Folktale as Artistic Representation of History: A Study of Selected Igbo Folktales

Abstract

Every society’s growth depends largely on the literacy of the people living within the environment. With the   technological advancement, our society solemnly depends on the innovations of the next generation for social and economic advancement. To advance the contemporary society, there is need to look into the past as a mirror and use it to evaluate the present and predict the future, especially in current need to rebrand the present society. Folktales are powerful tools used in the idyllic Igbo communities to come to terms with the culture and philosophy of the people.  It is also used to foster the   classroom learning of children thereby inspiring them individually. The objective of this paper is to explore the moral lessons imbedded in the folktales selected from many Igbo societies and x-ray how they can contribute to the process of learning and growth of children.