ABSTRACT
This
study aimed at bringing out the influences of traditions and culture of Ebira
people on the practice of Islam in Ebiraland. It was observed that Islam was resisted
by the pagans of Ebiraland, but eventually accepted it through peaceful means
that condoned the practice of both systems together. This is because the
traditions of Ebiraland such as belief in masquerade, Ori festival, divination
with rosary, reincarnation and witchcraft have some influence in the life of
some Muslims in Ebiraland; hence the mixing of Islam and traditional practices
of Ebira people become common among most Muslims, especially in their marriage
and aspects of faith. The study was limited to the five local government areas
located in the central senatorial district of Kogi State. Survey design method
was used where a proportional stratified sampling method was used for the
percentage sampling fraction. A Questionnaire was designed and administered to
both scholars and Muslim traditionalists. 430 respondents were randomly
selected. Five (5) Null hypothesis and (5) research questions were formulated
and analysed at 0.05 alpha level of significance using Wilcoxon sign rank test
computing hypothesis one, while spearman rank order correlation test computing
hypothesis Two - Five. The result of the findings revealed that there is a relationship
existing between religious ignorance and prevalence of tradition and culture in
Ebiraland, which has tremendous influence on their religious practices.
Similarly, there is lack of perfect comprehension of the knowledge of Tauhid
and Islamic teachings, as well as inability to distinguish Islamic tradition
from that of Ebira culture and tradition. Hence, the research suggested the
establishment of religious institutions and organisations that are fully
acquainted with the misleading traditions and cultures of Ebiraland to evolve a
training guide for the youths, old males and females through the true and
perfect teachings of Islam. The research also suggested modification in the
existing mode of preaching and teaching of Islam in the area of study.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Abstract vii
Table of Contents ix
List of tables xii
Operational
Definition of Terms xiv
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 2
1.3 Objectives of the Study 3
1.4 Research Questions 3
1.5 Significance of the Study 4
1.6 Hypotheses 4
1.7 Scope/ Delimitation of the Study 5
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF
SOME RELATED LITERATURES
2.0 Introduction 6
2.1 Overview of Ebiraland 6
2.1.1 Geographical, Climatic
Condition and Population of Ebira Land 10
2.2 Traditional Belief in Ebiraland 11
2.2.1 Belief and Worship 11
2.2.2 Reincarnation - 13
2.2.3 Belief in Masquerades - 15
2.2.4 Belief in ‘Ori’ 20
2.2.5 Witchcraft 25
2.2.6 Death and Burial 27
2.3 Culture of Ebira People 30
2.3.1 Marriage in Ebira Land 33
2.4 Overview of Islam in Ebira Land 38
2.4.1 Muslim scholars Activities on the
Development of Islam in Ebirland 40
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction 46
3.1 Research Design 46
3.2 Population 47
3.3
Sample and Sampling Techniques 47
3.4 Instruments 48
3.5 Validation of the Instrument - 48
3.6
Method of Data Analysis 48
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA
ANALYSIS PRESENTATION
4.0 Introduction 49
4.1 Scholar Analysis 49
4.2 Traditionalist Analysis 55
4.3 Summary of Major Findings 68
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary 70
5.2 Conclusion 70
5.3 Recommendation 71
5.4 Limitation of the Study 72
5.5 Suggestion for Further Studies
References
Appendices
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1: Distribution of respondents in frequency and percentage
by Religion 49
Table
4.2: Gender 50
Table
4.3: Marital Status 50
Table
4.4: Islamic educational back ground 50
Table 4.5: Which of the following cultural practices are you
aware of in
your locality? 51
Table 4.6: How do you view the cultural practices in relation
to religious faith? 52
Table 4.7: If you consider the cultural practices as a source of
religious deviation which of the following do you
consider as their attributes? 52
Table 4.8: Which
of the following steps have you taken in order to guide
people
on the Implications of the cultural practices? - 53
Table 4.9: Which
of the following do you consider as your major
challenge in an
attempt to guide people about the implications
of
cultural practices 53
Table 4.10: Do you have any organization or movement that
is responsible
for educating and enlightening people about
religious
guidance 54
Table 4.11: If
yes, which of the following status explains
your
role in the organization? - 54
Table
4.12: Religion 55
Table
4.13: Gender 55
Table
4.14: Marital Status 55
Table
4.15: Educational background - 56
Table 4.16: Do
you consider some of the cultural practices in your
Locality to be contradiction with Islamic ideology 56
Table 4.17:
Which of the following deviations in religion could be
found
in the cultural practices of your locality? 57
Table 4.18: Do you
participate in some of the cultural practices in your locality? 57
Table 4.19:
Which of the following cultural practices in your
locality
do you participate in? - 58
Table 4.20:
Which of the following describes the
nature of your
participation
in the cultural practices? 58
Table 4.21:
Which of the following groupings mostly
perform
the cultural practices in your locality 59
Table 4.22: Do you attribute a negative implication
to Islamic faith
of the people
who are participating in some of the cultural
practices
in your locality that are alien to Islam? 59
Table 4.23: Which of the following made you embrace
or participate
in
the cultural practices of your locality that are alien to Islam 60
Table 4.24: Are
you aware of the Islamic provisions against some
of
the cultural practices in your locality? 61
Table 4.25: Which of the following
implications do you attribute to
the practice of alien
culture in Islam in your community? 62
Table
4.26: Which of the following means could provide solution
to
the implications of cultural practices in your locality? 63
OPERATIONAL
DEFINITION OF TERMS
This section explains some words that are either
foreign or strange as they are used in the work
Ada-a: Tradition or norms in the society.
