OHAZURUME draws from the overall ‘ohaka’ (the community is supreme) philosophy and is predicated on the conditions that the matter is tabled openly for discussion, that EVERYBODY is allowed to contribute and that the preponderance of public opinion is upheld as the communal judgement.
Therefore, with this definition in mind, the roles and meanings of both ‘symbols’ and
‘institutions’ should be understood to serve the purpose of life giving structures in the general and common participatory system of Igbo Ohacracy model of governance. This chapter therefore discusses two major symbolic elements of Oji and Ofo; their vital place and role in the development of the Igbo Ohacracy governance tradition. Major institutions of the Dibia (institution of local priests), the Ozo (institution of local title holders or chiefs), the Unions (institution of development organizations) and the Igba-Ndu ritual (religious institution of settlement and reconciliation rites) are discussed among others.
important and recurrent social needs and activities. Family and kinship, social stratification, economic systems and religion are some practical ways to demonstrate institutions.
Through shared experience and social interaction, communities, classes, ethnic groupings, or whole societies can come to be characterized by similarities of values and beliefs as Edger and Rhonda (2000:146) concludes. By institutions a society comes to be known and recognised for its beliefs and customs. For example, the family systems as already noted among the Igbo Ohacracy order of South-eastern Nigeria in chapter 4. Symbolism is a vital tool or element in defining the Igbo Ohacracy order and many other cultures in the African context. While identifying the vital role and place of symbolism in the human culture Ingold (1994:366) states:
…without symbolism there could be no culture. A symbol is an artefact: a
‘thing’ that exists out there somewhere in space and time. As a ‘thing’, a symbol has material reality and is experienced through the senses. It is a
‘thing’ that represents: that is culturally involved in such a way that it can be used in a multiplicity of contexts to convey meaning, not just about itself, but about cultural processes and relationships.
Etymologically speaking, the word symbol came from the Greek σύμβολον (sýmbolon) from the root words συν- (syn-), meaning “together”, and βολή (bolē), “a throw”, having the approximate meaning of “to throw together”, literally a “co-incidence”, also “sign, ticket, or contract” (Harper 2001).
Proverbs in verbal words form part of symbolism. They therefore form a degree of symbolism in acknowledging that which is verbally communicated and is capable to formulate a mental picture while using a physical item/object in the Igbo Ohacracy participatory governance rationality. While commenting and defining proverbial symbolism, Adeyemi (2014:186) writes that proverbs are symbols of communication packed into short sentences or even anecdotes and stories. It is sometimes carved on wood, stone or other materials, or even in songs. Proverbs do also come from and refer to all activities of societies whether natural or unnatural phenomena. It also acts as agent of knowledge, wisdom, philosophy, ethics and morals.
Adeyemi (2014:186) in this case reemphasized that the undeniable nature of proverbs in the traditional African communities, is a kind that poses a re-examination of the pedagogical values. Proverbs also socializes the young into the norms and values of the society and re- positioning them for the challenges for their global world. More so because, a tree that has no
root will soon bow to the force of the wind. Among its functions in the Ohacracy participatory governance, proverbial symbolism serve as vehicle with which socio-cultural and philosophical thoughts underlying social values, issues, ethnic and religion are transmitted across generations (Adeyemi 2014:188). Achebe (1965:6) argues: “Proverbs are the oil with which words are eaten”; a proverbial symbolism therefore not only makes a point, it fixes knowledge in the human mind. Hence, the unquestionable knowledge that proverbial symbolism presents in the Ohacracy governance institutions can only be overemphasized and remains a value aided agent of governance standards.
In a rather philosophical hermeneutics, Madu (1992:xxxii) refers to what philosophers called
“archaic and oriental symbolism” which was previously regarded as important only as a datum in the development of human consciousness. Symbols were then regarded as “primitive and lacking the cogency of reasoning.” In a later meaning or hermeneutics (interpretation) Madu cites Paul Ricoeur and concludes that “religious symbolism is regarded as an adequate representative of a dimension of human consciousness and existence. What is primary44 is the act of interpretation aimed at a complete appreciation of the symbolic” (Madu (1992:52).
This chapter therefore brings to the fore the society’s role as a group to foster development in various Igbo Ohacracy aspects of life. Each Igbo Ohacracy community is designed by tradition, culture and institutional events as a self-governing group who are able to effect group development with little or no support of the present Nigerian political establishments.
To this fact Egboh (1987:1-2) explains that the Igbo communities, with or without financial assistance from government, had succeeded in building education for present and future generations. Projects like scholarships, road constructions and bridges, developing markets and motor parks, hospitals and health clinics have been provided in the communities. These facilities have made the rural areas more attractive to live in, thereby encouraging the growth of cottage industries.
The next section of this chapter proceeds to consider two major Ohacracy symbolic elements among numerous others; namely the “Oji” and “Ofo”; and the Igbo Ohacracy institutions of
44 According to Madu (1992:68) primary symbol relates to Myth, Faith and interpretations. According to him, what expresses belief, what carries the dynamism of belief is not the concept but the symbol. Symbol here does not mean an epistemic sign, but a mythical reality that is precisely in the symbolizing. A symbol is not a symbol of another (thing), but of itself, in the sense of the subjective object. A symbol is the symbol of that which is precisely (symbolized) in the symbol, and which, thus, does not exist without its symbol. A symbol is nothing but the symbol of that which appears in and as the symbol.
participatory governance as they help and shape the activities of human and socio-cultural order in the Ohacracy communities also aids the Catholic Church to find meaning in its evangelical adventure among the Igbo Ohacracy people.