| Abstract: |
Taboos are those behaviors or objects set aside as sacred and forbidden in Igboland.
Violating them is a crime against the Earth goddess. Taboos when violated and not
propitiated aggravate the wrath of the Earth goddess (Ala), which manifests in the
form of death, sickness, and ill luck. Unfortunately today, the institution of taboos is
grossly neglected in Igboland. Both in the urban, semi-urban, and rural areas. It is
consequent to the negligence of the institution of taboo that the researcher took turns
to evaluate and bring to bear what constitutes taboos, how to propitiate taboos, and
the implications of taboos on man and society at large. However, how to educate an
average modern Ezza person on the gross implications of taboo when violated forms
the problematique of the study. Hence, the study adopted mixed methods in its
execution. Data were generated through questionnaires and face-to-face oral
interviews. The questionnaire was distributed to the sample size of 250 respondents
drawn from the targeted population of six hundred and fifty (670). The sample size
was generated using an Australian calculator sample size determination. Whereas
sixteen (16) persons, four (4) each, who were purposively selected from four
communities of Ezza in Ebonyi State (Ikwuato, Amana, Oriuzor, and
Umuezeokoha) within the ages of forty to sixty-five (40-65) years and above were
interviewed. The interview questions were open-ended and designed to stimulate
in-depth responses. The answers were audiotaped throughout the discussion and
transcribed immediately after the discussion. Data collected through oral interviews
were presented thematically. Whereas the questionnaire distributed was arranged to
elicit responses from the respondents. The findings of the study indicate that
violation of taboo is a crime against the Earth goddess in which the punishment does not affect the offender alone but the community at large. By this, the paper therefore
recommends that if Ezza people should desist from breaking taboos or propitiate
them when committed, then there will be peace among men and the Earth goddess.
The earth will yield a bumper harvest, and untimely death will be eliminated or
reduced drastically. |
