Comparative Study of Cephalometric Indices Among Idoma and Igede Ethnic Groups of Benue State, Nigeria

Comparative Study of Cephalometric Indices Among Idoma and Igede Ethnic Groups of Benue State, Nigeria

CHAPTER ONE

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

AIM

The aim of the present study is to investigate any possible ancestral relationship using cephalometric indices between Igede and Idoma ethnic groups of Benue State, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are:

To compare and establish relationship between Idoma and Igede ethnic groups of Benue State using anthropometric parameters.
To study the data obtained from the two tribes with a view to compare the cephalometric indices of other tribes in Nigeria.
To study sexual dimorphisms in the cephalometric indices within the two
To study any relationship in the craniofacial indices among Igede and Idoma ethnic groups of Benue state, Nigeria.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATUREREVIEW

Overview of Cephalometry

Cephalometry is a branch of anthropometry through which anthropological measurements are made that helped in determining health status and human variations (De Onis and Habicht, 1996; Schoenbaum et al., 1995). Cephalometric techniques helped in the study of nutritional status, energy consumption, body composition, malnutrition and physical appearances determinations (Eboh and Boye, 2005; Hassan et al., 2008).

Anthropological techniques had in the previous work reviewed satisfactions and identifications of body remains, plastic surgery, archeology and in differentiation between people of different races and sexes (Heidari et al., 2006; Umar et al., 2006). The most widely used in the field of anthropological sciences is cephalometry through which head dimensions are determined using calculated indices (Vojdani et al.,2009 and Khandare et al., 2008).

It has been reported that factors like race, ethnicity, genetic interaction, traditions, nutrition, environment, traditional belief and climatic changes influences head and face of humans (vohdani et al., 2009). Various cephalometric studies in the north and southern part of Nigeria had been documented (Raji et al., 2010; Garba et al., 2008; Oladipo et al., 2010 and Okupe et al., 1985).

Cephalometry is also the measurement of the human head, using highly accurate techniques to obtain very detailed information (Al-Rewashdeh et al., 2010 and Bayat et al., 2010). X-ray imaging is a common technique, as it allows people to create a record of the skull’s appearance and shape (Bayat et al., 2010). Three dimensional clinical imaging of the head and skull is also available. There are a number of applications for cephalometry, including in reconstructive surgery to repair injuries or defects to the head and face (Bharati., 2001).

Any number of medical professionals can use measuring tools to record aspects of a patient’s face, like the space between the eyes, the size of the ears, and so forth. Using X-ray imaging, people can map measurements onto an underlying skull structure (Golalipour et al., 2008 and Golalipour et al., 2004). It is also possible to take measurements directly from X-ray or three dimensional imaging and some computer programs will automatically calculate them for convenience and a high degree of accuracy (Kobyliansky et al., 1983) with the help of proper knowledge around anatomical configurations of the head and face as shown in figure 1.0

CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHODS

THE STUDY LOCATION

This study was conducted on normal randomly selected Igede and Idoma ethnic goups of Benue State region of East-Central Nigeria in Oju College of Education and Jesus Collge Otukpo.

Since Igede and Otukpo represent a mix of the subject populations of interest in the research study, all participants were chosen to be representatives of the two tribes.

The motto as the food basket of the nation, Nigeria, it has three major ethnic groups known as Igede, Idoma and Tiv and there exist peaceful co-existence among other ethnic tribes like Igala from Kogi, Hausa from Kaduna, and Yoruba from Western part of Nigeria.

The State had a total population of 2,780, 398 according to the 1991 Census and that was projected to 3,100,311 in 1996, with average population density of 99 persons per sq.km (Bennett et al., 2004). This made Benue State, the 14th most populous State in Nigeria. However, the distribution of the population according to LGAs shows marked duality with some areas of low population density such as Guma, Gwer, Ohimini, Katsina Ala, Apa, Logo and Agatu, each with less than seventy persons per sq. km while Vandeikya, Okpokwu, Ogbadibo, Obi and Gboko had densities ranging from 140 persons to 200 persons per sq. km. Makurdi LGA has a restricted coverage around the town of over 380 person per sq. km with a population showed a slight imbalance in favor of the females. The males were 49.8 percent of the total population while the females constituted 50.2 per cent (Bennett et al., 2004).

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS

DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS OF THE STUDY POPULATION

Out of five hundred and six questionnaires distributed, four hundred and twenty five were retrieved forming about Eighty-Four percent (84%) of the questionnaires that was retuned. The information contained in each questionnaire was analyzed and presented in a tabular form. A total of 135 questionnaires which constitute about 16% were either not returned or returned blank. Four hundred and twenty five (425) subjects which composed of 158 Igede and 267 Idoma, with their percentages as 37.2% and 62.8% respectively. The sample population as shown in Table 4.0 was further subdivided into sex where Igede tribe had 75 males and 83 females while Idoma tribe had 129 and 138 respectively.

The values of all the anthropometric parameters, head length, head width, bizygomatic distance, nasa length, nasal width, and skull height were analyzed and recorded as follows: table 4.0 gave frequency by tribe and sex, table 4.1 (general descriptive statistics), table 4.2 (Mean±SEM of upper facial length and total facial length among Igede and Idoma males), table 4.3 (SEM of bizygomatic distance and nose width of Igede male and Idoma male), table 4.4 upper facial length and head length table, 4.5 (Mean±SEM of upper facial length for Idoma males), table 4.6 (general cephalometric indices), table 4.7 upper facial index and breadth height, table 4.8 (nasal facial index and mean height indices), table 4.9 (cephalic index and breadth- height index), table

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

DISCUSSION

Results of the present study using cephalometric indices namely the head length, head width, age, bizygomatic distance, upper facial, lower facial length, total facial length, nose width and skull height can be successfully used to predict anthropometric relationships between the two ethnic groups. The present cephalometric

study among the Igede and Idoma ethnic groups of Benue State, Nigeria was compared with some results from craniometric studies. Although it appeared scanty scholarly knowledge on Nigerian cephalometrics, some anthropometric work like: Maina et al. (2012) compared the craniofacial indices among tribes in Gombe State, Nigeria, Raji, et al. (2010) in morphological evaluation of head and face shapes in a NorthEastern Nigerian population, Jackes et al. (1997) , studied the cephalofacial indices among young students of Western Europe, Oluwole et al. (2009) studied craniofacial indices in Lagos Western region of Nigeria, Danborno et al. (1997), studied craniofacial indices in Maiduguri.

CONCLUSION

The study compared, revealed and established anthropometric relationship between Igede and Idoma ethnic groups of Benue State using anthropometric parameters such as head length, length, head width and skull height (75.mm, 55.0mm and 151mm). The study had also established a comparable relationship of cephalometric indices with other tribes in Nigeria that they both belonged to Negroids in head and face shapes (76.54 and 77.33). Sexual dimorphic features like length height indexes (90.42 and 77.82) between the two ethnic groups existed and cephalofacial characteristics by tribes using correlation and regression analysis expressed similarities (0.25 and 0.23).

It is therefore, concluded that these two Nigerian tribes (Igede and Idoma) belong to the Negroids skull (Bass, 1995). Future studies to using larger samples on anthropometric functions to tribal settings could be carried out as this study is of importance in forensic science and clinical anthropometry.

RECOMMENDATION

It is hence recommended that further studies be carried out using larger population to validate the level of cephalic indices as an indicator for anthropometric relationships amongst Igede and Idoma ethnic tribes of Benue States. Also, the used of aged 17-40 years in the present study be extended and other other forms of anthropometry like palmar, lips prints and foot indices of individual tribes for wider coverage in Nigeria.

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