Kinship in Nigeria has several importance in a social system. Kinship’s importance can be seen within the family functions and in the event of marriage. Kinship fashions are the way people in society do things, the way they think, and their beliefs. The importance of kinship in Nigeria can not be overlooked and underestimated. This article seeks to explore the various importance of kinship in Nigeria.
The importance of kinship in Nigeria will be discussed below:
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Kinship Assigns Guidelines for Interactions between People and Defines Relationships
In Nigeria, there are guidelines for interactions between people. Kinship assigns such guidelines and acceptable roles for people to interact among themselves. It defines the reasonable and plausible role of the relationship between members of a family.
Kinship determines the relationship between father and son, the relationship between father and daughter, the relationship between mother and son, the relationship between mother and daughter, the relationship between brother and sister, and other relationships in the family. It is a kinship that brings about the proper way of relating with one another within the family.
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Kinship Determine The Rights and Obligations of The Family and Marriage as well as the System of Production and Political Power
One of the importance of kinship in Nigeria is that kinship determines the rights and responsibilities of the family. This is a common occurrence in tribal and rural communities.
Kinship also defines the rights and obligations of political power and the rights of marriage. It also determines the rights and obligations of the system of production. All these happen within the family.
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Kinship Decides Who can Marry Whom and Where Marital Relationships are Taboo
Another importance of kinship in Nigeria is that it determines who one can marry and who one should not marry. Kinship also determines where to marry from and also where one should not marry from.
Once there is an order that one can not marry from a place, that marital relationship is considered taboo. One would have no other choice than to obey. It is a kinship that decides concerning marriage.
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Kinship Helps in Classifying Kin of Different Types
In Nigeria, kinship helps in the process of classification and designation of different types of kin. This classification occurs as the result of some terms within the kinship system. Through these kinship terms, the designation, classification, and description of different types of kin are made possible.
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Kinship maintains Solidarity in Relationships
Another importance of kinship in Nigeria is that it ensures that there is the maintenance of solidarity in relationships. Such solidarity of relationships is mostly enjoyed among members of the family within the said family. This solidarity is enjoyed by the father, the mother, the children, and any other member of the family present.
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Kinship Determines Family Line Relationships
In Nigeria, relationships and family lines are defined accordingly. In a family, a relationship could be a close one or a distant relationship, all depending on the family in question. Therefore, the kinship system in Nigeria can function in such a way that can determine what family line relationships are.
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Kinship Regulates Social Life
Another importance of kinship in Nigeria is that kinship act as a regulator of social life. In almost every society, Nigeria inclusive, social life is controlled. Kinship is what makes the regulation of social life to be feasible.
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Kinship Creates Special Groupings of Kin
One of the many importance of kinship in Nigeria is that kinship through its usage creates assemblages of kin. By the virtue of different ways of using kinship, the grouping of kin can be created. Therefore, the creation of special groupings of kin happens through the usage of kinship.
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Kinship Regulates The Behaviour of Different Kins
Another major importance of kinship in Nigeria is that through kinship the behaviour of different kin is regulated. In other words, kinship oversees the behaviour of different kin.
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Kinship Influences Ownership of Land, Concept of Wealth, and The System of Production
In Nigeria, one of the numerous importance of kinship is that it impacts on ownership of land, the concept of wealth, and the system of production, as well as its uses. Kinship in Nigeria also influences other aspects of kinship within the family. These aspects of kinship include land ownership within the family. It also influences the concept of wealth and its various uses within the family.
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Kinship Rules Govern The Role Relationships Among Kins
One of the primacy of kinship in Nigeria is that Kinship rules govern the roles of relationships among kins. In kinship, there are some rules, and these rules have a way of influencing or impacting the role of relationships within the family.
Among many kins, there would be this rule of kinship that will oversee the relationship role as related to the family.
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Kinship Helps to Determine The Rights and Obligations of The Members of Religious Practices
In Nigeria, kinship helps to determine the rights and responsibilities, and what is expected from every member of a religious sect and religious practices. It is a kinship that determines the rights of the people, and the obligations and the responsibilities of these people.
Kinship also determines who belonged to, or indulges in religious practices and sacraments. All these are from the point where a person is born and through the point that person dies.
Kinship in Nigeria provides a feeling of security to its members. They tend to govern marital customs and all that surrounds them. In hard times, kinship helps people stand together. If there is one thing that kinship does in any society it is that it promotes unity among members of the community. When people of a rural community an offense, it is a kinship that helps determine the punishment of the offenders. Kinship builds a bond among people in the community. It strives to give its members a sense of belonging. Kinship helps to establish family customs. It defines inheritance in the family setting. In conclusion, it is a kinship that determines one’s obligations in the family.