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The paper examines the newly enacted Plant Variety Act in Nigeria in relation to the obligations of Nigeria to protect plant varieties. The paper views these obligations from different perspectives in the protection of diverse interest related to plant varieties. The paper finds that the Act offers an unbalanced protection of right which strongly protects the intellectual property rights of breeders without recourse to the other interest obligated to be protected by several international agreement which Nigeria is a signatory to especially farmers', communities and biodiversity interests. The paper advocates for an amendment of the Act to ensure a balanced and compliant legal framework for the protection of plant varieties in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines suicide prevalence among Nigerian youth struggling to find meaning in life. Frustrated by unattainable ideals, they experience despair. The study explores religion's role in providing support for meaning-seeking individuals. Utilizing an explorative approach, the paper highlights how religion can play a role in offering solidarity, morality, and hope as vital resources for creating a meaningful life. It introduces "Pastrotherapy" as a pastoral care approach to addressing existential questions. Findings emphasize the importance of religious communities and leaders in promoting resilience and addressing underlying causes of despair. This study reveals how religious beliefs and practices support Nigerian youth facing existential challenges, shedding light on the intersection of religion, meaning-making, and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A contemporary community challenge requires a symbiosis between the police and the community. This paper examined community policing and security in Delta State with focus on vigilante groups in Abraka kingdom. The survey research method was adopted, with a combination of both primary and secondary sources of data collection. Questionnaires were administered and data were also generated from books, journals and newspaper articles. Data collected was tabulated and analyzed using the simple percentage. The study revealed that the Nigerian police force alone cannot secure lives and properties of citizens of Delta state, without complementary efforts from the community. The paper concluded that the police and the community can actually work together to provide security for the state. The paper recommended amongst others that the law making body of the state, which is the State House of Assembly, to enact laws that will encourage the establishment and training of the vigilante groups to enhance community policing in Delta State as it has being in other States of the Federation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linguistic plurality is a situation in which a speech community speaks more than one language. It is a complex sociolinguistic phenomenon that helps explain the complexity of human nature. Human beings cannot exist in isolation and are therefore inclined towards interaction and transaction. The need and desire to interact leads to language contact, where two or more languages co-exist and are constantly used by people who share definitive interests. Linguistic homogeneity is illusory, since there is hardly any linguistic community that is absolutely monolingual. Despite the complexity of linguistic diversity, the world has recorded tremendous developments in the arts, sciences, and technology. This highlights the strength that lies in diversity. The utilitarian nature of multilingualism can be explored for the growth and development of human society, as language is a key factor in development. Although multilingualism might pose a threat to nationalism, it is apparently the basis of nationhood in Nigeria, having existed even before colonization. The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of linguistic plurality for sustainable development. This study uses a descriptive and qualitative methodology, heavily relying on the nativist theory and the framework of Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) as its major underpinnings. Drawing from these frameworks, the paper observes that language acquisition occurs naturally with the presence of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD), and consequently, languages are used to perform functional roles. The scope of this work is limited to multilingualism and sustainable development in Africa, with particular emphasis on Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the issue of wastewater due to oil spills and pollution in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, which has led to significant environmental and socioeconomic consequences for local communities. The study employed a secondary data collection approach, drawing on various sources, including published research articles, reports, official records, and satellite imagery. Through a systematic review and synthesis of the available literature, the paper identified key challenges, mitigation and remediation strategies, policy recommendations, and areas for future research. The findings of this study revealed that the existing regulatory framework has not been fully effective in preventing and addressing oil spills and pollution in the Niger Delta region due to factors such as weak enforcement, inadequate resources, and overlapping responsibilities among regulatory agencies. Moreover, existing measures for oil spill response, clean-up, compensation, and remediation have had limited success, leaving affected communities to continue suffering from the impacts of oil spills and pollution. Short conclusion: The paper highlights the potential of innovative approaches and technologies, such as advanced oil spill detection and monitoring technologies, bioremediation, and renewable energy, to enhance the effectiveness of mitigation and remediation efforts. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of collaboration and cooperation among various stakeholders, including government agencies, oil companies, local communities, civil society organizations, and international partners, in addressing the challenges posed by oil spills and pollution in the Niger Delta region. Based on the findings, the paper presents several policy recommendations, such as strengthening the regulatory framework, enhancing transparency and accountability, promoting community participation and empowerment, and encouraging investment in sustainable development and clean technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses cultural sayings, known as proverbs, as a body of special speeches in which meanings are encrypted in figurative codes and deep structures by way of analogy and elevated comparisons. Within this corpus are proverbs, anecdotes, idioms, and epigrammatic sayings which constitute the wisdom of the elders of the communities, having been distilled from over the ages. The data investigated for this paper comprise 20 aspects of the meaning of Nigerian proverbs from two major cultural blocks namely, Yoruba and Mbube. The selected proverbs and their meanings were obtained from community leaders, traditional rulers, senior citizens, clan heads and other leaders of opinions in both communities while some others were gathered from the public domain. We posit that proverbs are capsules of knowledge that have both surface and deep meaning structures. This linguistic arsenal of verbal fireworks constitutes a safeguard for elders and community leaders in the way they deploy important messages, judgments, and counsel. This present study establishes a common link between the two cultural environments by the social values upheld in both communities, as demonstrated in their proverbs under study. We attempt to demonstrate the importance of this cultural-linguistic tool by using the theoretical framework of the Hallidayan interpersonal function in addition to Eugene Nida’s theory of equivalency in translating the proverbs into English. Findings from the results reveal that proverbs do serve as regulators of behaviours and moral templates upon which socio-cultural values are built both among the Yoruba and Mbube people of Nigeria. Proverbs contribute immensely to character reformation, value re-orientation and social redemption in the ideal African society. The use of a proverb or a cultural maxim portrays its user as a wise person. Simultaneously, hearkening to the messages contained in them is capable of making one wise as they serve as informal processes of teaching the lore, norms and nuances of any culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescents and their communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria have poor attitudes and beliefs towards adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This paper reports on the effects of a community-embedded intervention that focused on creating positive changes in the attitudes and beliefs of adolescents and community members to enhance adolescents' access to SRH information and services. Methods: This study adopted the Qualitative Impact Assessment approach to evaluate the changes in attitudes and beliefs about the SRH of adolescents from the perspectives of the beneficiaries of a community-embedded intervention namely, adolescents, parents, school teachers, and community leaders. The intervention was implemented in six local government areas in Ebonyi State, southeast Nigeria and the evaluation was undertaken four months after the implementation of the interventions commenced. Eighteen (18) interviews were conducted with 82 intervention beneficiaries including: (i) six in-depth interviews with school teachers; (ii) two sex-disaggregated FGDs with parents; (iii) two sex-disaggregated FGDs with community leaders; and (iv) eight sex-disaggregated FGDs with in school