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Oct 28, 2022Keywords:
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Achieving community and national unity through the <i>Odjema</i> incarnate Spirit Dance of Eghwu-Urhobo
Abstract
This paper upholds the opinions of J.P. Clark (1981) and Onyejekwe (2008), who contend that drama is inherent in the incarnate spirit performances of African traditional festivals. These performances are rich with music and various elements of drama. Findings show that there are religious as well as social dramatic performances in Urhobo festivals. The Odjema annual festival of Eghwu kingdom is an example of the presence of drama in traditional dance performances among the Urhobo people of Nigeria. The paper also posits that beneficial culture can be secularized and distinguished from traditional religious acts and beliefs that cause acrimony and crises among people of differing faiths. Such culture can be transmitted without religious affiliation in order to promote unity. When the aesthetic and literary features of culture are separated from the religious, such elements can serve as programmes for community and national unity among people of different religions.
