Lesson Note for Degree Students YR 1 SSE 106 2024 2nd Semester

 

SSE 106: Introduction to Nigerian Cultural Environment

Course Content/Course Outline

Man as the focus of Social Studies, Socialization, Agencies and Institutions; marriage, religion, legal and civic obligations, Rights and responsibilities of Citizen

 

Man as the focus of social studies

Social Studies are the study of human beings and their interactions with one other and their environment. Man (human beings) is the central focus of Social Studies this is because understanding human behavior, relationships, and institutions is highly crucial for building a better society. Social Studies goes about facilitating an understanding of the complexity of man, his problems, challenges and solutions, by using anal–out learning technique and strategy known as “Integration”. It is necessary for us to know this for proper understanding of social studies. Social Studies, as a discipline, it is no longer an appendage of the Social Sciences. The discipline which has gone a long way in emerging as a distinctive area of learning, the time or those days when it was treated as “a bit of history”, “a bit of geography” has gone. It is no longer a mixture or” hotchpotch”, a confused addition of bits and pieces of the Social Sciences and Humanities. This was sometimes referred to as “inter-disciplinary” form of teaching but not now.

Social studies is a corrective study because it is a subject which is concerned with the problems of man’s living in the society with a view of finding solutions to those problems. It is also a subject which concentrates on the three (3) areas of knowledge, cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. It centers on the development of man, how man influences his environment and how the environment influences him in return.

 Social studies focused on man and his interactions with his environment. It also keeps on changing because of the factors of time and human development. It fights against evil vices in the society. The subject considers peculiar problems of a country and finds solutions to those problems. As such the objective of Nigerian social studies must reflect the spirit of Nigerian philosophy of education. It must help to develop the capacity to learn and to acquire certain basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and calculation. Social studies education focuses on the use of critical and reflective thinking to solve the problems of man’s survival in the environment.

Social studies is the study of people in relation to each other and to their world. It is an issue focused and inquiry-based interdisciplinary subject that draws upon history, geography, ecology, economics, law, philosophy, political science and other social science disciplines.  Social studies foster students’ understanding of and involvement in practical and ethical issues that face their communities and humankind.  Social studies is integral to the process of enabling students to develop an understanding of who they are, what they want to become and the society in which they want to live. (https://education.alberta.ca/media/159594/program-of-studies-k-3.pdf)

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) defines social studies as the integrated study of the social sciences and the humanities to promote civic competence. 

The NCSS states that “If the young learners of this nation are to become effective participants in a democratic society, then social studies must be an essential part of the curriculum throughout the elementary years. In a world that demands independent and cooperative problem solving to address complex social, economic, ethical, and personal concerns, core social studies content is as basic for success as reading, writing, and computing. Knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for informed and thoughtful participation in society require a systematically developed elementary program focused on concepts from the four core social studies disciplines:

i.        Civics,

ii.      Economics,

iii.    Geography,

iv.    and History.”

The National Council for the Social Studies has identified Ten Themes of Study for the Social Studies. These ten themes include:

1.      Culture

2.      Time, Continuity, & Change

3.      People, Places, & Environments

4.      Individual Development & Identity

5.      Individuals, Groups, & Institutions

6.      Power, Authority, & Governance

7.      Production, Distribution, & Consumption

8.      Science, Technology, & Society

9.      Global Connections

10.  Civic Ideals & Practices

Nigeria is a country located on the western coast of Africa (West Africa). Nigeria has a diverse geography, with climates ranging from arid to humid equatorial. However, Nigeria's most diverse feature is its people. Hundreds of languages are spoken in the country, including Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, Hausa, Edo, Ibibio, Tiv, and English. Nigeria has three major groups namely: Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, and Yoruba. The culture in Nigeria is multi ethnic. The six largest ethnic groups are the Hausa and Fulani in the north, the Igbo in the southeast, and the Yoruba predominate in the southwest, the Tiv people of North Central Nigeria and the Efik – Ibibio of South-South Nigeria.

  God also created man to be in charge of all the things that He created. Looking at man scientifically; Social studies focus on man and his environment. From the first beginning we discovered that man is essential, and that everything concerning life has revolved around man, in fact the whole universe centers around man. The world without man is incomplete. Man is a special being, given power by God to control every creature.  When God created man he said to him to be wise as serpent and gentle as dove. To be wise is to stay awake all the time using his initiatives to create and explore the world. Man is next to God, implying that he is a demy god and is given all the powers to control and rule the world.

The concept of socialization

Socialization otherwise known as ‘ internalization of culture’ is a lifelong process by which human beings transmit and learn particular thought, feeling and behaviour processes and patterns required for social perpetuation of, social adaptation to, and social transformation of, culturally determined conditioned and expectations, such as learning ones language, behaving according to the norms and values of the culture, understanding social roles one is expected to perform as one relate to others, and developing complex skills and techniques with which to adapt to as well as transform ones social and physical environment.  Socialization is the process by which individuals learn and internalize the norms, values, and behaviors of society.

Socialization is a learning process that begins shortly after birth.  Early childhood is the period of the most intense and the most crucial socialization.  It is then that we acquire language and learn the fundamentals of our culture.  It is also when much of our personality takes shape. 

