MEDIA MANAGEMENT & DANGERS ON OUR COMMON CULTURAL HERITAGE: by Charles O Chukwubike

RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, AND PRESENTATION OF OUR TRADITION & CULTURAL HERITAGE

A call to common sense and moderation:

There has been a growing trend where many from Nenwe are sharing poorly researched historical accounts and cultural traditions across social media and in published works. This is a matter that calls for reflection, balance, and care.

I have discussed these concerns with others before—and some who raised similar points were wrongly accused of acting out of jealousy ( ndi Avia ha amahụ ala azụhụ)  or trying to hold others back. Let me be clear: I do not mind such labels, so long as they do not reflect my true character. My only motive is to serve our people and our heritage with integrity.

Nenwe—its history, stories, traditions, and culture—belongs to no single person, group, or institution. It is the shared heritage of all. But this freedom to engage must never become an excuse to distort, divide, degrade, or destroy what we hold in common.

As things stand, Nenwe Online University is the only formal, organized body dedicated to researching and correcting misrepresentations of our history and culture. This does not mean others cannot contribute; many individuals have invested time, resources, thought, and effort into preserving and sharing our heritage, and their work is worthy of recognition. What is happening now, however, is truly regrettable.

Since Facebook introduced monetization for Nigerian accounts, practically everyone has suddenly become a historian, linguist, sage, cultural authority, entertainer, or expert—often presenting half‑truths, distortions, and entirely invented stories simply to gain views and earn income, with no regard for the damage done to our heritage. This is unpatriotic and wrong.

No one is forbidden from offering their own perspective or interpretation. But if something is meant as entertainment, fiction, or comedy—let it be clearly marked as such. We must not raise a generation taught to believe fantasies are facts. For example we  have countless books and accounts of Nigerian and Biafran history; and we read and cherish all that have facts   we challenge some with counter stories but  we do not need to replace truth with invention and is the case with these new young social media  people.

We have seen this before with Nollywood, where Igbo history was often distorted: some presented imaginations as facts, or borrowed practices from other cultures and passed them off as Igbo. For example, ogwu ego involving human elements in money rituals —known historically as a practice from elsewhere like the Western Nigeria in the 60s —has been widely presented as traditional Igbo custom or ways of life , to the point many now believe it has always been part of our way of life and that it truly works. Through such portrayals, Igbo people have been presented to the world as deeply fetishistic, feudal, and defined by kings and queens—elements that existed in some little measure but were far from universal in the Igbo world

We have a landmark work: History of Nenwe by Senator Chief M. B. Chukwubike. It stands as one of the most thorough studies of our history. Where facts may be debated, they should be challenged openly and academically—with evidence and respect. That is how knowledge advances.

I ask simply: why the rush to speak with authority on what you do not know? Why present others’ research and ideas as your own? Some have taken work still in progress from this Institute, used AI tools to turn it into videos, posts, or books, and published it before the original research was complete. Unfinished work often carries markers—trails left by the author to guide further inquiry and verify sources. These are how I identify when work has been taken prematurely. To circulate research before it is finalised risks spreading error and misleading many.

Nenwe Online University firmly condemns this unscholarly approach and the misinformation it creates. We warmly invite anyone who wishes to collaborate, contribute, or join our research efforts to work with us openly and honestly.

Thank you.

Charles O. Chukwubike

Charlie.mbc@gmail.com

For

NENWE ONLINE UNIVERSITY

nenweonlineuni@gmail.com 

1st October 2026

IDUTE (NDUTE) ADA CUSTOM IN NENWE by Sai Nwenya (Prof)

 

IDUTE (NDUTE) ADA CUSTOM IN NENWE

The word  idute in Igbo language simply means bringing somebody to oneself or to someone else. It is a verb, the doing of which applies to only human beings; not just human beings but mostly living human beings.

We do not therefore say duteru m ewu, duteru m oshishi, duteru m miri etc. The only exceptional case where idute or ndute applies to a non living being is that of idute or ndute Ada. It might interest one to note however that it is only a dead Ada that idute most often applies to. One can as well dute a living Ada. But in the psyche of every Nenwe person, the phrase 'idje dute ada' simply means to bring back, the spirit of a dead female relation back to her ancestral home.

