IKA WEEKLY – The depreciation of Ika culture and traditional values has come under serious scrutiny, as Mr. Sunday Ogada Anikwe, condemned what he referred to as “our people uncoordinated embrace of the whiteman’s religion and values to the detriment of our core traditional values”.
Mr. Ogada was speaking while fielding questions from Ika Weekly correspondent on Tuesday at his residence at Agbor.
He noted with dissatisfaction the collapse of the values that held Ika people together; stressing that the situation has led to the disintegration of the once communal life of the people. He stated that Western/Christian orientation has done far more harm than good to Ika land just like in other parts of the country.
Mr. Ogada who said that he is a traditionalist and an ardent believer in Ika culture, emphasized the need for the people of Ika nation to go back to the old ways, when life was far more better than it is now.
He stated that he was yet to see any benefit that the so-called modernization has brought to Ika land, pointing that it has only succeeded in destroying the cherished values of the people.
He observed that in place like Japan, India and the entire Asian continent, the people still held unto their traditional religion of Hinduism, Budhaism, Shintuism, noting that that is why countries like China, Japan are making significant inroad in technological development.
Mr. Ogada called on the Ika traditional institutions to resuscitate any aspect of the people’s culture that have either been abandoned or are gradually being phased out. He particularly called on His Royal Majesty, Keagborekuzi 1, of Agbor Kingdom to revive the Osiezi festival, which had been put aside for so many years.
He said he is currently working in collaboration with other traditionalist to see areas in which they can make their contributions to re-esteem Ika culture, as he noted that a people without cultural identity are lost forever.
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