Modern forms of stratification

  Modern stratification is based on western education and possession of wealth. In Nigeria, western education and wealth have introduced some form of class community. At present , the following classes of people can be identified. Upper upper class, upper middle class, upper lower class, lower upper class, loser middle class and finally the lower lower class.

These various classes can,  however , be broadly divided into three main groups. These are upper, middle and lower classes.

  A social class can be defined as a status group whose members posses social characteristics such as  incomes, education, duties, dresses etc which distinguish them from the other members of the society. People I'm category a fit properly into the upper upper , upper middle and the upper lower classes while those in B fit into lower upper, and lower middle classes, group C , however, can be regarded as the lower lower class.

  There is no distinction between where one class of people  ends and where the other starts. One classification, therefore, represents and idea type of situation.

For example , some people may occupy junior positions in the civil service but may be wealthier than those called senior civil servants.

  Our school community is also stratified. The principal and the vice principal constitute the upper class including  some senior  tutors , followed by the rest of the teachers who can still be divided into graduate band non graduate teachers.

The school prefects form another class followed by the rest of the student body who are, however, grouped into senior and junior classes. Social class systems have found a way also in religion. In some churches, the priest occupies the first position among the church community and, in rare cases, the wealthy  ones among the congregation occupy the next cadre to the priest because they have influence, when it comes to financial matters in the church. The priest may not be rich but he us respected as the divine appointee.

In traditional religion, the priest and priestess are feared and respected because they are seen as appointees of the gods, goddess and the ancestors. Likewise , the Imam in the mosque occupy the top most class among the Islamic worshippers.