By the way, who or what then is an Ada? Ada is an Igbo word ambiguously used by the Igbos. To some Igbo societies, it means the eldest daughter or chief woman of the family. To some other Igbo societies including Nenwe, it is loosely used for all daughters. It is not out of context to say that Ada simply means a woman. The noun or adjective preceding or coming after the name Ada explains the relationship between her and the caller or to the person/people being refered to, eg: Ada m - my sister or my daughter, Ada ayị - our sister or our daughter,  Ada ha - their sister or their daughter, Ada mma - beautiful sister or daughter, ishi Ada - first daughter or head of the daughters, Ada iberibe - foolish sister or daughter; Ada Nenwe - Nenwe daughter, Ada Igbo - Igbo daughter etc.

In Nenwe, every Ada born to a family is expected to be married out of the family. No circumstance in Nenwe permits the retaining of any Ada in the family of her birth except that of lack of marriage. In that ugly situation, the Ada that remains unmarried has no share in the family's inheritance except a grave. This gives rise to the Nenwe saying: 'amụrụ nwayị tche ye ihu l'ọlụ mkpu' (at the birth of a woman she is made to face the exit gate of the compound). 

Even in the situation of not getting married out of the family; if such a woman gives birth to any child more especially, a male child her child does not also have a share in the inheritance of the family. He stands to be adopted out of the mother's family at any given age. Any female born under the same circumstance does not feel so much dismayed as her male counterpart because she will (can) be married out and the mother's family takes all that comes out of such marriage.

Nenwe daughters having no share in their families' inheritance is as effective as long as they are alive. Any moment they die in their husbands' home, they have to be brought back to their parents' homestead to join their ancestors in a ceremony known as idute or ndute Ada.

How this is done and the consequences of their not being done form the subject matter of this week's Nkoro discussion. 

No matter how long a married Nenwe daughter lives on earth, and no matter the amount spent on her during her marriage, the marriage is seen not to have been completed until her death. Even at her death, she is not yet fully married until her idute Ada ceremony or ritual is performed, hence the Nenwe saying: 'ala-alụgbụhụ nwayị alụgbụ' (a woman is never fully married).

Whenever any Nenwe daughter breathes her last at her husband's place; the children in conjunction with the members of the family send some people from the family to that of their wife/mother to inform them in any of these words: 'your daughter is deeply asleep' or 'your daughter is seriously sick' or outrightly 'your daughter is dead depending on the wisdom of the informants. Some people from the woman's family will then go to her marital home to see how well or unwell their sister is dressed. At the same time, they have to agree on the particular (befitting) spot their sister will be laid to rest. They …They will also be informed, if their sister would just be buried or if at the same time her full funeral ceremony will be performed along with her burial.

It is the duty of the late woman's husband family to dig the grave while her ancestral family  has the exclusive duty of lowering her remains into the grave and covering the grave.

If both the interment and other funerals are taking place at the same time, then, the ndute Ada rituals and ceremonies will be completed the same day. But if she is just to be buried, her family will simply inter her remains with some minor entertainments of wine and unspecified quantity of food for the covering of the grave  and then go...

IDUTE ADA PROPER 

When the late Ada's family is informed of the full funerals of their daughter, then they go into the archive to enquire if there is any outstanding debt being owed in respect of their daughter's marriage. If their is, then their inlaws will be made to clear such debts before they would go for the ndute Ada. But if there is none, they will be reminded of the general Nenwe adage which says: 'ala-alụgbụhụ nwayị alụgbụ.' That is to say that what is to be done now was purposely left undone initially not because of the inability to do them at the time of her marriage but they were left until the ndute Ada ceremony. Before now, what were required for the ndute Ada comprised of: one big pot of wine (orure or ụkpụ méé,) some specified quantity of foods such as tapioca, rice, etc. (In modern times they include life goat, yam and beer as well as soft drinks).

When the above items are provided, the woman's family members will dance with their ụbọ music into the compound, go straight to the grave side of their sister, dance round it and cry over it, eat the above foods; and then leave with their music.

As they go, their sister's children will do some demonstrative kind of trying to barricade them with a kind of mimick crying, asking their mother not to leave them. This simple ceremony then completes the marriage of a Nenwe daughter; as the daughter is believed to have gone back to her homestead to join her ancestors. But when not done, it is assumed that the woman keeps weeping in her grave causing some mayhems in both or either of her marital or ancestral home depending on the side that is causing the hindrance to her ndute Ada. Such mayhem is called in Nenwe dialect 'iwa évọ.'

