By Jerome C. Egbe
2.2 TRADITIONAL MEASURES EMPLOYED IN COMBATING EVIL IN AFRICA: THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
It is truism that the various ways in which evil acts were checkmated in African traditional setting, have undergone as they still do, and changes under the influence of modern and external cultural factors. Every culture is dynamic and not static; this assertion becomes truer when we take into consideration the sociological and anthropological point of view. All cultural changes have occurred owing to modernization inevitably. The question that looms large is whether the existing changes have been favourable to the progressive and qualitative development of the people is a question for posterity to answer.
We have earlier in this chapter established that in Africa, emphasis is placed on goodness of character. A man is considered good when he refrains from vices. The community rulers (Obas, Igwes, Emirs, et cetera) take it upon themselves to honour such people with respected titles for their goodness as demonstrated in the development of the community especially in the cultivation of moral virtues. These rewards and awards served as encouragement to those who emulate good things and shun evil entirely.
Unfortunately, the conferment of chieftaincy titles in modern era is not a true test of those who merit it; that is, it is no longer solely by merit, because even thugs, robbers, cruel people are today honoured by the traditional rulers just because of the material gains they may get from the recipients. This is a major weakness. Nobody again asks, what does the person do for a living? The moral virtue of accountability is no more valued and appreciated. Fugitives are made to be celebrities in most African communities because of greed.
The measures employed in combating sexual promiscuity among married women, have changed seriously. Civilization has enabled the Esan people of Southwestern Nigeria for example, to stop the ‘uncivilized method of ensuring that any woman caught in the act of adultery, is paraded nude through the village streets. Rather, she is asked to plead and pay some fine to both the fellow women in the family stead and the elders of her husband’s family. After this, the husband is advised to accept her as a wife again.
However, there exists a worrisome aspect of these systems (both the so called uncivilized and the civilized). When a married woman is caught in the act of sexual unfaithfulness, why is it that nothing is seriously said about the man with whom the evil act was committed? Could it be said that men are not to be held culpable when they have sexual relationship with a woman other than their wives? The failure to address this aspect of the adjudication of justice is a major weakness. The amplified virtue of dignity in labour is a commendable one. In order that this may be sustained, any member of the extended family who has the fortune (economically) than others comes to their aid. This is one of the reasons why today all over Africa, as maintained by Omoregbe (1998), children of the poor parents are being helped to acquire education by relations. In this modern world, in the words of Nyerere, there is an urgent need for the traditional African “brotherhood” or “familyhood” to be extended beyond the confines of the extended family and made to embrace the entire nation, the whole of Africa, and possibly even the whole human race. It therefore follows from the above that every Nigerian, every African and every human being, for example, should be seen and treated as my brother. This project of oneness would have been done, when young men and women are cared for and meaningfully engaged in worthy ventures.
3.0 CONCLUSION
We have been able to give an overview of the various approaches among selected communities in Africa about evil. It is revealing to know that there is no perfect congruency on the reason why man in Africa should stay off evil and pursue good. While some tied morality to religion, others see it as a product of human reason. We made effort too to as clearly as possible distinguish between customary practices, taboos and morality. We posited that there are rational or religious reasons for following the standard of living either seen as custom, taboo or ethics; and this is to ensure that there is peace, tranquility and progress in the society.
We made bold to conclude this paper by making a clarion call on Africans both at home and in diaspora to shun anything evil that will not only impede our destiny as a people but will also make us look more like the animals the Westerners have mistaken us for all along. Evil cannot give birth to good. This realization is borne out of the negative things affecting us as people that are positive. This is showcased in the incessant and endless civil wars that have ravaged most African nations. It is no controversy that one evil person can cause harm to one million people if he so wishes and if he/she has such powers. This does not mean that evil is more than good. Oluwole (2000), said ‘we do not know a society where the evil people are more.’ On the whole, evil is evil no matter who is involved. We must learn to say no to evil and embrace virtues; then Africa will be peaceful and progressive. The end!