Indigenous knowledge and social work education in Nigeria: made in Nigeria or made in the West?

ABSTRACT

Social work education in Nigeria is largely dominated by Eurocentric knowledge, theories and beliefs. This has led to a one-sided narrative where Eurocentric ideologies are advanced and indigenous knowledge often sidelined in academic curricula. This non-inclusive teaching and learning methodology acts as a continuous (re)colonization process where knowledge from Europe is imported and planted in the African academy. To contribute to the discussion for indigenous knowledge, this study researched the need for indigenous knowledge in social work education in Nigeria using 18 semi-structured interviews. Participants for the study were made up of 4 social work educators, 10 social work students and 4 social work practitioners. Major findings affirmed that social work education and practice in Nigeria was anchored by Western ideologies rather than indigenous knowledge. It was evident from research findings that indigenous knowledge need to be made more transparent in social work curriculum in Nigeria. Overall, indigenous and Western knowledge need to be blended in the present social work curriculum in Nigeria to ensure the best of both and to off avoid the ‘danger of a single story’.

KEYWORDS:

• Colonization
• Eurocentric knowledge
• indigenous knowledge
• social research
• social work education

Acknowledgments

I wish to acknowledge the British Academy and GCRF (Global Challenges Research Fund) that funded the African Social Work Writing Workshops. The workshops brought together 20 Early Career Academics from five sub-Saharan African countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria and South Africa to work with five experienced British and Nigerian academics: Dr Susan Levy, Professor Mark Smith and Dr Richard Ingram, University of Dundee, UK; Professor Uzoma Okoye, University of Nigeria and Professor Hugh McLaughlin, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. These experienced academics provided mentorship for young researchers like me an African academic on writing for publication in impact factor journals. To my mentor Professor Hugh McLaughlin who I am co-authoring this paper with, I sincerely appreciate your teaching series on writing for publication, peer review process and guidance all through the writing workshop. To all the study participants (social work educators, social work practitioners and social work students), your voices have been heard.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chinwe U. Nnama-Okechukwu

Chinwe U. Nnama-Okechukwu is a lecturer and researcher in the department of Social Work University of Nigeria. She has over eight years’ experience in child and family welfare services having worked with the SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria first as a “Social Worker” and later as a “Child and Family Development Coordinator”. She is passionate with sustainable program development for vulnerable children. Her areas of research are child/family welfare services, social policy, program development and disability.

Hugh McLaughlin

Hugh McLaughlin is a registered social worker and was as a senior manager in children’s services before moving into academia where he is Emeritus Professor of Social Work.