Social welfare and family support: the Nigeria experience.

1: The family
Membership of the family include not only the natural parents and their children but also
uncle,aunties, cousins, nieces, grandparents etc. All related to one person known as the ancestor,
the family can include collateral descendants of up to the fourth generations. Along with this there
is a customary law of collaboration and self help among the members of the family. The organization
and execution of tasks are supervised by the patriarch the chief who also assume custody of the
material and spiritual good of the family .

2: The ancestors
This is the basis for solidarity and submission to authority. The dead are consider the source of life.
They are also the origin of laws and customs and continue to protect their descendants that is why
they are been consulted, prayers and offering are been made to them. They are believed to provide
personal order and stability to the members of the ethnic group.

3: land
This is a major means of production and it was owned by groups such as the family or clan. The land
is an important element of the community life.

4: marriage
Marriage is not defined as an individual affair but as a collective concern. It enlarges group, multiple
alliances and reinforce economic capabilities. At marriage the majority of the girls shift homestead
and marriage within the family is forbidden. During marriage the husband pays the bride price and
that entitle him to claim the children who are the issue of the marriage as his own, irrespective of
who the physical father may be. The payment of bride price and the ritual ceremonies of the
marriage create a very strong bond not broken even after the death of the husband.

5: Children
The children grow up in an intense situation of kinship, lineage and family. They learn and are
bounded by their family obligation and family histories.

6: social welfare

Causes of change in the family system

1: western form of religion
The introduction of the new religion by the missionary led to the abandoning of the traditional
religious rite and manifestation. The convert to the new religion were forced, as a condition of their
conversion it led to the abandoning of their former practice and their ritual object were either burn
or confiscated by the missionaries.

2: western styled education

This was the introduction of the western educational system into Africa (Nigeria). The educational
system was such that it produces assimilation of the European norms and values. The more the
student conformed to these the higher is certificate and position. This curriculum was European
oriented without Nigerian cultural content. Though the local language were used in elementary
school no effort was given to their development. The English language has been compulsory in
college and university and a pass in English was mandatory otherwise even if a student passes in all
subjects and fail English he or she as to repeat the whole examination. The examination in
universities and the finals in the secondary school level were set and graded in England.

3: Urbanization
Due to the change in the traditional value system and belief, there as been an increase tendency
towards individualism. The assertion of individual right and freedom is fast replacing the group
consciousness. The effect of rural migration towards the cities is detribalization and urbanization
(Damachi 1972) of the migrant. There is loss of intense personal relationship with the family and
lose of sense of community.

4: marriage:
This is one of the most important social institutions everywhere and very particularly in any African
country. Before the arrival of the European they were only one form of marriage though it was
different from the north as compared to the south but the marriage was done according to the
indigenous custom. Which the non moslem from the south practice polygamy and can marry
unlimited wives while the moslem from the north also practice polygamy but have limited of wives
they can marry which was 4 wives. However Christian marriage which was inherited from the
colonial time which was one man one wife is gaining more prominence.

Three marriage custom in Nigeria now

1: The moslem marriage custom in the north
2: the indigenous marriage custom in the south.
3: the English marriage custom based on the English common law.

5: parental attitude towards children

Introduction of the western concepts of social welfare

The organized welfare services were pioneered by the missionaries. They concerned themselves
mostly with medical services, educations and the needy mothers. They also brought the attention of
the colonial governments the necessity to concern themselves with the social welfare of their
subjects.
The effect of the introduction of the western concepts of social welfare services :
it was limited in those areas like the rural areas and small Urbana centers and the people engaged in
the machinery of the colonial administration and production. Very little of it was able to reached the
masses of the people, nevertheless the natural helping system which were the family , lineage
which had tended to meet the welfare needs of the masses were seriously weakened by the impact
of the colonizing forces.
The present social welfare services in Nigeria
As already noted social welfare services were provided by the extended family system before the
missionaries and colonialists. Organized welfare began to take shape with the pioneering efforts of
the missionaries. At present the social welfare services are provided by
1: family system
2: voluntary agencies ( missionaries and international agencies)
3: government.
Types of welfare services provided
1: casework: this as to do with family and child care. Juvenile welfare.. they aimed to provide help to
individuals or families in need and helping neglected children.
2: group work: this as to do with groups of people working together. Such as the boys club, girls
club, women club. They tend to provide social, moral , intellectual and physical activities for
assisting members becoming integrated personalities and useful members of the community.
3: Rehabilitation of the handicapped:
This was been carried out in collaboration of regional governments, religious organizations and
volunteers.
There are three types of services that follows this pattern of services inherited from the colonial
times:
1: foster care: this sometimes takes form of an apprenticeship where the young is been helped by
the kinsman to acquire education or trade but now the government especially the volunteer
agencies such as the religious organizations provide orphanage home for the children who have lost
their family and for foes who extended family does not assume responsibility.
2: care of the elderly : Nigeria as not yet adopted this system from the colonial government. It is
known that children are meant to take care of their parents when they are old but there as been lots
of changes due to the impact of urbanization, change in terms of cultural values, change in the
degree of respect for the elderly, change in composition. In addition to this the women are
becoming more educated and taking up different roles renders the care of the elderly more difficult.
The government should should devise a means of encouraging the family to maintain this care by
subsidizing it .
subsidizing it .
3 community development: this promotes the activities participation of the community in order to
utilize the available resources for development. These resources include both goods, materials,
people and institutions within the community.
In Nigeria these institutions are
1: local administrative institution: These include local government councils district and village
councils. They have development responsibilities beside administrative work. They are much
involved in promoting self help activities in most communities.
2: traditional rulers: There include chiefs, emirs, divisional and village head. They are recognized
leaders within the community who command the respect of their subject. The community workers
have to work through the leader in order to achieve their objectives.
3: voluntary social organizations: this include self help group such as the youth clubs, cooperative
union, farmer club. This are often created by people with specific objectives including promotion of
self help activities.
4: religious organization: this is concern with the spiritual need of the members, they are involved in
social development programs. The community development workers need to work with these
organizations also.
5: government institutions: these include the various governmental departments like agriculture,
sport , recreation, education, health , forestry , community development . It involves aspect of
development through the promotion of specific programs.