A BOOK REVIEW “A HANDBOOK OF PSYCHOLOGY IN NIGERIA, 1964 – 2014”.

Abstract

Fifty years in the life a human being is not a joke, and in the same vein, fifty years in the life of a discipline like psychology that studies human behavior for the purpose of solving behavioural problems in our society, calls for greater joy and celebration. Unlike the rapid growth and acceptance of psychology as a discipline and profession in developed countries like United States of America and United Kingdom, psychology in Nigeria is still not growing fast as expected, perhaps, due to ignorance or inability of Nigerians to understand the importance of psychology to human existence.Despite the fact that psychology is the latest entrant into the family of social sciences in Nigeria, the handlers of the discipline have made frantic efforts in the last fifty years to live above board both in the academics and practice, even though the effort is yet to take psychology to the level it should be compared to other countries mentioned above. Notwithstanding the relative achievement recorded, Nigerians, most especially psychologists should have deemed it fit to come up with documented works to celebrate the behavioural discipline at the age of fifty. Perhaps the love and passion for psychology as a discipline and profession informed the author of the handbook under review, Philip C. Mefoh, to put notes together to celebrate the birth and development of psychology in Nigeria in the last fifty years.The author has two major goals in writing this handbook as documented in its preface. In summary, the first goal is to search for and safeguard vital details about psychology in Nigeria from disintegrating into oblivion. Secondly, the book seeks to encourage psychologists to embrace genuine scholarship route in aspiring for academic excellence rather than going through the back door. The 204- page book written in nine (9) chapters gave the perception and knowledge of the author on the development of psychology in Nigeria. It is hoped that the goal and purpose of writing this book will be achieved.