This chapter presents the methods and methodologies utilised in this study as well as the theoretical frameworks supporting the study. The sampling procedure used is explained and the profiles of the participants are outlined and highlighted, making the gender dynamics visible throughout the data collection process.
Figure 3.1 below shows Ondo state in Nigeria, the location for this research. Figure 3.2 shows the area in more detail.
Figure 3.1: Map of Nigeria (Source: Google Maps)
Figure 3.2: Map of Ondo State and the Three Research Sites (Source: Google Maps)
The first research phase started in Ile-Oluji on 7 October 2017 and ended on 26 October 2017.
The research site has a latitude of 7°12'6.27"N and a longitude of 4°52'3.44"E. The residents of this village (Agric Farm Settlements) were a mixed population in the sense that most people were from nearby states with only a few from Ondo. Originally it was supposed to be a place where farmers came and worked and then went back into the cities. For the past 40 years or so, people have decided to stay in the village to live around their source of income. Their major source of water was from wells, and those close enough could also fetch water from streams.
At the end of immersion in qualitative research on the way of life of the villagers for about 20 days, the researcher and the four research assistants then travelled for about three hours to the
next village in Ose, which is located in the eastern part of the state with latitude 6° 55' 47.03" N and longitude 5° 46' 25.25" E. This area was predominantly occupied by farmers who were also involved with other jobs. The farming there is on a much larger scale by comparison with that done in Ile-Oluji. The research in Ose started on 30 October 2017 and ended on 24 November 2017. For about 25 days I researched and studied the way of life of the Ose people, whose only source of water was also the well. The Ose wells were about 400 feet deep compared to the wells in Ile-Oluji, which are only about 50 feet deep. In Ose, they refer to ‘borehole’ water but the wells are simply very deep and the water is not good enough for drinking unless managed locally or indigenously, like those in Ile-Oluji. In Ole over 95% of people buy water from a water vendor or from houses that have been able to install a ‘borehole’, a very expensive operation.
Having gained experience from the first research site, it was easier to interact with people in the second village. After three weeks, the researcher proceeded to the last research site, Ese-Odo, which is located four hours drive to the south and has a latitude of 6° 13' 2.7" (6.2174°) north and longitude 4° 57' 52.5" (4.9646°) east. The study in Ese-Odo started on 28 November 2018 and ended on 20 December 2017. Although this area is surrounded by a very deep large river, the residents still need to manage their water locally. The major occupation here is fishing and farming. After 23 days at Ese-Odo, the field work was complete.
Upon arrival at the villages during the study, I was initially mistaken for government personnel coming to install water projects. Thus, the discussion often turned to politics and I had to constantly redirect to the focus of the interview. This was common during all Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) across the villages. Although I did not grow up in the villages under study I was very familiar with the water challenges. Often, I would be teased me in the local dialect as I tried to find my way around. It was not a difficult situation and I was prepared with a gender- based research team (two men and two women in the team while I was the principal investigator). During the FGD, there were no difficulties with the men except that, being much
older, they often discussed things outside of the focus of the discussion. They also expected compensation for participating in the FGD. However, a consent form had already been read and signed which explained that participation was optional and could be withdrawn. The consent form also stated that no payments would be made during or after the FGDs and interviews. This removed the burden of their expectations and the research processes were relatively easy.
During the FGDs, while I was interacting with the participants, the research assistants were tasked with recording the conversations. Generally, both the men and especially the women were very cooperative and the issue of my own gender as male did not seem overtly to be a problem.
There was a minor instance of lack of cooperation with one the women’s FGD because my female research assistant was busy with her field notes and could not stay alongside me throughout. Questions during the women FGDs included:
a. What distance do the women cover to get water?
b. What distance do the women cover to get local materials used for rural water management?
c. Do you think women are better restricted to their homes, in the provisions of potable water?
d. What are the roles played by the men in the provision water and access to potable water?
e. Do you think women’s interest in participating in rural water management would be asking for too much?
f. Do you think the presence of women, like that of men, in rural water management can improve the quality and quantity of potable water?
g. How much access do the women have to rural water management projects?
h. How much are the women’s views consulted during rural water management
i. How much access do the women have to basic things and opportunities necessary for their livelihood?
Women appeared to feel uncomfortable talking about the last questions, probably out of fear since some of the questions touched on the men’s performance in rural water management. After the FGDs, I continued with in-depth interviews, which revealed the basis of the women’s fear:
they were scared that whatever they said during the FGDs would get back to their husbands. One female participant said:
“You have to be wise ‘Ogiri leti’18, what you think you are saying among just these seven women would soon become the talk of the village and you would have problem with your husband which is a bigger issue.”
During interviews, both the key informant (four from each study sites and 12 in all) and the other interviewees were able to ‘open up’, and then I knew the reasons for their attitudes during the FGD. These challenges were overcome during the survey questionnaire, where it was easier for everyone to express their minds freely. The questionnaires enabled gender issues to be addressed and the gender sensitive questions were answered to the best of respondents’ knowledge, since they were individual questions and nobody was going to see what others answered. Hence my relationship with the interviewees was trouble-free because of my gender-based team (whose responsibility was first to make interviewees of the same gender comfortable and also to assist in the recording) and also because of the mixed method approach which made it easy to recover and uncover data and information that could have been lost.
18 Ogiri leti is a Yoruba proverb meaning ‘the walls have ears’.
3.1.1 Training of Research Assistants
The researcher, through an advert on social media, selected and trained four research assistants (two men and two women) who were newly graduated student (Honours) from the Faculty of Social Sceinces, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Their training took place on 3-4 October 2017 between 10am and 3pm each day. Thereafter, practical demonstration sessions were conducted to ensure fitness, full understanding and mastery before commencement and travelleing to the research sites on 7 October 2017. The researcher was able to pay the research assistants for three months due to a research grant (Tetfund). Their responsibilities were basically to ensure that good recordings were made and to take extra notes during interviews and FGDs. They also assisted with administering and retrieving questionnaires.