and out of school adolescents. A thematic analysis of data was performed with the aid of NVivo software, version 12. Results: The community-embedded intervention led to changes in individual attitudes and beliefs, as well as changes in community norms and values concerning adolescent SRH. Adolescents reported that following the community-embedded SRH intervention, they have become more comfortable discussing openly SRH issues with their peers, and they could more easily approach their parents and initiate SRH discussions. The parents of adolescents reported that following the intervention, they have become more willing to discuss sensitive SRH issues with adolescents, and frequently make out time to do so. It was also reported that parents no longer use euphemisms to describe sexual body parts, and community leaders now believe that it is all right to discuss SRH with adolescents. Hence, initiating or having SRH discussions with adolescents is no longer misconceived as encouraging sex, and menstruation in unmarried adolescents is no longer viewed as a sign of promiscuity. Respondents also highlighted changes in community norms of, (i) gendered parental communication of SRH matters, as both mothers and fathers have started discussing SRH issues with their adolescent boys and girls; and (ii) public shaming and discipline of pregnant teenage girls are on the decline. Conclusion: The community-based intervention had a positive impact on individual attitudes and beliefs, as well as community and societal values and norms about adolescent SRH. Interventions that take into account community norms and values regarding adolescent SRH should be prioritized to enable the achievement of the SRH-related target of SDG 3. Plain language summary: Adolescents face significant sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges which makes it difficult for them to access and utilize SRH services as a result of negative community norms and values. These norms discourage discussions relating to sex and sexuality in Nigeria because sexuality matters are regarded as taboo for young people, and sex is regarded as sacred and the exclusive reserve of the married. This qualitative study explored the views of adolescents, parents, and community leaders on the impact of a community-based intervention on their attitudes and beliefs concerning SRH issues. Using focus group discussions, the community members described the impact of the intervention on the beliefs and attitudes of adolescents, parents/guardians, and the community. Following the SRH intervention, parents started to make out time to discuss SRH issues with adolescents. They became more approachable and willing to discuss sensitive SRH issues with adolescents. Both mothers and fathers started to take up the role of communicating SRH matter with their adolescent boys and girls. Adolescents also started initiating SRH discussions with parents and could openly discuss SRH issues with their peers. In the community, adolescent girls were no longer publicly shamed for engaging in pre-marital sex. There were changes in community leaders' attitudes to teenage pregnancy and they no longer misconceive adolescent SRH issues. Considering the positive changes in individual attitudes, social values, and norms, there is a need for the community-embedded SRH intervention to be sustained and scaled up to other parts of the state by program managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the concept of the Hausa nation from a linguistic perspective. Using ethnolinguistic methodology, which enables the study of the relationship between language and culture, it focuses on the encoding of the NATION (as well as the similar concept HOMELAND) in the Hausa language. Phrases, words, and expressions demonstrate how the idea is perceived by the community and how the concept is reflected in the 'linguistic worldview'. Attention is paid to the terms that are cultural keywords, petrified phrases and proverbs that manifest the patterns of national identification. The paper concludes that the concept of 'nation' in Hausa is encoded with reference to the national community, which has no state of its own. According to the manner in which it is conceived, two ethnolinguistic profiles of the homeland can be identified: one motivated by ethnic (language) identity; the other by state (Nigerian) identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A society properly rooted in indigenous knowledge system can easily pave way for sustainable development. Indigenous knowledge is a local knowledge that is peculiar to a particular society. It is referred to as folk knowledge, people's knowledge, traditional science or traditional wisdom. Over time, indigenous knowledge is usually generated and transmitted by communities, in an attempt to solve their own societal challenges such as ecological and socio-economic problems. Indigenous knowledge is passed from generation to generation, usually by word of mouth and cultural rituals, and has been the basis for agriculture, food preparation and conservation, health care, education, and the wide range of other activities that sustain a society and its environment in different parts of the world for many centuries. This realization that true development cannot take place without member of the society being able to have equal access to knowledge gave birth to the idea of the knowledge society for a sustainable development. Sustainable development emphasized the development in all aspects of human life affecting sustenance. It means resolving the conflict between the various competing goals and the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity with progress as the major objective. The paper also identified the challenges of indigenous knowledge to include funding, time requirement, labour requirement, ICTs etc. Finally, the paper highlighted the strategies to mitigate these challenges; Nigeria libraries should make effort to persuade traditional institutions and elderly who are resource persons in local communities to share their indigenous knowledge with librarians for proper documentation, preservation and accessibility; Libraries should as a matter of urgency repackage the documented indigenous knowledge in different languages for easy access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Funding infrastructural facilities of higher institutions, especially in some developing nations such as Nigeria, that is under-funded, is a challenge in the current era. Private organisations participation in infrastructure development via a proposed expanded corporate social responsibility (ECSR) may enhance infrastructural facilities provision. There is a paucity of literature regarding ECSR, a form of infrastructure tax relief providing infrastructural facilities for higher institutions. Therefore, the study investigated the role of private organisations via a proposed ECSR in the provision of infrastructure and proffer ways to enhance higher institutions' infrastructure development delivery in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach: The study data were collated via face-to-face interviews and observation of existing buildings. From the six geo-political zones, two higher institutions each were selected for a good representation across Nigeria. Saturation was achieved with 26 participants interviewed. The emerged three main themes were analysed via thematic analysis. Findings: Findings show inadequate infrastructure development in Nigerian higher institutions. Lack of policy and institutional framework, lax governance, level of transparency, and corruption, emerged as the key issues that may hinder private organisations from participating in public higher institutions infrastructure development delivery in Nigeria via ECSR. Others are lack of autonomy, inadequate planning, high level of impunity, political affiliation, poor management, and access to funding. The study proffers some recommendations based on these findings. Research limitations/implications: This research is restricted to the role of private organisations via ECSR in infrastructure development (buildings) in Nigeria's public higher institutions. Future study is needed to validate the proposed ECSR framework in developing countries for the provision of buildings for higher institutions in their host communities. Practical implications: The paper will advance the philosophy of corporate social responsibility to the provision of building facilities in host communities' higher institutions by private companies through tax relief and supported by a proposed Presidential Executive Order. Originality/value: The proposed ECSR framework can be used to improve building facilities in Nigeria's higher institutions. This may assist and stir up policymakers to explore the proposed model and back up with an established policy such as infrastructure tax relief (ITR) for implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigeria, like some other African countries since independence, has been plugged into a series of religious and political uprisings resulting in mayhem, the deaths of thousands of people, and damage to properties. For example, Boko Haram's recent militarization has harmed Nigeria's stability and put the nation under continual danger. As a result, the paper investigates religious conflicts in postcolonial Nigeria in connection to religiophobia and religious politicization as causative variables. Historical and phenomenological approaches are used to achieve the stated goal. Findings reveal that the lack of social control mechanisms that characterized traditional Nigerian societies in the precolonial era, such as kinship, religious inclusiveness, non-religious sentimental political systems, and community wellbeing, led to the escalation of religious conflicts in postcolonial Nigeria. The paper proposes that religious and political ideologists and religious groups should pursue genuine political and religious supremacy devoid of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The final issue of I African Security i for 2022 covers important themes in North and West Africa. The first paper "The end of stability: How Burkina Faso fell apart" provides a compelling analysis of how an oasis of political tranquility in conflict-prone West Africa began to unravel as it experienced major security problems. [Extracted from the article]