Note: if the woman is married in far away land, where the family cannot easily go at her death, the ndute Ada ceremony is done at the time of her marriage. That is simply done by playing the ụbọ music along with her and her husband's people as they leave her parent's compound after her marriage. The music will keep playing behind them until they are out of sight. In some situations, this particular ceremony is tear inducing!

DISCUSS

-Sai Nwénya-

@nkorornenwe@gmail.com.

MAXIMISING THE HOLIDAY FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY

Tejekwelu ndi Nenwe. 

Permit me to discuss this issue of great importance as we enjoy the Yuletide.

One of the many blessings of this season is the opportunity to unite and reunite with our loved ones and kins. As we do this, let's also involve our children. Take them to their maternal homes. Encourage them to visit their uncles, aunties, cousins, grandparents, etc. You may also take them to the graves of their ancestors they never met. Mention their names and what they stood for. We need to carry these children along. A lot of young people have ended up sleeping with their kins without knowing. You can imagine the emotional trauma/psychological damage this can cause. This is also destroying the value of unity and brotherhood we Igbos are known for.

Let me further illustrate this using the experience I had a long time ago.

It was sometime in October, many years ago. I was in yr2 and just came back home to spend the brief holidays with my grandmas. 

Coincidentally, a distant cousin of mine also came home from Yankee. We've never met prior to this time.  I was, on that fateful day heading to my village, Amabo, passing through Eke, I met with this handsome dude - tall, fresh, handsome; a kinda every woman's dream. He stopped me, telling me how beautiful I am and how he is interested in marrying me. I laughed in Swahili, asking him if it was the way marriage was being initiated in his village. Then, I asked for an introduction. Immediately, he mentioned his village and his father's name. I was shocked. He is my distant cousin without even knowing it. I insisted on meeting his family before starting any form of relationship. 

Getting to his house, fortunately enough,  his father and mother were at home. Immediately his father saw me, he shouted,  "Superflash nwele m has come to greet me ooo". Then, I jokingly told him how my cousin declared his interest in marrying me. His father shouted, "Aaaah Ali Nenwe woooo! Tufiakwa!" And I stood there, giggling, watching him soaked in complete embarrassment mixed with perplexity! 

This is a funny story but at the same time full of life's lessons. We were born and bred in far north. But my father made sure he disclosed almost all the people we have blood affiliation with. I may not have met you in person, but the moment you mention your name, kindred, and village, I automatically know whether you are kin or not. My parents took their time to educate us on these things, including family values, cultural heritage,  Nenwe history, proverbs, etc.

Now, the question you should ask yourself as a Nenwe parent  is, "How far have I gone in teaching my children Nenwe oriented values they ought to know?" But you can not do this except you have the interest or see the need to do so. The fact remains- whether you are back home for the Yuletide or far away in foreign land or across borders, teach these children what they need to know. Let's help in reviving and reinstating these dying values and close this widening generational gap.

Ekele m madu bu oha!

Happy Uka Nkwo.

Teacher Charity writes ✍️

THE COORDINATOR 

CENTER FOR FOUNDATIONAL & EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 

NENWE ONLINE UNIVERSITY 

UHUEZE NENWE TRADITIONAL PRIME MINISTER ELECT -Madzi Nwenya(Prof)

_NOL- UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR IS NAMED TO THE OFFICE OF THE TRADITIONAL PRIME MINISTER OF UHUEZE NENWE KINGDOM_  -  The appointee is the first among equals.

The Igwe designate of Uhueze Nenwe Kingdom, Dr. Godwin Chijioke Nwobodo, has continued a good run with his appointments to pivotal offices in the kingdom with veterans of proven records in public service to the Nenwe Community.

He has just named Madzi (& Professor) Silas Nwenya as his chosen candidate for the office and title of Traditional Prime Minister (Onowu)  of Uhueze Nenwe Kingdom   - the  highest ranked public official in the kingdom, outside the Igwe. himself.

Madzi  ( Professor) Nwenya is the pioneer Head of the department of Igbo language and Culture, and the initiator of Ilu and Akpali Nenwe program at the NOL - University.  He is now the Head of the Institute for the Study of Nenwe History, Language and Culture at the same University.

