A. It takes an African village to bring up and socialize the child into the community. Nothing illustrates this more than the fact that children are sometimes allowed to spend holidays with relatives such as aunts, uncles or grandparents who live far away from home. The children are shown in a practical way the nature of kinship and the extent of familial and kinship relations. They get to know that they are part of a wide network of relatives, who are as important as the immediate family off rather, mother and siblings. Such networks are useful in case of calamities when a child loses one or both parents and is forced to relocate to live with relatives who will be responsible for his or her upbringing. The parents exhibit less of the possessiveness over children that characterizes Western society.
B. That adolescence brings with it challenges that ought to be handled carefully is appreciated by the society. Indeed, the initiation ceremonies that mark the transition from childhood to adulthood are primarily meant to address some of these challenges. Instructions during initiation focus on conduct and behaviour as well as duties and responsibilities on the part of the initiate for his/her own good and for the interests of the entire community.
C. Kinship and family interests take precedence over individual interests. Young people who go through the process of initiation from childhood to adulthood arc taught that life is worth living because the society is there for them in good and bad times. Those bond together are of the same age-grade. 'They have come of age as a group, been taught the historical information about the cultural group and its rituals, and been united by the rite that they have all gone through. In due course, they are supposed to marry and start raising a family. With the passage of time they in turn will become elders, taking over from the generation that preceded them in the initiation ceremony. Kinship networks are still a significant factor in the contemporary economy and politics. Waged employment is heavily influenced by familial and kinship tics.
D. Seniority in age is respected and admired because old age is associated with wisdom. Senior citizens therefore are accorded due respect in the light of the fact that they arc custodians of societal values. Their counsel is usually sought during times of crisis. They should not be argued with because their curse could ruin ones future. However, the respect and admiration also comes with certain responsibilities. As an elder an individual is supposed to be unemotional, sober and focused during a crisis or stressful times. As an arbiter an elder has to be candid and sincere in providing counsel. Also, as either father and grandfather, or mother and grandmother, the elder is supposed to be above partisan differences for his word and counsel to be accorded due respect and recognition. He is not supposed to engage in gossip. Thus while in general seniority is synonymous with honour, respect, admiration and wisdom, it is one's ability to manifest these qualities in old age that gives an individual elevated status in society.
E. Families strive to take good care of senior citizens because it sets a good example for young children. By treating their elders well, parents send a message to their children that they too would like to be accorded that honour, respect and good treatment in old age. Indeed, one of the important reasons for procreation in traditional society was to have somebody to look after you in old age. Children brought up well were considered an asset. It was considered rude for a young man to sit down while an old person was standing. The young person was supposed to give up a scat for the old person as a sign of respect. The parents themselves must set a good example by respecting and taking care of their own parents. When children see that their grandparents are treated well, they learn by example that they too are expected to take care of their parents in old age.
F. The elder is the pillar of both the nuclear and the extended family. Being the eldest living male descendant of the eldest son of the founder of the Un cage, he is the Un between the living and ancestors. He is supposed to unite the family so that the unity survives his death. He reinforces kinship ideology, maintains peace and presides over family gatherings, during which period he keeps members within bounds by insisting on customs, laws and traditional observances. He helps tosoda Uzc members of the family, immediate and extended, into the ways of the group. He represents the family whenever there arc communal lineage meetings. In this way elders unite family and kinship members. In their oral will, in the presence of other elders, they provide guidance on how land will be parceled out among family members, appeal for unity among family and kinship members and pass the baton of leadership to the next patriarch of the family. Thus, all members of the society take socialization seriously. That role transcends age and gender. This is because socialization contributes to cohesion.