ABSTRACT
Indigenous
knowledge sharing practice is a common practice among the elderly in rural
communities in Nigeria. The rate at which western education is dominating the
world portends that indigenous knowledge would fade if better ways to
disseminate and preserve it is not devised. Its preservation and dissemination
is largely dependent on whether young generation has the heritage of preserving
indigenous knowledge at heart. Hence, the study examined demographic
characteristics and indigenous knowledge sharing practices among trado-medical
practitioners in Ijebu North Local Government Areas of Ogun State.
The
survey research design was used for the study. The study population was made up
of three hundred and fifty-nineTrado-medical practitioners in Ijebu North Local
Government Area in Ogun State. Total enumeration was employed to include the
entire population of the study group. The instrument for data collection was
self-structured questionnaire. The Cronbach’s Alpha used to test reliability
coefficient for indigenous knowledge practice was 0.90, the demographic
characteristics of trado-medical practitioners was 0.74 and indigenous
knowledge was 0.86 and overall coefficient was 0.90. Data were analyzed using
descriptive, linear regression and multiple regression analyses.
Finding
showed that marital status (85.2% ), sex (59.0%) and age (55.8%) with 43yrs
above were the major demographic characteristics that enhance knowledge sharing
practices among trado-medical practitioners. Nature observation (87.1%),
training and apprentice (85.5%), brainstorming (84.8%), community of practice
(82.6%) and discussion (71.9%) were mostly used by trado-medical practitioners
for adequate knowledge sharing practices. Also, indigenous knowledge practice
can be promoted through many social and formal Media (73.2%). Some of the major
challenges encountered by trado-medical practitioners while sharing indigenous
knowledge include the fact that the young generation of today do not consider
the heritage of preserving indigenous knowledge as a priority (73.2%), the idea
of traditionalizing all the status and images 75.2%, differentiating indigenous
knowledge from others and (57.7%) showed lack of interest among young
generation to preserve the knowledge due to the wide acceptance of western
education.
The study concluded
that demographic factors enhances indigenous knowledge sharing among
trado-medical practitioners and found that marital status, sex and age were
factors that enhanced trado-medical practitioners ability to share knowledge
with ease, while the most prevailing challenge against the spread of indigenous
knowledge is the attitude of young generation towards preserving and
disseminating the knowledge. Based on the observed challenge, the researcher
recommends that preservation of indigenous knowledge should be intensified by
trado-medical practitioners among the young generation, government should
increase the supervision and quality control of herbal drugs distribution
around the Nigeria and establish support team to enable trado-medical
practitioner’s function and help the society.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The
indigenous individuals of the world have a massive learning of their condition,
in light of hundreds of years of living near nature. Living in and from the
wealth and assortment of complex biological systems, they have a comprehension
of the properties of plants and creatures, the working of environments and the
procedures for utilizing and overseeing them.In rural communities and
developing countries, local species are relied on for many purposes which could
be food, medicine, fuel, building materials and other products.Indigenous
knowledge deals with therealities that are known or gained for a fact or
obtained through perception and contemplate and passed on from era to era (Adegboyega,
2001).
The
prevalence of indigenous knowledge among local communities is attributed to
knowledge of traditional medicine which can be referred to asfinish information
procured through learning, knowledge and perception, to cater for their health
status,by and large in rustic regions, who have broadened histories of
connection with the regular habitat. This association sets understandings,
elucidations and implications that are a piece of a social complex. According
to World Health Organization (WHO, 2011) customary prescription manages the
different issues like prosperity practices, systems, learning, and feelings
joining plant, animal, or conceivably mineral-based medications; significant
medicines; manual techniques; and exercises, associated independently or in
blend to keep up success, and notwithstanding treat, investigate disease.
