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JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH (JECDR)
ISSN: 2328-5303
VOL. 2(2), pp. 41-48, FEBRUARY 2014
REF NUMBER: 0420140422
ONLINE: http://www.projournals.org/JECDR
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Full Length Research Paper
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EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE
DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE
STATE, NIGERIA.
1PETER
OGBU AGOGO & 2EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
1Associate
professor, Department of Curriculum and Teaching
Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria.
2Department of Social Studies, College of Education, Oju
Benue State, Nigeria.
Accepted: 16 APRIL, 2014.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ABSTRACT
T
he culture of the people deals with the ways of life of such a given group of
people, which makes them unique. The introduction of western education in
African countries is to help transmit the people’s cultural heritages in line with
the societal needs. This paper examined the Igede (Nigeria) cultural beliefs in
the light of African cultural beliefs, and the development of Basic Science and Technology
Education. It discussed the Igede cultural practices and its relevance to Basic Science and
technology and observed that the Igede children usually enter their basic science and
technology class with certain cultural beliefs, which affects the development of the subject. The
paper recommends that, Basic Science and Technology teachers should create opportunities to
meaningfully interact with the local communities where they teach to become familiar with the
pupils’ cultural beliefs so as to handle them so as to avoid cultural conflicts.
KEYWORDS:
African cultural beliefs, Basic Science and technology, Development, Effects,
Igede ethnic group
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------*Corresponding Author. Email: [email protected] Phone: +2348037400785
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EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA.
0420140422
INTRODUCTION
Each child is born into an existing social unit that makes up the society. This means that such a child has no
option of where he/she wants to be born into. This implies that the child belongs to the particular society of
his/her parents but not particularly where he/she was born. It also means that the child, the society and the
culture of the child, including his/her way of life, are interwoven.
According to Akama [5], in Africa, the people’s basic beliefs ultimately constitute the people’s worldview, which in turn influence their culture. And culture to Doki [9] is a home in which family ethics, codes of
conduct, conditions, aspirations, values and beliefs are accommodated. Culture is a way of life fashioned by a
people in their collective endeavor, live and come to terms with their total environment. This means that,
each society has its own peculiar cultures and antecedents that are unique to it. For instance, among the Igede
ethnic group of Benue State, Nigeria, the people’s religions form the social basis of their cultural and social
organization as well as their moral code. This is why among the Igede ethnic group, both the living and the
dead cooperate to ensure the prosperity of the family and the community at large.
The understanding of an African as a religious person, according to Turaki [16], include his;
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Personal dimension
Socio-cultural dimensions,
Phenomenal dimension, and his
Supernatural dimension that touches on how life revolves around humans.
This is why Turaki [16] posited that traditional African’s Religion stresses the need to maintain and keep
traditions, conventions and culture as the ancestors handed them down. As the result of this, social changes
are usually frowned at and are inhibited by the cultural and social norms. The Africans therefore believe in
the existence of the spirits of the dead ancestors. Africans accept the facts that;
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
The world is full of spirits
The abode of spirits include burial grounds, silk cotton, trees, hills, highlands, water bodies.
There is reincarnation
Evil spirits are associated with Satan and its agents
Spirits have mystical powers that are usually put to positive or negative use.
These Basic African cultural beliefshave effects on the development of basic science and technology
education among African ethnic groups.
AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS
In traditional African setting, political, religious and cultural authority or power reside in the hands of the
council of elders and the chiefs. This means that, no absolute power rests in the hands of one man. However,
it is the elders that understand the language of the ancestral spirits and the gods, and they can easily be
angered, provoked or infirmed by the humans. So man requires tack, carefulness and wisdom in dealing with
them. In order to live successfully in this world full of the spirit beings and powers therefore, man needs a
spiritual compass, which Turaki [16] said is for guidance and practical efforts for control, protection and
security through religions rites and rituals.
African Traditional Religion on which the major African cultural beliefs spring from, address the
ancestors and mystical power. The ancestors are the dead members of a family, and even though they are
Page 2
PRO JOURNALS [JECDR] - EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA. By PETER OGBU AGOGO & EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
Journal of Education and Curriculum Development Research (JECDR)
EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA.
0420140422
dead, are a part of the life of the family. To Turaki [16], the tie-in with the dead is so much a part of the whole
fabric of life among the African. This is why when someone is about to depart from this life, he is requested
to take greetings to the previously departed members of the family. In a similar way, Orubu [15] informed
that African mystical powers include witchcraft and magic.
