This book describes the village structure, moral values etc of the Ohuhu Clan of the Igbo race of Nigeria.

In this stimulating book, an experienced professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology of Africa and a missionary discovers in the Igb of Nigeria some very positive pre-colonial African philosophy of life and system of thought which blended so well with Christianity that it helped the ancestors survive some of the unwanted colonial upheaval of their days, and are still relevant to our day. The Continuity of Traditional Values in the African Society is a comprehensive work that digs deep and guides us to the essential factors that could help a human group to sustain and preserve its values in the midst of various upheavals through the centuries. In this typical example used, the book penetrates into the fabric of the culture of the ancestors of the Igb people, their cultural ethos and ideologies and how they fought to defend their culture and traditions in the midst of aggressive and sustained colonial invasion. It gives an overview of the family, lineage and demographic structures, socialization patterns and traits, the socio-economic institution and industry, and the famous direct democracy political setup that would have earned them a particular recognition in the present modern world avid hunger for democracy. The book points dwells also on the religious beliefs, language, concepts and philosophy of life, which were behind their openness to Western possibilities while at the same time they preserved their essential values.

Bendi is how the Igbo people of Nigeria live and practice African religion and culture which are beliefs, practices and institutions as invented by African ancestors.The trust of the work is that creation and revelation started in the Eastern region of Africa. At creation, the Almighty Creator made all species and put in them inclusive genes which have the potential for varieties.At the place of creation, the Almighty Creator revealed Himself to the people of the earth. The Great Crack occurred and the earth disintegrated and drifted apart. Human beings identified themselves along with their kinds and migrated along that line carrying with them the revelation experience which all shared and practised.Other issues discussed are general information about the religion and culture; etymologies; customs and traditions; one thousand proverbs; explanation of words, terms, and their religious significance; songs and illustrations in appendixes.The author is inviting Africans within the Continent and outside it, including the aborigines (natives), and others to embrace and practice the religion and culture of the Ancestors using Bendi as a guide.Read up more on www.ikenwako.com

The author presented his book "Igbo Culture" in a most convincing way by quoting expert opinions on most of the issues he discussed in the book. Through his carefully researched work and detailed analysis of facts, he showed in the book that Igbo youths working hard like their ancestors can reform Igboland into a new and better civilization by sifting the good aspects of Igbo culture into today's way of life. He started his book by making a brief reference to the possible migration route of Igbo ancestors from their earliest settlements in the forest region of Central Africa to their present-day settlement in Southeastern Nigeria of West Africa. He also made a brief reference to the development of the Igbo civilization through the period covering the Stone Age and Iron Age civilizations (pages 1-14). He painted a clear picture of the cultural background of the community where he was born and brought up and lived in for more than sixty years before he traveled to the United States of America. He traced the more than twenty-six generations-deep lineages, beliefs, concepts, customs, and history of Ihe Shikeaguma in Ntuegbe clan of Enugu State in Southeastern Nigeria as a sample core Igbo culture community. He also delved into the historical links and social formation of this community, with emphasis on genealogy, religion, settlement, language, government, law enforcement, defense, seasons, festivals, and residential structures (pages 15-83). He took his readers to Igbo thought on God, self, family, human life, birth, death, spirit, human mind, and reincarnation (pages 85-113). He clearly documented the cultural products of Igbo thought, which can be seen in the formulation of Igbo institutions with special reference to marriage, the extended family system, the social status structure and title system, festivals, informal education, traditional law, community service, religion, divination, and health-care services (pages 114-202). He explained that the symbolism of various articles and some spoken words in Igbo culture are products of Igbo thought. He referred to ofo stick, kola nut, alligator pepper, spears, tribal face marks, body paint, white chalk, and the young palm frond as symbols or instruments of Igbo philosophical expressions and concepts (pages 203-214). He showed how Igbo culture and philosophy have been affected by the cultures of Igbo neighbors in Nigeria and by other foreign cultures with special references to the following: (a)Ugwuele civilization (a Stone Age culture)-1,000,000 BC-500,000 BC (b)Nri civilization (a ritualized kingship system)-AD 800-AD 1700 (c)Aro civilization (slave trade and colonial era)-AD 1700-AD 1850 (d)Border civilization (slave trade and colonial era)-AD 800-AD1900 (e)External civilization (slave trade and colonial era)-AD 1700-AD 2000 (pages 215-238) The author concluded his work by making an evaluation of Igbo culture. He carefully examined the oriented values of the Igbo and highlighted those areas of Igbo culture that should be refurbished and reinfused into Igbo life by the Igbo themselves in order to transform Igboland into a big theater of modern civilization (pages 239-246).