Learning
of conventional medication is that part of indigenous information of
individuals in nearby groups which identifies with the utilization of plants
and other characteristic assets in the treatment of wellbeing related
conditionswithout the need of professional health practitioners (Sithole,
2007). From time past, plants and its partnered items has been utilized as a
part of the treatment of different afflictions everywhere throughout the world
particularly in nearby groups in creating nations. Customary medication
learning starts with the investigation of neighborhood plants species to
distinguish consumable, therapeutic and toxic ones. Plant frames the primary
elements of prescription in conventional arrangement of mending and has been
the wellspring of motivation for a few noteworthy pharmaceutical medications.
Most
people living in the rural communities in Nigeria today prefer the use of
traditional medicine, reason being that some community people lack access to
modern health facilities due to the cost implication or nearness to home. Even
though there has been a rise in modern medical facilities and increase in their
health care Centre is fast growing, it is still not adequate for everyone in
local communities to access. Oladele and Adewunmi (2008) reported that almost
all Nigerians in local communities make use of traditional medicine, as a result
of this, the situation might continue to be like that in future due to the high
cost of orthodox medicine.Indigenous medical knowledge is not just an inherited
idea; it is learned, shared and preserved from generation to generation for
future benefits of the younger and older generation. Effort is been made by
trado-medical practitioners to spread, preserve and share indigenous medical
knowledge as quickly as possible to empower the younger generations on the
usefulness of these knowledge (MacDonald, 2012). Hence, Bonsi, (2012) avowed
that the professionals, watchmen and teachers of such learning, the demise of
key senior citizens, especially ladies, and the subsequent
"annihilation" of their collective intelligence, shows a genuine
imperative to the long haul survival of indigenous information.
According
to Schwartz (2006), knowledge sharing deals with the exchange of knowledge
between individuals, departments, and the institution at large.This trade may
now and then be engaged or unfocused, yet it more often than not does not have
an unmistakable arrangement of target. Henceforth, it could be a trade of
learning between two people: one who imparts information and one who absorbs it.
In knowledge sharing, the aim is on personal attributes, creativity, habits of
humans. However, formal education systems brought about better approaches for
learning, supplanting them with theoretical information and scholarly methods
for learning. And this new ways of academic learning hasdisturbed the
commonsense regular day to day existence parts of indigenous information. Too
many pieces of information are made available through various digital
technology media like social media, web 2.0, blog, web and mobile applications,
mobile phone, laptop and much more. These devices are mostly used with modern
language, thereby discouraging indigenous language use or at least to a large
extent minimum recognition has been given to learning and transferring of
indigenous knowledge over these devices.
Traditional
medicine knowledge is not all about knowledge of plant use or what illness its
used to treat but to identify the exact and actual healing process to apply.
Trado-medical practitioners are traditional health healers or traditional medicine
producers of herbs, and leaves for the healing and care of the local people who
believe in their medicine. It was revealed in research that 97% of the skills
of traditional healers were acquired from their fathers, grandfathers or both.
Meanwhile, 36% of them had learnt from their mothers, grandmothers or both and
42% do acquire their traditional healing skills from other sources like
divination, experience, practice, inspiration, and dreams (Bagozzi, 2002). The
role of trado-medical practitioners includes maintenance of good health,
treatment of different kinds of diseases, counteractive action and administration
of illnesses like intestinal sickness, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDs, among others (WHO,
2005). Some notable factors that have been consistently noticed among
trado-medical practitioners is still the fact that majority of them do not have
formal education knowledge, they are more of traditional worshipers, most of
them start at a tender age of about 15years, they are more of male than female
and their educational qualification is more of primary and secondary (Helwig,
2005).
