CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Cultural practices have evolved from indigenous knowledge and it practice preceded all allopathic or modern medicine throughout the world. Stimulated by instinct, taste and experience, early man and women treated illness by using plants, animal parts and minerals.
In developing country like Nigeria, studies have shown that over 70% of the populace stills depend on traditional medicine in one form or the other source. Despite the long existing history of most of the cultural practices, the lack of proper organization has deprived it of a lot of credibility, acceptability and respect it deserved in the past few years.
The cultural practices of the people not only affect their health but also affect all aspect of life including social relationships, contribution to societal, functioning and disease condition. Man living in an interactive society is affected by what happens in his environment and how he reacts to it. All people no matter their race have their beliefs and practices concerning health and diseases. Each society or community has its peculiar way of doing things and this practices go a long way in influencing the people’s perception,  attitudes and behavior in the management of disease and health related problems that befall them (WHO 2007). Some of these cultural practices, which have endured centuries of practice work for the people. It is not uncommon to think of something crude and bad whenever one talks about cultural practices as it concerns health. Not all cultural practices are bad. However, some have stood the test of time and have positive values. Others are uncertain and negatively harmful. It is essential to have an ideal about culture practices of some communities because the cultural practice a community adopts fulfils certain purposes of the cultural bearers (Idehen, 2007).
