The Traditional Age Grades in Discourse
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Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 3 (2015 8) 366-376 ~ ~ ~ УДК 314.114 Transcending the Eurocentric Development Paradigms in Nigeria: The Traditional Age Grades in Discourse Ernest Osas Ugiagbe* and Ijeoma Ugiagbe University of Benin Benin-City, Nigeria Received 24.12.2014, received in revised form 10.02.2015, accepted 22.02.2015 The quest for sustainable grassroots’ development by Nigerian government calls for the need to look inwards and re-examine and evaluates our indigenous cultural practices in an attempts to attain the desired development goal. This paper evaluates the indigenous age grade systems in Nigerian societies, and how the traits of the age grades can be harnessed for the attainment of the much desired sustainable development in Nigeria. It argues that the cultural bond and unity of purpose between the members of the age grades a priori make them a veritable tool for transformation of the rural areas. This is because the age grades know their communities more than out-siders and the so-called developers, hence what needs to be done is to empower the various age grades and give them the necessary tools and technical know-how. The development of the rural areas will gradually but surely become a reality in the near future. Keywords: Grassroots development, cultural heritage, age grade, community, empowerment. Research area: sociology. Introduction 1982, UNESCO produced a generally accepted Every human society aspires for a better definition of development: wellbeing and this accounts for the constant Development is a complex, holistic and renewal of its livelihood tools and methods. multi-dimensional process which goes Cultural elements are borrowed from one beyond mere economic growth and culture to regenerate another. Anthropologists integrates all the dimensions of life and and development professionals have pondered all the energies of a community; all of over time through theories on how, why and whose numbers must share in the benefits with what consequences do these changes that result therefrom. The principle is called development occur. The concept of therefore proposed that development must development was developed to design a positive be founded on the will of each society and change (progress) in a society. Its definition express its profound identity (UNESCO differed according to school of thought. In 1982). © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected], [email protected] – 366 – Ernest Osas Ugiagbe and Ijeoma Ugiagbe. Transcending the Eurocentric Development Paradigms in Nigeria… Nevertheless the Euro-American model of and failure to bring about sustained progress development based on economic growth is still in in socioeconomic development of Nigeria vogue and remains very attractive. after over a century of contact with colonial It is this vein that third world nations masters and half a century of independence (including Nigeria) have been striving to attain has to attempt at providing for alternative the Western level of development engaging their institutional development structures that will finances into great projects which gave birth improve essential services in terms of security, to white elephants projects and waste. By the improvement/maintenance of roads and bring mid-1980s, most African countries were under about sustainable grassroots’ development in Structural Adjustment Programmes initiated by Nigeria (Olowu and Erero, 2010). the World Bank. Sub-Saharan Africa then went The failure of governmental structures through grave economic crisis whose effects inherited from the colonial state in Africa, shattered different sectors of its economies has stimulated renewed interest in indigenous notably agriculture, industry, services, finances knowledge and institutions in recent years and transport amongst others. Evidence from (Ake, 1990; Sawyer, 1993; Davidson, 1992). the literature reveals that many United Nations This renewed interest is based partly on the fact resolutions and developmental targets had that they are more effectively institutionalized remained elusive while some important projects and relied more upon by African people to and programmes are either unimplemented or provide them with required goods, services they would not yield the anticipated outcomes and development of their communities in the (Onaolapo and Oladejo, 2011). The Nigerian face of the failure of the formal, colonial based situation represents a developmental experience structures. However, there is the recognition that characterized by poverty. With a population of African indigenous institutions also have their about 176 million (CIA Fact book, 2013), and weaknesses – their small scale, dealing with GDP per capita of $641 (2006), two-thirds of heterogeneity and particularity, digesting and Nigeria’s people are poor; Nigeria has the third processing information and change from external highest number of poor people in the world (Alabi formal institutions and then external context et al, 2007). (World Bank, 1992). The formal structures of government in The need to look inwards into our cultural Nigeria have increasingly become a fiction heritage to attain grassroots development becomes in governance and a mirage in reaching the imperative. The need to evaluate indigenous desired Eldorado. This is because the services agencies as an alternative development strategy they provide have declined sharply in quality becomes necessary since the formal Anglo- and quantity. In several respects, these services American models of development fail to extricate are no longer being delivered by government Nigerians from the grip of the vicious circle of agencies – either because of longer and endemic poverty. The traditional agencies are fundamental industrial conflicts arising from workers’ to the existence of human societies. In Nigeria and protests at their poor pay or because of the lack indeed most of African countries age grades are of essential equipment in important sectors like playing important roles in development, through education, health, security amongst others, or the the mobilization of their members to form loss or absence of the culture of public service. development unions and umbrella organizations Poor quality service or absence of service for socioeconomic transformation of their – 367 – Ernest Osas Ugiagbe and Ijeoma Ugiagbe. Transcending the Eurocentric Development Paradigms in Nigeria… communities and by implication the society in capacity to design and carry out policy as well general (Aver, 2012). as its closer coordination of institutions. This paper examines the traditional age The underdevelopment woes, poverty and grade organizations in the Nigerian society with retrogression in Nigeria are partly attributed to a special a focus on Benin age grade systems as leadership failure. That is, Nigeria has lacked a an alternative grassroots’ development agency. visionary political leadership that is committed The paper specifically examines the special to national development goals, and one who can traits, principles and aspirations of age grade motivate and guide the planning process. Second systems and organization and tries to establish is the problem of incompetent and corrupt the nexus between such unique traits as a bureaucracy which has failed to use its autonomy feasible panacea to the development problems and power to implement the programme and and impediments in Nigeria. The paper also respond swiftly to rapidly changing local and explores the role of age grades in traditional global conditions. Since the Westminster model societies and contextualizes their importance of governance and development orientations has in the quest for sustainable socioeconomic failed to transform Nigeria socioeconomically in development of Nigeria all ramifications, it calls for the need to assess our indigenous cultural heritage. Conceptual Clarification/ Western development models and approaches Theoretical Orientation often prove less effective when transplanted The case for promoting developmental elsewhere; hence every nation, culture and status in Africa largely rests on the inability setting is rooted in its contextual value system of previous development approaches to help and culture (Ahiazu, 1991; Adeleye, 2011; Africa diversify and transform its economies, Zoogah, 2009). This underscores the existence of generate steady and sustained high growth rates African indigenous styles of development which or deliver adequate levels of social development. have their roots in African culture. In Nigeria the Development in Nigeria is constructed around indigenous people had their own management a government with the political will and and development approaches, philosophies legitimacy to perform specified developmental and practices prior to the advent of colonialism functions, a professional bureaucracy that and they were able to survive a very tortuous implements, established national development post-slavery era, colonialism, brutal economic strategies and policies, and interactive exploitation and attempted cultural annihilation mechanism allowing stakeholder groups to through these philosophies and strategies (Muo be involved in designing and carrying out and Oghojiafor, 2012). Some African scholars and development polices. In Nigeria these systems authors have advocated the integration of African are fashioned after the Westminster model, and traditional practices and structural ordering