Philosophical dichotomy in afro-cultural communication: How multiplicity of thought influences perception of the Ekuechi masquerade festivals of Ebiras in Nigeria

Abstract Many societies in Africa are increasingly losing grip on salient cultural and communication practices that have fostered unity, oneness and social cohesion among communities and kinsmen for hundreds of years. This study examined philosophical variances in and around the African culture, particularly the Ekuechi masquerade festival of the Ebiras in north-central Nigeria. The essence was to uncover how and why vibrant and colourful African cultural festivals and heritages like the Ekuechi are declining in popularity, recognition and admiration among present-day members of the society. In adherence to the tenets of the cognitive dissonance theory of communication, this study engaged purposively selected Ebira community members in semi-structured interviews aimed at unearthing the reasons behind the gradual decline in popularity of their Ekuechi masquerade festival, as well as ways in which the illustrious ceremony may be reinvigorated. Findings indicated that factors such as westernization, modernity, foreign religions and migration contribute to the differences in public perception of several ancestral practices among the Ebiras and these divergent views are responsible for poor transmission of salient cultures from generation to generation. The study recommended unified approaches to cultural thinking, and proposed constructive strategies for culture digitization, promotion and archiving, so as to improve historical consciousness among Africans. Key Words: Popular Culture, Philosophical Dichotomy, African Culture, Cultural Communication, African Festivals JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 118-129. © Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON). About the authors * Abdullateef Mohammed is a Ph.D. student of Mass Communication at the National Open University of Nigeria, and an Assistant Lecturer in the Mass Communication Department of the Nile University of Nigeria, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria. He has keen interest in media-effect research, behavioral communication, and entrepreneurial journalism. ** Lateef Adekunle Adelakun, Ph.D., ORCID: 0000-0003-4968-5314, is an Associate Professor and Head, Department of Mass Communication, National Open University of Nigeria, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria. His research focuses on development communication and new media. Article Citation Mohammed, A. & Adelakun, L. A. (2023). Philosophical dichotomy in afro-cultural communication: How multiplicity of thought influences perception of the Ekuechi masquerade festivals of Ebiras in Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 15 (1): 118-129. Full Article Words: 7,838 Pages: 12 To access full article, click on download.