Counselling approaches in Nigerian traditional communities

Abstract

Guidance and counselling services, which were introduced to Nigeria in 1959, have recently undergone rapid growth. While the approaches of the formalized guidance services have been largely Western, traditional means of approaching an individual's problems have always existed within Nigerian communities. This article identifies areas of traditional counselling that might be used alongside those of the Western system.

The special areas examined were those of mural guidance, vocational counselling, marriage counselling and emotional counselling. Findings include the following:

• (1) Every adult in the society who possesses relevant experience in any problem area is capable of playing the role of a counsellor at least for that particular problem.

• (2) An individual who is considered in need of guidance is invited into counselling.

• (3) The early knowledge that work is essential for every adult provides individuals with appropriate skills of choosing satisfying vocations.

• (4) Individuals proposing marriage undergo counselling.

• (5) Divination offers a reassuring approach to counselling situation.