The
demographic characteristics of the traditional medical practitioners (such as
age, educational background, income, gender, ethnic background, experience etc)
actually determine their performance level, enhance their knowledge sharing,
and improve the indigenous knowledge preservation means and lots more. Ogunyemi(2007)
reported in his study that age, educational background, marital status, number
of children, location and experience were some of the demographic
characteristics of trado-medical practitioners that really affects indigenous
knowledge sharing practices within communities in Nigeria. Working experience
of trado-medical practitioners helps them to gather resources needed for better
performance on their job and to ensure better knowledge sharing in a more
practical way to the next generation. While the marital status of trado-medical
practitioners is one of the factors that enable them take time to educate young
generation about the need to preserve indigenous knowledge(Ogunyemi, 2007). The
age factor of trado-medical practitioners symbolizes maturity and experience in
the practice, the more aged one is in the practice, the more the need to share
indigenous knowledge to the younger generation for posterity. Religion as a
factor has a relatively positive or negative role in sharing of indigenous
knowledge. Some religions does not encourage traditional practice and as such
consider it fetish. Meanwhile, formal education role to enhance knowledge
sharing is essentially significant in this study with the available of new
technologies that enable sharing practices a reality such as social media, web
2.0, flash drive, CD, PowerPoint presentation, email, computer and other sharing
devices at their disposal (European Patent Office, 2011)
Out
of the mentioned demographic factors, formal education is one of the highly
identified variables that affect the dissemination and transfer of indigenous
knowledge among trado-medical practitioners in rural communities in Nigeria.
This was made clear in the study of Akintilo (2009), that the educational
impact of indigenous knowledge transfer is highly appreciated due to proper
communication and is been done from the elders to the younger generation on the
importance of some particular traditional plants and vegetables. The uses of
these plants were properly communicated to the younger generation in Ibadan
area of Nigeria. The success factor as identified by the researcher is the help
of elders who understood the local dialect and was able to communicate to the
younger generation to pass on to its offspring.
It
is pertinent to assert that older folks are thought to be the real caretakers
of this learning (traditional medical knowledge) which was passed on to them by
their progenitors, and they are thus anticipated that would pass it on to
others through various demographic factors as deem appropriate for them (Owuor,
2007). The preservation of indigenous knowledge is all about how it is been transmitted.
According to Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman (2008), transmission comes in three
ways, which are; vertical, horizontal and oblique. Vertical transmission is one
from parents to children, horizontal transmission is among people of the same
generation and oblique transmission is from people of one generation to
unrelated individuals of the next generation (Hewlett & Cavalli-Sforza,
2011).The study revealed that one of the pronounced demographic factors that
enhance knowledge sharing is vertical transmission (parent to child) which is a
better mechanism used for the transmission of indigenous knowledge, and this
accounts for 80% of the cases studied.
1.2 Statement of the
Problem
Indigenous
knowledge isa critical part in the way of life of the individuals from the
nearby group and henceforth a basic asset for any human advancement handle.
This is due to the fact thatthey frame the reason for choices relating to
sustenance security, human and creature, wellbeing, instruction, characteristic
asset administration and other essential exercises. However, literature
established that one of the basic issues with indigenous knowledge is that it
is not written and exists in the mind of people of the rural community and
where the conveyer of the knowledge is unable to share such knowledge
effectively it might not be preserved of which may be lost forever. Also, the
death of key elders, guardians and educators of indigenous knowledge presents a
genuine limitation to the long haul survival of indigenous learning. This is
the more reason indigenous knowledge should be transferred especially the traditional
medicine for posterity. This is the more reason why indigenous knowledge should
be preserved and shared for future generation. Furthermore, in literature, there
is little or no evidence that shows that extensive research have been carried
out on how demographic characteristics influence the spread of indigenous knowledge
sharing of traditional medicines in rural areas of Ogun State. Based on the
foregoing, the present study seeks to uncover demographic and indigenous
knowledge sharing practices among Trado-medical practitioners in Ijebu North
Local Government Area, Ogun State.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The
main objective of the study is to investigatedemographic characteristics and
indigenous knowledge sharing practices among trado-medical practitioners in
Ijebu North Local Government area. The specific objectives are to:
1. identify
types of indigenous knowledge practiced among trado-medical practitioners in
Ijebu North Local Government Area;
2. find
out the demographic characteristics of trado-medical practitioners in Ijebu
North local Government;
3. determine
knowledge sharing practices of trado-medical practitioners in Ijebu North Local
Government Area;
4. identify
the factors that enhance indigenous knowledge sharing practices among
trado-medical practitioners;
5. find
out the relationship that exist between demographic characteristics of
trado-medical practitioners and indigenous knowledge sharing practice in Ijebu
North Local Government Area of Ogun State;
6. find
out challenges encountered by trado-medical practitioners when sharing
indigenous knowledge and
7. determine
the relative contribution of demographic characteristics to indigenous
knowledge sharing practices
1.4 Research Questions
The
following research questions were used for the study
1. What
types of indigenous knowledge are practiced among Trado-medical practitioners
of Ijebu North Local Government Area?