Witchcraft according to Orubu [15] is the manifestation of mystical forces which may be in-born in a
person, inherited or acquired in many different ways. A person may come to know he has such powers when
he/she has repeated dreams in which such a person holds nocturnal meetings with others, or dreams in
which there is lots of feasting, dancing erotic embraces and cohabitation. There is no age limit for people to
be members, with no written records as everything is stored in members’ hearts. There are no rigorous
attempts to convert members as it seen as a secret cult, and they usually swear to secrecy oath. This is where
education for freedom which is seen beyond just being knowledgeable, but include change in behavior [17],
should be pursued and embraced.
African cultural beliefs statements ( which aim at stresing the African cultural beliefs) are;
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Statements based on seasoned experience or an observation of a statement of action. For instance, if
a person’s palm iches him/her, he/she will soon become rich.
Those statements intended to teach hygiene. For instance, Drinking water in which the hands have
been washed results in brain damage or retardation.
Those statements made to instill fear and enforce societal norms. For instance, whoever runs over a
duck with a car or motor cycle will have an accident, except he/she performs some purification rites.
Those statements made to instill fears into people. For instance, An axe will strike anyone leaning on
a wall during thunderstorm.
These analyses show that most African beliefs are superstitious and are intended to bring about
peace, orderliness and rapport with the elders, and their interpretations are different from the western
scientific approach.
Turaki [16] affirmed that in a traditional African society, people are trained to function in a particular
field, such as being able to conciliate acquire and use the spiritual and mystical powers and life force to
advance and enhance the well being of individuals and the community. Africans are able to develop powerful
and effective mystical means and procedures of exercising control over the spirit world and human society.
BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
Most children go to school with mental ideas and beliefs which were learnt from families, friends and the
community at their earlier stages of mental development [1]. Ameh [6] had earlier affirmed that many
science teachers in Nigeria usually ignore or are not conscious of the cultural beliefs which the students
bring to their science class. This obvious lapse has negatively affected the African students learning of basic
science and technology.
Science is generally concerned with finding out about things in the environment, consisting of
process skills and science contents. This means that science does not work with speculations, emotions,
grief, happiness or such other experiences. Whatever cannot be observed therefore is out of the realm of
science.
Basic Science and Technology Education are core subjects of the Basic Education Curriculum in
Nigeria, its objectives are to inculcate in children permanent literacy, numeracy and the ability to
communicate effectively among others.
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PRO JOURNALS [JECDR] - EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA. By PETER OGBU AGOGO & EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
Journal of Education and Curriculum Development Research (JECDR)
EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA.
0420140422
Technology refers to things that man has devised to accomplish his particular ends, having economic,
social, ethical and aesthetic dimensions. In Nigeria, especially among the Igede ethnic group, there are many
local technological applications like the use of grinding stone by women and pottery moulding among
others. In addition, things the pupils draw, design and manipulate the environment make them to acquire
technological skills. Technologically therefore, pupils are made to develop positive attitude towards work
and productivity and also helps pupils to apply scientific knowledge and concepts to better their
environment [2]. Basic Science and Technology in Nigeria is taught to the children in their first nine years of
Education, from primary school to the junior secondary school levels of Education.
THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
Benue State, Nigeria was created in 1976 with an area of about 34,059 square kilometer and a population of
about five million people according to 2006 census. The three dominant tribes are the Tiv, Idoma and the
Igede [1]. Benue State lies within the lower River Benue trough in the middle Belt Region of Nigeria. Benue
State geographical coordinates are longitude 7047 and 100 01 East, Latitude 60 251 and 8081North.Igede is
both a language spoken by the people and the name of the ethnic group. The people have very rich culture
that is respected and observed. According to [3], the origin of the Igede people is instructive in
understanding the values and beliefs that inform their cultural practices. Cultural practices in form of beliefs,
values, customs are manifested in their traditional clothes, dances, music, ceremonies and festivals. Their
culture is similar to many African groups as their belief system embraces the dead and the living as part of
one big family. The law of spiritual mystery governs all social and spiritual phenomena. They also believe
that the ancestral spirits hover above the living like a protective foliage and are expected to offer protection
and blessings for their living relations [3].
The Igede people also believe that the life of the ancestor is the original seed and his life is
transmitted in death, to all who proceed from his lineage. Because of this, ancestral spirits command respect,
loyalty and veneration. The people also see every misfortune as a warning from the gods for wrong done by
the person. Problems and all forms of attacks, emotional and spiritual, are construed as punishments for
failing to failure duties and obligations to people. Every Igede child is therefore schooled to respect whatever
the gods decreed. This cultural posture affects the Benue children’s knowledge of basic science and
technology [14].
