PHYSICAL SOCIAL DISTANCING: A THREAT TO ỌMABALA-IGBO- AFRICAN COMMUNALISM DEEPLY ROOTED IN IGWE BỤ IKE

Abstract

The study surveys the Ọmabala-Igbo people's communal lifestyle which is threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic’s rule of maintaining physical social distancing. The Ọmabala people's communal and social lifestyle is deeply rooted in the Igbo philosophy that says, ‘to live is to socialize,’ backed up with another Igbo social philosophy that says, ‘majority is strength-igwe bụ ike.’ The study sets out with the objective of exposing the danger of contracting Covid-19 to the people. At the same time urging and encouraging them on the importance of keeping to the safety measures. The study is not concerned with the story of origin, myths and realities of Covid-19, rather it sets out to pacify the people to hold on with their social life, that Covid-19 like a stranger will soon out-stay its welcome and leave. On this note the study is propagating the philosophy that one has to be alive in order to socialize. The area of study is on the threat on the social life of Ọmabala people by the Covid -19’s rule of maintenance of physical social distance. The data for the study are sourced through observation, library as well as internet. Psychological Theory is adopted for analysis of the study, to expose the depth of Ọmabala people’s state of helplessness in their new lifestyle as result of fighting to stay alive in the Covid-19 pandemic. At the end of the study the findings revealed that one of the Covid-19’s safety measures of maintenance of physical social distancing has inflected untold harm to the social, economical, and cultural existence of Ọmabala people. That it has brought the new culture of individualism and fear of one another as the people are trying to follow the rule in order to stay safe and stay alive. The study would be of great value to the general public, mostly to the teachers, students and researchers with keen interest in the study of the Ọmabala people's condition in their communal and social lifestyle as they are to keep the Covid-19’s rule of maintaining physical social distance.