Paper Title
The Role Of The Family Institution In The Sustenance Of Core Societal Values

Abstract
Historically, the family institution plays an important role in the social, economic and political organisation of human societies. This is so, because within the family institution, core societal values are nurtured, institutionalised and transferred from one generation to the other. Over the years however, the family institution has undergone tremendous transformation in its structure, composition and role in the society. This paper therefore, examines the family institution in the traditional vis-à-vis contemporary Nigerian societies, thereby identifying some of the changes the family institution has undergone and how such changes affect the family roles in the sustenance of core societal values and aspirations. It is the conception of this paper that if societies in Africa generally, and Nigeria in particular continue to live the ‘paradox’ of civilization and modernity, the core societal values of African tradition might be strained or eroded, and the African civilization known for decades might be lost. Keywords- Civilization, Family, Kinship, Modernity, Tradition and Values