IGEDE CULTURAL BELIEFS AND BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
The curricular contents of Basic science and Technology when weighed against the Igede cultural belief
system tends to conflict with its cultural provisions. For instance, there are some areas in Igede people don’t
have access to except the priests and there are some animals that the Igede people are not allowed to touch
or eat. Obi [13] had found that some animals and plants considered sacred by the Nigerian culture cannot be
used for examination in a biology practical as any violation would result in the death of the offenders.
Nobody wants to offend the gods, at least not knowingly.
Asaru in 1997 also established that cultural beliefs are some of the socio-cultural characteristics of
the Nigerian society which has contributed to lack of understanding of science among many school going
children in Nigeria. There are similar results from other countries of the world. For instance, Dzama and
Osborne [10] said that, the Indians failure to learn science before the mutiny of 1957 was because their
minds were not opened to new ideas because the traditional views of science affected the students’ learning
until it was overcome. In a similar finding, Cohen [8] who worked on primitive tribe of Yupiaq culture of
South Western Alaska, found that there was no single origin for science, but that it has a plurality of origin
and the individuals approach edits study the way they liked.
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PRO JOURNALS [JECDR] - EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA. By PETER OGBU AGOGO & EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
Journal of Education and Curriculum Development Research (JECDR)
EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA.
0420140422
In most African schools, curricular dimension of science is usually seen as an element of western or
Euro-American culture, which is expected to conflict with the non-western cultures. However, once there is
harmony between cultural beliefs or practices and basic science and technology, effective learning is
possible. These findings are similar to what happen among the Igede ethnic group of Benue State, Nigeria.
In a study by Agogo [2], the cultural beliefs that affect Integrated Science (Basic Science and
Technology), student’s achievement in Benue State (Igede ethnic group inclusive) are as contained in Table
1.
Table 1: Cultural beliefs that affect Igede students’ achievement in Basic science and technology
S/No
1.
Cultural Beliefs2
Ancestral spirits are angry if a woman washes the food dishes in
the night and pours the dirty water away. She may die.
Students Rating (%)
63
2.
Pregnant women and little children should not eat eggs if not they
would be thieves, especially for the pregnant woman when she
delivers the child.
70
3.
Women should not see, mention or touch male reproductive organ
to avoid premature death.
75
4.
Nobody sweeps in the night as it would mean sweeping wealth
away and invitation of poverty.
68
5.
Infertility in a man or woman means a cure from the ancestral
spirits/gods because of certain evil deeds committed by the
offender(s).
80
6.
If a three-month old pregnant woman kills a viper, she would give
birth to a viper.
54
7.
If a pregnant woman eats a pig, the baby when born would behave
like a big, very foolish and dirty.
68
8.
Children should not look sternly at the elders’ face when talking as
it shows disrespect.
71
9.
If a person eats half-cooked yam he/she would grow tall
65
10.
A child is not supposed to ask questions as it is considered
rudeness, which may attract the wrath of the of gods
67
Source: Agogo [2]
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PRO JOURNALS [JECDR] - EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA. By PETER OGBU AGOGO & EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
Journal of Education and Curriculum Development Research (JECDR)
EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA.
0420140422
DISCUSSIONS ON THE FINDINGS BY AGOGO [2]
From Table 1, the percentage scores are obtained by dividing the number of students who identified a
particular cultural belief as affecting Integrated Science (Basic Science and Technology) achievement with
the total number of students in all the schools sampled, among the Igede ethnic group. The value obtained is
multiplied by 100%. This means that a cultural belief in Igede is considered to negatively affect Integrated
Science (basic science and technology) if the percentage score is above 50%. According to Agogo [2], one
obstacle to student’s achievement in Integrated Science (Basic science and Technology) is a situation where
the students are restricted in their exploration of the environment, which makes the students to lose interest
in the subject. This is because, one of the cultural beliefs among the Igede people is that children are not
allowed to go to masquerades’ playgrounds, Shrines, evil forests and such other places. Agogo [2] also found
that there is a significant relationship between the Igede cultural practices and the Igede students’
achievement in integrated science (Basic Science and Technology).
Jegede, Fraser and Okebukola [11] established that a learner who is not positively disposed to or has
a socio-cultural background that is indifferent to the learning of science would find it hard to learn science
effectively. They found that science instruction which deliberately involved the discussion of socio-cultural
views about science concepts alter student’s attitudes toward the study of science. In a similar work,
Aikenhead and Jegede [12] observed that some science learners feel that science is like a foreign cultures to
them, because the culture of western education is different from their indigenous cultures, which therefore
needs cultural border crossing. This is why Jegede had curlier introduced what he called collateral learning
theory which was based on giving cognitive explanations to culture-based studies and science learning. In
their work on Transcending cultural Borders, implications for science teaching, Jegede and Aikenhead (n.d)
said that, science teachers should assume a role of culture broker in the classroom to achieve culturally
sensitive curriculum and assessment. They concluded that when the culture of science harmonizes with a
pupil’s life-world culture, science instruction would support the pupils’ views of the world, and the process
of enculturation would tend to occur.
