“Pulaaku” Moral Value Influence on Nomadic Fulani Perception and Non-Participation in Educational Community Development in Ikara District, Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how pulaaku moral value of the pastoral Fulani community influence their perception and understanding to education and to answer the question, why the low participation of the Fulani in educational community development in Ikara district keep on persisting. Pastoral Fulani nomads are among Nigeria's and many African countries' most marginalized and educationally disadvantaged communities. Because education continues to be the mechanism for individual, community, and national development, such groups must be given special attention in order for African countries to achieve their sustainable development goals. Human, as well as sociocultural hindrances associated with their educational development need to be evaluated. Two themes emerged as the findings; firstly, perception of the pastoral Fulani on education generally. Secondly, factors precipitating non-participation, is presented into subthemes; strict adherence to pulaaku moral values, fear of fragmentation of social capital, lack of role model and parent ignorance. Thus, the study concluded that Fulani pastoral communities have positive perception on education, but it was evident that socio-cultural factors such as lacking role model with pulaaku principle, perception in fear of the system as a threat to social capital and ignorance influenced their low participation. As a result, politicians, government agencies, and stakeholders must have a comprehensive grasp of Fulani values by sponsoring ethnographic research projects, and maybe incorporate their ideas and considerations into the construction of a suitable nomadic education system, particularly the pulaaku. Also, integrate community-based volunteer groups, purposively for advocacy and awareness will enhance the group understanding and participation in educational community development.