CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

For a proper analysis and understanding of the cultural and historical basis of traditional institution, one has to accept to the fact that every society has its cultural heritage and value. Even in the developed world, modernization has not completely erased the cultural of the people in Nigeria, one of the cultural heritages in traditional institution. It is obvious that, there has been an evolution through the years on places of traditional institutions and the roles they are expected to play in our national development. The above notwithstanding, traditional institution in different peoples in the Nigeria colonial and post colonial Nigeria, the traditional ruler ships institution seems to be the most enduring pre-colonial institution that survived through forms of administration in modern Nigeria.

Traditional rulers or chieftaincy institutions in Nigeria have had a very chequered history. Before the advents of British colonial era, traditional institutions exercised political authority in their respective communities in varying degree as provided by their tradition and custom during the colonial era. The role of traditional institution changed radically they became prime face rulers of their institution or communities under district commissioner, in the present Nigeria, the relevance and importance of traditional institution have been fluctuating. It is against this backdrop that this work tends to analysis the salient roles performed by traditional institution in national development and also to bring to limelight the relevance or otherwise of traditional institution to nation building in the present day Nigeria with particular reference to Umudim in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo state.