CHALLENGES OF ODO MASQUERADE CULT TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AKU TOWN: A SOCIO-THEOLOGICAL INQUIRY

Abstract

Odo masquerade cult has remained an entrenched one over the years in Aku town located in South East of Nigeria. The cult is grounded on the belief that Odo as the policeman of the society, the avenger of all evil doers, the custodian of all aspects of culture as well as the giver of all good things and invariably demands to be worshipped by all. Unfortunately contrary to the vision of its founding fathers it has assumed a stubbornly defying force for peace, development and rapprochement among the Aku people in the Nsukka senatorial zone of Enugu State. This ugly trend has become a source of great shame for all right thinking Aku citizen in particular and of Nsukka in general as the modern day adherents of Odo cult have continued to use it to exert unimaginable damage to both corporate and individual good and well-being. Due to its dialectically opposed stance to fundamental developmental paradigm this work seeks to study the challenges of Odo masquerade cult to the entrenchment of sustainable development in Aku town. Literatures and relevant data were gathered to describe the existing problem. The methodology also involved primary data collection through oral interviews as well as the use of survey approach.