Changes in Family Types and Functions among Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria since 1960

Abstract

The two related questions pursued in the study being reported in this paper are the following: (1) What changes have occurred in family types and functions among the Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria in the past 50 years? (2) How significant are the changes to children's well-being? Since it is a monolithic group, the sample was small (N = 551), but it spread across the group's geographical location, and comprised male, female, Christian, and Muslim people, all older than 55 years of age. The questionnaire that they responded to requested they indicate on a scale how common some family types and functions were before 1960, 1961 to 1980, 1981 to 2000 and are since 2001 to the present. It was found that the extended family form has been decreasing only slowly. Polygamous marriage shows marginal decreases and monogamous marriage shows marginal increases. Unmarried parents and single parents are increasing fast. Educational and socialization functions of the family have reduced significantly but companionship is enduring satisfactorily.