Prior, and, in addition to his incredible stint at the  University, Madzi Silas Nwenya has been effectively a great  handyman of Nenwe Community volunteer service.  He is an engine of Nenwe Community service in human form.  And this is being very modest in our public appreciation of the skills, talents, and public spiritedness of Mazi (& Professor) Silas Nwenya. We can't be prouder of this Community builder,.

While the University Community is profoundly pleased  with this honor bestowed on one of our intellectual jewels,  Madzi (& Professor) Silas Nwenya, we also take a moment to salute,  the impressive signals and overtures from the Igwe designate, foreshadowing him as a deliberate, details oriented leader of the Community.

We remain steadfast in the hope that Madzi (Prof) Silas Nwenya, among other accomplishments, post inauguration, will win many more friends for  the King, and the kingdom, than reinforce the number on the opposite bench.

Congratulations, Onowu Madzi (Professor) Silas Nwenya !

Fidel Nwabueze-Ogbo PhD 

Director, Planning & Strategic Communications, NOL

Chief Charles O.Chukwubike 

CEO,& Moderator, NOL

nenweonlineuni@gmail.com 

nenweonline@gmail.com

BRIDGING THE GAP(Book lunch) By Teacher Charity Ani

 An Invitation to rally for a good cause

_THE LESSONS THAT COULD MAKE THE DESIRED DIFFERENCE  IN BRIDGING  THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN NENWE_.

Teacher Charity Ani, an  international scholar, community organizer for all things in support of enhancing quality and access to education in Nenwe, the symbolic fulcrum of the community- centric Nenwe Online University, NOL_U, is out with a book which she promises was written with attention to addressing the deepening gap in what we have and what we need to prepare our community with ready- to- serve inheritors.

Certainly there are hurdles in attaining academic excellence in our community of Nenwe, some of which are derived from the nationwide malaise, which are receiving various levels of resolutions by higher levels of government.

However, the peculiar  detrimental issues bissecting educational attainments in Nenwe remain largely and chronically unattended to. And worse, we don't even have the specifics.

Teacher Ani has come to help.

*She needs our support*

Fidel Nwabueze-Ogbo, PhD

Director, Academic Programs, NOL-U.

nenweonlineuni@gmail.com

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF NENWE HISTORY, LANGUAGE & CULTURE

Esteemed members of the university community,

It is with great pleasure that I announce the establishment of the Centre(Institute )for the Study of Nenwe History, Language, and Culture, operating under the aegis of the Department of Igbo Language and Culture. This academic centre is dedicated to fostering rigorous research, diligent preservation, and dynamic promotion of the multifaceted heritage of Nenwe. We invite students to actively participate in the centre's initiatives, thereby enriching their comprehension and appreciation of the distinctive cultural identity inherent to our town.

The Ili & Akpali program will be transfered to this Center from 20th November 2025.

More information about the new  structure will be published  soon.

Charles.O CHUKWUBIK

The VC

Nenwe Online University 

nenweonlineuni@gmail.com

Mutation and Challenges in the Igbo Cultural Heritage due to Colonialism and Acculturation/Assimilation: By Ebere James Okorie PhD.

Mutation and Challenges in the Igbo Cultural Heritage due to Colonialism and Acculturation/Assimilation

1. Introduction

Cultural heritage constitutes the collective memory of a people, encompassing their language, values, traditions, and institutions. For the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, culture has historically served as both a marker of identity and a framework for social life. However, the advent of colonialism, missionary activities, and later globalization and urbanization, introduced profound cultural mutations and challenges. From the perspective of history, anthropology, and cultural heritage studies, these processes reveal both the resilience and vulnerability of indigenous traditions.

2. Pre-Colonial Igbo Cultural Heritage

Prior to European contact, Igbo society was characterized by a rich tapestry of cultural expressions. The social and political system was largely acephalous and republican, with leadership based on age-grades, councils of elders, and title systems such as the Ozo and Nze titles (Afigbo, 1981).

Religion was deeply rooted in a spiritual worldview centered on Chukwu (the supreme God), deities (alusi), and ancestor veneration (Basden, 1966). Festivals such as the New Yam Festival (Iri Ji) symbolized agricultural cycles and reinforced community solidarity. Oral traditions—proverbs, folktales, and riddles—served as primary vehicles for transmitting cultural knowledge.

Economically, the Igbo were agrarian, complemented by crafts and regional trade networks (Isichei, 1976). This holistic system defined Igbo cultural heritage before colonial disruptions.

