Virginity In The Old Testament And Contemporary Nigerian Society

The subject of sex and everything related to it particularly as it bothers on the issue of virginity is always treated with caution because of its sensitivity in marital life. Previous Existing studies on Virginity as a concept and tradition in the Tiv thought have been approached from historical, psychological and medical perspectives with little attention paid to its religious dimension. Therefore, this work examined the virginity in the Old Testament and Contemporary Nigerian society. Hence, the study evaluated the practice of Tiv Thought System on Virginity, its place in the past and in the contemporary time in the contexts of growing moral challenges of chastity and prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases as well as HIV/AIDS.

The study was premised on the Jeremy Bentham"s utilitarian ethical theory which was beefed up with data generated through oral interview with 100 people comprising 60% female and 40% male respondents and observation. The data was descriptively analysed. Consequently, it is discovered that the practice of virginity is gradually fading away due to exposure of the young men and women to western culture that is characterised by nudity, sex film and pornography through uncensored social media. Therefore, the work recommends the revival and religious and secular teachings related moral values, sex ethics, dignity of man and woman and sanctity of sex, which have a long way to preserving and observing the culture and tradition of female virginity in the contemporary Tiv society.

Introduction

1.1 Background Of The Study

The word "virginity" first appeared in the 13th century, most frequently in reference to a young woman who has never had sexual intercourse with any man. This does not mean that only heterosexual young women are virgins. Anyone who has never had sexual intercourse, male or female, can be considered a virgin. Virginity is associated mostly with girls for two reasons. First, virginity traditionally has been, and still is, viewed form society"s dominant male and heterosexual perspective. A girl is considered to have lost her virginity only when a male organ has penetrated her. The second reason is because a girl"s hymen is ruptured which is associated with bleeding, which has long been considered as an evidence of sexual intercourse, (Annie Leah& Michael A. Sommers, 2000). Physical health and the emotional well-being of a person represent the central components of a person"s sexual health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As defined by the WHO in 2002: Sexual health is a point of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being of a person related to sexuality; it is not absolutely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive, respectful and proper approach to sexuality and sexual relationship, and also the possibility of having pleasure and protected sexual experiences which is free of coercion, discrimination and violence from the other partner.

Throughout human history a women"s life was said to have depend on her virginity. A woman who loses her virginity before getting married legally was punished: she was not honored, her family loses honor, no man wanted to marry her and in different cases she was killed. It did not matter if she lost her virginity voluntarily, or if she was raped. Women who lost their virginity when they were not yet married were denied the right to their family inheritance. This made life extremely difficult for them and as a result of that, many of these women ended up in prostitution. In most parts of the world, till today there are known as "honor crimes." Women who lose their virginity before marriage, whether she lost it voluntarily or if she was raped, she can be beaten or killed by the family. Justification for this was that her father, brother or another male relative thinks she has done an abominable thing "not fair". According to the "Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini" (a 15th century Law instituted in Northern Albania), which was used by Albanians until the beginning of the 20th century because of lack of state laws," if a girl refuses a person that has proposed and there are no intensify circumstances she must therefore, remain a virgin till she dies".

The first institution of learning is the family where moral values are learnt. Once these moral tenets are properly taught and strictly upheld in childhood, the process of transiting from adolescence to adulthood, they would treasure, respect and acknowledge these social values which must be brought to play on national life and there would be absolute peace in the society.

It is a fact that knowledge about human sexuality, reproductive health, and sexual ethics remains a veritable tool for a sustainable family. The child has to be protected against the abuse of sex and be helped to form the right sex habits from the very start. Sex is good, it is powerful but sex needs to be controlled and taken at the right time. In view of the above, sex education should create an awareness filled with respect for marriage and virginity (Igyeseh 84).

1.2 Statement Of The General Problem

Virginity in the Old Testament was seen as a thing of pride and people strive to remain virgins before marriage but regrettably that has not been the case in the contemporary Nigerian society. The menace of sexual rascality hand the low level of sexual abstinence has been a major problem especially for the Nigerian youth. the moral decadence in the Nigerian society has led to the high level of disvirginity as youths have thrown caution to the wind and has attached little or no importance to virginity as before marriage, this has affected several young marriages as the issue of trust has always reared its ugly head thus leading the broken homes and high level of divorce in the society.

