Traditional proverbs and the contestation of their perceptions by the modern generation of Nsukka-Igbo; shifting identity and depletion of sculpture

Abstract

Traditionally, the average Nsukka person was known for humility, forbearance and creativity; virtues propagated through art, including proverbs. Unfortunately, Western civilization came and brought acculturation that depleted homogeneity in appreciation of traditional values. Consequently, youths in Nsukka started exhibiting conflicting attitudes over basic social norms and natural cohesion and social institutions, including families, started breaking up. Worried by this development, a research was conducted to check the extent of belief and compliance of Nsukka youths to the traditional norms and values of the people in their daily life-activities. In it, instruments of qualitative research, including interaction and phenomenology, were used to draw proverbs from the elders and given to the youth to evaluate; and sculptures informed by traditional values and those conceived in their contradictions were randomly selected from Nsukka Art School and epistemologically analyzed. So, 31 traditional proverbs and 10 sculptures were drawn, interpreted, analyzed and presented here to those effects. The result showed wide gap between the elders and the youth in basic virtues which inform attitude toward life and social relation. It showed that modern Nsukka people have misunderstood the perceptions of traditional values in proverbs and deviated from progressive ways of life. In the light of current systematic failure in Nigeria and Nsukka, parents, teachers and leaders were advised to encourage youths to properly learn and return to noble traditional values in proverbs and enjoy the peace and progress of their forefathers; as life treasures will continue to be hidden in them.