2. What
are the demographic characteristics of trado-medical practitioners in Ijebu
North local Government?
3. How
is indigenous knowledge shared among trado-medical practitioners in Ijebu North
Local Government area?
4. What
factors enhance indigenous knowledge sharing practices among trado-medical
practitioners?
5. What
are the challenges encountered by trado-medical practitioners while sharing
indigenous knowledge?
1.5 Hypotheses
The
study was guided by the following research hypotheses which were tested at
0.05% level of significance
H01:There
is no significant relationship between demographic characteristics of
Trado-medical
practitioners and their knowledge sharing practices
in Ijebu North Local Government.
H02:There isno relative contribution
between demographic characteristics of trado-medical practitioners and indigenous knowledge sharing practices in
Ijebu North Local Government
1.6 Scope of the Study
The
study examined demographic characteristics and indigenous knowledge sharing
practices among trado-medical practitioners in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State. Trado-medical
practitioners that was covered in this study are those that deal in herbal
medical production for solving different illnesses with the use of herbs,
plants, root or shrubs and other natural resources deemed fit to provide health
solutions to their communities. The demographic characteristics the research
intends to focus on were as follows education, age, religion, gender, working
experience and marital status as it enhances their indigenous knowledge sharing
practices.
The local government area is about 137.13
kilometers in size, while the local government as a whole is semi-urban,
comprising of five major towns namely: Ago-iwoye, Ijebu-igbo, Oru-Ijebu,
Ilaporu, and Awa-Ijebu. The people of the local government predominant occupation
is mainly trading and farming. Therefore, study would be limited to
Trado-medical practitioners who are residing in the five (5) towns that make up
Ijebu North Local Government.
1.7 Significance of the Study
The
study serves as a reference material by providing more awareness on how the
demographic characteristics of Trado-medical practitioners enhance indigenous
knowledge sharing practices of traditional medicine. The outcome of this study
would contribute to existing literatures on alternative medicine practices,
indigenous knowledge sharing practices and the use of traditional medicine by
rural communities in Nigeria.
The
present research would benefit upcoming researchers and research professionals in
the field of Information Resources Management, Public/Community Health workers
and social works professionals by providing a basis to further their research
on this topic based on discovered gap posed by the present study so they can be
certain of areas of improvement.
The
study tends towards identifying new modern ways trado-medical practitioners can
preserve and share indigenous knowledge to the younger generation through the
use of new technologies. The recommendation of the study would show proper
methods indigenous knowledge could be documented in order to become a widely
accepted alternative healthcare treatment for ailment in various communities in
Nigeria.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
Demographic Characteristics:
This refers to age, gender, level of education, religion, working experience and
marital status of trado-medical practitioners in Ijebu North Local Government
area of Ogun State, Nigeria.
Indigenous Knowledge:
It is a local knowledge that is part of the culture of the people of Ijebu
North Local Government, e.g. herbs, plant, shrub, leaves and plant roots etc.
Knowledge Sharing Practice:
The ability of trado-medical practitioners to disseminate their traditional
health practices to their offspring.
Trado-medical Practitioner:
Traditional people who believe and practice alternative health medicinal
treatment through the use of herb and plant for curing ailments
Ijebu North Local Government:
Is a semi-urban community which consists of five major towns such as Ago-Iwoye,
Ijebu-Igbo, Oru-Ijebu, Iaporu, and Awa-Ijebu.
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