JOURNALS

ABSTRACT

This research work title: “Oath-taking in Ibibio Traditional Society” critically assesses oath as an indispensable instrument in settling of disputes in Ibibio Traditional Society. An oath is taken to ensure that the parties of an agreement fulfill their assigned roles. In traditional oath taking, deities and ancestors are called to be witnesses to the agreement. Oath –taking is a form of ritual treaty designed to ensure transparency in dealing with one’s neighbour and ensure that people live according to the tenets enshrined in the custom of the community. It was one means of establishing truth and guilt and of discouraging lying and other evils in the community. This research work adopts the analytical, historical and descriptive methods. This reesearch maintains that conflicts are sometimes resolved without sustaining peace, especially when resolved using western/modern method of conflict resolution characterized by litigation. Hence the traditional Africans appear to have more confidence in traditional way of conflict resolution than the western method, because the traditional methods insist on the truth, honesty and fairness. Its quest for truth, preventive potency, and reconciliatory values made it very unique, more result oriented, and desirable by the traditional African society. This work recommends that our political leaders, community leaders and other looking for offices should be sworn in into office with the symbols of the gods like cutlass, ayei, red, black and white clothes respectively, these instruments should be adopted for oath taking in place of Bible and Quran and that swearing in of members into public offices should be done by tested and trusted traditional priests of the gods for no society can survive outside its culture.