TABOO AND WOMEN EDUCATION (CASE STUDY OF OWERRI NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF IMO STATE) (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
The study is on taboo and women education in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. The purpose is to examine whether taboo affects women education. The study used the cross-sectional survey design and sampled 250 respondents in Emii town in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. The study generated five research questions and two hypotheses. The study collected data using a structured questionnaire designed by the researcher and validated by the research supervisor. Statistical procedures of mean and chi-square were used to analyse the data obtained. Results showed that some common taboos in Owerri North are incestuous acts, marrying osu and eating of some animals. Also it was gathered that some taboos affect women by subjecting them to some ill-treatment. The study recommended among other things that parents should teach their children Igbo tradition early enough. Again taboos should be included in Igbo language curriculum taught in schools. The study therefore conclude that taboo has significant effect on women education in Owerri North.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Human behaviour is not only governed by rational decision making, sometimes often have shared values and standards of acceptable behaviour that members of the society are encouraged to follow. A culture of a society guides the behaviour and the thoughts of their members by agreed upon expectations and rules. The list of behavioural guidelines is typically referred to as social norms, while the unacceptable behaviours are tagged taboos (Fershtman, 2011).
A taboo is a prohibition against a certain act for moral or religious reasons. The word ‘taboo’ came from the Polynesian language where it means a religious restriction, or to break which would entail or attract some automatic punishment (Douglas, 2009). In simple terms, a taboo is a prohibited act.
Taboos were introduced to regulate the moral order of the society. They took their origin from the fact that people discerned that there were certain things which were morally approved or disapproved by the deity (Chukwuka, 2012). These are not contained in any written law but are preserved in the tradition. Taboos and superstitions were often regarded as integral part of traditional education. Taboos are put in place to safeguard the earth. Ekpunobi and Ezeaku (1990) opined that taboos are central to the socialization process, and thus ensure public peace, unity and stability of the society. In religious taboos, the forbidden item is believed to be unclean or sacred, and the taboo is imposed for protection against the item’s power. Violation of these prohibitions is considered moral, spiritual and social pollution of the land, requiring appropriate ritual for the purification of the offender and the community in order to appease the earth goddess (Obika, 2013).