Adedeguneta: Triplets (Children)
Adekedejo: Judge of all judges
Adokita:
Name of a popular day masquerade
in Okene town.
Ajari: A child at a birth period coming
out with bottom first
Akisobe and
Agadgidi: Security of night masquerade
Ayn:
(Arabic) Eye
Ayino: A child born that comes out with
placenta at birth
Banatu:
Elderly women seeking Islamic Knowledge.
Birru: (Arabic) Good conduct or
righteousness
Dada: A child born with curly and tired
hair
Ebira
Tao: People who dominate the central
Senatorial district.
Ebira: Good conduct or righteousness
Ebiraland: Central Senatorial district of Kogi State.
Echipa: Poison
Edekaki and Adiyaya:
Spiritually strong masquerades that carry out judgment on witches.
Eika: One of the names of the
ancestors children who founded Ebiraland and later given as a name of one of
district in Okehi local government a of Ebiraland.
Ejima: The twins
Ekehi
Iresu: Dowry
Ekehi
Uwhu: Dis-virgin fee
Eku akatapa: The comedy masquerade that speak through a
hollow pipe covered with spider house or bat wings.
Ekuahete: Another comedy masquerade, the announcer
of the beginning of night masquerade that send the women indoor.
Ekuechi:
A festival performed at the end
of farming season.
Ekurahu:
Night masquerades
E.M.A.N.: Ebira Muslims Association of Nigeria
Enebe: Female witch
Ete:
Ground
Eteohueje: House hold god kept at the centre of
the yard or compound.
Eyi: Eye, in Ebira
Idah: A wide flat rock a place covered
with a wide flat rock.
Idowu: The child that was born after twins
(a Yoruba borrowed terminology)
Idoza: Collective or group farming for
in-laws.
Ige: A child born that comes out
with legs during delivering (a Yoruba
borrowed terminology)
Ihiana: When is he going
Ihima: (Contracted from the expression,
Ihi mi ma); referring to the last born, whose other name is Onootu
Iraha Ekurahu: Dress of
masquerades (conical bells worn at the waist for dancing)
Ire vuyi: Here is offering of Kolanut.
Iresu: (Ebira) Head
Ise-ewere:
Secret gifts
Isiukoro: The surviving child after several dead
children
Istikhara: Asking for Allah’s guidance in matters
as recommended by the noble Prophet (S.A.W)
Isoyitura:
100 Tubers of Yams to the In-laws with other
foods stuff
Ita
Uwhu: White: 100
Tubers of Yams to the In-laws with other foods stuff
e cloth for the bride
after dis-virgin
Jiovo guengwuhi: To use
as protective fence.
Mezeweyi: I like you
Name given to children
expected to die soon
Ngworere: Enter the open space
Obaji: Means virgin line in Ebria
O’otuwhuo:
If he will reach tomorrow
Odenya
Teku: The custodians of masquerade
Ododo: Means flower (of the vigin land)
Ododo
and Obaji: Names of Ancestral brothers
Oduajini
Siuwho tenyi: He that cause hardship today and success tomorrow
Oganya: Grave yard
Ogenemezina: Hanging but fall not
Ogente: Spirit of a masquerade.
Ogu: Asset
Ogugu: Masquerade display for the dead
Oguohuta
Anagisa Yiwaku: The third god that
divides any booty
Ohazara:
A price for waking the bride
Ohomorihi: Almighty God.
Ojo: A male child born with placenta
round the neck (a Yoruba borrowed
terminology)
Okama: Instructed me
Oke: A child born with Amniotic bag
or sac completely covered.
Okehi
onyi: Price given to the mother of the
bride
Okokokowukowu: Almighty God
Oni: A female child born with
placenta round the neck
Oniyewe: A clan in Eika town that worships
monitor lizard
Onogidi: A popular masquerade in Eika town.
Onoku: Special Ladies that come out at
Night during the night masquerade outings.
Opochi: Male witch or wizard.
Oratawuvo, Ogwameme, Ikerenu, Itemirege, Adebira,
Avereho: Names of Masquerades.
Ori: Idol
Orichabedubedu:
Everlasting God
Osuvokode:
Price to touch the bed
Otanuvoge: To stretch hands to meet
Ovasaraki: Name of a night masquerade.
Oyi ye ozi: Re-knowing a child or knowing the person
that reincarnated through fortune telling
Ozaomarisi: No one eats flies
Ozi
Ajari: Son of Ajari
Ozi
Upai: Son of masquerade
Ra-asu
(Arabic) Head in Arabic
Shirk (Arabic) Associating partner with Allah.
Traditionists: These are Muslims who uphold the practice of
tradition and aspect of idol worship, they are as well the custodians of
masquerades
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