3. Colonialism And Cultural Mutation

Colonial penetration altered Igbo society in multiple ways:

Religion and Spirituality: Missionary activities demonized traditional religious practices, destroyed shrines, and replaced indigenous spirituality with Christianity (Falola, 2003).

Political Institutions: The British indirect rule imposed the Warrant Chief system, which undermined Igbo egalitarian republicanism and triggered resistance, such as the Aba Women’s Protest of 1929 (Afigbo, 1981).

Education: Western schools displaced indigenous knowledge systems. Though literacy expanded, education was Eurocentric, privileging Western epistemologies over African ones (Rodney, 1972).

Language: English became the language of governance, education, and economic mobility, gradually displacing Igbo in public life.

These transformations represented not mere change but cultural mutation, whereby foreign structures reshaped the Igbo worldview and heritage.

4. Post-Colonial Acculturation and Assimilation

After independence, the challenges to Igbo cultural heritage intensified through globalization, migration, and modernity:

Urbanization weakened traditional village solidarity, age-grade systems, and collective rituals.

Language endangerment became acute, as younger generations increasingly prefer English or Nigerian Pidgin over Igbo (UNESCO, 2006).

Religious assimilation reinforced Christianity as dominant, leading to the stigmatization of traditional beliefs as “fetish.”

Consumerism and Media introduced Western fashions, music, and lifestyles, displacing indigenous aesthetics (Nwabueze, 2019).

Family Structure Transformation: The extended family system eroded under the pressures of modern economy and migration.

From an anthropological perspective, these processes reflect what Herskovits (1958) called “cultural contact,” resulting in acculturation and assimilation rather than balanced cultural exchange.

5. Challenges to Igbo Cultural Heritage

Several challenges now threaten the continuity of Igbo cultural identity:

1. Erosion of Indigenous Knowledge Systems: Herbal medicine, folklore, and customary law are declining due to lack of transmission.

2. Language Endangerment: Scholars warn that Igbo could face extinction by the end of the century if revitalization is not pursued (Emenanjo, 2015).

3. Identity Crisis: Younger generations experience tension between modern global identities and indigenous cultural roots.

4. Marginalization of Traditional Institutions: Chiefs, age-grades, and village assemblies have been weakened by politicization and irrelevance in urban contexts.

6. Resilience and Revival Efforts

Despite these challenges, Igbo cultural heritage demonstrates resilience:

Cultural Festivals (e.g., New Yam Festival, masquerades) remain strong identity markers.

Igbo Language Promotion through Nollywood, radio, and literature (notably Achebe’s works) revitalizes cultural pride.

Heritage Preservation Projects: Museums, cultural centers, and academic documentation by historians and anthropologists help safeguard traditions.

Diaspora Engagement: Igbo communities abroad organize cultural schools and events, reinforcing identity for younger generations.

Digital Revitalization: Social media campaigns increasingly promote Igbo proverbs, songs, and educational resources.

These efforts show that while colonialism and globalization disrupted Igbo culture, resilience and adaptive strategies ensure continuity.

7. Conclusion

The Igbo cultural heritage has undergone significant mutations due to colonial impositions, missionary influences, and modern assimilation pressures. While these processes have challenged traditional institutions, values, and language, they have also prompted new forms of resilience and adaptation. From a historical and anthropological lens, the Igbo case illustrates the complex dynamics of cultural change, loss, and survival. To ensure continuity, deliberate revival efforts, especially in language preservation, indigenous knowledge documentation, and intergenerational education, are essential.

---

References (APA Style)

Afigbo, A. E. (1981). Ropes of Sand: Studies in Igbo History and Culture. Oxford University Press.

Basden, G. T. (1966). Niger Ibos. Cass.

Emenanjo, E. N. (2015). A Grammar of Contemporary Igbo: Constituents, Features, and Processes. Port Harcourt: M & J Grand Orbit Communications.

Falola, T. (2003). The Power of African Cultures. Rochester University Press.

Herskovits, M. J. (1958). Acculturation: The Study of Culture Contact. Cooper Square Publishers.

Isichei, E. (1976). A History of the Igbo People. Macmillan.

Nwabueze, C. (2019). The influence of Western media on Igbo youth culture. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 31(2), 183–198.

Rodney, W. (1972). How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Bogle-L’Ouverture.

UNESCO. (2006). Language Vitality and Endangerment. Paris: UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group.