Emerging trends in Nigerian culture: An Umuchu Igbo example

Abstract

This study makes a critical analysis of modernization and globalization influence on Umuchu: Igbo culture. No human being is an island to himself or herself neither are tribes to themselves. Both humans and tribes are in relation with one another. Though there is always inter- cultural interaction, diffusion of cultural practices is therefore, inevitable which more often than not, may result to cultural domination. Umuchu culture has continuously been affected and suffered the forces of modernization and globalization. Though, change is a social phenomenon, which is often inevitable when cultures interact as in the case under study. The objective of this study has its focus on the effects of modernization and globalization on Igbo culture: Umuchu example; the resultant effects on the mindset of the Igbo men and women and the possible ways of averting these influences to preserve their inherited culture and hand it over to their children. This study was anchored on globalization theory by Robinson (2007) who emerged as a result of series of internal developments to social theory. This study also hopes to examine how best to adopt the good aspects of these trends and still maintain the fundamental sides of Igbo culture in Umuchu. This study adopted qualitative method of using questionnaire and personal interview as tools for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive method as analytical tool from pre- colonial to post-colonial era. The findings revealed that there are original Igbo cultures of Umuchu under study and there are severe effects of modernization and globalization on them.