Reviving Ancestral Cultural Heritage for Social Cohesion and Peace Building: A Study of the Okonko Traditional Men’s Society in Umuagu Clan, Umuaha North Local Government Area of Abia State,

The study focuses on reviving ancestral cultural heritage for social cohesion and peace building in Umuagu clan, in Umuaha North Local Government Area of Abia State in Nigeria. This study centres on the activities of the Okonko traditional men’s society. The Okonko men’s society helped to maintain peace and peaceful co-existence among the people. Functionalist theory was adopted and so respondents were purposively selected from the four (4) communities of Umuagwu clan. These respondents were interviewed and were revealed that modernization and urbanization changed the activities and functions of the Okonko. So many youths and Adults have abandoned the cultural practices and embraced foreign culture. It was also revealed that Christianity adversely affected the activities of the Okonko traditional men’s society in Umuagu clan. Based on these findings we recommended that cultural studies should be encouraged and incorporated into the educational curriculum from primary schools to secondary school. Secondly, the members of the Okonko should be allowed to participate in festivals and ceremonies, so that the youths will be acquainted with their culture.