Inadequate on-campus student accommodation in Sub-Saharan higher educational institutions triggered the need for private sector intervention in the off-campus student private housing (SPH) delivery within university communities. This paper examines students' experiences of off-campus accommodation in terms of satisfaction indicators and driving factors in a vulnerable university's communities in South-southern Nigeria. The paper drew upon a sequential exploratory mixed method, comprising semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey. The paper explored interconnectivity of satisfaction indicators and factors within the threshold of building's physical attributes, community-related attributes, contract-related covenants, academic and social environment capability, through CAQDAS; Atlas.ti. The paper found disproportionate students' satisfaction level within the filtered elements and scored the overall satisfaction low. Methodologically, a convergence of results pointing to the factors for improving physical, locational, landlord commitment to tenancy agreement on services and management, and flexible regulation of students' social activities, from the two approaches, was observed. Variation surfaces from the individual rating of each indicator and the driving factors. Five distinct recommendations emerged; policy on planning, environment, and building regulations compliance, reform on SPH governance, stakeholders democracy, parent' involvement in off-campus governance, and a committee on private housing accreditation in the university communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigeria is a pluralistic society. It is located in West Africa with over 240Million population. Prior to the coming of Western culture to Nigeria, morality was a watch word which is been reiterated for daily maintenance of moral living in the society. No one exists outside of the community. In this excerpt, Vaabong cultic confederacy would be used to rebuild the fallen moral standard of the Nigeria society is which indeed decaying 'Mumuye' is both a language spoken and a name use by the same ethnic group who reside in Adamawa and Taraba States all in North Eastern Nigeria. There is no society that can exist without some fixed norms and traditions being put in place to ensure high moral compliance by members. Prior to the coming of western culture to African society, the sacred institution of moral cult of morality like Vaabong were highly put place for the maintenance of morality in the society. Morality in the African past was highly cherished and promoted by various moral watch dogs, in order to ensure loving and peaceful coexistence among members in the community, whose hope, fears, aspirations and thoughts are made realized in their cultural and socio-religious worldview as expressed in community spirit. The study seeks to exhume Vaabong as an architect for the enforcement and rebuilding of fallen standard of morality in contemporary Nigeria society. The paper adopted a phenomenological approach to explore Vaabong as a cult of morality among the Mumuye, which could be used also in rebuilding the decaying standard of morality in Nigeria today. Data were collected reliably from the field and from relevant books, long essays, dissertation, journal and oral interviews from custodians of Vaabong cult. The paper discovered that, morality in contemporary Nigeria society has been weakened due to the rising influence of secular culture with its tentacle like education, westernization which brought violent destructions on the code of morality and considers Vaabong cult practices as barbaric, violent, ancestor worship and retrogressive. Also, violent nature and penalty of the cult of morality is been abused by custodians of morality in terrorizing innocent people instead of judiciously using it to rebuild decaying moral standards in the society today. In the furtherance and maintenance of Vaabaong cult in rebuilding morality in contemporary Nigeria society, the paper recommends the need for custodians of Vaabong cult to allowed it to be invigorated with positive vitality from outside so as to serve of cult of morality rebuilding high fallen moral standard in the society today. Vaabaong cult be borrowed by other similar culture for the furtherance and rebuilding of morality. Positive aspects of Vaabong (cult) should be used to compliment other means of maintaining morality in contemporary Nigeria society. Custodians should not use the cult of morality to witch-hunt victims, instead, they should invigorate the cult to become relevant in promoting a true humanistic and moral society, where morality needs to be rebuild because it is at the verge of collapsing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of culture, tradition, and its unassailable conflict with modernity in certain parts of Africa, as obvious in several communities in Nigeria, is a challenge that affects our social development today. As it is often echoed; "it's a man's world", most times women fall victim of these long-held traditions that have over time become canons we hold dear. The glib dispositions of these practices situate patriarchy at the epicenter of societal construction and places women on us, the fringes, mostly becoming unwilling casualties of unfriendly traditions. Thus, this paper examines how tradition and its attendant problems impede on the social standing and general development of the woman in society using Tess Osonye Onwueme's play 'The Broken Calabash". Using the thematic content analysis approach the paper explored the potential conflict between tradition and modernity, the paper interrogates Broken Calabash as a reflection of women's subjugation by obsolete cultural traditions, presenting alongside this, the consequences of social exclusion and the denial of rights experienced by women. The paper concludes that the dramatic experience presented by Tess Osonye Onwueme reveals the intricate relations between tradition and modernity as a potent means for the reading and understanding of texts depicting gender relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examined adaptation strategies used by rice processors in Ebonyi State to manage climate risks. The paper used random sampling technique to select respondents and questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Cross-sectional data collected from 98 rice processors were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate probit regression model. The results indicated that majority of the rice processors perceived prolonged dry season and increased rainfall intensity as the main climate risks in the state. Livelihood diversification, storing of paddy, and reliance on climate information were the major adaptation strategies used by the rice processors to manage the climate risks. The main determinants of climate change adaptation strategies of rice processors were education, membership of cooperative societies, income, training on rice processing and climate risk management, experience of climate hazards, and ownership of assets. The processors faced various barriers to adoption which are mainly related to capital needs, competition from foreign brands, access to basic infrastructure and roads and information, high cost of labour. It is recommended that government support be given to the rice producing communities in terms of basic infrastructure and policies to protect the industry. Also, regular workshops/trainings should be held to train processors on best climate risk management practices and encourage registration of processor cooperatives/relevant associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odumu music among the Idoma people in Nigeria has served historical, sociological and entertainment functions. Performed predominantly by male members of the society, female community members are allowed to participate in the dance as a mark of collective cultural identity and responsibility. Communality is a core community ethos among the Idoma which promotes individual expression within a wider communal space. This paper, therefore, examines Odumu musical performance from the angle of its socio-cultural significance as well as its reflection of anthropocentric impact in shaping the environment. In a specific sense, the paper aims to highlight the musical narrative of how the people have encountered and impacted their environment, and how such experience have shaped their cultural expressions using the instrumentality of traditional music and dance. The research adopted observations and interviews as field methods among the Idoma people as well as Odumu performers to obtain data for the research. Analysis of data obtained reveals that Odumu musical performance provides a space for socio-cultural identity, transmission of culture and re-enacting historical facts that promote communal bonding. Hence, it reinforces the larger social sense of belonging. This paper will be of benefit to environmental and cultural scholars by providing knowledge on the intersection of music, culture and the environment among less visible indigenous groups like the Idoma people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unavailability of a constant power supply has been a major problem in remote communities in Africa as it impedes the proper operation of healthcare facilities in these locations. This has deprived inhabitants of