Shepherding the Future: Fulani Pastoralists' Access to Primary Education in Southwest Nigeria

This book emanated from a doctoral research fieldwork on access to primary school education among the Fulani of southwestern Nigeria. Using thick ethnography, the book examines parental and school factors influencing access and completion of primary education among the research subjects. Perception of western education as inaccurate to building morale and traditional ethics and values, the Fulani do not encourage western education. Preference is given to traditional education which is not class-bond, holistic and expansive in knowledge building. Similarly, the nomadic pattern also discourages regular attendance in school. Poor location of schools, lack of enough teachers, inadequate infrastructures and book materials limit access to western education. Thus, there is higher rate of out of school children and drop outs among the nomadic Fulani of Oyo North and Ibarapa in southwestern Nigeria.