The Social Relevance of Indigenous Education as a Panacea
to Communal Development and Transformation among the
Indigenous Iruekpen People of Esan Society in Edo State,
Nigeria

Dr. Enato; Lucky Success Ehimeme (PhD)

doi:https://doi.org/10.56201/ajha.v6.no1.2022.pg72.89

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The Social Relevance of Indigenous Education as a Panacea to Communal Development and Transformation among the Indigenous Iruekpen People of Esan Society in Edo State, Nigeria

Dr. Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme (PhD)

Abstract

Iruekpen community stands among other communities in Esan society. Before the coming of the Christian missionaries and colonial officials, Iruekpens had their own workable education, which was indigenized and productive in meeting all round needs of the community. The educational system prevalent at the time was it that every member of the community placed high value and emphasis. Thus, patriotism, communalism, respect, honesty, communalism, industriousness, creativity, innovation, inventiveness and spirit of neighborliness and so forth become the characteristic hallmarks of every member of the community. This paper, therefore, examines the social relevance of Iruekpen indigenous education as a panacea to her development and transformation in the period. Again, it examines how the aim of indigenous Iruekpen education is to produce an individual who is skilled, supportive, respectable, and honest and conforms to the social norms of the community. The education structure taught the Iruekpen child to have a sense of belongingness, which thus patterns a child toward an effective and desirable life in the community. It depicts the peace and harmony prevalent at the time whereby unemployment, laziness and corruption were never visible all because every child was educationally equipped in his/her career and vocation. It concluded by recommending that value developments education should be included in all curriculum of education at all levels. Likewise, parents should be role models for their children. The methodology adopted in the writing of this paper is the historical method. The main sources for this study will be primary and secondary sources. The primary sources constitute documents, oral traditions, and field notes. The secondary source is a work of historical reconstruction based on the interpretation of primary sources. Examples of secondary sources include scholarly journal article, encyclopedia, dictionaries, interpretation of a diary, biogr

Keywords

Social RelevanceEducationPanaceaCommunal DevelopmentTransformationIndigenous IruekpenEsan Society

References

Aibanegbe, E. Grace. Personal Communication. 80 years; Female; Iruekpen Community; Minister of God / Trader; 23 June, 2021. Airidu, Ayo. Personal Communication. 85 years; Female; Iruekpen Community; Farmer/Trader, 12 June 2021. Airoboman Joyce Alegbejie. Personal Communication. 90 years; Female; Iruekpen Community; Minister of God / Trader; 15 July, 2021. Akinbode, A. Geography of Ekpoma, Ekpoma: EDSU Press, 1983. Alexandra Esimaje, Eddy Erhagbe, Innocent Umejesi and Anthony Okoduwa. Benin: Olivetree Census of Nigeria 1931, Volume III. London: Mill Bark, 1931. David, E. Apter. The Politics of Modernization, Chicago: The University Press, 1965. Eboigbe, Thomas Ighalo. Personal Communication. 94 years; Male; Iruekpen Community; Herbal Practitioner, 6 May 2021 Egharevba, Jacob U. A Short History of Benin. 4 th Ed. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press, 1968. Ehimeme, Greatness Ehichioya. “Trade and Economic Activities in Esan Society in the 19 th Century”, Masters of Arts, Department of History, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, 1997. Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme and Oseghale, Bendrift Efosa. A Recaptured History of Iruekpen People, in Esan Society of Edo State, Nigeria-Ikotun-Lagos: Akinyemi Printing Press, 2018 Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme. “Educational Imperativeness in a Changing Traditional Esan Society: An Example of Iruekpen Community”, Unpublished Master Thesis Seminar Presentation, Department of History, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, January 16, 2004. Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme. “Our Education, Our Heritage: Iruekpen Indigenous Education Reflecting Change and Transformation” Unpublished Seminar Presentation, Master of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 2004 Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme. “The Functional Roles of Divinities in Iruekpen?s Socio- Political and Religious Growth and Development in the Period before the Europeans Incursion”, Unpublished Master of Arts Seminar Presentation, Department of History, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, January 16, 2004. Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme. “The Social Relevance of History Education as a Panacea to National Development and Transformation in Nigeria”. Perspectives on the Humanities. Ed. Alexandra Esimaje, Eddy Erhagbe, Innocent Umejesi and Anthony Okoduwa, Benin City: Olivetree Publishing Ventures, 2017. Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme. “Western Education and Social Change among the Esan People of Edo State, Nigeria”, Unpublished PhD Seminar Presentation, Department of History, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, January 16, 2014. Enato, Lucky Success Ehimeme. “Western Education and Socio-Economic Change In Colonial Esan, Edo State, Nigeria” Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of History and International Studies, Ambrose Alli University, November 2021. Esene, Esene Philip. The Great- grand father to the writer whose diary is enriched in furnishing about the pre-colonial and colonial aspects and episodes of Iruekpen and Esan history. He lived up to the age of 112 years in 1972. Ibhagbosoria, Timothy Odion. Personal Communication. 88 years; Male; Iruekpen Community; Traditional Healer, 6 June 2021. Ighodalo, Dairo James. “Chronicles and Learning in Ancient Esan Kingdom”, Unpublished Seminar Presentation, Master of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 2004. Intelligence Reports on Ishan Division of Irukpen Community, N.A.I. Ishan Div. File C.B. 2678, 1908. Itua, Oare Solomon. Personal Communication. 82 years; Male; Iruekpen Community; Artisan/Court Historian, 6 June 2021.

The Social Relevance of Indigenous Education as a Panacea to Communal Development and Transformation among the Indigenous Iruekpen People of Esan Society in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Keywords

References

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