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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">BJCR</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title xml:lang="en">British Journal of Contemporary Research</journal-title>
        <abbrev-journal-title xml:lang="en">BJCR</abbrev-journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn>2979-8582</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Bexford Publishing Ltd</publisher-name>
        <publisher-loc><uri>https://bexfordpublishing.co.uk</uri></publisher-loc>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">BEX_JUL_26_125</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.67693/BJCR-KB9PT9SM</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group xml:lang="en" subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Original Research Article</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title xml:lang="en">NORMS AND TABOOS AMONG THE IDOMA OF NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA 1800-1980: A REGULATING MECHANISM FOR UPHOLDING MORALITY </article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group content-type="author">
      <contrib corresp="yes">
        <name-alternatives>
          <name name-style="western" specific-use="primary">
            <given-names>Bernard Obeya Nelson</given-names>
          </name>
        </name-alternatives>
        <email>bernardobeya@gmail.com</email>
        <bio xml:lang="en"><p>Department Of History, Faculty Of Arts And Management Sciences, Nigerian Army University Biu, Nigeria</p></bio>
      </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="epub">
        <day>10</day>
        <month>08</month>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>1</volume>
      <issue>3</issue>
      
      
      <pub-history>
        <event event-type="received">
          <event-desc>Received: <date date-type="received">
            <day>18</day>
            <month>07</month>
            <year>2026</year>
          </date></event-desc>
        </event>
        
        <event event-type="accepted">
          <event-desc>Accepted: <date date-type="accepted">
            <day>30</day>
            <month>07</month>
            <year>2026</year>
          </date></event-desc>
        </event>
      </pub-history>
      <permissions>
        <copyright-statement>Copyright (c) 2026 Bernard Obeya Nelson</copyright-statement>
        <copyright-year>2026</copyright-year>
        <license xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0">
          <license-p>This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.</license-p>
        </license>
      </permissions>
      <abstract><p>Most Nigerian typical settings were unique and guided which is applicable to the Idoma group in the pre-colonial times and after Europeans invasion and pollution of her culture and traditions things started falling apart. During colonial regime a lot of damage and havoc were done but against these odds some fundamental traces still survived as African heritage. This paper is concern with a historical revivalism into the Idoma past with a focus to x-ray some of the taboos (ebitaa) and bad omens in the society that their forebears instituted as regulating mechanism which helped and upheld high standard of morality in the Idoma society in their post-Apa abodes. From findings, some of this taboos included: Adultery and fornication of all kinds (Ajaa), theft of all kinds (Uwii), innocent killing of human being (OocheOmno). Omens (Ebi) considered as taboos like: A giant rat is seen on broad day light by a person, when a Chameleon (Ayinya) is seen crossing the road by a road user, when a Dog (Ewoo) is crying in a compound and when a family that had pigeons (Oklebete) discovered all the pigeons have suddenly vacated their cage to mention but a few. The paper discourses their significance and the remedy if there happened. Methodologically, the paper is purely a reconstructive history and is largely depended on oral and other primary sources investigation. Conclusively, the paper affirms that to bring back the positive angles of Idoma culture and traditions which housed the taboos, then, the ideal of the two foreign dominant religions: Christianity and Islam as the new society mirror should be redefined. The paper is certainly a value addition to the ongoing Africans calls for African cultural rejuvenation across the continent.
Key Words: Norms, taboos, Idoma, North Central Nigeria and morality.</p></abstract>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
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