In This Issue - THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER Online

Molly Williams and Joyce Nwanya
According to Delma Jackson,
professor in the department of
social work at Fayetteville State
University, “The pace of global challenges
suggests more is needed than
classroom theory and internship practice.
Future social workers have to be ready
with practice skills; be open minded; and
be sensitive to culture, languages, and
lifestyle differences of those whom they
will serve.”
I took Dr. Jackson at her word and
participated in an exchange between Fayetteville
State University (FSU) and Covenant
University (CU), Canaan Land,
Ota, Nigeria, in the summer of 2009. The
students and faculty participating were
in biology, chemistry, history, and social
work. The group was led by Dr. Daniel
Okunbor, Assistant Dean and Professor.
The partnership between FSU and CU
was initiated by Dr. Okunbor with the
aim of fostering a mutual relationship
between FSU and institutions in Africa,
promoting student global perspectives
necessary in knowledge-based 21st century
competitive economy, and engaging
collaborative research among students
and faculty.
0 The New Social Worker Fall 010
International Social Work
in Nigeria, Africa
by Molly N. Williams, MSW, PLCSW
Students from FSU received
academic credits for two courses
that they completed while attending
CU. The two courses were Yoruba
Language and Culture, taught by Dr.
Adeola A. Shobola, who is a professor
in the Department of Psychology
and Counseling; and African Society
and Culture, team taught by Dr. Alex
E. Asakitikpi, Dr. Patrick A. Edewor,
and Dr. Alaba O. Simpson, who
are professors in the Department of
Sociology. The exchange students
were able to put into practice many
of the objectives from the courses
learned in class while in Nigeria. As a
social work student, I gained cultural
understanding by interacting with
CU students, faculty, staff, and many
of the local people in Ota town and
its surrounding cities.
I also learned some of the differences
between Nigerian and American
culture. For example, some agencies
allow their employees to conduct a
praise and worship session before
starting the work day. There was use of
the Yoruba language, religious symbols,
Nigerian foods, meanings of family
names, tribal marks, dress, and some
ceremonial practices.
We traveled by van to Ile-Ife, Osun
State. It is regarded as the revered cradle
of Yoruba civilization. Upon reaching
Ibaden, near Ile-Ife, we had a chance
to practice speaking Yoruba at a nearby
restaurant while placing orders for food
and drinks. I noticed some of the local
people in the restaurant with distinctly
tribal marks on their faces and observed
a variety of traditional dress/attire, including
buba (top) and sokoto (trousers).
While in Ile-Ife, we had a guided
tour of the Ile-Ife palace and museum by
one of the palace officers. He was very
knowledgeable about the history of the
Yoruba people and many of the Yoruba
culture and traditions. He was dressed
in a buba and sokoto with a specialized
haircut (half of the hair being cut very
close and the other side bald). The hair
cut distinguished officers of the palace.
The group continued traveling to
Badagry, Lagos State, where we had the
opportunity to tour the slave museum
and slave camp house, slave market, and
“The Point of No Return.” In the museum,
there were many traditional pieces
of equipment—such as chains, knives,
mouth pieces—from when many Africans
were captured and put on slave ships.
The Mobee family is known to be one of
the major slave trade facilitators in Badagry.
The slave market was also known
as Vlekete Slave Market. The market is
located in front of Vlekete shrine. More
than 17,000 slaves were sold annually at
the peak of the slave trade.
While we were in Badagry, one
of the local chiefs escorted us to “The
Point of No Return.” It is also known as
the Arc of Departure, Gberefu Beach,
Badagry, Lagos State, Nigeria. This is
where many slaves were put on ships
and taken to an unknown destination.
This area was one of the highlights of my
experience in Africa. I actually thought
about the many men, women, and children
who had been separated and taken
without free will. I can only reflect that
this was truly a time when Africans were
not treated with any dignity or respect.
Women Health Awareness
Workshop
There was group participation and
learning in a 3-day workshop, Women
Health Awareness, in the nation’s capital,
Abuja, Nigeria. The workshop was held
at the Women and Youth Education Empowerment
Foundation, and the program
was developed by its coordinator, Mrs.
Joyce Nwanya, and Dr. Daniel Okunbor
of FSU. The goal of the workshop was to
help develop the talents of women and
youth in the areas of craft and handwork.
It was a forum for women and youth to
exchange ideas on how to improve their
economic status, to maintain positive
emotional states, and have healthier
bodies. There were lectures on disease
prevention and identification, as well
as the social work profession. As an
MSW graduate, I made presentations on
“Women Health Awareness and Social
Work as a Profession.”
There were more than 25 women
attending the workshop each day. Upon
completion of the presentation, the