TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS PRACTICES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: SACRED GROVES AS SANCTUARIES FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES IN IGBOLAND, NIGERIA

Igboland Nigeria's species endangerment causes ecological imbalance, biodiversity loss, and harm to the local communities that depend on these species for traditional customs and livelihoods. This paper studies how Southeast Nigeria's traditional sacred groves served as sanctum for endangered species. This paper adopted Environmental Ethics Theory to determine how sacred groves prevent extinction in the traditional environment of southeast Nigeria. The work employs ethnographic methods of observation and interview to study two communities in southeast Nigeria, focusing on traditional religious practices and their role in environmental sustainability. Specifically, it examines how sacred groves serve as sanctuaries for endangered species in the region. The research discovers that ecological deterioration, biodiversity loss, and deforestation result from southeast Nigeria's abandonment of traditional religious customs and environmental sustainability concerning sacred groves. The findings shows that reverence of sacred groves in the Traditional Religious Practices of Southeast Nigeria fosters environmental sustainability by preserving biodiversity and maintaining natural habitats, as these groves are protected from deforestation and exploitation due to their cultural and spiritual significance. This cultural practice inherently supports conservation efforts, demonstrating a sustainable model of land use and resource management rooted in indigenous traditions. The paper recommends that conserving biodiversity and shielding essential ecosystems from deforestation and degradation, upholding traditional religious practices and keeping holy groves as sanctuaries in Southeast Nigeria can support environmental sustainability. These religious and cultural customs promote reverence for the natural world, which motivates nearby people to take part in conservation and environmentally friendly agricultural initiatives.

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