Value of children among the Yoruba of Western and Lagos states of Nigeria : some rural-urban differentials

Abstract

The survey which forms the basis of this study was carried out amongst the Yoruba of the Western and Lagos States of Nigeria, between June and July, 1973» It was the second segment of the Changing African Family Project in Niger ia(CAFN II). Lata were collected on the perceived social, economic and psychological values and costs of children from 2996 Yoruba respondents of both sexes, aged seventeen years and above and living in the two states at the time of the survey. This was the first attempt at gathering comprehensive information on perceived values of children in Western and Lagos States in particular and Nigeria as a whole. This study has specifically attempted to look at the perceived values of children within the Yoruba society from the urban and rural perspective. The fifty sampled centres have been grouped into urban and rural on the basis of their population and existing social and economic facilities in 1973» The study identifies urban and rural differentials in the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the sample population. This socio-economic background affects decisions on family formation, socialization and upbringing of children, attitudes towards family size, sex preference of children and use of birth control methods. Lifferentials in perceived costs of children have also been examined. There has been an on-going debate on rural-urban fertility differentials in Yoruba. society. The observed differentials in this study, have been used to attempt an explanation of the observed rural-urban fertility differential thereby contributing to the rural-urban fertility debate. It is concluded from the CAFII II evidence that contrary to some earlier research findings, rural fertility may be slightly higher than urban. Show more