Traditional helping processes in Nigerian society

Abstract

A look at traditional counselling, its techniques and effectiveness, seems to bring to mind the indigenous or informal education and counselling systems evident in the Nigerian community ways and means of child rearing and socialisation. Both the techniques and their effectiveness are practically demonstrated in the parent-child relationship, apprentice-craftsman relationship or the individual-community relationships. Through these relationships, the child learns and retains the traditional values, mores and folkways. He learns what the individual should do for his personal growth and development, within the traditional set-up 7 physically, mentally and socially. He learns the language of his people, their religion and values, their counting system, the occupation of his people, how to play and interact with his fellow citizens; so he internalises his people's ways of life through imitation of adult behaviour patterns and engagement in make-believe activities, through conscious instructions by adults. The child is now equipped to live and to be lived with. This means that the traditional community which includes the family, 'as the nursery of human nature' Uka (1966), transmits the culture to the individual and shapes his personality. Within the process of life and living, this individual inevitably experiences problems. Ordinarily, he seeks the advice of those parents, elders, other siblings and members of the age grade who had enabled him to grow to help him overcome his problem and readjust. These problems may arise from his deficiency in personal affairs, or in language, religion, or in the practical mathematics of the day-to-day activities, or in his field of work and progress. After receiving the advice, he realises himself again. Paradoxically, advice is not strictly synonymous with counselling. The traditional counsellor is not one who merely advises. He is something more than that. In Nigeria, there exist men and women whose activities, fame or prestige have cultural or mythical explanations that are really psychological. These traditionals are associated with gods, religion, spirits, supernatural powers, including demons. The people refer to such people as native doctor or divinator. They are