Traditional rites to mark the transition of individuals
from one stage of life to another are conducted in many African traditional society.
Similar rites are also found in several parts of the world outside Africa. (E. Ikenga-Metuh 1987;197).
Initiation rites have significant implications for
the life of individuals and the community at large. They involve different
aspects of life, including the psychological, social, economic and political.
(Ejizu 2010). The religious
dimension is clearly important as traditional African people relies on the
supernatural power and divine authority of ancestors and other spiritual
being to validate their worthwhile activities and to ensure the lasting
success of their initiation proceedings.
Prior to the advent of Western pattern schools in most African communities,
initiation rituals provided the most effective avenue for socialization and
transmission of key beliefs and values of the community to successive
generations. Against the background of the oral culture of traditional African society, people relied on such oral media as speech-forms, dramatic
performances, and ritual symbolic forms to communicate their important beliefs
and values to members of the community. The sacredness and mystery that often characterized the initiation ceremonies makes it favorable for
the effective communication of the accumulated wisdom of the people, including
the ideal of harmonious living in the community.
Benjamin Obeghare Izu
Doctorate Student
University of South Africa
