A photograph from the recent Ojude Oba Festival of Ijebu Ode, South West Nigeria, has generated widespread debate. At the centre of the discussion is a woman confidently smoking a Cuban cigar during the celebration.
Beyond the reactions, however, lies a deeper question: What is culture meant to do?
Culture is a living system, not a museum artifact. It should neither remain frozen in time nor change merely because society is changing.
A healthy culture preserves identity, promotes social cohesion, transmits values, and contributes to the flourishing of its people. When cultural practices no longer serve these purposes, they deserve examination. Likewise, not every new trend deserves acceptance simply because it is modern.
The issue is not whether a woman should smoke a cigar. The deeper question is whether cultural celebrations should merely reflect individual expression or intentionally reinforce values that benefit the wider community.
The best cultures are dynamic enough to adapt and principled enough to endure. They change not for the sake of change, but because the change serves the greater good of the people.
Perhaps the real test of a healthy culture is not whether it resists change or embraces it, but whether it helps people and communities flourish.
What do you think: Should culture evolve primarily to reflect personal freedoms, or should it preserve and promote collective values?
Tunde Ojo
0 Comments