Post-modern Tiv society has witnessed a decay in its moral culture. There is a sharp decline in morality and religious values. In their place there is a new culture of immorality, pornography, incest, lesbianism, homosexuality, nudity, and lewdness. These are all foreign to the Tiv culture and have impacted negatively on the Tiv society. Trust and responsibility have been pushed aside and in their stead, a new culture of unfaithfulness and lack of respect has suddenly become the order of the age.

However, among the Tiv of Central Nigeria, so many scholars have concerned themselves about some issues of academic interest based basically on their area perspectives. For example, Shagbaor Francis Wegh in his book titled, Between Continuity and Change: Tiv Concept of Tradition and Modernity asserts that chastity was a responsibility of parents to children and therefore the society cannot hold the children responsible for a contrary act (60). He was talking from a sociological perspective, thereby, leaving the religious import into the matter.

Similarly, TyughAbeghe narrated the socio-political ordeal of the Tiv in his book titled, The Tiv and Tiv Riots, focused on both remote and immediate factors that aggravated the Tiv riots that eliminated human capacity and scattered the economic means of the Tiv since 1960 and the spillover of that downgrade economy up to the present contemporary society but did not hinge on the religious life of the people (6482).

Relatedly, Dominic VaachiaYuhe, writing on The Encounter of Tiv Religious and Moral Values with Catholicism in the Time of "Secularisation", maintained that through their catchesis, the missionaries got rid of the cohesion and the balance of the traditional beliefs and the mystical powers of men. The culmination of this kind of descaralisation is that the world will be gradually deprived of its sacral character as man and nature become the object of rational-causal explanation, where man will become independent of his traditional religion and live by reason, face to face with objectified physical nature (iii-iv).

Yuhe had a glimpse of the long term implication of this religious consciousness but little effort was made in his explanation to lay bare the religious implication of abandoning the religious undertone of abandoning the concept of virginity in Tiv religion.

Again, Alfred Akawe Torkula in his book titled, The Cosmology in Tiv world
View, elaborated on some critical institutions in Tiv cultural heritage like witchcraft (tsav), faires (adzov), justice (Swem), sacred Tiv music and dance, but failed completely to discuss the religious symbolism and social implication of the cult of virginity (Ikyoor) (6-9).

Furthermore, in his article in the Tiv in Central Nigeria, Philip Terdoo Ahile discusses the "socio-political challenges facing the Tiv in Nigeria" with emphasis on the problems of rebellion, aggression, domination, identity and economy. He called for the promotion, preservation and celebration of the totality of Tiv cultural heritage and history, through publications, conferences, symposia and sustained campaigns involving all Tiv (1-11).

Much recent is yet another work on the Tiv by MvendagaJibo titled Elite Politics in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, 1993-2014. He vividly captured the prime movers of politics and the challenges of leadership in Tivland as well as the challenges of interethnic politics in Nigeria but failed to look at the religious aspects (157).

Therefore, this research attempts to close the gap in scholarship by taking the aspect of religious practices as regards their impact on Tiv society and the society in general. The overall expectation is that there shall be a wholistic approach to paradigms of socio-religious integration and moral development of the people.

1.3 Aim And Objectives Of The Study

The main aim of this work is examining virginity in the Old Testament and contemporary Nigerian society. To achieve this, the objectives are to:

Identify Tiv thought system on virginity.

Analyse the thought system from a religio-ethical point of view.

Bring to light, the benefits of observing the ethics of virginity among the Tiv

Make recommendations that will help the society in dealing with some of the contemporary health challenges.

1.4 Methodology

This thesis is divided into two parts, namely data collection and data analysis.
This is explained as follows:

1.4.1 Data Collection Procedure

Information needed for this research were generated through oral interview and observation. The procedure for generating data took the forms of oral interview and observation.

Oral interview:

The researcher asked questions orally to both literate and nonliterate informants. A total number of 100 respondents were interviewed. 51 were female informants representing 51% of the population while 49 were males representing 49% of the population. These respondents were drawn from 24 farmers, 30 civil servants (educated people) and 29 businessmen and traders. All these were people who are acquainted with Tiv socio-cultural and religious life and were knowledgeable on other related aspects of Tiv ethical life. The design was to obtain as much as possible views that are not based on sentiments.