Teaching and learning of Basic science and Technology will be enhanced among the pupils of Igede
ethnic group if the teachers understand the children they teach and their cultural beliefs. Bryan and Awater
[7] advised that science educators need to continue to identify those beliefs and practices that undergird
desirable and equitable science instruction. This would make the science educators to eradicate all racially
and culturally stereotyped science materials the pupils/students are exposed to in the classroom, by their
teachers. This is one way the pupils of Igede in particular and others ethnic groups can be helped to step up
achievement in basic science and future science knowledge.
From this discourse, it can be inferred that:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
There are Igede cultural beliefs that affect the development of basic science and technology
education (Integrated Science).
The Igede children enter their Basic science and Technology class with the peoples cultural beliefs
The fear of the ancestral spirits and the gods makes the Igede children to avoid science concepts that
conflict with the people cultural beliefs.
The ancestral spirits have tremendous supernatural powers, which they use either for good or evil,
depending on the circumstances, thus the fear of the Igede people for them.
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PRO JOURNALS [JECDR] - EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA. By PETER OGBU AGOGO & EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
Journal of Education and Curriculum Development Research (JECDR)
EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA.
0420140422
RECOMMENDATIONS
1.
2.
3.
Based on these conceptual reviews, the following recommendations are made.
Basic science and Technology pupils who enter their class with a wide range of cultural beliefs should
be encouraged, rather than being punished, to reduce sources of conflict with the two cultures.
Basic science and Technology teachers should create opportunities to meaningfully interact with the
local communities where they teach. This will enable them become familiar with the cultural beliefs
of their pupils and so find the best ways to handle them, to avoid interfering with their science
teaching and learning.
Basic science and Technology teachers should ensure that the pupils’ cultural beliefs are not unduly
tampered with as to cause boomerang effects.
CONCLUSION
The issue of African cultural beliefs and basic science and technology education is an important discourse. It
is the aspects of science that is first introduced to the learning in the school in Nigeria. When an African
learner enters his/her primary school, he/she is confronted by many issues and ideas in the basic science
and technologylesson which he/she can not easily reconcile with the home experiences. In such a situation,
if the teacher does not find an acceptable explanations, such a learner may seek alternative answers thereby
creating knowledge crisis. This is because, the beliefs in ancestral spirits and the gods weigh heavily in
his/her thinking faculty not to ignore them.The basic science and technology teachers should be interested
in the full understanding of their pupils/students so as to help them in their pupils that they can be helped in
their achievement in the subject.
REFERENCES
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[2] Agogo, P.O. (2002. Influence of Cultural Practices on Students’ achievement in Integrated science in Benue
State. An Unpublished PhD (SC. Educ) Thesis,University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[3] Agogo, P.O. &Ogabidu, S. (2013). Reflections on the man: Ogiri Ajene. Ibadan: Optimism Press.
[4] Aikenhead, G.S.& Jegede, O.J. (1999). Cross-Cultural Science Education: A Cognitive Explanation of a
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[5] Akama, E.S. (2001). The origin and functions of divinities in IsokolandDelta state, Nigeria. In Onebu, A.O.
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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA. By PETER OGBU AGOGO & EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
Journal of Education and Curriculum Development Research (JECDR)
EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA.
0420140422
[8] Cohen, W.W.(1991). World View Theory and Education Research. NARST Monograph, No3,Manhattan.
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[11] Jegede, O.J. & Aikenhead, G.S. (n.d). Transcending Cultural Borders: Implications for Science teaching
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University, Makurdi.
[15] Orubu, A.O. (2001). Witchcraft in African Religion. In Orubu, A.O.(Ed). African Traditional Religion: A
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[16] Turaki, Y. (1999). Christianity and African Gods: A Method in theology, Nairobi: IBS African.
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PRO JOURNALS [JECDR] - EFFECTS OF AFRICAN CULTURAL BELIEFS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AMONG THE IGEDE ETHNIC GROUP OF BENUE STATE,
NIGERIA. By PETER OGBU AGOGO & EKE AGNES AGOGO (MRS)
Journal of Education and Curriculum Development Research (JECDR)

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