Sustaining Oku Heritage: Proverbs as a Tool for Cultural Conservation and Community Empowerment

The present study aims at collecting and translating Oku proverbs literally from the Oku language to the English language as well as establishing the basic truths or intended meanings about them as perceived or conceived by their native users so as to determine whether Oku proverbs can be leveraged for community empowerment and cultural conservation. Only the qualitative approach was used. For this to be realised, some literature related to this study was reviewed, ethnographic fieldwork and participant observation was done alongside interviews with the Oku community members, especially focus generated group discussions and dialogues with some traditional leaders, notables and elders from Oku; followed by a discourse analysis of the proverbs in question. After collecting, interpreting and analysing the data based on some definitions of proverbs related to this study, it was resolved that Oku people put proverbs in perspective as they think deeply before coining their wise sayings based on their daily practical encounters or experiences that in turn serve as life lessons learned or acquired. These wise sayings are deemed necessary to be recounted and passed down to posterity as pieces of advice, moral lessons, instructions, rebukes, far-sightedness, corrections or warning; all intended to inculcate the knowledge and wisdom of individual and community empowerment as well as the urge for cultural conservation. It is hoped that with this knowledge, the Oku indigene will put this to practice in their interpersonal relationships as they evolve and live together so that their community can advance in harmony and their culture prudently enriched and preserved. With these findings, it was concluded that Oku proverbs can be leveraged for community empowerment and cultural conservation as reclaiming Oku proverbs can foster community resilience, promote cultural pride and support sustainable development.