Observation:

Here, the researcher visited villages and rural communities as well as major towns in Tiv which were selected for investigation, covering atleast the five geo-political zones that make up the local government areas in Tiv. The five geopolitical zones are Jemgbagh, Jechira, Kwande, Sankera and MINDA. Jechira zone has Vandeikya and Konshisha, which the researcher interviewed eight people within Vandeikya Local Government area, Jemgbagh has Buruku, Tarka and Gboko, twenty one persons were interviewed in Gboko. Sankera has Ukum, Logo and Katsina Ala. In this zone, the researcher used Logo and eighteen people were interviewed. Kwande Zone has Ushongo and Kwande itself and nineteen people were interviewed. Finally, MINDA has Makurdi, Guma, Gwer East and Gwer West; the researcher chose Makurdi and thirty two people were interviewed.

The study also used secondary sources drawing materials from books and similarly publications, dictionaries, electronic sources, magazines, newspapers and periodicals; the search through this method has balanced between what has changed and what has remained unchanged, succeeded in stricking a balance thus arriving at a sound conclusion.

1.4.2 Data Analysis

Analysis of data generated through oral interview and observation were carried out descriptively using simple percentages. The two data were integrated into one unified whole so as to enrich the researcher"s interpretation and conclusion. As used in this research, the simple percentage formula is captured thus:

N represents the number of respondents TN represents the total number of respondents

% represents percentage used for the calculation. This is expressed as x %

The data used constitute information generated from 100 people who are natives of Tiv in the fourteen local government areas found in Benue State. All the data generated were analysed using the utilitarian theory.

1.5 Significance Of The Study

This research work is to create awareness to the Africans in general and the Tiv in particular who have the mentality of looking at their culture as inferior. The research will revive the Tiv concept of morality.

This work is significant as it forms the bed-rock upon which other academic endeavours of this nature could dwell upon for further researches in the area of ethics and societal morals. The study is necessary and significant as it serves as a wake-up call in the area of sexual morality to lead the Tiv to behave in accordance with the wishes of a divine authority and also behave in a way that benefits society at large rather than their own narrow self interest.

This work is, therefore, meant to reawaken religious bodies and families in their roles: their complementary roles towards the development of the society seems to be weakened and as such should be checked to enhance a responsible and collective force towards the reinstitutionalisaiton of female virginity in this generation to go down history as a generation of morals. This will be the pride of the world in general,
Africans, Nigerians and the Tiv people in particular.

1.6 Scope Of The Study

This research work is concerned with virginity in the Old Testament and Contemporary Nigerian societyas an aspect of Tiv culture, in Benue state. It is therefore limited to the Tiv society. The study has explored how virginity is regarded among the Tiv to unveil the problem associated with it and the valuable aspects of virginity. It is limited to the fourteen local government areas in Tivland. These are: Buruku, Konshisha, Kwande, Tarka, Logo, Gwer East, Gwer West, Makurdi, Vandeikya, Gboko, Ukum, KatsinaAla, Guma and Ushongo Local Government Areas.
Pre-marital sex was discouraged and virginity observed in the fourteen local governments in Tiv land but within these local governments, Gwer West and East observed with modifications. While the remaining twelve local governments in Tiv used ikyooron young girl"s neck for protecting her virginity until marriage when it will be removed by her husband through igbianjov priestess before the husband could have access to her. In Gwer West and Gwer East, a girl would tie the shell on her neck but when she become of age, the shell could be removed by the Ingbianjov priestess and she will enter Ikyar until the right husband comes for her. This practice was also meant to protect her from violation by unauthorized men. The main religions interacted were Christianity and African traditional religion.

1.7 Organisation Of The Study

The thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter one deals with the general background to the study. While chapter two provides the review of related literature, chapter three is an overview of perspectives on the preservation of virginity in Tiv religion and culture. Chapter four focuses on the importance of ikyôôr cult in the preservation of virginity. Chapter five examines the discontinuity of ikyôôr and its moral effect on Tiv society. Chapter six rounds up with the summary, contribution to knowledge, recommendations and conclusion.