free access to good healthcare services, thereby resulting in an increase in maternal and child mortality rates in rural communities in Africa. Therefore, in order to address this problem and render a life-saving intervention for rural dwellers and to also improve their healthcare service delivery, this paper focuses on the optimal configuration of a hybrid energy system for the rural electrification of community healthcare facilities. It presents an analysis of an off-grid hybrid energy system comprised of diesel generators, wind turbines and solar PV with a battery storage system to meet the energy demand of healthcare facilities in a remote community in Nigeria. In this study, hybrid energy systems are considered owing to the high reliability and availability of the intensity of solar radiation and wind speeds in Nigeria. An optimization model was developed which seeks to minimize the operational cost of hybrid energy systems. The proposed model was implemented using four case studies and solved using algebraic modeling language. The results obtained from the sensitivity analysis indicate that the configuration that includes solar PV, wind turbines, a battery storage system and a diesel generator provides the optimum power required for a rural healthcare center with a suitable energy cost and emission reduction from the system of diesel generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the technical and economic analysis of a solar–wind electricity generation system to meet the power requirements of a rural community (Okorobo-Ile Town in Rivers State, Nigeria) using the Renewable—energy and Energy—efficiency Technology Screening (RETScreen) software. The entire load estimation of the region was classified into high class, middle class, and lower class. Two annual electricity export rates were considered: 0.1 USD/KWh and 0.2 USD/KWh. The results from the proposed energy model comprising a 600 kW PV system and a 50 kW wind system showed that with a USD 870,000 initial cost and USD 9600 O&M cost, the annual value of the electricity generated was 902 MWh. The simple payback was 5.1 years with a net present value of USD 3,409,532 when 0.2 USD/KWh was used as the annual export rate instead of 10.8 years for simple payback and an NPV of USD 1,173,766 when 0.1 USD/KWh was used. Thus, there is a potential to install a wind–solar system with average weather conditions of 4.27 kWh/m2/d for the solar irradiance and 3.2 m/s for the wind speed at a 10 m hub height using a rate of 0.2 USD/KWh as the electricity export rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of illegal gold miners and gold mining stakeholders in Zamfara, Nigeria, on the efficacy of a stakeholder collaboration in reducing illegal gold mining (IGM) activities. The study was conducted between 8 September 2020 and 16 March 2021, using a multilevel convergent mixed methods research design. Illegal gold miners identified in seven communities within Anka, Bukkuyum and Mara were invited to participate in a paper and pen survey, resulting in 605 returned questionnaires. Equally, eight stakeholders were sampled for interview. A joint display comparison of the results from the illegal gold miners and the stakeholders indicated mixed reactions in their perceptions. Both the illegal gold miners and stakeholders perceived that the short collaboration between the media and other stakeholders affected the prevention of IGM behaviour. However, compared to the miners, the stakeholders were more satisfied with the short media collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization recommends parasite-based diagnosis of malaria before the administration of artemisininbased combination therapy (ACT). Trained community medicine distributors (CMDs) constitute a credible option in healthcare delivery in resource-limited and hard-to-reach settings. This study evaluated the performance of mRDT, microscopy and PCR in the diagnosis of malaria among febrile under-5 children in rural South-western Nigeria. One thousand and forty-three (1,043) febrile children aged 3 – 59 months were enrolled on this study as part of a larger one. The CMDs collected finger prick blood samples and performed mRDT, prepared thick blood smears for malaria microscopy and blood spots on filter paper for PCR assays. Malaria was detected in 78.7%, 69.2% and 55% by mRDT, PCR and microscopy, respectively. The sensitivity of mRDT was 88.2% versus 92.5% while specificity was 42.2% versus 38.2% against PCR and microscopy, respectively. The PPV, NPV and diagnostic accuracy were 88.2% versus 64.8, 61.7% versus 80.6% and 74.0% versus 68.1% respectively. Levels of agreement with PCR and microscopy were fair (κ-value = 0.336 versus 0.322). PCR detected 97.8% P. falciparum, 4.4% P. malariae and 2.5% P. ovale. Trained community medicine distributors can effectively performed malaria rapid diagnostic tests to guide appropriate home management of malaria in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current wave of technological development globally necessitates certain entrepreneurial abilities for most professionals to succeed in the job market. This paper explores the factors influencing entrepreneurial skills acquisition amongst rural university students in Nigeria and South Africa. The strategic goal of setting up rural universities is to enhance the human capital of the host communities. As a result, an attempt is made to pinpoint challenges that stand in the way of achieving this objective. Data was gathered using a quantitative research methodology. A self-designed questionnaire was used to obtain primary data from 1088 randomly selected third-year students. The study's outcome indicates that the acquisition of entrepreneurial competencies amongst undergraduates in the two higher education institutions was impacted by a number of similar factors, such as the university support system, campus entrepreneurial network, family background, availability of mentors, and entrepreneurship education curriculum. The study focuses on the necessity for universities to address skill shortages among undergraduates. Thus, the results could serve as a guide for policymakers on how to motivate rural university students to obtain globally relevant skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The culture of hospitality and dressing for the African is a unique phenomenon of global concern. Hospitality and dressing are striking identities for the distinct African communities in Nigeria. In the pre-colonial era, the way an individual dresses in Evo community determines he status, occupation and religious affiliation. On the other hand, it is expected that a stranger is properly cared for when he or she visit the house of a native. These are as a result of the communal-centric nature of the people. In the premodern era, everyone cared for the welfare of a kinsman. Hence, there is a recent decline in the act of hospitality and modest indigenous dress styles today in Evo communities of Ikwerre ethnic group of Rivers state. This is as a result of forces of social and religious changes in the communities in modern times. This paper surveys the challenges of the decline in hospitality and inappropriate dressing styles in the culture of Evo people. Furthermore, its participation on the social vices that trends the society. Thus using a phenomenological approach, this paper addresses the drastic development that will be achieved, when this traditional ethos of hospitality and appropriate dress styles are reinstituted in Nigeria forestalling rape, abuse and molestation which will impact coherence and order in Nigeria and enhancement of national unity, peace and progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spills by multinational petroleum corporations have scarred the Niger Delta and as a result, many residents are relocating, hence, the rise of abandoned idled, and neglected infrastructures. The purpose of this study is to understand how neglected infrastructures have shaped the living conditions of people in the Niger Delta communities. Employing a phenomenological case study approach, this paper focuses on the lived experiences of the Niger Delta people of Nigeria to explain the correlation between oil exploration activities and abandoned or neglected infrastructures. Contributing to the theoretical perspective on sustainability, development, and infrastructural issues, this study finds that corruption, poor governance, lack of accountability, laws, finances, resources, and education are also factors promoting the rise of abandoned infrastructures in the Niger Delta. The findings of this study provide crucial insights to government, policymakers, and environmental justice advocates who may consider using the discussions to address socio-economic issues in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proceeds on the assumption that decoloniality matters in tackling the global climate crisis, conflict, and development at the community level across countries with high vulnerabilities. Africa remains one of the most vulnerable regions in the world. By examining what decolonisation means in climate adaptation and the experience of six communities in three states in the Niger Delta of Nigeria, this article contributes to the conceptualisation of the decolonial discourse of climate adaptation, development and conflict understood as conditions favourable to the crisis. I analysed qualitative data obtained from the coastal communities through observation, focus group discussions, and interviews. The results showed a reinforcement of positions in a segment of the literature on decolonial climate adaptation in communities in some parts of the world. Migration, alternative sources of livelihood, embarkment of shorelines, skills development, vocations, and infrastructure development are among legitimate adaptive measures local communities are adopting. At