In this "Second Edition" of the Igbo Culture, the author has granted a significant upgrade, done with love and appreciation for the blessing of being a son of the Igbo Nation. He has greatly upgraded the book, after years of new and careful research work, and collection of readers' opinions on some of the issues in the book. Additional information on some of the issues discussed has been included to assist the reader understand the message of the author and to better accommodate the readers' views. The book has its grammar and punctuation reedited with dates and periods of events updated. Most of the Igbo vernacular words are in bold print, so that non-Igbo readers can distinguish between English and vernacular words.In the first edition, the author presented his book "Igbo Culture" in a most convincing way by quoting expert opinions on most of the issues he discussed in the book. Through his carefully researched work and detailed analysis of facts, he showed in the book that Igbo youths working hard like their ancestors can reform Igboland into a new and better civilization by sifting the good aspects of Igbo culture into today's way of life. He started his book by making a brief reference to the possible migration route of Igbo ancestors from their earliest settlements in the forest region of Central Africa to their present-day settlement in Southeastern Nigeria of West Africa. He also made a brief reference to the development of the Igbo civilization through the period covering the Stone Age and Iron Age civilizations. He painted a clear picture of the cultural background of the community where he was born and brought up and lived in for more than sixty years before he traveled to the United States of America. He traced the more than twenty-six generations-deep lineages, beliefs, concepts, customs, and history of Ihe Shikeaguma in Ntuegbe clan of Enugu State in Southeastern Nigeria as a sample core Igbo culture community. He also delved into the historical links and social formation of this community, with emphasis on genealogy, religion, settlement, language, government, law enforcement, defense, seasons, festivals, and residential structures. He took his readers to Igbo thought on God, self, family, human life, birth, death, spirit, human mind, and reincarnation. He clearly documented the cultural products of Igbo thought, which can be seen in the formulation of Igbo institutions with special reference to marriage, the extended family system, the social status structure and title system, festivals, informal education, traditional law, community service, religion, divination, and health-care services. He explained that the symbolism of various articles and some spoken words in Igbo culture are products of Igbo thought. He referred to ofo stick, kola nut, alligator pepper, spears, tribal face marks, body paint, white chalk, and the young palm frond as symbols or instruments of Igbo philosophical expressions and concepts. He showed how Igbo culture and philosophy have been affected by the cultures of Igbo neighbors in Nigeria and by other foreign cultures with special references to the following: (a) Ugwuele civilization (a Stone Age culture)-1,000,000 BC-500,000 BC (b) Nri civilization (a ritualized kingship system)-AD 800-AD 1700 (c) Aro civilization (slave trade and colonial era)-AD 1700-AD 1850 (d) Border civilization (slave trade and colonial era)-AD 800-AD1900 (e) External civilization (slave trade and colonial era)-AD 1700-AD 2000. The author concluded his work by making an evaluation of Igbo culture. He carefully examined the oriented values of the Igbo and highlighted those areas of Igbo culture that should be refurbished and re-infused into Igbo life by the Igbo themselves in order to transform Igboland into a big theater of modern civilization.

This book discusses the Igbo people's antecedents and worldview. It demonstrates the humaneness in Igbo kingship, village democracies, secret societies, age groups and title associations. It explains the Igbo way of life which is centred upon human interests and values: a mode of living characterised by empathy, consideration and compassion for human beings.

Most people of Igbo extraction are worried at the alarming rate of social ills bedevilling the Igbo nation. These social evils which debauch authentic Igbo socio-cultural communal ethos include violent crimes like kidnapping of fellow Igbo brothers and sisters for ransom, hired assassinations, armed robbery, political thuggery, etc. These socio-cultural eddies not only pose security risks to people but also paralyse socio-political, religious and economic activities in Igbo land. These crimes are dialectically opposed to the authentic cultural values of Ndigbo who traditionally are known for their rich cultural values and high morality with regard to the sanctity of life and the primacy of the common good arising from Igbo republican spirit. One is left wondering why and what has changed to bring about these various cycles of moral decay which have battered our social system and our noble cultural values. This book written from the backdrop of the increasing crime rate in Igboland examines the agents of social transformation that has impacted Ndigbo beginning from inter-tribal trading, colonialism, including the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War up to the forces of globalization. It argues that the agents of social changes has not destroyed Ndigbo's cultural values but has affected Ndigbo's attitude toward life. It proposes Ndigbo's moral integrity based on the conept of ezindu (good life) as the foundation of Ndigbo's common meaning or cultural value. This book therefore, creates an awareness of the impact of modernity on Igboland and proposes a response based on Ndigbo's cultural value, one that promotes moral integrity as a panacea to forces of secularization. It identifies the social evils which afflict Igboland and traces the problem to the breakdown of authentic cultural values of the people. It will establish a theoretical framework for analysis by locating the causes of this breakdown with a cultural dis-valuation arising from distortion in the dialectic of Igbo communities as a result of lack of integration with the forces of secularization. These unleashed greed and various forms of self-interest to the detriment of the common good. The way forward, I will argue, lies in attending to the integrity of cultural values that inform the everyday life of the people. This will be the task of those creative minority who by paying attention to the superstructural cultural values responsible for arts, science, philosophy and the human sciences will re-create cultural values responsive to the malaise of modernity in the various forms it is influencing the Igbo nation. This, in itself, will demand moral integrity rooted in authentic cultural value and greater responsibility on the part of the superstructure of culture. Christianity as the dominant religion in Igboland must be prepared to impact the life and value of Ndigbo positively and integrate Ndigbo's cultural values in her ministry of evangelization.