Roots

                                                  
     When an individual is asked ‘where are you from?’ the immediate response given is state of residence ….it’s only after a few seconds that the idea of his or her state of origin comes to mind.
Being traced to your ‘real home’ located in your local government brings to limelight you and your culture…at least here in Nigeria.  Just like the mantra ‘your culture is your identity’, it goes a long way to identifying you as a member in your kindred.
All right, I think it’s high time I went straight to the point here; the preamble above was to lay a streak of what I think culture entails ‘NOW’ on the bare backs of your imaginations. This article is on culture and the level of degeneration it currently suffers in our modern era. I mean, legacies are presently ignored; words of wisdom from profound discerning minds of old are lost, what more negativity could steadily make culture succumb on bent knees?
I find it rather appalling knowing some individuals ranging from young lads to adolescents, teenagers, young adults and old folks do not know their hometowns or even what it looks like; possible reasons could be parental influence and family backgrounds. Most times it gets to be because of avid relations who pose to be in favor of your progress but really are gnashing their teeth in envy. Because of these unforeseen situations, parents believe their wards should be more inclined to the ways of the white men (western ways), this inglorious perceived negative influence from hometown members is highly supported with the general belief of  evil dwelling in hearts of inopportune villagers who are never up to any good of any sort. With this, all forms of interactions and contact are cut off; blame can’t really be apportioned to parents now…can it?
       The Gordian knot of culture’s lost essence to many in our diverse and multi-cultural, multi-religious social milieu can be untied with cases referring to learning native dialects. Languages are not learnt anymore, basics of mother tongues like greetings, simple commands are circumvented; what is not realized is the fact that benefits accustomed to dialects are forfeited greatly. Another budding issue is that of local delicacies being switched for ‘oyinbo food’ (intercontinental cuisine). Funny it is that the major taste preference of people pertaining to meals is junk food. An exemplary situation is one of a 4 year old choosing pepperoni pizza over garri and eguisi soup. Okay…maybe it’s not a bad idea because high levels of carbohydrate foods are needed by the young ones. But the case is the reverse when a 40 something year old chooses chips and chicken in large quantities  over sea food; he or she now ignores the amount of cholesterol  consumed which ought to be controlled. It really is a pity!!!
    At this point, regards for older ones comes to mind, AKA respect. Awkward scenarios which negate our highly held African moral values now come to play; children now retort their parents with harshness, audacity and contempt in bids to justify their actions. Disheartening it is having knowledge of a teenager asking an old lady with sauciness to leave the road allowing him or her free passage…to me, that’s the extent to which disrespect has gone. It doesn’t only revolve around young ones and older ones…even in conversing with mates, some individuals exercise saucy traits. Such situations will leave you thinking they were born with rudeness that equally flows in their veins. Honestly speaking now, it pays and goes a long way giving people their respect even if unrequited.
     Rounds of applauses should be awarded parents and guardians who put in effort to curb such actions that can’t be tolerated in the African setting.
In my early years…long before secondary education, I used to scream Beyonce’s songs all the time and call her my role model. After a while, I grew bored of her music because I failed to keep up with the trend. With this, Agbani Darego who was an international model became my interest…soon enough I took steps in staying lanky like she was and still is, alongside cat walking  like she does on runways. This sure paid off in the long run. To me, the point of having role models is to emulate their positive characters and eminent contributions to society’s betterment. Role models of most young ones globally today...particularly Nigeria are not models of who we want our children to become in future. Without strong feelings though, personalities chosen by our kids as role models are simply objects of moral degradation in the likes of most hip-hop and R&B artistes. I say this because as noticed, the trend in their music make strong reference to sex, drugs, money, freestyle living and constant partying; they fail to inform us as well how the money and fame they enjoy surfaced. I don’t think such future is well deserving for our tomorrow’s leaders.
       In as much as there are varying social issues to ponder on, one failing to evade our memories is that of dressing. Decent wears are tagged ‘old school’. What is on are wears exposing delicate parts of bodies. This trend is however highly supported by the females who choose to perambulate streets half naked all in fashion’s name. This is not African culture but still, many engage in having such dress sense. Desperate times call for desperate measures. It already is lucid that all measures enabling the younger generation bask in  moral principles as well as living by them should be taken…in order to restore the cultural pace once set up by fathers of old. Also embedding cultural rights in our young ones.
      It is of abysmal euphoria I stand as an epitome of Igbo heritage, a daughter of the soil, proudly African and Nigerian. With this, I hold my cultural standards with tenacity and I enjoin others to follow suit.
 Hearty cheers to all those out there who represent their place and people in grandiosity!!!
   
             #KOSISOCHUKWU™