the same time, maladaptive measures such as piracy, kidnapping, illegal oil refining, and gangsterism are common. These antisocial behaviours lead to conflict and contribute to making climate change a very complex problem. Decolonial climate adaptation requires collaborative interventions at the level of the community, sub-national, national, and multilateral fronts. The fact that climate change is a global problem with unequal impact means that the capacity to respond well to it at the community, sub-national, national, regional, continental, and international levels is crucial in addressing the crisis. The role of decoloniality in the handling of the effects of climate change in the community may take the form of integration of local and western knowledge. The decolonial framework would appear to be elastic with a potential conceptual role of critical assessment of existing frameworks, outcomes, impact, and power relations. One of the striking messages in this analysis is the likely role of local knowledge in reducing the risk of social tension and criminal conflict, and the need to strengthen it to increase the resilience and well-being of people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the threshold of the elitist theory and its underpinning application or relationship to rural under development within local government in Delta and Edo states of Nigeria. It is persuasive to averred that rural under development in Nigeria is not a news neither is it a scientific discovery because every nook and cranny of the areas speaks for itself in terms of all manners of human and capital under development that strongly persist or exist every where in the nation of Nigeria . Sad as it is Nigeria as a geographical entity is managed and control by government officials cadre that are broken down to the last level of government known as the local government which are hereby bequeathed with the cardinal responsibilities of rural management and development, yet it is not demeaning to state that these arm of government has outlived their usefulness due to so many factors amongst which is the sterile officials that make up the crop of the elite who could be regarded as the steering men of governance that has turn their subjective aspirations, desires and wills into the annals of governance instead of an objective desires that comes out of the local communities who are supposed to be at the center of it all. This state of affairs underscores the perpetual reasons behind the uncontrollable industry and super structure of underdevelopment created by these officials over the successive years of governance nationwide especially in Delta and Edo state as the area of analysis. The study made some salient recommendations among which are the idea of community development in concept and context should be popularized in our local communities so that people can also take responsibility of the development of their community serious however it is or look like, as it has always being argued that local government, laws should be repeal to tame the overwhelming influence of the elite against the system, laws enacted should be practice to the letter, the public information act should be effective for people to know when to hold government accountable as far as governance is concerned [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand mining is a global activity that has attracted wide attention due partly to its invaluable positive contributions to development and partly to its negative socio-environmental impacts. While sand mining supports urbanization by providing essential aggregate materials for urban real estate and construction sectors, it however undermines environmental sustainability especially in coastal regions. In spite of this, very sparse research has explained the socio-environmental dimensions of sand mining in Nigerian coastal communities. This study therefore explored the drivers and impacts of sand mining based on the data from a survey of residents in four Lagos sand mining coastal communities. Results showed that sand mining activity is driven by a number of urbanization related factors while sand mining impacts are underlined by a number of sustainability related factors. However, using exploratory analytical techniques we found that four urbanization components described the drivers of sand mining and four sustainability components described the impacts of sand mining in Lagos. The paper concludes on the puzzling dilemma of sand mining that supports thriving urbanization but undermines environmental sustainability in Lagos. The implications of the findings for environmental sustainability in Lagos coastal areas were concisely presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around the world, the harms and profits of oil exploration are distributed unequally. This inequality has sparked violence in many oil communities, leading to calls for redistributive approaches as an effective way to address petro-violence. Despite the inclusivity potential of distributive mechanisms, distributive agencies are often not level playing ground for community members. The capacity of excluded groups to participate meaningfully in the development agencies is shaped by the operation of symbolic violence. Using ethnographic data and symbolic violence as a theoretical basis in this paper, I map out three doxas – lazy youth, gerontocratic and deviant – which hinder youth participation in the oil development process. I show how these doxas enable institutional leaders in two development agencies in the Niger delta region of Nigeria to accumulate various forms of capital and occupy positions of power in the networks while simultaneously limiting young people's political participation, employment prospects, and stereotyping them as social threats. Several other dimensions of symbolic domination are discussed: including the misrecognition, acceptance, and resistance of these doxas by the youths themselves. I conclude with a brief reflection on the implication of these doxas for achieving inclusive development in the Niger delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As global child vaccination coverage has plateaued, understanding how to increase routine child vaccination rates further is key to avoiding preventable disease and death. To analyse how community engagement strategies can increase child vaccination, we synthesise the results from formative evaluations of interventions that aimed to increase vaccination coverage in Ethiopia, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Pakistan Methods: This paper uses an inductive qualitative approach to synthesise the results from the six evaluations, gathering lessons for designing context appropriate interventions that are feasible to implement and acceptable to providers, communities, and caregivers. Results: Assessing contextual, caregiver-level and provider-level barriers to vaccination is key to identifying appropriate engagement strategies. Across all contexts, low knowledge about the schedule of vaccines and the importance of timeliness represented a barrier to child immunisation. Despite the variability in how studies measured and reported caregiver attitudes, vaccine hesitancy was not found to represent an important barrier to immunisation. Frontline health workers played a critical role in community engagement approaches to increase vaccination. Interventions successfully obtained community buy-in by centre-staging community members, especially leaders, ensuring their participation in monitoring, and making immunisation an agenda item on community platforms. Interventions were implemented through existing health systems with substantial assistance from research teams. Limited data was available about intervention costs. Conclusions: Interventions designed around community engagement strategies can be appropriate, acceptable, and feasible approaches to overcome barriers to vaccination in a variety of low- and middle-income country contexts. However, questions remain about the ability of health systems to implement interventions at scale, both from a cost perspective and a capacity perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for improved energy security in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. Currently, energy security is rather poor, while access to energy is fundamental to socio-economic development and poverty alleviation. Renewable energy could potentially contribute to resolving this because renewable sources such as solar radiation are more available and sustainable, and can be set up in small generation units, meaning that it is suitable for community management and ownership. In theory, a community energy approach could well apply. In this paper, the main research question is: In what ways can community energy initiatives contribute to increasing the use of renewable energy sources and improving energy security in Nigeria according to selected stakeholders and households? A mixed methods research approach was used to answer this question, with stakeholder interviews and survey data from 124 residents in two case studies of selected housing estates in Lagos. The results show that 58% of the households and most of the stakeholders express support for community renewable energy as a viable approach for increasing energy access and greening energy supply. The present study shows that there is a need to raise awareness and support projects for effective and supportive renewable energy policy to encourage local renewable energy community formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While studies have explored how the porosity of the Nigeria–Niger Republic border has fuelled the insecurity in Nigeria, they have glossed over the value of a shift in strategy from surveillance to whistleblowing as an approach for managing trans-border arms trafficking. This study explores