By
Obododimma Oha
Every month, I attend our town union meeting and join my kinsmen in examining little or big issues relating to our lives. That I am a highly educated person around, perhaps the person with the highest university degree, does not make me have my head in the clouds. My very high university degree and my rank all belong to my community, by the simple logic that I belong, as a person, to my community. I am my community’s ambassador, just like every other member, and the town union is happy for it, provided I do the things an ambassador does, and do not bring shame to our community.
I mentioned above that I may even be the most highly educated in the town union meeting. That does not mean that other members – groundnut sellers, commercial motorcycle operators, petty traders, etc. – do not have their own legitimate cultural or professional education that I may not have, and so, could also be said to be highly educated. Do you see why I said that my very high university degree does not make me the person with the highest educational degree around and does not make me lose my head as a member? Even though once in a while, a member, in his contribution to a debate, refers to my being the most educated person around who could confirm some facts, I don’t like it at all! For one, I do not like being pointed out as different, what more the person to decide the correctness of a view when in a meeting of the union.
Yes, my being the most educated person does not mean that I am outside authority in the community meeting, that I am exempt from what every member is required to do. The town union – a typical image of the Igbo umunna, has its officers whose authorities must be respected, whether they are highly educated or not, whether they are the oldest or the youngest in the group. Do you see why and how the town union is a test for your sense of submission and humility, in spite of your high education? The chairman may not be richest but that does not mean that, because a member has millions or estates or companies, such a member is above the chairman.
Sometimes, I hear educated Igbo elite proclaim that they do not attend their town union meetings or are not members and I shudder. How do they hope to change or contribute meaningfully as grown-ups to their communities? How do they hope to get closer to ordinary people in their communities?
The town union is also a very good context for learning. Any person that has stopped learning is dead! Ikwu amaghi, ibe ezi ya! (If one relative does not know, another relative can teach that person). Is it in how to talk in public, how to address issues in public? Is it in ita okwu eze were ekwu? Is it proverb lore and situations in which one could deploy a type? Is it how to look at issues critically? Is it in knowing who is who in your community, who to consult when the occasion arises, and who is what nwannadi? Indeed, ikwu amaghi, ibe ezi ya. The town union meeting is an important classroom, and each time a member misses a meeting or an activity organized by the group, such a member has missed important matters (You could say important classes for learning). The person would need to update notes! When members who missed meetings or activities are asked to pay fines, we see such as ordinarily a punishment. Really, such members are losing double. They are losing money, plus the knowledge they could have gained if they had attended.
Yes; sometimes one is asked to pay a fine for defaulting. That is an important corrective measure. You have lost more money as a defaulter and it makes you sad. Next time, don’t flout the group. But there is something you have lost more as a defaulter. That thing is called respect. It is integrity. The amount may be small and affordable. But it is symbolic. It indicates that you have erred and your name would be put down in the record books as a noisemaker, late comer, absentee, as the case may be. So, it calls you to order, asks you to come back to your senses.
Sometimes, I hear some educated elite give, as their excuses for not becoming members, their dislike for those ways of “traders,” ways of thinking and doing things! Isn’t this an unfortunate negative stereotyping? Some members who are traders may misbehave – and are usually disciplined for it – but it is unfortunate for one to keep away due to objectionable ways of life noticed. Even in wider society or country, do we all behave alike? Do we all have to behave in the ways you necessarily like? And would you cease to be a citizen because of the other person’s ways you don’t like? I think that people who give such excuses are confessing that they have a problem, one being culture shock – they have kept outside the culture for too long and have lost touch with its ways, and are, therefore, coming back to it strange! They have alienated themselves and need to bring themselves back to community.
I am aware of the fact that some people join their town union meeting so that there would be people to carry their corpses to local communities and bury such when they die. And the educated elite would think they do not need such favours. Well, you do not join your town union because of death. Death is just one occasion for a community to demonstrate its obligations. Town union is where you belong and you simply have to be there. It is good to be where you belong. Your church or professional group can bury you when you die (or use your corpse for barbecue, who cares) but cannot replace your town union. Remember: ikwu amaghi, ibe ezi ya!