 However, we continue to be socialized throughout our lives.  As we age, we enter new statuses and need to learn the appropriate roles for them.  We also have experiences that teaches us lessons and potentially lead us to alter our expectations, beliefs, and personality.  For instance, the experience of being raped is likely to cause a woman to be distrustful of others especially men.

Human infants are born without any culture.  They must be transformed by their parents, teachers, and others into cultural and socially adept animals.  The general process of acquiring culture is referred to as socialization.  During socialization, we learn the language of the culture we are born into as well as the roles we are to play in life.  For instance, girls learn how to be daughters, sisters, friends, wives, and mothers.  In addition, they learn about the occupational roles that their society has in stock for them.  We also learn and usually adopt our culture's norms through the socialization process. 

Types of socialization

 Children are socialized according to different cultures we have two broad types of teaching methods--formal and informal.  Formal education is what primarily happens in a classroom.  It is usually structured, controlled, and directed primarily by adult teachers who are professionals.  In contrast, informal education can occur anywhere.  It involves imitation of what others do and say as well as experimentation and repetitive practice of basic skills.  This is what happens when children role-play adult interactions in their games.

Agencies are an organizations or groups that shape human behavior and interaction such as family, education, media, peer group, religion, government law, culture and social norm, technology etc.

Institutions established patterns of behavior and relationships that shape human interactions.

Legal and civic obligations are agencies that promote laws, rights, and responsibilities that govern human behavior in order not to misbehave. They see that people obey the law willingly or unwillingly and failure to obey the law is liable to punishment. take for instance people go to jail for failure to abide by the law, other are hanged, some are made to pay fine etc.

Women and girls are the most crucial in socializing children.  Initially, mothers and their female relatives are primarily responsible for socialization.  Later, when children enter the lower school grades, they are usually under the control of their teachers. Even seemingly insignificant actions of parents can have major impacts on the socialization of their children. 

We have primary, secondary and adult socialization

Primary socialization: the primary aspect of socialization is the family this is where the children learn how to socialize with the family and are being thought the values and norms of the society. A well brought up child can never deviate from those norms that were being transferred to as a child. We can also see the primary socialization as those ones got from the nursery and primary school, at this stage the child is very tender and sees her teacher as a role model. The child sees the teacher as the most educated even when the parents are more educated than the teacher still the child believes in the teacher and values the teacher’s education more than the parents.

Secondary Socialization: when we talk about the secondary socialization our mind should go to school a bit higher than the nursery and primary school. At this stage we can say that the child has passed the stage of infantry.  It is an adolescent stage, a stage we call crisis stage. This time the child wants to be independent. He or she would like to confide in his/her friend. They also see themselves as an adult.  The child has known what is right or wrong. The child also can challenge the teacher in terms of knowledge. It is at this stage that the child meets peer groups that are very strong and can influence them. This stage a well brought up child can be influenced by the peers. Those that can be influenced are those that do not have strong self will. Most of the times are children from broken homes (divorced) or those from a quarrelsome family where the father and the mother fights every day, and some families that have some lapses. This stage is a critical stage for children in taking decision or making choice.

Adult socialization: this has to do with grownups socializing with friends. Socialization has no end we continue to socialize with people until we die. As an adult there are stages of adulthood: the early adulthood, the middle adulthood, and the aging years. According to Atkinson, Atkinson and Hilgard (1983: 98 ):

During the early adult years, people commit themselves to an occupation, and many will marry or form other types of intimate relationships. Intimacy means an ability to care about others and to share experiences with them. People who cannot commit themselves to a loving relationship – because they fear being hurt or are unable to share – risk being isolated. Studies indicate that an intimate relationship with a supportive partner contributes significantly to a person’s emotional and physical health. People who have someone to share their ideas feeling, and problems with are happier and healthier than those who do not have (Traupmann And Hatfield, 1981).  At this stage as the men and women marry they begin to procreate. As they have children the women divert their attention more on the children than the husband and life goes on.

Middle adulthood: they further explained that for many people, the middle years of adulthood (roughly ages 40-65) are the most productive period. Men in their forties are usually at the peak of their careers. Women have less responsibility at home now that the children are growing up and can devote more time to career or civic activities. This is the age group that essentially runs society, in terms of both power and responsibility. As people approach their fifties, they change their view of life span. They begin to think in terms of years left to live. For some people who have spent their years building a successful company may leave it to return to school. For women that have developed their family may develop a new career or become active in politics. Some people at this stage may decide to live the city and retire to the village. Based on stages in life we see the angle or direction where socialization is being channeled to.

The aging years: this is the year after 65years whereby new problems arises, as declining from physical strength and facing all sorts of sickness that demoralizes them and leave them in a state of helplessness.  This time is period of loneliness and less feeling of worth and self-esteem. The aged are also faced with loss of spouse, siblings, and relations which can make their life uncomfortable. The farness of their children also affects them. The type of socialization at this time is people coming for an advice and blessing. They also socialize with the children by telling those stories of the past and folk lore. Socialization has no end it continues until we die. That is why we say that it is for a lifelong. Old age is time of reflection that deeply looked into how the person faces the end of life. 

 Anticipatory socialization:  this refers to a process by which men learn the culture of a group with the anticipation of joining that group or belonging to the group. People learns the proper beliefs, values and norms of a status or group to which he aspires this is learning how to ach with his new role.