the inadequacy of the surveillance approach in the management of trans-border arms trafficking on theNigeria–Niger Republic frontiers and suggests the whistleblowing approach as a more effective border security governance alternative. This study utilized a qualitative dominant method based on ethnographic fieldwork, comprising participant observation and interviews with security personnel, community leaders, and other stakeholders purposively selected along the Nigeria–Niger Republic borders. The study found, among other things, that border communities have been excluded in the border security governance on the Nigeria–Niger Republic borders, which leads to information asymmetry that benefits arms traffickers, thereby undermining the surveillance approach in border security management. The paper concludes that adopting the whistleblowing approach to supplement the surveillance approach while partnering with border communities is relevant in curbing arms trafficking on the Nigeria–Niger borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining is a major economic activity in many developing countries including Nigeria. This paper examines the social and health challenges of Cement production on Obajana communities. This was necessitated to providing a sustainable safe environment to the people and communities where industrial activities take place. The study involved empirical observation and interview of residents of the study area. A total of four hundred respondents were randomly selected from four communities, to appraise the social and health impacts of cement production on human populations in the study area. Descriptive statistics and one sample T-Test were used to analyze the data. The result of the test statistic of P-value 0.00 shows that there is significant relationship between cement production and its associated social and health impact on the people in obajana communities. Obajana community recorded the highest socio and health impact of cement production (43.3%). A significant proportion of the sampled population and clinic records revealed increasing cases of malaria within the study area. Malaria alone account for 37.4% of the incidence of disease in the study area. Additionally, there are health related problems at the host communities that were not properly documented, let alone attempting a resolution process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discourses on herding have focussed on the "exact" representations of the social actions of itinerant herders who clash with farmers while grazing on supposed cattle routes. Media coverage on the herdsmenfarmers conflict has deployed ideologically laden terms to represent herding as trespassing on farmlands and herders as foreigners and trespassers. Using van Leeuwen's Representation of Social Actions and Actors model and Martin and White's Appraisal Framework, this paper examines how different trespassing-related terms (i.e. invade, attack and destroy) were deployed in the Nigerian newspaper headlines to represent herders and their activities with a view to discussing the kinds of representations that were constructed of the nomads through the texts. Findings revealed that using transactive role allocations, nominalization, descriptivation, identification, aggregation and attitudinal lexicalization, these social actors were evaluated negatively as intruders, raiders, and destroyers. The negative othering underscores the general perception and suspicious treatment of nomads in their host farming communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of resilient energy systems is important for sustainable cities and communities. However, in countries with insufficient national energy supply, electricity distributors rarely consider remote communities due to their distant settlement, low electricity demand and poor payment capabilities. The United Nations has set a goal to deliver universal energy access by 2030; hence, it has become imperative to deploy clean and affordable off-grid mini-grid solutions to previously abandoned communities. Access to energy in rural communities is expected to result in unlocking their economic potentials. This paper investigates the impact of a solar hybrid mini-grid on the socio-economic growth of local entrepreneurs in Gbamu Gbamu village, Nigeria. A total of 83 micro- and small-enterprises has been surveyed; descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-test, cross-tabulation and χ2 test, were used to assess the performance of businesses before and after electrification. The outcomes include the number of business enterprises created, employment statistics, energy expenses and income generated. Regression analysis was conducted on the relationship between the average income generated by businesses and independent socio-economic variables such as gender, marital status, household size, age, education level years of business establishment, hours of operation, building tenure, capital source, number of employees, generator ownership and the days of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Recently, one of the authors and his family migrated from Nigeria to take up employment in the United States of America and the other from Spain to the United Kingdom. Both journeys have been ones of mixed feelings, as we have both reaped rewards, but have experienced significant hardships. The migration of skilled workers has been ongoing for centuries and seems set to continue. Individuals who embark on such journeys become entangled with a lot of hopes and expectations, some of which may be unfounded. However, there are several benefits and drawbacks to migration from source nations into any of the advanced receiver countries. In this paper, we share our experience as highly-skilled workers and hope that this will help stimulate other individuals who have embarked on this journey or are yet to commence the process. We also hope that this paper will inform policy direction, employers' attitudes, and community response to highly-skilled immigrant workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the adoption of the sustainable development goals, Nigeria has continued to demonstrate its commitment to the SDGs promise through leadership and ownership of the implementation process. Despite the government continued demonstration and commitment to the SDGs promises, it is observed that these goals have not had any desirable impact or effect on the rural communities as poverty level is still high, health condition and over all well-being is poor and mortality rate is on the increase not to mention the number of out of school children. To forestall the deterioration that would accrue from non-realization of the SDGs in rural communities, this paper explored Nigerian academic libraries as an alternative to delivering Sustainable Development Goals to rural communities. It discussed the potential of academic libraries in Nigeria towards deliveringSustainable Development Goals to the rural communities since some of the libraries are situated in the rural areas. Academic librarians from two academic libraries in Imo State were used for the study. Descriptive survey research method was adopted to investigate a total population of 45 Academic librarians while structured questionnaire was used to collect data for the research out of which 31 were duly filled and returned for analysis. Findings shows that academic libraries possess some potentials in delivering sustainable development goals to the rural communities. It also listed some strategies that will help in actualizing this programme to include organizing sensitization campaign on the different SDGs to rural communities, Partnering with health-related NGOs for health activities and Repackaging information for user. The study also identified some challenges affecting the accomplishment of these programmes by academic libraries to include administrative bottlenecks from university management, inadequate finance to cater for logistics and implementation, poor relationship between university and rural communities, societal and environmental threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the provision of community library services and adult literacy education for aged people living in rural communities in Nigeria by public services librarians who are in charge of overseeing the library's programs and services geared toward the aged. The researchers adopted a conceptual framework for the study to determine the literacy objectives and the significance of the topic for people of advanced age who live in rural communities. The difficulties encountered by librarians in providing library services to the aged were discussed. The paper recommended strategies to help aged people in Nigeria who live in rural areas learn to read and write. