THE PLACE OF INU ENI IN MARRIAGE STABILITY IN AWGU

Abstract

This work studies the place of Inu Eni in the marriage stability in Awgu. Inu Eni is a rite of passage for girls of marriageable age in Awgu whereby young girls were trained on code of conduct in marriage. In Igbo land, Nigeria and the world at large, broken marriages abound. This affects the society negatively as many vices and bizarre behavior became the order of the day for majority of the children from broken homes. Prior to Afro-Western relations, girls were trained on marital etiquette, as regards respect to husbands and the general public during In uEni ceremony. Today, the family and the society are too busy to prepare girls for marriage, and the society is paying the huge price for it. This study is a survey research and it was carried out in Awgu. The population of the study consists of elderly women who participated in this rite and elderly men who saw it all when it was still in vogue in Awgu. Data were collected through oral interviews and scholarly library material relating to the topic. The data collected were analyzed using functionalist theory to highlight the functions of Inu Eni in helping to stabilize marriage as well as reducing the incidence of divorce and separation. The study found out that most broken marriages were caused by absence of patience and endurance between husband and wife. The work also discovered that many of the social vices perpetrated in this generation are mainly from children and or adults from broken homes. The research therefore recommends that girls’ training in the culture of their various communities before venturing into marriage is necessary as many of these girls today are ignorant of dos and don’ts in marriage. This will, to a great extent, help in curbing this social trend of broken marriages.