 Re-socialization:  refers to the process of discarding the former behaviour patterns and accepting new ones as part of transition in one’s life. This type of socialization takes place mostly when a social role is radically changed. It has to do with abandonment of one way of life for another which is not only different from the former but incompatible with it. For instance when an armed robber is rehabilitated his role changed radically.

Features of socialization:

1. Socialization inculcates basic discipline, such that a person may learn how to control his or her impulses. Thereby showing disciplined behaviour to gain social approval.
2. It helps to control human behaviour: an individual from birth to death undergoes training and his behaviour is controlled by numerous ways. To maintain the social order, there are definite procedures or mechanism in society. These procedures become part of peoples life and human being gets adjusted to the society. As time goes on socialization, society intends to control the behaviour of its members unconsciously.
3.  Rapid socialization: there is rapid socialization if there is more humanity among the agencies of socialization is more unanimous in their ideas and skills. When there is conflict between the ideas, for instance the skills transmitted in home and those transmitted by school or peer, socialization of the individual tends to be slower and ineffective.
4. Socialization takes place formally and informally: formal socialization takes place through direct instruction and education in schools and colleges. Family is however, the primary and the most influential source of education. Children learn their language, customs norms and values in the family. 
5. Socialization is a continuous process: socialization is a lifelong process. It does not cease when a child becomes an adult, internalization of culture continues from generation to generation. Society perpetuates itself through the internalization of culture, its members transmit culture to the next generation and society continues to exist.

Agents of socialization (Family, peer group, school, mass media, church, mosque, etc)

Socialization is a process by which culture is transmitted to the younger generation and men learn the rules and practices of social groups to which they belong. Through it that a society maintains it’s social system. Personalities do not come ready –made. The process that transforms a child into a reasonably respectable human being is a long process.

Hence every society builds an institutional framework within which socialization of the child takes place.

Culture is transmitted through the communication they have with one another and communication thus comes to be the essence of the process of culture transmission. In a society there exist a number of agencies to socialize the child. To facilitate socialization different agencies play important roles. These agencies however interrelated.

1. Family:  the family plays an outstanding role in the socialization process. In all societies other agencies besides the family contribute to socialization such as educational institutions, the peer group etc. but family plays the most important role in the formation of personality. By the time other agencies contribute to this process family has already left an imprint on the personality of the child. The parents use both reward and punishment to imbibe what is socially required from a child.

According to Robert, K. Merton, “it is the family which is a major transmission belt for the diffusion of cultural standards to the oncoming generation “The family serves as “the natural and convenient channel of social continuity.

2. Peer Group: peer group members a group in which the members share some common characteristics such as age or sex etc. it is made up of the contemporaries of the child, his associates in school, in play ground and in street. The growing child learns some very important lessons from his peer group. Since members of the peer group are at the same stage of socialization they freely and spontaneously interact with each other.

Conflict arises when standards of the peer group differ from the standards of the child family. He may consequently attempt to withdraw from the family environment. The peer group surpasses the parental influence as time goes on. This seems to be an inevitable occurrence in rapidly changing societies. Peer group is a type of socialization through friendship, and influence on attitudes and behaviors. Once a good son may turn to a bandit due to peers influence; this is what is obtainable in our society nowadays. But children that have self-will may escape this but they are very few. A lot of boys and girls smoke and are addicted to drugs because of peer group’s influence, trying to belong or suit to a particular group known to be a nuisance to the society.

 

3. Religion: Religion plays a very important role in socialization. Religion instills the fear of hell in the individual so that he should refrain from bad and undesirable activities. Religion not only makes people religious but socializes them into the secular order. Religion gives spiritual guidance, moral values, and community support to their members and even non members.

4. Media is a type of socialization through mass communication, this can influence on attitudes and behaviors of some people more especially children. One can also be addicted to social media information such as pornography, sexual attraction, pressing phone unintentionally, and constant usage of earphone for listening to music without paying attention of where you are or what can happen to you. For instance some people may be pressing their phone while crossing the main road without noticing that car is passing by. Some using ear phone may not know when they are called for important information and so on.

5. Educational institutions: parents and peer groups are not the only agencies of the socialization in modern societies. Every civilized society therefore has developed a set of formalized agencies of education (schools, colleges and universities) which have a great bearing on the socialization process. It is in the educational institutions that the culture is formally transmitted and acquired in which the science and the art of one generation passed on to the next.

The educational institutions not only help the growing child in learning language and other subjects but also instill the concept of time, discipline, team work, cooperation and competition. Through the means of reward and punishment the desired behaviour pattern is reinforced whereas undesirable behaviour pattern meets with disapproval, ridicule and punishment.

In this way, the educational institutions come next to the family for the purpose of socialization of the growing child. Educational institution is a very important socialization and the means by which individual acquires social norms and values (values of achievement civic ideals, solidarity and group loyalty etc) beyond those which are available for learning in the family and other groups.

6. Occupation: in the occupational world the individual finds himself with new shared interests and goals. He makes adjustments with the position he holds and also learns to make adjustment with other workers who may occupy equal or higher or lower position.

While working, the individual enters into relations of cooperation, involving specialization of tasks and at the same time learns the nature of class divisions. Work, for him, is a source of income but at the same time it gives identity and status within society as a whole.

