IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON FULƁE KINSHIP IN JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the impact of technology on the kinship of the Fulɓe people in Jigawa State, Nigeria. The study employs secondary data and content analysis methods to achieve its objectives. It utilizes the diffusion of innovations theory as a theoretical framework to comprehend the impact of technology on Fulɓe kinship in Jigawa state. The investigation reveals that technology facilitates improved communication among Fulɓe communities, bolsters livestock management, introduces new economic opportunities for the Fulɓe culture and economy, expands the horizons of education, offers new possibilities for Fulɓe families to conceive and have children, enhances morbidity and reduces mortality rates among Fulɓe people in Jigawa State. On the other hand, technology diminishes face-to-face interaction among them, instigates changes in economic dynamics, challenges traditional values and norms deeply embedded within the Fulɓe community, introduces new methods of influencing ideas about lineage, inheritance, and the transmission of family identity, alters family structures and caregiving dynamics within the Fulɓe kinship system in Jigawa state. The study, therefore, recommends that government and community leaders should collaborate on initiatives that integrate indigenous wisdom with innovative technologies that can improve lives while preserving the essential aspects of the Fulɓe kinship system in Jigawa State.