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WHAT DOES PARTY HAS TO DO WITH TRADITIONS ? 





Patrick Ekong

In a ludicrous manner, political party membership has become a criteria for nearly every traditional position in Akwa Ibom State and some other state in Nigeria.

It is very disheartening how our elders and youths have decided to be mislead  by party politics that is seasonal with the traditions of their forefathers.

They have forgotten that party is build on the society and not the society on the party. They have forgotten that several political parties have gone to extinction since the birth of democracy in Nigeria.

How then do we as people allow party sentiment to swallow our conscience and blind us from the truth about traditions which is what define who we are? How then do the elders and youths defy traditions just to get political gratifications?

So many peaceful communities has been set ablaze in consuming fire of defying the traditions of the people in the name of party politics. My village as a case study has been ravaged by political sentiments even when the peaceful coexistence of the people is at stake.

 According to sources, youth leaders in my community is selected based on party membership not on competence. This alone has contributed to the unrest we are experiencing in our communities as mediocrity is given a platform to stage stupidity.

Traditional stool that was hitherto hereditary; where it was transited peacefully,  has now become war stool  in most communities in the state because of how party politics has set the tune of the music.

Communities have been divided into different factional groups with bitterness and party sentiment at the core of it. Where the process of the community is supposed to be discussed, party sentiment will disrupt such gathering.

Not that we don't know the truth, but since party politics has given us a leeway to a flamboyant life , we have decided to offer our traditions and the way we should live as people to party in return for immediate gratifications.

Traditional chieftaincy cases in the law court nowadays are mostly decided and rule in favour of  who support the party and this has contributed to the fast number of disputed traditional cases recorded recently.

It is high time we don't allow party politics have a place in our traditional settings; only then will we experience peace in our respective communities.

Party will come and go but our traditions,and  our way of life will remain. What would become of us as a people?

This is a poser for many of us.

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