Processes of socialization

 Natural socialization occurs when infants and youngsters explore, play and discover the social world around them. The children internalize whatever was thought to them at this stage. The process operates at two levels, one with the infant which is called the internalization of objects around and the other from the outside. Socialization may be seen as the internalization of social norms. Natural socialization is easily seen when looking at the young of almost any mammalian species (and some birds). Social rules become internalized by the individual, in the sense that they are self-imposed by means of external regulation which is part of individual personality.  

 Planned socialization occurs when other people take actions designed to teach or train others -- from infancy. This process of socialization is looked as essential element of social interaction. This has to do with the individual becoming socialized with the accordance of the social norms which is the expectation of others. Socialization is filed up with social interactions. Planned socialization is mostly a human phenomenon; and all through history, people have been making plans for teaching or training others. Both natural and planned socialization can have good and bad features: It is wise to learn the best features of both natural and planned socialization and weave them into our lives.

 Positive socialization is the type of social learning that is based on pleasurable and exciting experiences. We tend to like the people who fill our social learning processes with positive motivation, loving care, and rewarding opportunities.

Negative socialization occurs when others use punishment, harsh criticisms or anger to try to "teach us a lesson;" and often we come to dislike both negative socialization and the people who impose it on us. There are all types of mixes of positive and negative socialization; and the more positive social learning experiences we have, the happier we tend to be -- especially if we learn useful information that helps us cope well with the challenges of life. A high ratio of negative to positive socialization can make a person unhappy, defeated or pessimistic about life. Through the process of socialization individuals becomes a social person and can attain his or her personality.

Importance of socialization

Ø  Socialization shapes individual identity and personality to good or bad this is when a child is brought up in a good home he or she will continues doing good and if otherwise reverse is the case.

Ø  It also prepares individuals for roles and responsibilities in society that is getting the younger ones ready to face the challenges of the world.

Ø  Socialization is very necessary in our society in terms of  teaching and learning that prepares people on how to manage life most especially when life is unbearable.

Ø  It Transmits culture, values, and norms from one generation to another that is why w say that socialization is a continuous process that has no end.

 

 

Marriage

It is a socially recognized union between individuals, typically involving a commitment to share a life together, builds a family, and provide emotional and economic support. It is also for mainly companionship.

There are three types of marriage in Nigeria today:

i.        Religious Marriage,

ii.      Civil Marriage,

iii.    and Traditional Marriage.

 A Nigerian couple may decide to take part in one or all of these marriages. Religious mar males are allowed only one wife, while Muslim men can take up to four wives. Civil official weddings take place in a government registry office. Men are allowed only one wife under a civil wedding, regardless of religion. Traditional marriages usually are held at the wife's house and are performed according to the customs of the ethnic group involved. Most ethnic groups traditionally allow more than one wife.

What is marriage?

Marriage can be defined as the socially approved sexual union of two or more opposite adults and whose off springs are considered legitimate (Akpochafo, 2014).

Marriage is a union between a man and a woman such that the children born to the woman are recognize as legitimate offspring of both parents (Royal Anthropological Institute 1951). Marriage is not always between a man and a woman since it can be between a man and many wives (polygyny) or between a woman and two or more men (polyandry). Let’s take some example from Western Europe or America, recently they have recognized gay marriage which is same sex therefore marriage is no longer between a man and a woman but to a man and a man and a woman and a woman. So in African tradition it is an abomination and we must not buy these idea. They also provide love, care, and companionship. Family and Marriage offers emotional comfort and stability. They help in building trust and as well, intimacy, drawing the family to live together.

Marriage according to Giddens and Dunnier (2000) it is “a socially acknowledged and approved sexual union between two adult individual.”  This type of marriage has no legal backing or should be frowned at and even criticized; in an African content and even morally, it is unacceptable but may be acceptable to those who called themselves civilized nation. Furthermore the definition has no room for polygyny and polyandry indicating that it has no room for polygamy which is an umbrella word for the two (polygyny and polyandry). Having felt the purse of some scholars it can be seen that there is no uniform umbrella that defined marriage to be exactly one acceptable definition so it varies and depends on how society views it.

Let us delve into our Christian, Islamic, Hindu and African traditional faith concerning their views about marriage.

The Bible Defines Marriage as a Covenant

The marriage ceremony, therefore, is meant to be a public demonstration of a couple's commitment to a covenant relationship. ... For Christians, marriage goes beyond the earthly covenant also, as a divine picture of the relationship between Christ and his Bride, the Church (www.learnreligions.com>....> The new Testament).

The purpose of marriage in the bible is that: It is the union between Christ and his people, as one flesh. Such companionship and intimacy is a profound gift to be marveled at and enjoyed, bringing contentment and happiness. And in so enjoying, we bring glory to him—the creator of perhaps the greatest gift ever.

In Etymology the word "marriage" derives from Middle English marriage, which first appears in 1250–1300 CE. This, in turn, is derived from Old French, marier (to marry), and ultimately Latin, marītāre, meaning to provide with a husband or wife and marītāri meaning to get married.

In Islam, marriage is a legal contract between a man and a woman. Both the groom and the bride are to consent to the marriage of their own free wills. ... There is also Nikah Misyar, a non-temporary marriage with the removal of some conditions such as living together, permitted by some Sunni scholars. For further enquiry consult or read (Islamic marital jurisprudence · ‎Islamic marriage contract · ‎Category: Marriage in Islam).

