Use of Beads in Contemporary Fashion Industry of South-Western Nigeria (Published)
Nigeria is a very rich cultural center. The diversity is one of the major strength the nation has although, it has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, most Nigerians are only concerned about their own ethnic group, which is not good for true patriotism and unity. Most Nigerians have little or no knowledge of other ethnic groups, worse still, little knowledge about their own culture and ethnic extraction. This has become a trend among the younger generation of Nigerian youths who embrace western culture, religion and dressing. This paper explored an aspect of fashion in the Nigerian culture, which is the use of beads to compliment the dressing code in South Western Nigeria.
Keywords: African Culture, Nigerian Fashion, Traditional Beads
Christian Values and African Culture: An Evaluation (Published)
This paper attempts to examine the influence of Christian values on African culture. As a matter of fact African holds certain things to be of great value, e.g. large family, respect for old people, and believe in the existence of gods, e.t.c. It is these values that gave Africans a distinct cultural personality and enable us to make some contributions to the society. The Christian religion on the other hand means for the African fundamental changes in many of his cultural values. The paper argues that the influence of Christianity has caused certain customs and beliefs to be discarded or modified, at the same time it has caused others to be retained by one level of society while on another level new alternatives are being accepted. We argue further that Christian influence on culture has been selective. It has not been systematically complete or effective, for example in the area of human sacrifice, the slave trade, and the killings of twins have been discarded and old and new ideas have been amalgamated in the sphere of religion. Hence the position with one foot in Christianity and the other in tradition poses a serious dilemma for both Christianity and tradition in Africa.
Keywords: African Culture, Christian God, Deities, Religion., Values