Nigerian Ethnic Groups Research Articles

Factors Influencing Treatment Utilization in African Psychotherapy

Two hundred subjects, 100 each from urban and rural areas of a Nigerian ethnic group were administered questionnaires and given interviews to determine variables shaping their preferred mode of treatment between traditional and Western forms of psychotherapy. Education was found to play an insignificant role among the present subjects as the educated literate subjects continue to indicate considerable interest for traditional treatment. Location was shown to have a significant effect on the treatment choice made by the subjects especially among the rural subjects. The implications of these findings for treatment provision are discussed.

Locus of Control in Nigerian Adolescents and Their Ethnic Membership

Summary Two studies were conducted: (a) to examine the relationships between scores on Rotter's I-E Scale, age, and measures of socioeconomic background of 120 Nigerian adolescent boys; (b) to see if three main Nigerian ethnic groups (Hausa, Ibo, and Yoruba) differ from one another in belief in personal control; and (c) to compare I-E orientation of Nigerians with that of members of some Eastern and Western societies as reported in previous research. It was found that I-E scores were neither significantly associated with ages nor with socioeconomic backgrounds of Nigerian adolescents. No significant differences were found in belief in personal control of Hausa, Ibo, and Yoruba male adolescents. The mean I-E score for Nigerian male Ss was seen to be very much similar to that of their counterparts from Western societies.

Metaperceptual Congruence as a Measure of the “Kernel of Truth” in Nigerian Interethnic Stereotypes

Summary This paper presents a technique which utilizes the degree of congruence among independent perceptions of an ethnic group as a measure of the “kernel of truth” in stereotypic traits applied to that group. After presentation, the technique was then used to extract the “kernel of truth” from a sample of stereotypic traits being currently applied to three major Nigerian ethnic groups: the Ibo, the Hausa, and the Yoruba. Ss were 135 male Nigerian university undergraduates from these three ethnic groups (45 from each group) with ages ranging from 26.8 to 29.2 years. The resultant lists of traits appear to be validated by documented knowledge about the behavior of these groups in interpersonal settings.

A Genetic Study of Lactose Digestion in Nigerian Families

The ability to digest orally administered lactose was determined in individuals representing a number of Nigerian ethnic groups. The data are mainly presented as family pedigrees. In those families where both parents were unable to digest lactose, all of the progeny were lactose nondigestors. If one parent, usually of Northern garopena origin or of the Fulani tribe, could digest lactose, then the progeny contained some or all individuals who were capable of digesting the disaccharide. There was no difference in the results when either the mother or the father was the lactose digestor. Ten families were studied where one parent was of Europena or Yoruba-European origin (lactose digestor) while the other was proper Yoruba 0lactose nondigestor). From these matings, there were 18 lactose digestors and 11 lactose nondigestors. We have concluded that the ability to digest lactose is transmitted as an autosomal dominant and represents the mutated gene or a polymorphism.

Absorption of lactose by various Nigerian ethnic groups

Reports have emanated from a number of regions in the world indicating that various ethnic groups are intolerant to lactose in milk. We accomplished lactose tolerance tests on four major tribal groups in Nigeria: Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani, and Hausa. The Yoruba and Ibo live in an area where there never was cattle-raising and, until recently, no milk was taken after weaning. The Hausa and Fulani live in the north of Nigeria where cattle-rising and ingestion of milk and milk-products are traditional. The data indicate that 99% of the Yoruba and 96% of the Ibo after the age of 1½ to 3 years malabsorb lactose, whereas only 64% of the Hausa and Fulani show malabsorption. But normadic Fulani, who are migratory cattlemen, show only 20% malabsorption. We also found that when white Semites were compared with Anglo-Saxons, the Semites were incapable of absorbing lactose in contrast to the Anglo-Saxons. Individuals with lactose malabsorption showed no difficulty in their ability to hydrolyze sucrose. Since no other mammal, so far examined, is able to hydrolyze lactose efficiently after weaning, we contend that malabsorption of lactose after two years of age is genetically normal in man and that the individuals who are capable of hydrolyzing lactoze in adult life are carrying a mutation derived from natural selection. In regions where malabsorption in adults is prevalent, lactose-free milk should be given to children so as to avoid diarrhea related to lactose intolerance.