Moreover, Islam, marriage is recognized as the basis of society. It is a contract but it is also a sacred covenant. Marriage as an institution leads to the uplift of man and is a means for the continuance of the human race. Most Muslims believe marriage is a fundamental building block of life. Marriage is a contract between a man and woman to live together as husband and wife. ... For most Muslims the purpose of marriage is to: keep faithful to each other for the rest of their lives, have children and bring them up in the Muslim faith.

 (www.bbc.co.uk>bitesize>guide>zcjqrws>revision)

Hinduism Marriage

Many Hindus see marriage as a life-long, sacred ceremony that binds a man and woman together. It takes the Hindu couple into the second ashrama and is believed by many to be the right situation in which to have children.

Marriage is also viewed by many Hindus as the right place in which to enjoy sexual pleasure, which is allowed as part of the life aim of kama. Many Hindu deities are portrayed as having partners and children:

v  Shiva and Parvati are the parents of Lord Ganesh

v  Rama and Sita had twins called Luv and Kush.

However, not all relationships in Hindu scriptures are conventional; in the Mahabharata, Draupadi is married to all five Pandava princes.

Vivah Sansksar is the term used to describe the sacraments performed during the wedding ceremony. This symbolises that the marriage is an important stage of life and will mark the beginning of a life-long union.( https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zh732sg/revision/6)

Arranged marriage

Traditionally, arranged marriages began from a need to find husbands and wives for those living in poverty and in villages. Travel was rare and people soon ran out of people to marry they were not related to.

Hindu teachings forbid people marrying anyone less than seven genetic steps removed; this means they cannot marry even distant cousins. This is taken seriously and the first thing many Hindus check about a suitable partner is whether they are related - even distantly. In the past, research relied on information from travelers or visitors about people in other villages. Sometimes, marriages would be arranged without the couple meeting beforehand, because they couldn't afford to travel.

Another motivation was that parents wanted to create a second family for their children, in case they died while the children were still young. A marriage may have been arranged while the children were very young

According to William Abraham (1987: 22): Marriage in African tradition is the joining of two families through the union of one man and one woman and their children, always to the exclusion of all other men as regards the woman, and in monogamous societies, to the exclusion of all other women as regards the man.

 

Some common attributes of marriage

1.      Has to do with the involvement of males and females or persons of the opposite sex who have agreed to take each other as husband and wife;

 

2.      Some groups (especially the Catholic Church) is of the view that marriage is indissoluble but others believed that they can divorce and it is recognizable.

 

3.      The union allows for sexual interaction that may or not lead to the raising of children

 

4.      Marriage has to do with confirmation of certain rights and responsibilities

 

5.      Marriage connects together a wide range of people by creating kinship, parents, brothers, sisters, blood relatives of the partners and may even lead to connecting even communities, states and countries.

 

6.      It gives rights to each other’s sexuality, labour and property. To further buttress this idea it is the duty of the couple to satisfy each other sexually and should own things in common that is to say that what belongs the man equally belongs to the wife and vice versa.

 

 

 

Types of Marriage

                                                                   

Marriages are of different types based on the number and kinds of men and women involved in it, such as:

 

v  Polygyny: marriage between one woman and two or more men.

 

Polyandry: marriage between one woman and two or more men. The two best-known areas in which polyandry was studied and continued to be practiced into the 21st century are the Plateau of Tibet (a region shared by India, Nepal, and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China) and the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific.

 

v  Polygamy: the practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.

 

v  Fraternal Polyandry:  it a marriage in which several brothers share one wife. Example it is practiced among Tibetans in Nepal and parts of China, in which two or more brothers are married to the same wife, with the wife having equal "sexual access" to them.

 

v  Sororal Polyandry: marriage in which many sisters shares a particular man as their husband.

 

v  Levirate: marriage between a man and the widow of his elder brother

 

v  Sororate: marriage between a man and the sister of his dead wife

 

v  Same-Sex Marriage: two individuals of the same gender. This is a trending thing in Nigeria today, and being influenced by the rich people in our mist; at this time of hunger and starvation a lot of youths are being lured into this act not for the fun but just to get money for survival or to belong among the wealthy group. In our tradition and custom, it is an abomination to the highest order. Trying to destabilize our normal way of life and accepting a horrible and disgusting way of living a normal life. By this we have sold our honour and accepted to live with shame and stigmatization. Same sex marriage is now gaining influence in our society; an urgent attention is needed, order wise the growing ones may see it as a normal way of life. The world should say no this atrocious act of life. The church, traditionalist and other form of religion should see that this does not gain interest in our way of life.

v   

 

Ghost marriage: is marriage with a dead person or between dead people. In Chinese tradition, a ghost marriage is a marriage in which one or both parties are deceased. Other forms of ghost marriage are practiced worldwide, notably in France since 1959. The origins of Chinese ghost marriage are largely unknown, but reports of it being practiced today can still be found. Also in South Sudan, a ghost marriage is a marriage where a deceased groom is replaced by his brother. The brother serves as a stand in to the bride, and any resulting children are considered children of the deceased spouse. Under French law posthumous marriages are possible as long as evidence exists that the deceased person had the intention while alive of wedding their partner. ... According to Christophe Caput, the mayor who married Jaskiewicz, her request was "rock solid".

