DOCUMENTATION AND USE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONES OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Documenting indigenous knowledge is now widely discussed as a way of guaranteeing the social, cultural and economic interest of indigenous people and local communities. This paper investigated the methods through which public libraries in South-East and South-South geopolitical zones of Nigeria document and use indigenous knowledge. A descriptive research design was used for the study, using questionnaire and interview as the instruments for data collection. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study using Pearson Product movement Correlation Co-efficient as data analysis tool. A sample size of 363 respondents was drawn for the study. Out of the total number of 363 copies of questionnaire distributed to the respondent, a total of 257, representing (70.8%) copies were retrieved for analysis. This study found out that the public libraries studied document different types of indigenous knowledge which includes: history, general traditional culture, traditional medicines, agricultural practices and folk tales. The recommendations were made that librarians in this field should aggressively address the issue of indigenous knowledge documentation and use.

Keywords; Knowledge, Indigenous knowledge, documentation, use, public libraries,

 (2025).. . Vol. 19, 117-125. ,(2013). . .33 (2).247-270.