Igbo Traditional Holy Book Author , Obumneme Okoye unhappy with parents attitude to tradition and culture

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu

The author of the Igbo Traditional Holy Book , Chief Dr Ikechukwu Obumneme Okoye has decried the attitude of parents who neglect, despise and desecrate Igbo tradition and culture before their Children.

www.odogwublog.com reports that Chief Obumneme Okoye who is also the President General and Founder of Odinana Ndigbo traditional and cultural Association, said such parents are responsible for the dying of culture and tradition of Igbo race as they pollute the mindset of their children early in life.

Chief Okoye fondly called Dike Ejiejemba , Ezeakonobi N’Ogbunike , Agwuebue lamented that these parents speak English Language to their children at home thereby making it impossible for them to internalize their mother tongue, it’s culture and tradition.

Okoye , a retired Blue chip sales rep from Umunnebo Uruezealor village Ogidi, Idemili North Anambra state is a renowned traditional religion practitioner.

He wept for the eye service to issues partaining to culture and tradition by most government appointees hence they have all failed to give the required attention to Igbo culture and tradition particularly the efforts by Odinana Ndigbo traditional and cultural Association which according to him would have championed development of Igbo culture and tradition in Anambra state and entire Igbo land.

On his book, Chief Obumneme Okoye informed that it was approved by Education ministry for schools during Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige’s term of office, but a female Director from Umudioka frustrated all efforts to distribute it to schools because according to her , her catholic faith did not accept culture and tradition to be taught to young ones.

He recalled that even the money approved for Odinana Ndigbo traditional and cultural Association by Senator Ngige for promotion of culture and tradition was never released to them to ensure culture and tradition for it’s desired attention.

He decried further that during Governor Peter Obi , a commissioner for information frustrated their efforts but rather asked them to join Prof Pita Ejiofor ,Otu Subakwa Igbo which isn’t in line with the promotion of culture and tradition the Odinana Ndigbo traditional and cultural Association was Championing as that Ejiofor’s group focused on only speaking of Igbo language, but their’s was all encompassing.

He insisted that our people in position of authority do not appreciate the value of tradition and culture of a people in the life of the youths. This, he said has affected Igbo youths and even generations unborn by their inability to know does and dont’s in Igbo tradition and culture.

He noted that leadership tussle and crisis between Traditional rulers and Presidents General of communities shouldn’t be common if culture and tradition is permeating down the chain of family tree from ancestors from generation to generation.
He even attributed the leadership tussle to the lack of knowledge of culture and tradition on how leadership evolves in Igbo land by those involved .

He wondered why a board to oversee the activities of Odinana Ndigbo should not be established by Government with seasoned genuine traditionalists championing good culture and tradition of our people as Ndigbo. He reminded that rather than create that board , a board for traditional medicine was created with an Imo man as chairman.

The President and Founder of Odinana Ndigbo lamented that Christianity has dealt a big blow to culture and tradition by criminalizing Igbo tradition and culture, making foreign culture, tradition and language superior to ours, but tasked parents to have a rethink and return to their roots by encouraging learning of our culture, tradition and language by their wards.

This, he said if championed, wrong attitudes by our youths , crime , quest for material wealth and greed shall reduce if not completely eliminated.

He pointed out that it’s like a taboo for children not to learn their heritage, mother tongues , culture and tradition from their parents or grand parents but rather delight in speaking foreign language, culture and tradition.

He said further: ‘It’s a shame we are depriving our children of the essence of being Ndigbo, which is their cultural and traditional heritage as a people. We rather introduce all forms of alien atributes , insulting our sensibilities as Ndigbo. Let’s wake up and champion our culture, tradition and language. If it’s done UNESCO won’t say our language is becoming extinct”.

On SARS, Chief Obumneme Okoye said creating of SWAT not a solution to the problem of Nigeria, but a round table discussion and agreement on what we wanted as a country in all sectors of the economy to ensure good governance and usage of money bugeted appropriately.

He advocated for assimilation of the cultural and traditional heritage of Ndigbo by youths and children alike for better brotherhood, unity of purpose and decent lifestyle for Ndigbo.