Child marriage: Child Marriage is defined as a marriage of a girl or boy before the age of 18 and refers to both formal marriages and informal unions in which children under the age of 18 live with a partner as if married. ... Child marriage violates children's rights and places them at high risk of violence, exploitation, and abuse. Giving a daughter in marriage allows parents to reduce family expenses by ensuring they have one less person to feed, clothe and educate. Families may also see investing in their son's education as more worthwhile investment. That is the purpose of child marriage.

Child Marriage is defined as a marriage of a girl or boy before the age of 18 and refers to both formal marriages and informal unions in which children under the age of 18 live with a partner as if married. Child marriage affects both girls and boys, but it affects girls disproportionately, especially in South Asia.

South Asia has the highest rates of child marriage in the world. Almost half (45%) of all women aged 20-24 years reported being married before the age of 18. Almost one in five girls (17%) is married before the age of 15.

Child marriage violates children’s rights and places them at high risk of violence, exploitation, and abuse. India has the largest number of brides in the world – one-third of the global total. Bangladesh has the highest rate of child marriage in Asia (the fourth highest rate in the world). Nepal has also one the highest rates of child marriage in Asia for both boys and girls.

Child marriage is declining (63% in 1985 to 45%t in 2010) in South Asia, with the decline being especially marked for girls under 15 (32% in 1985 to 17% in 2010). The marriage of girls aged 15-18 is however still commonplace, so more efforts are needed to protect older adolescents from marriage. Child marriage is the result of the interplay of economic and social forces. In communities where the practice is prevalent, marrying a girl as a child is part of a cluster of social norms and attitudes that reflect the low value accorded to the human rights of girls.

Cousin marriage: A cousin marriage is a marriage where the spouses are cousins (i.e. people with common grandparents or people who share other fairly recent ancestors). ... Worldwide, more than 10% of marriages are between first and second cousins. Marrying within a family can lead to abnormalities in your future offspring. This is because within a family, certain genetic traits remain dormant and are known as recessive genes (they are not seen as a disease or condition).

 Conflict in Marriage

Conflict in marriage is inevitable. In fact, not only is conflict in marriage inevitable, but it is also perfectly normal. It is a part of life.

 

Conflicts are bound to arise in terms of relationship in marriage. Conflict is said to be natural to human nature. This same conflict strengthens or tightens relationship in marriage. Clashes of interest lead to conflict. Every normal human being is bound to encounter conflict.

Marital conflict is not just a difference of opinion. Rather, it is a series of events that have been poorly managed so as to deeply damage the marriage relationship. The issues of marriage have festered to the point that stubbornness, pride, anger, hurt and bitterness prevent effective marriage communication.

 Researchers also have identified several major sources of conflict such as:

i.        violent behaviors of husbands,

ii.      lack of cooperation in the family,

iii.    inability to spend enough time together,

iv.    issues related to children and other families,

v.       lack of effective communication,

vi.    and financial problems.

We have various common problems in marriage such as:

v  Communication gap:  Most families complain about the way the spouse treat each other when it comes to communication. Bearing grudges can only lead to worsening the situation. Most men and women are complicated some refuse to bare their mind to the extent that they use silence measure to suffer each other. Lack of communication has caused one partner losing his or her life when in need of the other is urgently needed. Some persons with critical ailment need not to run out of communication, dialogue is the only solution for a happy family.

 

v  Ignominy: Every human being wants to be respected and be treated with high regard. No one enjoys shunning down or disgraced. Showing I don’t care attitude is a big problem in modern day marriage. More especially when the two have a mouth watering job. In this case nobody cares. Caring is the most important thing in marriage. The scripture says wife, be submissive to your husband and husband love your wife (Ephesians 5: 22 - 33). It's not uncommon for one spouse to try to change his or her partner but it should be handled with love and care.

 

v  Lack of Sexual Intimacy and satisfaction: a lot of reasons couples lose interest in sex ranging from medical problems to emotional issues.  Generally, sexual problems trigger a vicious cycle where it’s difficult to want sex when you feel emotionally distant from your partner and it’s difficult to feel emotionally attached without experiencing sexual intimacy. To get past sexual indifference, couples need to discuss and resolve their emotional issues.

 

v  Emotional or Sexual Infidelity: this is a great problem in the family. When a man or woman has no feeling for sex. This is mostly found in a woman that has reached menopause. Most of the time the husband complains and also may go outside for sexual satisfaction. Menopausal women should find a solution to see that they do not deny their husband sex. It is not a guarantee for men to go outside marriage in search of sexual satisfaction. The two should solve their problems together for a lasting solution for a peaceful marriage.

 

v   Fighting About Money: Some families fight for money which may lead to the end of the marriage. Every family should learn how to manage their finance no matter how little it is. When there is love, no matter how little is the money, can be managed. Family should learn to cut their cloth according to their size. The root of all evil is money; in the other way round money brings love, happiness and easy life. Working hard towards making money is also important. Wife and husband should stick together and work hard to make the ends meet. Today’s woman is no longer consumer of wealth but provider of wealth; therefore every woman should look up to a successful marriage.

