Complexities Involved in Establishing a Culturally Relevant Social Work Curriculum in Nigeria

This chapter discusses findings from an empirical study that explored issues surrounding the development of a culturally relevant social work curriculum for Nigeria. It begins with a focus on conceptualisations of culture within the African social work discourse on indigenisation and culturally relevant social work with reference to ‘indigenising’ social work education. Secondly, it contextualises this cultural discourse through a discussion of the findings from a literature review of publications on Nigerian social work, and from a focus group with Nigerian social work academics. These findings relate to communal and cultural ways of being, ethics, and ethnicity. They show the complexities involved in developing a culturally relevant curriculum that strives to adhere to international social work standards and values in a context with divergent cultural, religious, and ethnic beliefs and traditions. The chapter closes with a reconceptualisation of a culturally relevant social work curriculum and offers three recommendations for progressing towards achieving this outcome.