TIMES CHANGE, VALUES ENDURE: A REFLECTION ON AFRICAN TRADITIONAL VALUES -Time changes, values endure, any plants/stream that forgets or separates from its source must surely run dry

Africans mostly depend on Western media propaganda, education system,technology and the ideology of individual and liberal freedom, without valuing our own indigenous knowledge. Western structures and institutions can be of positive contribution to African cultural values, but the actual situation is that the Western different systems are destroying the African cultural values. In fact, some of those systems are not congenial with the African cultural values. Therefore, this paper intends to shed some light regarding the sources and the values of African cultural values. It also intends to ascertain the effects of the different Western systems on African cultural values. Thus, as a model the African family structure shall be employed to analyze the African cultural values. The findings of this paper shall demonstrate that African cultural values are strongly bound in the extended family structure. Nevertheless, it is open to take in consideration the non-family members as part and parcel of the family members who enjoy the cultural values which are: communion/brotherhood, solidarity and hospitality. These cultural values have their own counter-values, beside its counter values stemming from different Western systems which strive at eradicating the African cultural values from Africans telling them as it is uncivilized way of living. Unfortunately, these ideologies from the West are bought by Africans, especially by the young generation who instead of uniting the Africans are dividing them by territory,tribe, religions etc. Time changes but values endure, therefore, it is time for the Africans to unite, develop and to raise it up their cultural values and make them universal values.The recommendation here is for all the sectors of responsible persons have to play their part of inculcating these cultural values to the society especially to the younger generation. Key words: African tradition, cultural values, value, family, change