INTRODUCTION

History had it that, women in the past practiced family planning called “Natural method of family planning”. The method of family planning emphasized on observing the menstrual period and avoiding sexual intercourse until the menstrual cycle is over.

In the modern technology, it has brought some other methods of family planning which the women and even girls are practicing them to the highest degree. However, it is impossible for illiterate women to adapt the modern method of family planning and abandon the olden method. Therefore, the attitude of illiterate women will never be the same with that of literate ones.

Moreover, the topic of this research work is “the attitude of illiterate women towards family planning”. A case study of Kwande local government area of Benue state.

This chapter deals with introduction, background of study, statement of research problem, research questions, purpose of the study, significance of the study, delimination/scope of the study and definition of terms.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Kwande local government area is one among the twenty three (23) local governments areas in Benue state.

The local government area was created in 1976 after the Tiv division was split into three autonomies: Gboko, Makurdi and Katsina-Ala  under the leadership of Col. Abdullahi Shelleng. “Adikpo was chosen as the administrative headquarter of the local government area.

The local government is located in the North-Eastern part of Benue state, it is bounded in the West by Vandeikya local government area,  South by Cross River state, Republic of Cameroon in the East, Katsina-Ala and Ushongo local government in the North.

Kwande local government is an agrarian society. The inhabitants engage in the production of arable food crops such as yam, cassava, sweet potatoes, sorghum, etc. they also grow tree crops like citrus, fresh mangoes (ive) kolanuts, mangoes, etc. for life sustenance. However, the most important economic crop in the local government is ‘’Rice’’. The crop is grown in both lowland and upland areas. On the mountain areas such as the southern parts of Shangev-ya, Ikyurav-ya and Turan, the crop is grown on mountain sides after clearing natural forest/vegetation. The crop when harvested is marketed either in processed or unprocessed form to traders from the eastern and southern parts of the country.

The popular markets for the sale of commodity in ghthe local government are: Jato-aka market in Turan distric, Ikyogen market in Ikyurav – ya district. However, the most viable market for processing and milling of the commodity in the local government area is Adikpo market.

The prominent features surrounding the Adikpo town also serves as the headquarters of the local government area found in the western part of the local government there are also some hills which accommodates tree and wide animals.

Oral interview and other write-ups has shown that, the local government name was derived from the word Ukondugh which literally means “mountain drivellers” because of its hilly nature. In the South Eastern part of the local government area, there is a cattle Ranch reweave and animals of different species kinds are found there.

Many rivers are found in the local government, among them are: “Mlomun” which flow from the Eastern part to the South Eastern part of the local government, “Amire” which takes its sources from the Eastern direction to the North – East.

Climatic conditions experienced in the local government are “Wet and Dry” seasons. The North East trade wind and South West are responsible for their seasons bringing up “dust” from November to March and “moisture” from April to October year in year out.

In the nutshell, the local government area is strategically situate in the guinea – savannah vegetation, the climate, tropical and the landscape is gentle and undulating.