CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF MODERN IRIA TRADITIONAL PRACTICE IN OKRIKA ETHNIC NATIONALITY OF RIVERS STATE.

The study examined conflict of interest and the acceptance of modern Iria traditional practice in Okrika ethnic nationality of Rivers State. In Africa the shift from tradition to westernization is gradually crippling African tradition by making it Archaic, insignificant and of no repute. The study was guided by four research questions and four objectives, utilizing the Modernization Theory of Max Weber (1920), and Frans Uri Boas Cultural Relativism Theory (1942) as the Theoretical Framework. The research design that was adopted for the study is the descriptive qualitative research design that made use of both primary and secondary sources of data. The population of the study is 319,700 for Okrika and 108,300 for Ogu/ Bolo Local Government Areas respectively with the sample size 129 which was drawn from the two Okrika ethnic nationality (Okrika and Ogu/Bolo), using an interview schedule to elicit data from respondents. The Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Key Person Interview (KPI), and Participant Observation (PO) method was applied for data collection, purposive, accidental and snowballing sampling techniques were used to get to respondents, while gathered data was thematically analyzed. The following recommendations were put forward, to restructure or modify Iria from the original pattern by expunging rituals such as entering shrines and ancestral houses, pouring of libation, river bath, pond bath (cleansing) dancing with masquerade and being chased by masquerade, Culture and traditional practice/ ceremonies should be integrated fully into the school curriculum, African traditional method of conflict resolution as a tool should be employed by Indigenous Personalities such as clan heads, traditional leaders, chiefs, youths, age graded etc., Lastly, there is need to reclaim more lands around Okrika and Ogu/Bolo Local Government Areas, this will reduce the level of Urbanization and give this present generation a share in their own community.