▪️By Man Ede
Tradition, in a general sense, is a belief, custom or behaviour that people in a particular group or society have continued to follow for a long time, often handed down from one generation to the next.
Tradition is good because it provides us our own self-identity and a way to govern ourselves, as well as gives us a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. However, as we embrace civilization, some of our traditions outlive their usefulness and need to be dropped.
The killing of twins and use of human beings in rituals to bury VIPs are such obnoxious traditions that have been abolished in the whole of Africa.
Throughout Igboland, the osu or obia and amadu dichotomy have been found to fan the amber of disunity, and injustice among members of different communities. That tradition has long lost its shine, robbing the people the great benefits of the “power of we”.
The bare truth we cannot deny is that God created humanity in the Divine Image. The soul ingrained in each of us is equally divine and pure. It’s therefore unimaginable that we should think that God has dual image, one superior to the other. The plain truth is that we are all equal and worthy of the same liberty, dignity and respect in pursuit of happiness.
Prejudice or discrimination of any shade is not of God but an artful design of man intended to achieve unnecessary superiority over others. The first victims in an unjust and discriminatory society are equality, equity and fairness. Relationships in such society are irrevocably damaged and the sense of God’s presence becomes apparent and distant.
But we all know the greatest commandment: love your neighbour as you love yourself. It’s therefore more important that we live this God’s injunction rather than recite it. In essence, I ask: Who would like to be helpless and at the mercy of others? Who will like to be oppressed and mistreated on account of a tradition or age long circumstances he or she knows nothing about? If the answer to these questions is No, then let’s not treat anyone in that manner.
Come Friday (tomorrow) January 21, 2022, the Traditional rulers, Ecclesiasts (the church), Ndishi/Ndizhzi (the custodian of traditions and customs) and the entire people of Agbani Town in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, will scrap this cankerworm from the people’s life and activities.
Alluding to this decision, we see in the horizon, Agbani town in an unreversible journey of peace and unity as our people together, recognize our shared values and purpose, powered by the feeling of a sense of belonging and inclusion. We conceive a town that is hotbed of development and progress, a town free from division and discrimination where individuals become less lonely.
Henceforth, an equity lens will be applied to all that the people do. Put differently, the joint action of the people creates ownership of this event to the extent that everyone will see and treat one another as members of one indivisible family, united and bonded together by equity and fairness.
Please, join us this Friday as we celebrate our renewed town, Agbani. GMTNews
Man Ede wrote from Ojiagu, Agbani, Enugu State.
