Counselling in Nigeria
COUNSELLING IN NIGERIA: AN OVERVIEW
BY
C.N. UGWUEGBULAM, Ph.D., JP.
ALVAN IKOKU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, OWERRI – IMO STATE, NIGERIA
AND
CUUU KADURUMBA (Ph.D.)
COLLEGE OF FOOD PROCESSING AND STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, MICHAEL
OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, UMUDIKE, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING IN NIGERIA
Man from pre-historic times have been having challenges and solving them. Nigerians in the traditional set-up before the advent of formalized guidance and counselling had problems and they were solving them through what Iwuama (1991, 2003) called traditional guidance. This is any type of assistance given to somebody in need. Their needs were personal, social, vocational or traditional education. The counsellors then were those who had experiences that accumulated as a result of age. They included parents, elders, diviners, fortune-tellers etc. It is actually difficult to chronicle the development of traditional guidance and counselling because of its fluidity arising from the illiterate society at the time of old. However, something can be charted for formalized guidance and counselling in Nigeria. Western education came into Nigeria through the missionaries. They introduced western education and managed it with transparent passion. Historical evidence available are all agreed to the fact that what can be most appropriately likened to guidance and counselling started from a vocational guidance point of view. Iwuama (1991, 2003) and Njoku (2003) traced the development of guidance and counselling in Nigeria to some Reverend sisters, who in 1959, where incharge of St. Theresa’s College Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria. Records has it that these Rev. Sisters, in line with their calling, were challenged with what will become of their graduates on completion of their secondary education. At that time the widest opportunity open to girls on completion of their education was to get married. In as much as this was good, the
BY
C.N. UGWUEGBULAM, Ph.D., JP.
ALVAN IKOKU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, OWERRI – IMO STATE, NIGERIA
AND
CUUU KADURUMBA (Ph.D.)
COLLEGE OF FOOD PROCESSING AND STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, MICHAEL
OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, UMUDIKE, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING IN NIGERIA
Man from pre-historic times have been having challenges and solving them. Nigerians in the traditional set-up before the advent of formalized guidance and counselling had problems and they were solving them through what Iwuama (1991, 2003) called traditional guidance. This is any type of assistance given to somebody in need. Their needs were personal, social, vocational or traditional education. The counsellors then were those who had experiences that accumulated as a result of age. They included parents, elders, diviners, fortune-tellers etc. It is actually difficult to chronicle the development of traditional guidance and counselling because of its fluidity arising from the illiterate society at the time of old. However, something can be charted for formalized guidance and counselling in Nigeria. Western education came into Nigeria through the missionaries. They introduced western education and managed it with transparent passion. Historical evidence available are all agreed to the fact that what can be most appropriately likened to guidance and counselling started from a vocational guidance point of view. Iwuama (1991, 2003) and Njoku (2003) traced the development of guidance and counselling in Nigeria to some Reverend sisters, who in 1959, where incharge of St. Theresa’s College Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria. Records has it that these Rev. Sisters, in line with their calling, were challenged with what will become of their graduates on completion of their secondary education. At that time the widest opportunity open to girls on completion of their education was to get married. In as much as this was good, the
References: Abimbola, W. (1968)”Ifa as a Body of Knowledge”, Lagos Notes and Records. Akinsanya, A (1972) The Case for Traditional Medicine and Psychaitry, Daily Times, June 5, p.7. Bepo, A, An Investigation into Some Educational Aspects of Ifa System, Term Paper, Dept of Educ, University of Ife, April, 1974 Fabunmi, M A (1975) The Efficacy of Indigenous Counselling in Nigeria, Journal of the Nigerian careers Council, University of Ibadan. Makinde, O. (1974) The Indigenous Yoruba Babalawo Model-Implications for Counselling in West Africa, West African Journal of Education, Vo. 18 Mallum P. M (1983) A Study of Traditional Counselling: Its Techniques and Effectiveness in The Counsellor, Vol. 5 p 70. Oladele, J. O.(1986) Guidance & Counselling: A Fundamental Approach, Lagos: Odedeyi Commercial Enterprise