Examining the place of values in traditional African festivals

Abstract

Through mixed designs which intersected between desktop and archival studies, this article investigated the place of cultural values in traditional African festivals. According to Longman Dictionary (2005), value is defined as the degree of usefulness of something or quality in something which makes it helpful, useful or desirable, a standard or idea which most people have about the worth of good qualities. In African context, values are significant to Traditional festivals, they go a long way to build cultural beliefs, although there are some of its demerits that need refinement. Africans in general have some sense of belonging to God hence traditional festivals are believed to be basically religious. These values are either moral or social, embedded in African Traditional festivals to guide and shape the society in order to live righteously. In addition to that, they are also proverbs, maxims used to inculcate social and moral values in order to regulate their interpersonal relationships, Falade et al (2009). This article further looked at some of the traditional African values that bring about the sustainable development in modern Africa.