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

Nnama-Okechukwu, Cinwe U and McLaughlin, Hugh ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3916-0506 (2023) Indigenous knowledge and social work education in Nigeria: made in Nigeria or made in the West? Social Work Education, 42 (8). pp. 1476-1493. ISSN 0261-5479

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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’.