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Culture they say
is the sum total of a people’s way of life, in this regard the culture of a
people could be evidenced in the people’s language, native customs, food, music,
dance, occupation and skills set, dress etc.
In Nigeria, there is no better way to identify people from the different ethnic
regions than through their dress. Some of these dresses have since been elevated
to the status of national dresses and are worn by members of other ethnic groups
at weddings and other public functions, for example the Babanriga dress also
known as Shagari dress or One thousand five hundred which was made
popular by
politicians during the second republic has crept its way up there as one of the
most widely accepted Nigerian national dress, complete with matching Shagari
cap. |
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The author ( L) and friends dressed in Isi-agu at a wedding
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The Babanriga dress is traditionally associated with the Hausa – Fulani
stock in Northern Nigeria but it has managed to achieve the cross-over winning
wide appeal in the process from other Nigerians who have come to associate the
dress as a sign of status symbol, many therefore aspire to own a piece to add to
their wardrobe collections.
In the same vein, the long flowing dress made of brocade materials popularly
known in Nigeria as Senegalese is also heavily associated with the Hausa –
Fulani stock, but it does appear though that both the Yorubas, the Igbos and
some of the other ethnic groups despite having what could be regarded as their
own indigenous dresses have embraced it. Perhaps not to be seen to be losing out
in the race for inter-cultural assimilation, the Yorubas it could be argued have
successfully exported their taste for exotic lace materials also called Agbada
(the type worn by men) to the other Nigerian tribes, particularly to the Igbos
who seem to be caught in the middle of the emerging cultural revolution, and who
seem to be struggling somewhat in clearly identifying what truly could be
regarded as a true Igbo national dress, and consequently attempting to export
such to the other Nigerian tribes just like the Ijaws are attempting at the
moment to do with their distinctive dress which comprises of a flowing robe, a
wrapper tied around the waist, this is completed with a walking stick which is
then topped up with a hat – also known as the South South hat. Perhaps the Niger
Delta struggle which has birthed Pan Ijaw socio-political associations such s
The South-South Peoples Assemble (SSPA) could be credited with popularising the
Ijaw national dress and driving it further into the consciousness of Nigerians
as these days Nigerians regularly see Ijaw sons and daughters on TV deck out in
their national dress attending one function or the other.
The author (L) in isi-agu dress
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Ndigbo are known to be very cultural and traditional people. Aspects of Igbo
culture are usually on display for all to see during certain ceremonies in Igbo
land such as Igba Nkwu (traditional marriage ceremony), Ichi echi chi (title
taking) and others. At these ceremonies, Ndigbo try as much as possible to
showcase their music, dance and food. There is also a bit of fashion on display
at such events but any casual observer will easily notice the lack of cohesion
in the choice of dresses in terms of projecting what truly may be regarded as
the Igbo dress. Perhaps this may be because this generation of Ndigbo do not
have any such understanding, or they may not have been told any better by their
parents and members of the old generation, thus it is common to see young men
and women parading themselves in multi-cultural attires. |
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While the men regale in their red capped outfits, the women adorn
themselves elegantly in beautifully patterned
attires which could be made of lace, jacquard,
brocade and akwete
clothes. |
There is no doubt that the impact of globalisation is upon the Igbo race, the
same way other races in Nigeria – Yoruba, Hausa, Efik, Ijaw are feeling the
negative and positive effects of this phenomenon. It has brought with it change
and some other influences that seem to conflict with some of the age-old customs
and cultures of Ndigbo. While the traditionalists continue to resist such
influences, the modernists have since integrated themselves into the global
village with its attendant influences and moved on. There are however certain
confusion that has arisen in the process, that of truly identifying and
preserving what is still truly Igbo. Were Chinua Achebe’s Okonkwo in the classic
novel Things Fall Apart still alive, it would be interesting to see how he would
have reacted or rather embraced the emerging cultural evolution.
Most affected by the globalisation onslaught is the Igbo language which
many
believe is dying. Some have advocated making it compulsory in Igbo homes and
schools; these are all good suggestions as I’m in support of any scheme that
will lead to the resurgence of the Igbo culture. It may also be necessary to
appeal to Ndigbo at home and in the diaspora to emulate their Yoruba and Hausa
brothers who strive always through their names and language to relive their
culture wherever they may be living. It is only by so doing that the present
generation will have something to pass on to the future generation.
Sometimes the confusion also arises as to what truly defines Igbo culture, take
for instance clothes. What is indeed a true Igbo attire for the Igbo man and
woman? We read that back in the day, our women usually adorned their bodies in
Nzu, while covering their upper body and waist areas with pieces of akwete
cloth. Agreed that civilisation no longer allows such mode of dressing but still
there has to be another particular type of dress that should be adopted to
signify or represent true Igbo attire.
The men are not left out too as they are also caught up in this apparent state
of confusion regarding what the Igbo attire is. The traditional Isi agu dress
worn mainly by people from Abiriba, Bende, Item, Ohafia and Igbere in Abia state
will readily come to mind here but there is no general acceptance that the Isi
agu is indeed a generally accepted Igbo dress. Neither are lace, brocade and
abada materials. These all seem to be borrowed from other tribes. There has got
to be a dress Ndigbo could adopt and use as their national attire.
At the wedding between Precious and Cordelier Osuala in Abuja sometime in 2007,
this dilemma actually hit home. Alongside my friend Nze Sunny Ogbu and others,
we really wanted to identify with our Igbo culture and felt that we could best
do this by turning out in true Igbo dresses, but it was actually while
discussing our options that we came to the conclusion that they were limited. We
ended up wearing Isi-agu but we still felt that we could have done better, only
that we didn’t know how else.
Should this then be a matter for Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Pan-Igbo socio-political
organisation to look into? Maybe but while we wait for further word on this from
them, perhaps the time has come for Ndigbo who know better to come forward to
prescribe, or rather suggest to today’s Ndigbo what could indeed be regarded as
the true Igbo dress.
http://thelongharmattanseason.blogspot.com/ February 2008.
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