ISSUES IN URHOBO CULTURE: INSTANCES OF BURIALAND MARRIAGE

Abstract

Globally, many things are changing because; the only phenomenon that is constant is change. These changes could be good or bad. Whichever may be the case, the changes that this paper addresses are that of bad which is affecting the Urhobo people and their culture negatively resulting to almost loss of identity. The paper focuses on some aspects of the Urhobo culture that are fading which include: burial and marriage. The aims of this paper therefore are to bring to bear/awareness or attention of the world particularly the Urhobo people the need to quickly trace their steps back in order to avoid the loss of their identity and heritage which is traceable to the feeling spirit of “it does not matter or anything goes” that is very common with the current generation. Our data were elicited from different burials and marriages conducted within some selected kingdoms in the Urhobo land. These were collected through personal observations and personal interviews with people between the age bracket of 30 to 60 years. It was found out that so many of the rituals that were related to burials and marriages in the culture are no longer viable in the present day's burials and marriages across the Urhobo, these leading to so many harms such as: lack of blessings, infertilities, promiscuity, divorces and lost of ancestral protections among other vices. The paper concludes with suggestions that the Urhobo people should think and reflect on where they got it wrong and cultivate the attitude of re-building up these cultural heritages by putting modalities in place to checkmate and to enhance the practices of this rich culture.