USE OF PROVERBS AS SOCIAL CONTROL MEASURES IN IGBO CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY: OYI OF ANAMBRA STATE AS EXAMPLE

Abstract

The depository of most of the peoples’ cultural values is found in proverbs. Among the Igbo, proverbs are used to inculcate in the people good values which they exhibit in their daily activities. Proverbs also point out the right conducts and warn against malicious acts. In most Igbo communities, proverbs are also used to establish justice in different arms of the society. It is obvious that those proverbs used to inculcate good morals are fast dwindling in Igbo contemporary society.  Recently, most of the proverbs embodied with social control measures are rarely used by the elders and parents in admonishing the younger ones and therefore the retention of these proverbs cannot be guaranteed in the future.  This study therefore, aims at reawakening and using, the values found in Igbo proverbs.  This is necessary because, among Igbo societies, proverb has been one of the core avenues of character formation and means of imbibing good morals in the younger ones. The study, drawing primarily from Igbo culture with particular reference to the communities in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria, uses observation and oral interview for data collection.  Analysis was based on Critical Discourse Analyses. It was found that among the Igbo, especially among the Oyi community, the use of proverbs to instil good morals and admonish the younger ones is declining.  The onus is, therefore, on the parents and elders to ensure the regular use of proverbs to avoid total annihilation of Igbo proverbs.