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ineffective linkage to care (LTC) is a known challenge for community HIV testing. To overcome this challenge, a robust linkage to care strategy was adopted by the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS). The NAIIS linkage to care strategy was further adapted to improve Nigeria's programmatic efforts to achieve the 1st 90 as part of the Nigeria Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Surge initiative, which also included targeted community testing. In this paper we provide an overview of the NAIIS LTC strategy and describe the impact of this strategy on both the NAIIS and the Surge initiatives. Methods: The NAIIS collaborated with community-based organizations (CBOs) and deployed mobile health (mHealth) technology with real-time dashboards to manage and optimize community LTC for people living with HIV (PLHIV) diagnosed during the survey. In NAIIS, CBOs' role was to facilitate linkage of identified PLHIV in community to facility of their choice. For the ART Surge, we modified the NAIIS LTC strategy by empowering both CBOs and mobile community teams as responsible for not only active LTC but also for community testing, ART initiation, and retention in care. Results: Of the 2,739 PLHIV 15 years and above identified in NAIIS, 1,975 (72.1%) were either unaware of their HIV-positive status (N = 1890) or were aware of their HIV-positive status but not receiving treatment (N = 85). Of these, 1,342 (67.9%) were linked to care, of which 952 (70.9%) were initiated on ART. Among 1,890 newly diagnosed PLHIV, 1,278 (67.6%) were linked to care, 33.7% self-linked and 66.3% were linked by CBOs. Among 85 known PLHIV not on treatment, 64 (75.3%) were linked; 32.8% self-linked and 67.2% were linked by a CBO. In the ART Surge, LTC and treatment initiation rates were 98% and 100%, respectively. Three-month retention for monthly treatment initiation cohorts improved from 76% to 90% over 6 months. Conclusions: Active LTC strategies by local CBOs and mobile community teams improved LTC and ART initiation in the ART Surge initiative. The use of mHealth technology resulted in timely and accurate documentation of results in NAIIS. By deploying mHealth in addition to active LTC, CBOs and mobile community teams could effectively scale up ART with real-time documentation of client-level outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments often have contentious relationships with residents of urban informal settlements. Motivated by the desire for rents and dreams of becoming the next luxury destination, city governments worldwide have forcefully evicted and demolished informal communities in this pursuit. In such instances it would seem that the state has broken the social contract with its most vulnerable citizens. How do citizens respond? We might expect them to reciprocate in kind, by withholding taxes owed to the government. Using a survey of citizens living in informal settlements across Lagos State in Nigeria, we explore what predicts citizens' willingness to comply with government taxation. In this unlikely context for voluntary compliance, we observe that a third of respondents pay taxes and a majority are willing to pay absent enforcement. We find minimal support for standard theories of tax payment — trust in or reciprocity toward the government, or identification with the nation. Instead, we find that willingness to pay taxes is correlated with group membership, believing that community members respect taxpayers, and donating to the community. Our data suggest that local institutions and social relations are associated with citizens' willingness to comply with tax policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of community radio as a cheap, accessible medium of communication to mobilize people for development, taking Kakaki Ondo 100.1 FM, a community-owned and operated radio station in Nigeria, as a case study. The paper adopted a quantitative and qualitative data collection method using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Findings reveal that community radio plays a vital role in facilitating change in the community, especially when it is participatory. Through the community radio, the people educate themselves on their communities' development problems and find solutions to those problems. This articles recommends the inclusion of community radio in government development plans to enhance cooperation and collaboration among the people, which is necessary to achieve development. The study concludes that community radio can be employed to promote the culture and development of communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study looked at socio-economic factors that affect how farmers of arable crops adapt to climate variability. Using a multistage sample strategy, a structured interview was conducted to gather information from 150 farmers in rural communities across the local governments in the study area. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation, were utilized to analyse the study's data. The research showed that farmers’ socio-economic characteristics influence adaptation strategies. Household size (χ2=179.3), and farm size (χ2=136.4) positively influence adaptation strategies to be adopted by farmers at p<0.05. Additionally, there was a strong correlation between farmers' perceptions of climate variability and adaptation strategies (r=0.591, p<0.05). According to the study's findings, farmers' perceptions of climate unpredictability and socio-economic characteristics have a significant impact on their adaptation strategies. The study recommended that climate variability awareness and sensitization should be put in place at the Local, State, and Federal government level to have a community whereby the farmers are adeptly aware of the causes and effects of climate variability in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comprehensive review of recent literature on zero- or missed-dose children in Nigeria. • Risk factors are well-known and widely studied. • Literature on interventions was scattered, and focussed on campaigns and polio. • Gaps exist in investigating how to deliver sustainable immunization programs. • Further work is needed to operationalise findings of this review. 'Zero-dose' refers to a person who does not receive a single dose of any vaccine in the routine national immunization schedule, while 'missed dose' refers to a person who does not complete the schedule. These people remain vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, and are often already disadvantaged due to poverty, conflict, and lack of access to basic health services. Globally, more 22.7 million children are estimated to be zero- or missed-dose, of which an estimated 3.1 million (∼14 %) reside in Nigeria. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize recent literature on risk factors and interventions for zero- and missed-dose children in Nigeria. Our search identified 127 papers, including research into risk factors only (n = 66); interventions only (n = 34); both risk factors and interventions (n = 18); and publications that made recommendations only (n = 9). The most frequently reported factors influencing childhood vaccine uptake were maternal factors (n = 77), particularly maternal education (n = 22) and access to ante- and perinatal care (n = 19); heterogeneity between different types of communities – including location, region, wealth, religion, population composition, and other challenges (n = 50); access to vaccination, i.e., proximity of facilities with vaccines and vaccinators (n = 37); and awareness about immunization – including safety, efficacy, importance, and schedules (n = 18). Literature assessing implementation of interventions was more scattered, and heavily skewed towards vaccination campaigns and polio eradication efforts. Major evidence gaps exist in how to deliver effective and sustainable routine childhood immunization. Overall, further work is needed to operationalise the learnings from these studies, e.g. through applying findings to Nigeria's next review of vaccination plans, and using this summary as a basis for further investigation and specific recommendations on effective interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study to determine the impact of gas flaring (GF) on some phytoconstituents of five commonly used green leafy vegetables was done. Two locations in south-east states in Nigeria, Ibeno in Akwa Ibom State, a gas flaring (GF) community and Nsukka in Enugu State, a non-gas flaring (NGF) community, were used. Five fresh green leafy vegetable samples were used for this study (Amaranthus hybridus, Gnetum africanum, Talinum triangulare, Telfairia occidentalis, and Vernonia amygdalina) and were obtained from community farmlands during the rainy season between August and November, 2016. After collecting and identifying the green leafy vegetables from five different farmlands in GF and NGF areas and at a distance of about 2km radius from the flare site in GF communities, detailed laboratory analysis was done for alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and tannins. For A. hybridus, the flavonoid and tannin contents in NGF community were significantly (p<0.05) higher than in GF community; G. africanum, the alkaloid and tannin contents were higher in NGF community; T. triangulare, the alkaloid content alone was higher in NGF community; T. occidentalis, the alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin and tannin contents were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the NGF community; V. amygdalina, the tannin content alone was higher in NGF community compared to the GF community. Most green leafy vegetables from NGF community produced higher and better phytoconstituent concentrations than the GF community. This can be attributed to the non-pollution of the former environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a global perspective, the emergence of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) on the Nigeria’s security landscape in Maiduguri, Bornu state, Northeast of the country in 2014, ostensibly fulfills the imperative of counterinsurgency efforts (groups) in an increasingly era of conflict-riddle world faced with unconventional and asymmetric warfare. In Nigeria’s specific context, it apparently however, follows the familiar pattern of the rise of non-state actors on the social space where formal (state) structures of the security architecture have proved incapable of effectively securing, either partially or wholly, the national space and the citizenry. In Nigeria, in the past, such situations have led to the emergence of militia groups such as the Bakkasi Boys, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), and Arewa People’s Congress (APC), among others. Emerging on the heels of the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast of the country, the CJTF was initially hailed as a