 

 

v  Selfishness: This is the most dangerous way of life. A selfish husband can never make his wife happy so also applicable to a wife. The family should try to be selfless. This will bring the two together and united in love. The word “Myself” has caused a lot of havoc in the family. We should try to carry along our partner. Learning how to share no matter how small it is, is very important in life. It all begins in the family to train their child not to be selfish, and making the kids realizing the essence of sharing in fact at the cradle.

 

v  Value Differences: Our men must value the women. Treating a woman as a second class citizen is very wrong. For the fact that women are weaker sex men shouldn’t be taken advantage of that. Every woman should accord with respect from the husband. Men should learn that a poor woman today may become rich tomorrow; and what becomes the faith of the man when such happens. Husband should be careful the way he handles his wife. There should be value attached to every woman order wise there should be a problem. In the same vein a woman must value her husband, no matter how rich she is. Looking down on people is totally wrong. No human being is valueless. Everyone is important any time any day. Therefore husband and wife should value each other in other to raise a responsible children in society.

 

v  Different Life Stages:  We all have stages of life in our marriage. Starting from young stage to old stage. Every stage in marriage should be important. No stage should be neglected. Loneliness kills quickly. When the children are left (grown up) the husband and wife are meant to be together. The last stage in marriage is very critical. When the husband is dead it becomes a problem to the wife and also if it is the wife the husband becomes lonely and fragile. This stage is critical and it is expected that the children rally round their parents if the two are still alive. Even if it is one survivor, appropriate care must be given to the person. The person must never be lonely order wise may die or develop certain ailment that may lead him/her to grave. Every stage in married life should be handled with care for a long lasting marriage.

(https://collaborativedivorcetexas.com/ten-common-problems-marriage/)

 

 

RELIGION

 Religion: a system of beliefs, values, and practices related to the sacred, divine, or supernatural, often involving a higher power or powers. Current definition of religion especially those of theological character are usually expressed in terms of belief. Sometimes religion is defined in terms of feeling, and sometimes in terms of conduct or conation, but the popular idea is that religion and belief are identical. James Martineau for instance defined religion as the belief in an ever living God that is a Devine mind and will ruling the universe and holding moral relations with mankind; Bishop Buttler, sees religion as the belief in one God or creator and moral Governor of the world and in a future state of retribution implying immorality and many writers among whom is the philosopher Immanuel Kant have made the belief in immortality the soul basis of religion.

Theology however, is not the only science which identifies religion with belief. Looking at the ethnographical side we find the same mistaken conception as a belief. De’ Quatrefages Letourneau, Topinard, Sir, John Lubbock and Prof. E.B. Tylor to mention only a few of these writers all defined religion in terms of belief. Moreso, Mr Herbert Spencer, calls it "an a priori theory of the Universe” bases religion upon the intellectual elements. It should be agreed that knowledge of belief is an element. In religion as a more or less specific beliefs is an in all religion as specific belief-for instance, the belief in God, in immortality , or in spiritual beings-we not only recognize an intellectual  element in religion but we make religion synonymous with a particular form of belief.

The major religions of the world (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, Taoism, and Judaism) differ in many respects, including how each religion is organized and the belief system each upholds. Other differences include the nature of belief in a higher power, the history of how the world and the religion began, and the use of sacred texts and objects.

(https://www.britannica.com/topic/religion)

Further, Durkheim placed himself in the positivist tradition, meaning that he thought of his study of society as dispassionate and scientific. He was deeply interested in the problem of what held complex modern societies together. Religion, he argued, was an expression of social cohesion.

Religion, for Durkheim, is not imaginary, although he does deprive it of what many believers find essential. Religion is very real; it is an expression of society itself, and indeed, there is no society that does not have religion. We perceive as individuals a force greater than ourselves and give that perception a supernatural face. We then express ourselves religiously in groups, which for Durkheim makes the symbolic power greater. Religion is an expression of our collective consciousness, which is the fusion of all of our individual consciousness, which then creates a reality of its own.

Traditional Religion

In Nigeria, there are three main religions recognized by the people; Christianity, Islam and the Indigenous religion. These religions have differences that have brought about unrest as the tolerance level has got to a point of polarity. The various unrests have led to national insecurity of the country.

African religions, religious beliefs and practices of the peoples of Africa. It should be noted that any attempt to generalize about the nature of “African religions” risks wrongly implying that there is homogeneity among all African cultures. In fact, Africa is a vast continent encompassing both geographic variation and tremendous cultural diversity. Each of the more than 50 modern countries that occupy the continent has its own particular history, and each in turn comprises numerous ethnic groups with different languages and unique customs and beliefs.

Religion today has taken a much-institutionalized form. Its origin has always been debated and discussed today by various scholars. In sociological terms, ‘Religion is a system of sacred belief and practices both in the tangible and intangible form’. Religion can serve the dual role of ideology as well as institution. Today, religion has assumed a more narrow-minded approach. However, understanding religion in the broad sense highlights the following important points about it in society:

Cultural Identity

Religion plays a crucial role for a person in giving a cultural identity. Each religion has festivals, traditions, mythologies which form a part of the tangible and intangible heritage of the country. Thus, religion contributes in order to protect this heritage and also adds to the diversity in the country.

Values and Ethics

Religion helps in creating an ethical framework and also a regulator for values in day to day life. This particular approach helps in character building of a person. In other words, Religion acts as an agency of socialization. Thus, religion helps in building values like love, empathy, respect, and harmony.

