Socio-cultural attitudes of Igbomina tribe toward marriage and abortion in Osun and Kwara states of Nigeria

Abstract

The article namely: "Socio-cultural attitudes of Igbomina tribe toward marriage and abortion in Osun and Kwara states of Nigeria" by Adeleke Gbadebo Fatai has been updated with a new version bearing the author's current affiliation with significant editorial intervention.

Abortion has been a social menace and its assessment has depended on one's socio-legal views. Past scholars have concluded that abortion is either a felony or homicide; there is no known empirical study on socio-cultural implications of abortion to marriage in Igbomina tribe in Nigeria. The paper examines the socio-cultural attitudes of Igbomina tribe toward marriage and abortion in Osun and Kwara state, Nigeria. Questionnaire was administered to 1036 (Osun: 516; Kwara: 518) respondents mainly women in 14-45 years, 108 (Rural Women: 78, Traditional Health Practitioners: 30) respondents were interviewed and 156 (Single Lady: 90; Married Women: 66) Focus Group Discussions were held. Most (99.8%) respondents were not involved in abortion because 81.2% described induced abortion as a taboo. Majority (78.3%) respondents have seen more than forty women who died from miscarriage in traditional shrines and 59.7% passed through one-miscarriage or pregnancy complications but were denied access to abortion. Any form of abortion resulted in divorce, ban from eating natural foods, marry outside the clan or total exile from the land. The paper concludes that only positive counseling, informational and educative services could bring about attitudinal change.