Influence of Customs and Traditions on the Process of Community Development Among Rural Communities in Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of customs and traditions on the process of community development among rural communities in Enugu state, Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a target population of 847 adults comprising 379 traditional rulers and 468 town union presidents in all the 468 communities in the 17 LGAs of Enugu State. The population was taken as a census with no sampling. The study used a self- designed questionnaire and a Focus Group Discussion Guide for data collection which were validated by experts. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was determined using the Cronbach Alpha statistics. The quantitative data collected were analysed using mean statistics and standard deviation while the qualitative data collected via Focus Group Discussion were analysed using content analysis. From the analysed qualitative and quantitative  data, the findings of the study among others showed that the existing customs and traditions prevalent among the various communities in Enugu State, Nigeria are Adult circumcision (Ibe-Epi or Ibe-ugwu)  Masquerade (Mmanwu), Age grade grouping (Uro-Ogbor or Otu-Ogbor),  pouring of libation (Igor-Ofo) , homage to the ancestral fathers’ graves (Igba-Aju), the new yam festival (Iriji or Iwaji), Women August Meeting (Ogbako Umunwanyi Na-August), Soil festival-No farming sacred week (Oriri-Ani Na Nso-Ani), practice of caste system (Ohu or Osu), among others. It was also revealed that the influence of customs and traditions on the planning of community development programmes in Enugu State is evident in the fact that women were excluded from the decision making process in planning community development projects, community members reject projects to be sited in places the people consider forbidden, development programmes are not planned during festivals and the Women August meeting tradition is used as an avenue for planning of community development programmes. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among other things that traditional rulers should engage all the organized traditional structure (Igwe in-council, Elders council, women through August meeting platform, age grades and others) to do periodic planning of self-help development projects in their respective communities.

Keywords: Customs, Traditions, Community Development

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-32-08

Publication date: November 30^th 2020