Spiritual Connect

People are always on the quest of fulfilling the economic and material pursuits in today’s world. It is the religion which plays a crucial role in establishing our connection to the divine and developing the belief that there is a supreme energy that acts as a regulator in our day to day lives. Thus, the components of prayer, chants, hymns, etc. create the spiritual bond.

The Idea of Welfare

Each and every religion promotes its philosophy and the crux of it has always been the welfare and wellness of the people. For example, in the Sanatana Dharma, there are ideas like Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is a family), Sarve Sukhina Bhavantu (let everyone be happy) which nurture and cultivate love and compassion in the society.

(https://www.tutorialspoint.com/what-is-the-importance-of-religion-in-our-lives)

 

Benefits of Religion

Religion has been a feature of the world for as long as it came into existence. Different religious traditions have played a major role in the evolution of society. This is a look at some of the benefits that the world has received from religion.

The main benefits of religion include:

1.      Teachings of goodwill and the golden rule (do unto others what you want others to do to you)

2.      Promoting ethics and good morals in political, social and economic life

3.      Inner strength and courage to do the right thing always

4.      The message of forgiveness and love

5.      Religious art/music

6.      Instigation of Fear of God

7.      Sense of community and belonging

8.      Selfless Service and regards on others

“Each religion has helped mankind. Paganism increased in man the light of beauty, the largeness and height of his life, his aim at a many-sided perfection; Christianity gave him some vision of divine love and charity; Buddhism has shown him a noble way to be wiser, gentler, purer, Judaism and Islam how to be religiously faithful in action and zealously devoted to God; Hinduism has opened to him the largest and profoundest spiritual possibilities. “ Sri Aurobindo (Essays in Philosophy and Yoga, p.211)

Religion has often been a vehicle for intolerance and fundamentalism; religion has been used as an excuse for persecution and war. But, religion in its purest form has provided many benefits for humanity.

Functions of Religion

The structural-functional approach to religion has its roots in Emile Durkheim’s work on religion. Durkheim argued that religion is, in a sense, the celebration and even (self-) worship of human society. Given this approach, Durkheim proposed that religion has three major functions in society:

i.                     it provides social cohesion to help maintain social solidarity through shared rituals and beliefs

ii.                  social control to enforce religious-based morals and norms to help maintain conformity and control in society

iii.                 and it offers meaning and purpose to answer any existential questions.

iv.                It provides spiritual guidance.

Spiritual Guidance:

v.                  Providing a sense of purpose and meaning.

vi.                Offering guidance on moral and ethical issues.

vii.              Facilitating connection with the divine or transcendent.

viii.            Give community and social support.

Moral Values:

ix.                Establishing moral principles and codes of conduct.

x.                  Shaping individual and collective behavior.

xi.                Promoting social cohesion and cooperation.

Community and Social Support:

xii.              Creating a sense of belonging and identity.

xiii.            Providing emotional support and comfort.

xiv.            Facilitating social connections and networks.

Influence of religion on human behavior and society:

i.                    It helps in Shaping moral values and ethics.

ii.                  Providing comfort and solace.

iii.                It also creates conflict and division.

 Shaping Moral Values and Ethics:

iv.                Influencing individual and collective behavior.

v.                  Informing laws and social norms.

vi.                Shaping cultural values and traditions.

Providing Comfort and Solace:

vii.              Offering emotional support during times of crisis.

viii.            Providing a sense of hope and optimism.

ix.                Facilitating coping mechanisms and resilience.

Creating Conflict and Division:

x.                  Fueling disagreements and disputes over doctrine and practice.

xi.                Contributing to social and cultural divisions.

xii.              Inspiring violence and extremism (in some cases).

Additional Influences of Religion

xiii.            Cultural Expression: influencing art, literature, music, and other creative endeavors.

xiv.            Social Justice: promoting activism and advocacy for social change.

xv.              Personal Growth: facilitating individual development and self-awareness.

xvi.            Interfaith Dialogue: fostering understanding and cooperation between different religious traditions.

 Types of Religion:

Monotheism: belief in one all-powerful deity (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Judaism).

Polytheism: belief in multiple deities (e.g., Hinduism, ancient Greek religion).

Pantheism: belief that the divine is present in all things (e.g., some indigenous religions).

Atheism: lack of belief in any deity or higher power.

Agnosticism: uncertainty or doubt about the existence of a deity or higher power.

Marx and the “Opiate of the Masses”

Karl Marx argues that religion works to calm uncertainty over our role in the universe and in society, and to maintain the status quo.

One of the most frequently paraphrased statements of Karl Marx -  , religion is the opium of the people. It was translated from the German original, “Die Religion… ist das Opium des Volkes,” and is often referred to as “religion is the opiate of the masses. ” Taken in context, Marx is arguing that religion was constructed by people to calm uncertainty over our role in the universe and in society.

Early social theorists offered explanations and analysis of religion in terms of the function of religion in society, the role of religion in the life of the individual, and the nature (and origin) of religion. With ‘the social-conflict approach,’ Karl Marx argued that religion plays a significant role in maintaining the status quo. Marx argued that religion accomplishes this by promising rewards in the after-life rather than in this life. By focusing attention on otherworldly rewards, religion pacifies members by providing a worldview that deflects attention that would otherwise be directed at the inequalities of this world.