It is a well known fact that of all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, particularly those in the south, none embraces family affection (brother’s keeper concept) than the lgbo race. This is a statement of fact. The concept of being your brother’s keeper has a long term connection with the lgbo ethnic nationality. It is a well known fact that, the concept of be your brother’s keeper is as old as the lgbo race.
Several well world renowned anthropologist and historians, including HAL Greene have delved into the study of Igbo ethnic nationality and their behavioural pattern and concluded that, “The Igbo of southern Nigeria is a nationality with a formidable network of cultural cohesion. They have a network of brotherliness, affection and interwoven affinity.” They do things together, live together in order to protect each other, farm together, market together and interact socially together.
From this behaviour, what touches one Igbo man touches every Igbo man. When a family member is in trouble, he is usually helped by every other family member. If a family member has a police or court case, half of the members of the family would troop to the police station or to the court house to provide solidarity. Thus, in all aspect of Igbo life, the people of lgbo ethnic nationality are socially interwoven.
For a long time now and from time immemorial, particularly after the civil war in 1970, the lgbo persons travelled overseas in a large number particularly to America, Europe, to the Far East in search for greener pasture. From 1970 till date they have continued to be sending large sums of money to their folk at home for several activities.
They send money during festivities for different purposes: To build houses, for school fees, for the feeding of their mothers and fathers, for medical maintenance, to invest in so many projects and sometimes for other purposes to support folk at home-to take care of various personal, social and church support fees.
Consequently, until last year, the Igbo ethnic nationalities particularly those in diaspora were known to be highly supportive of the living of those at home. According to available information, the Igbo overseas send huge sums of money home for different activities. These have come to be known as regular remittances.
To demonstrate the social cohesiveness of the Igbo became so manifest during the civil war, 1967 to 1970, when they contributed a lot of money to support the war effort and to provide for relief materials. Similarly, during the last Covid19 pandemic, the Igbo ethnic nationalities overseas collectively or individually sent home in large number some materials, food items and medicaments to bring relief to people at home.
Unfortunately, of many years most of us have lived, no year in our life history have we suffered what we suffered in 2020? Consequently, 2020 was a remarkable bleak year. The consequences were so much that our people and so many other people could not re-enact the cultural behaviour of brother’s keeper. Thus, we observed so many burials in every Igbo communities, towns and villages than we have ever observed in our life time.
The effect was that we replaced Christmas festivity with burial ceremonies with numerous levels of conviviality. In fact, during the Christmas period, many of us attended burial ceremonies than Christmas associated activities. By so doing, we lost the gravity of our cultural norm of being your brother’s keeper. We pray and hope that this year will bring a turning point in our cultural life of”Be your brother’s keeper.”
