AGE GRADE SYSTEM IN AVUVU, IKEDURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, IMO STATE , 1964-1974.

OPARAOCHA, ELVIS .D. OLUCHUKWU (2026) AGE GRADE SYSTEM IN AVUVU, IKEDURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, IMO STATE , 1964-1974. Other thesis, GODFREY OKOYE UNIVERSITY, ENUGU.

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Abstract

This study examines the age grade system in Avuvu community, Ikeduru Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria, 1964–1974. It investigates the structure, formation, functions, and evolution of age grades as indigenous institutions of social organization, focusing on their roles in governance, social control, cultural preservation, and post-war reconstruction following the Nigerian Biafra war (1967–1970). The study employs a historical methodology, drawing on oral interviews with elders, traditional leaders, and culture custodians in Avuvu, alongside archival materials from the National Archives Enugu (NAE) and relevant secondary sources. Findings show age grades served as the backbone of Avuvu's social organization, mobilizing labor for community projects such as road construction, market maintenance, and school building; enforcing social norms and resolving disputes; preserving cultural traditions through festivals and ceremonies; and coordinating post-war reconstruction. The research documents the impact of colonialism, Christianity, Western education, urbanization, and migration on the age grade system, demonstrating its resilience and adaptability. The reappearance of the Ekeala mask in 1974 symbolized the restoration of communal identity after the disruptions of war. The study argues that age grades are a vital indigenous institution that has navigated tradition and modernity, contributing to African social history and providing a historical record for Avuvu and future generations.

Item Type: Thesis (Other)
Subjects: D History General and Old World > D History (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Arts > Faculty of Law > Faculty of Management and Social Sciences > Faculty of Education > Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences
Depositing User: CHIBUEZE EZE
Date Deposited: 20 Aug 2026 10:51
Last Modified: 20 Aug 2026 10:51
URI: http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/6287

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