Cultural identity in the throes of modernity: an appraisal of Yemoja among the Yoruba in Nigeria

Abstract

Culture is a complex and dynamic phenomenon through which a particular group of people is identified. Thus, each Nigerian community possesses certain unique cultural traits which uphold the solidarity of the community in a changing situation. Each community is conditioned by its natural environment to produce gods or goddesses that will serve as agents of subtle coercion so that people can adhere strictly to the culture of their land. Yemoja, a prominent river goddess among the Yoruba, is one of the divinities that people anchored on to live as people of distinct cultural traits. This work therefore aims at giving an appraisal of the influence of Yemoja on the sociocultural and economic development in Nigeria and the consequences of her neglect in this modern age. It concludes on the note that, although the society is dynamic and culture is not static yet, we must not lose our identity in transition.

Keywords: culture, identity, modernity, appraisal, Yemoja, Yoruba, Nigeria