Igbo Child Training Versus Western Child Labour: A Comparative Study

Ethel Ebere Obiakor, Ngozi Theresa Onuora, Chinenye C. Olekaibe and Pauline Chinasa Nwizu
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Ethel Ebere Obiakor: School of General Studies Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Owerri
Ngozi Theresa Onuora: Department of Languages/Linguistics/Literary Studies/Theater Arts Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo
Chinenye C. Olekaibe: Directorate of General Studies Federal University of Technology, (FUTO) Owerri
Pauline Chinasa Nwizu: School of General Studies Department of Languages and Humanities Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Owerri

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2025, vol. 9, issue 4, 3706-3718

Abstract: There are different strokes for different folks. This is typical of Igbo concept of child training taunts by the Western world as child labour. Among the Igbo, child training begins early from the family. Children grow up following their parents: understudying their day to day activities which prepare them for the task of adulthood. Being mostly agrarian people, Igbo families’ father, mother and children all take part in the farms and the daily house chores. A setting and knowledge the Western world describes as informal education. On the other hand, such belief and orientation are seen as inhuman tag as child labour whose law dates back centuries ago domesticated by Nigeria. This law put to question the Igbo idea of preparing their younger ones for tomorrow and maintaining family trait. This work looks into the early childhood of Igbo children, its import, why informal education? And the Western child labour. The work establishes that the Western notion of Child labour is nothing but the Igbo means of engaging, observing and inculcating early in their children the importance of being useful in life. The work shows that the word child labour is non-existence in the Igbo worldview rather it forms part of their training to contribute to the growth of the family and the society. It also proves that the Western child labour mentality breeds truancy, non-committal to the family growth and bonding, lacks foundation of life and unhealthy to the family and society at large

Date: 2025
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