vintage community security option and touted as an example of the untapped security potential in Nigerian communities, a local peacebuilding mechanism. Incidentally, experiences in the past indicate that such initiatives have been abused. Aside issues of human rights abuses, some have transmuted into some sort of monster to the society, becoming extortionist and predatory criminal gangs; at best morphed into ethnic militia. This paper examines the evolution of the CJTF against the backdrop of its dualistic origin. Importantly, has it satisfied its role as a vacuum filler – in contexts where formal (state) structures of the security architecture have proved incapable of effectively securing, either partially or wholly, the national space and the citizenry and as a model built around proactive citizen-driven communal response; or has the CJTF metamorphosed into such a monster as some of its precursors. The study employs the qualitative research methodology, and is contextualized within the global conflict – security discourse. It uses secondary data - academic and, newspaper publications including perspectives gleaned from published interviews on members and the public. It finds out that while the CJTF fulfils the purpose for its evolution, fears about its potential to transform into an ethnic militia or criminal gang is real. So are members’ sense of entitlement and sundry excesses foreboding. Thus, in the future, criminal elements could first mask their real agenda with such initiative only to unveil them later after gaining the trust of the society. Also foreboding is the issue of child soldiering as is easily discernable from the membership of the CJTF. It is recommended in a deeply-divided society as Nigeria, to forestall the emergence of such group as the CJTF, however attractive the reason for their founding could be, formal structures of the security architecture need be overhauled, if strengthened, however, not necessarily in terms of Nigeria’s extant over-centralized apparatuses. The CJFT as a non-state initiative could however be remodeled as community police model, fitting into the general framework of the proposed African-inspired mechanisms to solving African security problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Female genital mutilation (FGM) has negative health implications and has long been recognised as violating sexual rights. Despite the huge efforts expended on eradicating FGM, generational continuation of the practice, i.e. the act of mutilated women also mutilating their daughters, persists in Nigeria. This study investigated the individual, household, and community factors associated with generational continuation of FGM among women in Nigeria. Methods: The study analysed data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). A weighted sample of 3835 women with FGM history and who had given birth to female children was analysed. Models were estimated using mixed-effects multilevel logistic regression with Stata 16.0. Results: The results showed that 40.0% of women continued FGM for their daughters. Regional prevalence of FGM continuation ranged from 14.9% in the South-South (the lowest) to 64.3% in the North-West (the highest). Women aged 15–24 years (uaOR = 0.40; 95% CI:0.28–0.57) and rich (uaOR = 0.44; 95% CI:0.35–0.56) had the least likelihood of generational continuation of FGM. In communities with low proportions of women unexposed to the media, the likelihood of FGM continuation was significantly higher (uaOR = 1.85; 95% CI:1.35–2.53). Generational continuation of FGM was significantly lower in communities with moderate proportions of uneducated mothers (aOR = 0.6; 95% CI:0.42–0.86). Conclusion: FGM continuation was high in Nigeria, and it was most common among older and poor mothers and in communities with large proportions of uneducated women and those unexposed to the media. Existing National Policy and Plan on FGM elimination should be strengthened to target these characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Half-Earth vision, conservationists, scientists, and policymakers work together with local communities without compromising the interests of wildlife and ecosystems. The vision requires decolonizing nonhuman species through marshaling ecocentric philosophy, animal sentience science, and, crucially, local communities' support. While the studies of community attitudes to wildlife are accumulating, in the context of human-wildlife conflicts, there is a shortage of data on attitudes to the Half-Earth vision in countries with growing human populations and rapidly declining biodiversity, such as Nigeria. This paper aims to address this gap by exploring community attitudes to the Half-Earth vision through a pilot study of Yalwan Bongo and Kafi, the local communities living around Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State in Nigeria. This paper is a review of the main issues surrounding Half-Earth, with a preliminary case study that addresses some of these issues. This case study found that community representatives stand open to dialogue with local conservationists based on the mutual benefit of wildlife protection. The surveyed villagers had a greater understanding of particular species than of contributing factors in biodiversity declines, such as growing human populations, climate change, and bushmeat hunting. Educational programs that we recommend are targeted at the empowerment of individual community members to speak against poaching, but also at the development of basic literacy, numeracy, and professional skills to counter poverty and promote family planning. • In the Half-Earth vision, conservationists, scientists, and policymakers work together with local communities without compromising the interests of wildlife and ecosystems. • There is a shortage of data on attitudes to the Half-Earth vision in countries with growing human populations and rapidly declining biodiversity, such as Nigeria. • This paper aims to address this gap by exploring community attitudes to the Half-Earth vision through a pilot study of Yalwan Bongo and Kafi, the local communities living around Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State in Nigeria. • The surveyed villagers had a greater understanding of particular species than of contributing factors in biodiversity declines, such as growing human populations, climate change, and bushmeat hunting. • Educational programs that we recommend are targeted at the empowerment of individual community members to speak against poaching, but also at the development of basic literacy, numeracy, and professional skills to counter poverty and promote family planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programs aiming to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) increasingly seek to shift social norms. Few interventions have been rigorously evaluated for their impact on norms and incidence of IPV, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Shifting norms at the community level and subsequent pathways to behavior change remain poorly understood. We assessed shifts in individual- and couple-level factors, social norms, and IPV from an 18-month community-based trial of the Masculinity, Faith, and Peace (MFP) program—a faith-based, norms-shifting approach—in Plateau state, Nigeria. This study was part of a community-based, mixed-methods, two-arm cluster randomized control trial (cRCT) to evaluate the MFP program. Quantitative surveys were conducted with women 18 to 35 years old (n = 350) and their male partners (n = 281). Respondents came from 10 Muslim and 10 Christian congregations. Social norms were measured based on results from factor analysis. Intent-to-treat analyses assessed intervention effects. Qualitative research in MFP congregations explored pathways of change. All forms of IPV reduced over time among MFP participants. Regression analyses showed a significant 61% reduction in odds of reporting experiencing any IPV among women, a 64% reduction among Christians, and a 44% reduction in MFP congregations compared to their respective controls. In addition to improvement in norms, we found significant intervention effects on individual attitudes toward IPV and gender roles, relationship quality, and community cohesion. Qualitative findings reinforce these pathways, suggesting that critical reflection and dialogue on existing norms and the focus on faith and religious texts were valued by participants and supported IPV reductions. This study demonstrates that a faith-based, norms-shifting intervention can significantly reduce IPV in a short time. There are several pathways through which MFP reduced IPV, including shifts in norms, attitudes, relationship quality, and community cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to its affordability in disease-affected communities and suitability for field application, microscopy has historically been considered the gold standard for field diagnosis of trypanosomosis in rural settings. Aim: This works aims to compare the performance of microscopists on bovine trypanosome microscopy by organizing the first comparative assessment on a correct reading of slides by laboratory professionals using the read slide results and a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire in North-central Nigeria. Methods: Ten participants were addressed, as they were sent a panel of two slides (Slide 1: No Trypanosome present; Slide 2: Trypanosome present) and a questionnaire. Results: All participants greater than 41 years old reported correctly the presence and absence of parasites on slides. Only 3/8 of microscopists from routine diagnostic laboratories reported correctly the presence of the parasite. Conclusion: Our study confirmed errors in reading slides. Therefore, training of microscopists besides a nationwide quality assessment is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]