2011-08-23

The disturbing wane of the Nigerian culture

Africans have been known for their distinct culture. Nigeria, an African country, has always had a conservative and unequivocal culture. However, due to the advent of civilisation, the Nigerian culture is gradually declining. Suffice to say, it is losing its uniqueness, and Nigeria is slowly becoming a western country- in relation to its culture. The reason may be that more Nigerians are becomi ng socially aware, because many Nigerians travel to foreign countries on vacations and for educational purposes, and they come back more enlightened. There is also the issue of cultural imbibitions; Nigerians learn from western countries and begin to act more like citizens of the western world. To an extent, cultural imbibition is positive because it broadens one’s horizon, but, on the flip side, it can lead to loss of cultural identity. Prior to expedite change in the Nigerian culture, probably before the 21st century craze, dressing, greeting and language were some of the unique features of the Nigerian culture. Firstly, the Nigerian way of dressing was usually modest and decent; in fact, jeans, shorts, and short dresses were frowned upon (for girls) and girls rarely ever wore them-those that dared to wear such were tagged as prostitutes; however, presently, this is no longer the case. Parents are more accommodative of such fashion in contemporary Nigeria, just like the way a tech buff will support the purchase of a Garmin Forerunner 610. As a matter of fact, Nigerians are religious fashion followers- they wear the latest fashion trends and even set trends.

Secondly, greeting used to be such a big issue, but, recently, parents and older citizens are less strict about greeting. Before, a Yoruba (one of the three main tribes in Nigeria) child was expected to kneel/prostrate (depending on the gender) if he or she wanted to greet an older person, but this is gradually fading in some families. For instance, a Yoruba girl can simply bend her knee to show respect to an older person now. The unique Nigerian languages are also being affected by cultural changes. Currently, many adolescents do not know how to speak or write in their traditional languages. It is a well-known fact that a colossal number of high school students fail their language classes, and some schools have stopped teaching any Nigerian language at all. Communication is currently predominantly in English language, and people who can speak English fluently, especially with a western accent, are sometimes idolized. Consequently, older Nigerians fear that the Nigerian languages can become extinct because languages are no longer being passed down from generation to generation. On the whole, although the Nigerian culture is distinguished and notable, it is slowly losing its uniqueness. Too much of the western culture is being imbibed by Nigerians, and the Nigerian culture itself is debilitating.

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