TRANSFORMATION OF IGBO CULTURAL IDENTITY FROM THE PRE-COLONIAL TOPOST-COLONIAL ERA

Author

Ejiofobiri Chidimma Anthonia
Department of Igbo, African & Comm. Studies
Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka

Abstract

This paper examines the transformation of Igbo cultural
identity from the pre-colonial period through colonial
disruption to the post-colonial and contemporary era. It
argues that Igbo identity has not been erased but
fundamentally reconfigured through processes of
cultural negotiation, adaptation, and resistance. Drawing
on postcolonial theory and African cultural scholarship,
the study explores how colonialism, Christianity, and
Western education reshaped indigenous institutions,
belief systems, and social structures. The paper
demonstrates that contemporary Igbo identity reflects a
hybrid formation, where traditional values coexist with
modern influences. Ultimately, the study positions Igbo
culture as dynamic and resilient rather than static or
declining. Through emphasis in relation to loss, this
paper contributes to a broader interrogation within
African historiography and cultural studies offering more
different understanding of how indigenous societies
while maintaining core elements of their cultural
heritage.

References

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