Soludo has started from somewhere to revitalize the core Igbo values by using the legendary Akwete materials for most of his clothes. He should go a step further to revitalize the annual mmanwu festival, the iriji Ndigbo, as well as ensure that the two Igbo institutions – the Society for Promoting Igbo Language and Culture (SPILC) and Otu Subakwa Igbo are not allowed to die off.
Truly, the Igbo cultural values and heritage have suffered from the cultural onslaught of colonialism and globalization. The Igbo people must rise and uphold the cultural values and practices of their forefathers.
We must all should joins hands with Governor Chukwuma Soludo to revitalize the Igbo core values and reject whatever stifles Igbo’s cultural development and equally contribute to its positive impact on the world.
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