Why Our Cultural Values Are Going Extinct…Nigerians Speak

Nigerian culture on display

BY OLADELE JULIANA

Except something drastic is done, there is every likelihood that most of the traditions and cultures of the Yoruba people especially,  and other ethnic groups in country will soon become extinct.

Today, we hardly see the typical Yoruba traditional hairdos like kojusoko, ipako elede, Aso Ofi,Adire, Kembe etc which were some of the typical traditional attire and hairdo used by our people. What do other people say?

“Most of the youth have adopted various hair styles and outfit of external origin, thereby giving way for our fashion culture to disappear.

Our traditional cosmetics such as “tiiro and the likes, have all gone out of use and the women now patronise foreign cosmetics at high rate to sustain their beauty and feminine values.

In order to sustain our cultural values there is a need for reorientation of the youths to reverse the influence of external cultures and the erosion of the local one.

-Balikis Onifade,  Teacher

Yes it is. A lot of our ancestors’ recorded data is sliding into oblivion. Dress code, language, religion and literature is a gift every tribe of man has from God and modified by nature.

There’s nothing new today, only the old was refined.

Imagine the sweater we are using during cold today, it has been in existence since the ancient days of Asia. And they had that because of the weather condition they have over there.

Today, that sweater and the like is grossing millions of dollars to that part of the world. Imagine our own people can see things from the same perspective, would Africa in general be in the state we are today.

We consume more than we produce on that fashion aspect and it is affecting our economy.

-Temidayo Olaosebikan, Banker

I want to disagree that our culture is going extinct.

Our fashion culture is improving and we are pressing on. We make use of all our styles both home and abroad and fashion designers this days are becoming more creative to the extent that developed countries is now interested in our styles and mode of dressing.

We can’t say our fashion culture is going to extinction because we still make use of it up till today Bcos every cloth/dressing style has it own season.

–Ayangbade Oladokun-Lawyer

Every cloth/dressing style has its own season. And dress has its own occasions Like dress to be won on convocation, wedding, traditional marriage, burial ceremony and all. Fashion culture can never go into extinction Because  not a cloth can be applicable to all occasions, irrespective of how new style in town can never eradicate our fashion culture.

Our appearance is greatly affected by d clothes/others’  fashion we wear and it is because of this reason that a growing number of people havebegun to question whether we should wear our traditional clothes or follow western trends..

However, I feel western trends tend to offer freedom of expression. One can add his or her own tastes and ideas to them  and they are quite classy, stylish and attractive too.

-Oladele omolara-Student

Following new trends help people, especially teenagers, cope with peer pressure and it even results in acceptance among liberal and contemporary people….This is because of the fact it sets good impression on others by signifying that you are very much in touch with the world and come from a polished background..

I personally believe that we should keep a balance in all things and hence, it is inappropriate for one to completely set aside their traditional clothes and become a follower of western trend, or vice versa.

We can still follow western trends but shouldn’t shy away from our traditional clothes. This way we will be following new trends, yet promoting our culture and be very much attached to our roots.

-Akanji Victoria-Accountant

I want to disagree that our fashion is going extinct.

We make use of all our styles both home and abroad and fashion designers these days are becoming more creative to the extent that developed countries are now interested in our styles and mode of dressing.

We can’t say our fashion culture is going to extinction because we still make use of it up till today.

–Akintola Olusegun-stylist

I personally believe that we should keep a balance in all things and hence, it is inappropriate for one to completely set aside their traditional clothes and become a follower of western trend, or vice versa.

We can still follow western trends but shouldn’t shy away from our traditional clothes. This way we will be following new trends, yet promoting our culture and be very much attached to our root.

We don’t wear our local attires again, like adire and aso oke, instead of this we are importing cotton made clothes and by so doing our locally made fabrics are going extinction gradually. Equally we don’t patronise the sellers/manufacturers of our locally made fabrics, indirectly our fashion culture is going into extinction gradually because the manufacturers are no longer seeing it as a source of income because we are no longer patronising them.

–BabaLola Agbaje-Teacher

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, there are numerous tribes and ethnic groups, many of which wear their own style of garbs.

In many areas of the country, especially the south, men and women prefer to wear western attire. Traditional attire is worn on a daily basis in many areas of Nigeria. In other areas traditional attire is worn only for special occasions like festivals or weddings.

The top three ethnic groups in Nigeria are the Hausa-Fulani (the largest ethnic group), Yoruba, and Igbo.The Yoruba people of Nigeria are known for their exquisite clothing.

Clothing serves as an indicator of status and wealth. For special occasions such as weddings and funerals they wear especially beautiful garb.

-Seyi Funmilayo-Marketer

Post script

There is no gainsaying that made-in-Nigeria fabrics are unique and attractive. This explains why they often stand out among other fabrics in the market. Such local fabrics like Ankara, Adia, lace, Shadda and Jacquard are used by women to make Buba, Kaba, Iro, Gele, Iborun, Ibele, and others. The men are not left out as these fabrics also give them a stylish outlook.

The ethnic diversity of Nigeria is reflected well in its clothing as it brings out the identity of a person for example, when we see a woman or a man wearing Iro and Buba or Agbada one will easily identify them as people from the Yoruba tribe.

Also a woman with two wrappers wrapped around her waist and a man with Isiagu top worn with trousers and a red cap is easily identified as Igbo. Likewise, a man dressed in Babbar riga with hula and a woman wearing Abaya is simply referred to as someone from the Hausa tribe. This is so even among other tribes in Nigeria who takes pride in wearing their traditional attires.