Įgbanwe ųzo echiche onye Igbo - Transforming Igbo mindset/paradigm

Onye ka į bų? Ebee ka i siri malite? Gįnį bų njirimara gį? Ejirimara bų akara aka.
Unfortunately, Igbo people usually define themselves as their profession, job, position or title. But your true identity is your character or value. Values are the first and most important component of culture. Hence our culture is our future.
Culture can be defined as the totality of a people's way of life and worldview passed on from generation to generation. It has four major components namely: value, norms, institutions and artifacts.
Values deal with beliefs and what matters most to a group. For example, stealing and treachery (sabo) are abominations (nso ala) among the Igbo.
Norms deal with expectations and standards of behaviors. Violating norms usually attracts sanctions.
Institutions deal with instruments to maintain peace and harmony and enforcement of sanctions.
Artifacts deal with physical manifestations of the values and norms such as arts, clothing, dance, etc.

Culture defines and distinguishes a people because a people without culture is like a tree without roots.
Every group or society has good or bad aspects. Progressive groups will amplify the positive aspects and change the negative aspects in order to evolve and progress. When the rest of the world was wallowing in the "devine rights" of and worship of Kings (monarchy/feudalism), Igbo people were one of the few societies with democracy and leadership model.

Leadership is far superior to rulership (kingship/monarchy). It still baffles me why any sensible person would abandon a superior model for an inferior model when the rest of the world is now moving to that superior model. It is sheer madness and outright foolishness!

Igbo enwe eze (Igbo has no kings). Igbo culture before the coming of the "Whiteman" or European colonials and until after the civil war was the superior model with many positive aspects such as truth/integrity (eziokwu bu ndu), fairness/justice (mmegbu adi mma), brotherly love (onye aghala nwanne ya), industry/hard work, love of education, freedom, democracy, egalitarianism and republicanism, progress, and a balance between individualism collective interests or community. It is not true that Igbo are solely "individualists".
We need to celebrate the positive aspects while we change the negative aspects of Igbo culture, for example, the "osu" system.
Egalitarian or equality, freedom and progress principles, and Igbo language are the heart of the Igbo person. The real Igbo do not bow to or fear anyone except God. A real Igbo is a free citizen not a "subject" of anyone. Anybody destroying these fundamental Igbo principles and Igbo language is an enemy of the Igbo race. All over the world people are fighting to preserve their culture and have taken measures to do so. The Igbo should do the same. What need changing are the negative items.