Abstract

David-West C. Ebinabor

The study assessed the level of indigenous environmental consciousness and education in Nigerian cities using Ogbomoso as a case study. It identified the level and limitations to the consciousness of environmental issues; it also evaluated the presence and level of indigenous environmental consciousness; examined the forms of indigenous environmental education prevailing in the city, how it is acquired, and their relevance to environmental management. It also assessed the effectiveness of this indigenous environmental consciousness and relayed the outcome of the survey for further work, by the incorporation of indigenous knowledge into the educational curriculum. The study elicits various indigenous educations relating to the environment, the level of awareness as regard such and the effectiveness. Data for this research were obtained mainly from a comprehensive questionnaire survey, which were administered to 3,000 (10%) households from the total of 30,020 households in the study area. The data collected were analysed using simple statistical techniques such as frequency table and percentages. Simple linear regression was used to explain the relationship between education, level of environmental consciousness of the people, income level and level of consciousness to environment. The study observed that the level of education is negatively related to the level of environmental consciousness and the level of income is directly related to environmental consciousness. The study shows that traditional and indigenous education are the avenue through which indigenous knowledge is passed to people through gradual socialization of youths in a society into its norms, religious beliefs and moral values.