The interconnections of family transformation, childrearing and fertility behaviour are
explored. Data were generated tbrough nine focus groups organized among the Ogu and
content analyzed The analysis reveals that although the tamily system is still largely
dominated by extended structure, the strong traditional kinship ties have begun to
undergo serious strain. .hild fostering and other means of spreading cbildrearing cost
among r larives are fading out. Consequently, desired family size and ideal number of
cbildren in the society now gravitate to four children relative to over eight in the past.
Given dwindling extended family resources [or tbe support of a large number of its
members, innovative reproductive behaviour is permeating the society, such as the
adoption of family planning.