The people of Ekinobo community in Apara Kingdom, Ikwerre ethnic nationality of Rivers State, have raised the alarm over the growing disregard for a longstanding traditional prohibition against keeping female dogs, warning that the practice and other aspects of their cultural heritage are being undermined by urbanisation, the influx of strangers and increasing Western influence.
The concern was highlighted during a cultural orientation programme organised by the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Gift Eziwhuo Johnson, Eze Ohna Apara IV, and the Chiefs-in-Council for members of the Culture and Tourism Community Development Service (CDS) group of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The corps members visited the traditional institution to learn about the customs, traditions and laws of their host community, understand local cultural sensitivities and avoid conduct that could offend indigenous values.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for the Apara traditional institution to seek closer collaboration with the NYSC in promoting cultural awareness, mutual understanding and peaceful relations between corps members and their host communities.
Speaking during the visit, the leader of the Culture and Tourism CDS group, Dominic Umoh, said the initiative was intended to familiarise corps members with the cultural values of their host communities and preserve such knowledge for future generations.
He noted that understanding local traditions was particularly important because corps members could eventually establish lasting personal and family relationships with people from the communities where they served.
“We might get married to somebody from here, so there is a need for us to understand their culture. We are here to know the dos and don’ts of the Ikwerre people,” he said.
Lectures on Iwhuruoha, popularly known as Ikwerre, culture and traditions were delivered by Eze (Dr) Chibuike Wali, Darlington Wigwe, Prof. Nmecha Akani and Chief (Dr) Chinedu Amadi.
Commending the corps members for their interest in the kingdom’s heritage, Eze Johnson, who spoke through the Palace Spokesman, Chief Chinedu Amadi, described the programme as worthwhile and successful. He said chiefs from different parts of Apara Kingdom attended to demonstrate their support for the initiative.
According to him, the corps members were briefed on several traditional practices, including the prohibition against keeping female dogs and certain customary rites associated with deaths occurring on particular days, especially a day known locally as Iriagbo.
“We were able to tell them certain things or certain cultures that are permissible in this part of the world. One of the lecturers said female dogs are not allowed in this place. There is also a particular day that if somebody dies, it is taboo. That day we call Iriagbo,” he said.
The monarch emphasised that although cultural practices could be learned, inherited or acquired, people should not condemn the traditions of other ethnic groups or regard their own customs as superior.
He, however, lamented that the growing influence of urbanisation and Western lifestyles had weakened respect for indigenous practices. He identified the alleged disregard for community restrictions and the sale of ancestral lands and shrines as some of the challenges confronting the traditional institution.
On the prohibition against female dogs, Eze Johnson said some strangers residing in the community continued to disregard the restriction, despite its longstanding place in local tradition.
He explained that while the traditional ruler might have ordered the killing of prohibited animals in the past, the community now recognises the need to operate within the framework of modern law and refer alleged violations to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
“In the past, the King would order that it be killed. But in this modern society, you cannot order the killing of the female dog. Rather, you will report the matter to the law enforcement agency,” he said.
The monarch also expressed concern that indigenous customs were no longer adequately taught in schools and that the oral histories of the people had not been sufficiently documented.
He warned that the absence of deliberate cultural education and documentation could leave younger generations disconnected from their ancestry and traditional identity.
Eze Johnson further alleged that some residents disregarded customary restrictions on days considered appropriate for giving daughters in marriage, sometimes insisting that such practices did not apply to them because they were not indigenes of the community.
Despite these challenges, he said the traditional institution remained committed to preserving Apara Kingdom’s cultural identity and ensuring that its customs were not lost to successive generations.
“Everybody is now embracing the Western way of life. Nobody cares. Sometimes, you see some people selling ancestral land and shrines. This was not done in the past. God has been on our side. We are doing everything possible to ensure that our culture remains,” he said.
The development comes amid renewed calls for cultural awareness and national integration through the NYSC scheme. In October 2026, the NYSC Rivers State Coordinator, Mr Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to promote positive cultural practices, peaceful coexistence and unity among Nigerians of diverse backgrounds during a cultural carnival for 2026 Batch C Stream I corps members.
The Apara engagement underscores the importance of cultural orientation in communities experiencing rapid social change. It also highlights the need for traditional institutions, schools, youth organisations and government agencies to work together to document indigenous knowledge and encourage respect for cultural differences.
For Apara Kingdom, the challenge is not merely to preserve old customs, but to ensure that its history and cultural identity remain understood by younger generations while adapting to the demands of contemporary society.
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