Everyday&People

On the Culture Edict.
Cultures will clash. An event that can only be expected with the onslaught of the about-to-get-tiresome g-word: globalization.

When a man and a woman marry, there are the pains of adjustment that come with eating soup of a different customary blend and constituency, and of submitting to a different authority and approved expense rate – and this is just within the clan! You can guess that crossing the Niger to select a mate only multiplies the adjustment index – ranging from the rituals following childbirth to the execution of a dead man’s will.

Marriage may not be viewed as a bona fide agent of globalization in the strictest of sense since, supposedly, it is only love that will have a Birom woman prepare snails for, not just her man, but her children. However, there’s the common denominator to every culture and style of living: money.

Though in accord with the common saying that the best gifts of life are free… Joy and Pain, and Sorrow and Laughter; Money has proven to be a prime facilitator of the outcome. The faith factor is sure, do not misunderstand me. But as … said, “money pays our preachers and prints our Bibles”.

Money, however, is not our “beef” right now. It’s the Nigerian Culture – or the "Undefined-ness" thereof. There’s been a lot of noise and confusion with regard to what our culture is and how we should comport ourselves at home and in the eyes of the international community. There’s been “beef” over “national pride” and cultural show in “dress sense”, “patriotism” et al. but when you think “Nigeria” you think… several things come to mind actually:

a very religious and "spiritually up-to-date" people. We're covered on every front, pick your realm. Except perhaps for the Nirvana seekers. I tend to believe it’s a concept inherently anathema to the Nigerian; strong disinclination to suicide. A trait our lighter skinned, fair headed cousins to the West and East could do with an infusion of; opinionated gregarious vacillating taste in dress sense

…to mention a few. On the more negative side of the scale, we seem to be somewhat unmotivated to excel. We do not mind the status quo. Envy at times is a prod to acquisition but study and self-discipline for its sake is not very uhh… is not “it” for lack of a better adjective. But this is for another article altogether.

This lacking in proactive approach to life could be traced to several factors in our socialisation. I believe an Ancient Africa, before its colonisation - first by Gunpowder and then by Government and Politics – was a proud civilisation and self-sufficient and well on the course to the natural systemic growth to nationhood through tribal wars. The machinery set in motion by the colonists and slave trade era, and then the drama of government and religion which united an extensive land mass of varying cultures has produced the departure from what the Nostalgic regard with misplaced fondness as “the old ways”. In my thinking (and please feel free to think yours), the – the g-word again – globalisation effect will be the final agent in forcing mankind to prioritise its values. It is and has always been (in truth) the inevitable end. One way or another, right through the division at Babel’s tower, the running chronicles of the world's wars and to the compassion that bleeds out of the hearts of most of the worlds religions’ keepers for those who seek restitution, it’s all been coming to this.

I would love to say it will force Man to see the truth of a certain path but, no. Rather, the truth of many different paths. And Man will choose his path. And in the choosing, he will be divided against himself – which really is the way it has always been.

And so, what the old ways was is what we cannot be returned to. As the principle of evolution goes, the Nigerian Culture vis-à-vis the culture of the global community will continue to change for good or ill. And the direction of change will solely be dependent on the individual person and his adherence to the natural laws or inviolable principles that govern the universe. It is feels somewhat cumbersome to say at this point that if ever there was an institution or governing body set up to influence this outcome it would have to be the institution of marriage and family.

Teris. December 2004