1.8 Theoretical Framework

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory which holds that the morality of an act consists essentially of its utility as a means for attainment of the happiness of man. Happiness in most cases is considered as temporal. In fact, if you wish to know whether an action is good or bad morally, find out whether it is useful or not. If it is useful, it is good, if it is harmful, it is bad (Eboh 45). Some ethicists view utilitarianism as a consequential theory because it generally tends to emphasise the consequences of actions. Within this school of thought the consequences of an act determine its moral value; if it is beneficial to many, then it is good, but if it causes harm to the larger number, then it is bad.

J. Bentham tends to equate happiness to pleasure, claiming that pleasure is that good which is desired by all men while pain is that evil which all men seek to avoid. He therefore argues that one state of affairs is to be considered better then another only if it involves a greater balance of pleasure over pain. For him, good does not concern that which each person pursues and believes to be his own happiness. He suggests that legislators should see it as their duty to strike a harmony between private interest and public interest. Thus Bentham identifies his utilitarian principles with the political affairs of the society (qtd. in Chukwujekwu 56).

Chukwujekwu alludes to J. S. Mill"s version of utilitarianism, which is said to represent the social and altruistic aspect of utilitarianism. Mill maintains that the first principle of utilitarianism is the utility or greatest happiness which holds that actions are right in proportion to the happiness they promote, and are wrong as in the degree to which they tend to promote (qtd. in Chukwujeku 57).

There are, however, two broad dimensions of utilitarianism. The distinction between these two forms of utilitarianism lies in the area of focus. While Actutilitarianism focuses on particular actions, rule-utilitarianism is concerned with rules.

1.8.1 Act-Utilitarianism

This form of utilitarianism holds that what makes an action right is maximising total or average utility. For act utilitarians, the rightness or wrongness of an action should be decided on the basis of the consequences of such an action. Those actions that produce good results, that is, the greatest good for the greatest number, are good, while those that produce evil result, which is pain or unhappiness are evil. Here, as long as an action will produce the best possible results for the greatest number of people, that action should be performed.

1.8.2 Rule-Utilitarianism

This form of utilitarianism holds that the right action is that which is in consonance with those rules which would maximise utility if everybody accepted them. The operational word in this rule is "everybody" and, therefore, any rule that is to be adopted must be that which would be capable of producing useful consequences for the greatest number of people. When such a rule has been adopted, not to obey it would mean to act immorally because there is no justification whatsoever to violate such a rule that is capable of producing the greatest possible good for the greatest number of people (Eboh 46-47).

Preliminary Page(s)

Title

Declaration

Approval

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Table of Content

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background To The Study

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

1.3 Aim And Objectives Of The Study

1.4 Methodology

1.5 Significance Of The Study

1.6 Scope Of The Study

1.7 Organisation Of The Study

1.8 Theoretical Framework

Chapter Two:

A Review Of Related Literature

2.1 The Concept Of Virginity

2.2 The Concept Of Morality

2.3 Virginity As A Moral Act

2.4 Virginity And Religion

2.5 Marriage And Virginity

2.6 Marriage, Celibacy And Virginity (Chastity)

Chapter Three:

Tiv Traditional Thought System On Virginity

3.1 The Tiv Of Benue State

3.1.1 Social Organisation And Political Structure

3.1.2 Tiv Religion

3.2 The Origin Of IkyôôR Cult In Tiv

3.2.1 Initiation Into IkyôôR Cult

3.2.2 The Relevance Of The IkyôôR In The Preservation Of Virginity, Integrity And Honour

Chapter Four:

The Religiocultural Importance Of IkyôôR Cult In The Preservation Of Virginity In Tiv Society

4.1 The Morality Of Virginity In Tivland

4.2 Health Issues In Premarital Sex

4.3 The Moral Issues Associated With IkyôôR In Tiv

Chapter Five:

The Discontinuity Of IkyôôR And Its Moral Effect On The Tiv Society

5.1 The Moral Life Of The Tiv Before The Advent Of Christianity And Civilisation

5.2 The Tiv Society At Present

5.3 Change And Discontinuity Of The IkyôôR Cult

5.4 Moral Effects Of The Change

Chapter Six:

Summary, Recommendations, Contribution To Knowledge And Conclusion

6.1 Summary

6.2 Contribution To Knowledge

6.3 Recommendations

6.4 Conclusion

Works Cited

Appendix

• Theology and Biblical Studies Project Topics and Materials