The maintenance of peace, order and cleanliness in Igbo society was a function of

Answer Details

In the traditional Igbo political system, the maintenance of peace, order, and cleanliness in the community was the responsibility of the age grades.

Age grades (also called age groups or age sets) are organisations of people born within a certain range of years who are grouped together and assigned specific communal responsibilities. In Igbo society, age grades performed essential civic duties including:

• Keeping the village clean and maintaining paths, markets, and public spaces
• Enforcing community decisions and maintaining law and order
• Providing communal labour for public projects
• Serving as a defence force when the community was under threat
• Acting as a police force to maintain peace within the village

While other institutions also played important roles in Igbo governance, their functions were different:

• The council of elders served as an advisory and decision-making body, providing wisdom and guidance on important matters.
• Title holders held positions of social prestige and performed ceremonial functions.
• The village assembly (Oha or Ama-ala) was the supreme decision-making body where all adult males could debate issues affecting the community.

Age grades were effectively the executive arm of Igbo traditional governance, carrying out the practical tasks needed to maintain community life.