| A typical Bassa village is divided into family and/or clan compound units. Each compound is headed by the eldest man in it, who is the political, traditional and religious head of the compound. He settles all quarrels and performs all traditional and religious functions and sacrifices respectively. A combination of all the family/clan compounds make up a village. Each village is governed by a political head who is also the general custodian of traditional and religious practices of all members of the village. While the family/clan heads take charge of all affairs of the family compounds, the village head over-sees the affairs of the whole village. |