THE BASSA TRADITIONS AND TRADITIONAL RELIGION: EPITOMES OF UNITY IN AFRICAN SOCIETIES

The traditions and traditional religion of Pre-Islamic and Pre- Christianity societies in Africa were imbued with a lot of virtues that kept delinquent and other behaviours at bay. The traditions

• and traditional religious practices guided and guarded the societies f0f The past. With the- iutrbductioh of alien religions such as 'Cltiistianity and Islam,’theirhytfims'*‘and rhymes‘ofintr'a-and inter­ ethnic relations became'.substantially obliterated/^Traditions and :' traditional religious practices were viewed as heathen and of no relevance in the post-Islamic and post-Christianity era. Reckless disregard to traditions and traditional religious practices abound. This has produced huge negative intra-and inter-ethnic cum inter­ religious results among the diverse cultural groups in Nigeria and indeed in most African societies; leading to communal conflicts between and among ethnic and religious groups. A lot of these fissures, which are results of the influence of these new religions, have become worrisome in most African societies. This is a stark evidence for the neglect of the age-long cherished values of pre- colonial societies. In the quest for political space, for instance, materialistic ethos was replaced with all-long time values of most African societies. An important teaching of the Bassa traditions and traditional practices was chosen in this study to show the nature and pattern of Bassa traditions and traditional religious practices which enhanced security and intra-and inter-ethnic co-existence. The paper, using oral and written sources, shows how this old administrative system, values and norms could be used to tackle security challenges and enhance co-existence in Nigeria and other African countries.