Superstitious Beliefs Held by the People of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
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KIU Journal of Social Sciences KIU Journal of Social Sciences Copyright©2018 Kampala International University ISSN: 2413-9580; 4(1): 127–133 Superstitious Beliefs Held By the People of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria MULKAH ADEBISI AHMED, ISAAC OLAKANMI ABIMBOLA, YAHAYA LUKMAN University of Ilorin, Nigeria BILIKIS ADENIKE ABDULSALAM Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria Abstract. This study examined the scientific explanations and educational implications of 1. Introduction superstitious beliefs held by the people of Ilorin in Kwara State, Nigeria. A total number of 250 Taking a cursory look at the standard of living respondents were purposively sampled across and welfare of people globally, the impact of the three local government areas (LGAs) in science and technology cannot be over Ilorin metropolis, namely, Ilorin South, Ilorin emphasized. The attitude of humans towards West, and Ilorin East. The instrument used for nature manifests their traditional way of life and the study was research designed interview culture, which is prevalent in Africa. The protocol. The interview protocol was to find out traditional or common sense refers to one’s the superstitious beliefs held by the people of viewpoints, beliefs, attitudes, outlook, or ways Ilorin metropolis and to provide their scientific of life. For instance, in the traditional belief, the explanations. Four research questions were elders’ words are assumed to be words of raised and answered. The data collected were wisdom. Scientists (philosophers) use logical, subjected to frequency counts, percentages, and consistent, and systematic thinking in their chart presentation. The results showed that the efforts to reach sound conclusions about man, people of Ilorin South, Ilorin West, and Ilorin the world, and everything that exists—natural East held some superstitious beliefs about and supernatural. From the philosophical point nutrition, menstruation, health, diseases, death, of view, pure reasoning is used to clarify ideas heredity, barrenness, animals, birth, family by asking questions. This is unlike physical planning, growth, pregnancy, and water. The sciences, which use empirical data to establish superstitious beliefs collated and their scientific the truth of their findings. While the traditional explanations undergone both face and content believers search for the wholeness of knowledge validation by three experts from the Department and beliefs of people to an extent, scientists and of Science Education, University of Ilorin. From philosophers ask and answer second-order the findings, it is recommended among others questions which deal with qualitative analysis as that religious parastatal should lay emphasis on against the quantitative analysis that personnel responsibility in the determination of characterizes the empirical studies. one’s fate rather than blind reliance of some The question which requires direct answer is spiritual processing. scientific, but the question that is approached from different angles as deemed necessary by Keywords: superstitious beliefs, scientific the individual respondents is logical. ―What is explanations, people of Ilorin, Ilorin metropolis, her name?‖ is a direct question which requires a educational implication specific answer like ―Her name is Bilikis 127 KIU Journal of Social Sciences Abdulsalam‖. A question like ―Who is she‖ is 2. Statement of the Problem not a definite question and so does not anticipate a straightforward answer. It could require People find it difficult to accept wholly scientific knowing her name, her mission, her family explanations for natural phenomena as a result background, her occupation, her qualifications, of information disseminated to them by their and so on. Therefore, different people may elders, royal fathers, and spiritual leaders. The approach the question from different people of Ilorin attached much value to faith perspectives. The first question which required a than scientific concepts, so, their superstitious direct answer is scientific but the second beliefs inhibit their scientific learning and question which could be approached from meaningful understanding of its concept. The different angles is a logical question. A logical problem is further compounded by the fact that question is a second-order question. It tries to superstitious beliefs that are prevalent among the give a holistic and comprehensive answer to people of Ilorin were attached with questions and implies the traditionalists’ belief misconceived ideas, religions, explanations, and that ―There is no absolute knowledge or truth‖. spectacular ways of thinking. If not so, the Based on this, ―Every conclusion reached is appearance of solar and lunar eclipses would not tentative and open to future or further be superstitiously believed to be a bad omen. investigations‖ (Amaele, 2005). Instead of finding scientific explanations to A superstitious belief is a belief or practice these phenomena, they embarked on special generally regarded as irrational belief resulting supplication and offer of supererogatory prayers. from ignorance or fear of the unknown. It A superstitious belief about an eclipse is that implies a belief in unseen and unknown forces during an eclipse, the sun is being swallowed by that can be influenced by objects and rituals. demons. Some people do not cook during an Examples of common superstitions include the eclipse because they think that there are many belief that ―Bad luck will strike the person, in germs around during that time. Some pregnant front of whom a black cat walks under a ladder‖, women who believe in superstitions believe that ―A bird in the house is a sign of a death‖, and so they should stay indoors during an eclipse as on. their baby may develop abnormalities. It is prevalent in Ilorin metropolis that some The following three questions guided this study: categories of people have mystical powers or 1. What are the superstitious beliefs prevalent in knowledge to predict future occurrences through Ilorin metropolis? the use of sand, water rotary, and glass. So, 2. What are the possible scientific explanations sorcerers, fortune tellers, and even spiritual for each of the superstitions? Islamic scholars were looked upon to tell their 3. What are the educational implications of future and even determine their prosperity in superstitious beliefs? life. Some pastors were looked onto as well for safety. Therefore, scientific explanations and 3. Research Method people’s superstitious beliefs for a phenomenon may, in some cases, contradict each other. In The research type adopted for this study is the view of this, the negative effect of superstitious descriptive type, using the survey method which beliefs is that they often serve as misconceptions describes and interprets what exists, such as to the interpretation of natural phenomena. Thus, opinions, attitudes, beliefs, and events, without the researchers decided to conduct a study on the manipulating the variables. The beliefs prevalent superstitious beliefs held by the people of Ilorin. among people of Ilorin metropolis were This study documents the superstitious beliefs documented and a scientific explanation was that are prevalent among the people of Ilorin given to each of the superstitions by the metropolis, provides scientific explanations to researchers. the identified superstitions, and finds out the The researchers chose 250 people as the sample educational implications of the superstitious size from 2,950,000 people (Ilorin Emirate beliefs to classroom teaching. Development Progressive Union (IEDPU), 2005). This was the population of Ilorin East, 128 KIU Journal of Social Sciences Ilorin South, and Ilorin West local government hold onto in the categories. It was given to three areas (LGAs). These areas were subdivided into science education lecturers from the Faculty of sub-units to create effective awareness. Out of Education, University of Ilorin for their 16 wards in Ilorin East, Ilorin South, and Ilorin comments on the structure and usability of the West LGAs, a stratified sampling of five wards instrument. A pilot study involving 25 people was selected. A list of towns and villages in each (15 males and 10 females) was conducted using of the five wards selected was made and a the interview protocol. The 25 people were stratified sampling of male and female, young selected from the towns and villages, where the and adult, educational and uneducational, and face validation of the instrument was done. The Muslims and Christians was used. instrument was administered twice leaving an The instrument consisted of two sections: interval of four weeks. The responses of the Section A requested for basic and personal subjects on the two administrations were information of the respondents, such as age, sex, analyzed using percentage. religion, and educational background; section B The researchers were assisted by two research contained 15 items based on the research topic. assistants to collect data and information from The items were intended to find out the various the 50 potential respondents from each ward, superstitious beliefs on different areas of life using the interview protocol. The researchers among the people of Ilorin metropolis. The worked in three wards while the research researchers asked the respondents to mention assistants worked in two wards. They were superstitious beliefs in specific areas of life trained on how to administer the interview which included family background, life protocol and the tape recorder