According to Webster's online dictionary, being civilized means marked by well-organized laws and rules on how people behave among themselves. It also states that being civil means being polite, responsible and respectful. Based on reading the novel and related nonfiction articles, it is clear that by 1880 the Ibo culture of Nigeria was civilized. The Ibo culture fits perfectly into the definition of a civilized person. They have rules for their governance, they are respectful and grateful during festivals, and women are responsible when taking care of their family. The first way Nigeria's Ibo culture is civilized is through government. The government deals with problems fairly. After both parties had finished speaking at the Egwugwu ceremony, the Evil Forest said, "Our duty is not to blame this man or praise him, but to settle the dispute" (Chapter 10 page 93). The main goal of the Evil Spirits was not to try to blame the wrong person, but to solve the problem in a fair way to end it. Another example of how Ibo culture is civilized through government is that it is organized with rules. Government leaders forced the white men to return to their land so as not to change the Ibo culture. As we read in the article Colonization Politics, “They said the land had changed and they were dying. And they demand that all white men return to their country so that the land can return to the way it was before the English came.” The government made this rule because it would help the Ibo culture stay alive and not transfer it to another culture. The last way the Ibo culture is civilized through government is The second way the Ibo culture of Nigeria is civilized is through… half a sheet of paper… passed on to the ancestors… Then he broke the kola nut and he threw one of the lobes to the ground for the ancestors.” (p. 165). The kola nut is a tradition. One breaks it and prays to the ancestors for help. It keeps the culture civilized because they receive help from their ancestors. The last way the Ibo culture is civilized through culture and customs is that they have special items that keep the people in line. As we read in the article Women Leaders, “She beat the gong in a special way by announcing the time and place of the meeting, to which everyone listened attentively. The message before the beating of the gong could be a matter of life and death, so they listened. In Ibo culture when the gong is struck, people listen. The gong is a good way to keep all people connected and civil. In conclusion, in 1880, the Ibo culture of Nigeria is civilized.