Title:
Traditional Clothing as a Medium of Cultural Identity and Heritage Preservation Among the Idoma People of Ogbadibo, Nigeria

Authors:
Dr. Edache Ajunwa, Dr. Viola Uche Obiana, Nigeria

Abstract:

Traditional clothing is an important cultural resource whereby the indigenous communities are able to express their identity as well as their cultural heritage. This research investigated the role of traditional clothing as a medium for cultural identity expression and cultural heritage preservation among the Idoma people of the Ogbadibo Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was employed to gather data on the community perspectives on the practices of traditional clothing. A structured questionnaire was employed to gather data from 60 respondents purposively selected from families with strong cultural ties within the Ehaji (1) community. The data collected were measured on a four-point Likert scale and were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean scores and standard deviations with a criterion mean of 2.50 employed for decision-making purposes. The results indicated a strong level of support for the fact that traditional clothing is an important medium for the reinforcement of cultural identity as well as a sense of belonging and cultural pride among the Idoma people. The respondents agreed that the traditional clothing is an important mechanism for the preservation of cultural heritage as it is a medium that is imbued with both tangible as well as intangible cultural aspects such as indigenous skills, meanings, as well as knowledge transfer from one generation to the other. High mean scores also indicated that the traditional clothing is a medium for non-verbal cultural communication as a means for the preservation of cultural continuity despite globalization and modernization pressures. This research concludes that the traditional clothing is a dynamic as well as a resilient cultural medium that is important for identity expression as well as cultural heritage preservation among the Idoma people. It is recommended that there is a need for greater cultural education as well as support for artisans who are involved with the production of the clothing as a valuable resource for cultural heritage preservation purposes.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51505/IJEBMR.2026.10411