Obododimma Oha
Every month, I attend our town union meeting and join my kinsmen in examining little or big issues relating to our lives. That I am a highly educated person around, perhaps the person with the highest university degree, does not make me have my head in the clouds. My very high university degree and my rank all belong to my community, by the simple logic that I belong, as a person, to my community. I am my community’s ambassador, just like every other member, and the town union is happy for it, provided I do the things an ambassador does, and do not bring shame to our community.
I mentioned above that I may even be the most highly educated in the town union meeting. That does not mean that other members – groundnut sellers, commercial motorcycle operators, petty traders, etc. – do not have their own legitimate cultural or professional education that I may not have, and so, could also be said to be highly educated. Do you see why I said that my very high university degree does not make me the person with the highest educational degree around and does not make me lose my head as a member? Even though once in a while, a member, in his contribution to a debate, refers to my being the most educated person around who could confirm some facts, I don’t like it at all! For one, I do not like being pointed out as different, what more the person to decide the correctness of a view when in a meeting of the union.
Yes, my being the most educated person does not mean that I am outside authority in the community meeting, that I am exempt from what every member is required to do. The town union – a typical image of the Igbo umunna, has its officers whose authorities must be respected, whether they are highly educated or not, whether they are the oldest or the youngest in the group. Do you see why and how the town union is a test for your sense of submission and humility, in spite of your high education? The chairman may not be richest but that does not mean that, because a member has millions or estates or companies, such a member is above the chairman.
Sometimes, I hear educated Igbo elite proclaim that they do not attend their town union meetings or are not members and I shudder. How do they hope to change or contribute meaningfully as grown-ups to their communities? How do they hope to get closer to ordinary people in their communities?
The town union is also a very good context for learning. Any person that has stopped learning is dead! Ikwu amaghi, ibe ezi ya! (If one relative does not know, another relative can teach that person). Is it in how to talk in public, how to address issues in public? Is it in ita okwu eze were ekwu? Is it proverb lore and situations in which one could deploy a type? Is it how to look at issues critically? Is it in knowing who is who in your community, who to consult when the occasion arises, and who is what nwannadi? Indeed, ikwu amaghi, ibe ezi ya. The town union meeting is an important classroom, and each time a member misses a meeting or an activity organized by the group, such a member has missed important matters (You could say important classes for learning). The person would need to update notes! When members who missed meetings or activities are asked to pay fines, we see such as ordinarily a punishment. Really, such members are losing double. They are losing money, plus the knowledge they could have gained if they had attended.
Yes; sometimes one is asked to pay a fine for defaulting. That is an important corrective measure. You have lost more money as a defaulter and it makes you sad. Next time, don’t flout the group. But there is something you have lost more as a defaulter. That thing is called respect. It is integrity. The amount may be small and affordable. But it is symbolic. It indicates that you have erred and your name would be put down in the record books as a noisemaker, late comer, absentee, as the case may be. So, it calls you to order, asks you to come back to your senses.
Sometimes, I hear some educated elite give, as their excuses for not becoming members, their dislike for those ways of “traders,” ways of thinking and doing things! Isn’t this an unfortunate negative stereotyping? Some members who are traders may misbehave – and are usually disciplined for it – but it is unfortunate for one to keep away due to objectionable ways of life noticed. Even in wider society or country, do we all behave alike? Do we all have to behave in the ways you necessarily like? And would you cease to be a citizen because of the other person’s ways you don’t like? I think that people who give such excuses are confessing that they have a problem, one being culture shock – they have kept outside the culture for too long and have lost touch with its ways, and are, therefore, coming back to it strange! They have alienated themselves and need to bring themselves back to community.
I am aware of the fact that some people join their town union meeting so that there would be people to carry their corpses to local communities and bury such when they die. And the educated elite would think they do not need such favours. Well, you do not join your town union because of death. Death is just one occasion for a community to demonstrate its obligations. Town union is where you belong and you simply have to be there. It is good to be where you belong. Your church or professional group can bury you when you die (or use your corpse for barbecue, who cares) but cannot replace your town union. Remember: ikwu amaghi, ibe ezi ya!
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