Many African countries are sociopolitically unstable and economically underdeveloped despite their huge human and material resources. The problem borders on poor leadership, poor governance, and resource mismanagement, which can be attributed, among other things, to the countries’ inability to overcome their state of liminality as they transition from externally imposed imperialist to efficient indigenised sociopolitical systems. The imposed systems often suppress the indigenous community-oriented systems, alienate the populace from governance and enable the emergence of exploitative elites that compromise the common good. Using philosophical hermeneutic analysis of African post-colonial history and Hegel’s dialectical historicist theory of social development, this paper observes that the instability of many African countries stems from a disconnect between the people’s sociopolitical orientation and the prevailing oppressive political system. The imperialist system is exclusive, creates the elite and the people divide, and contrasts with the indigenous African inclusive communal sociopolitical orientation. Its top-down command structure is suppressive, stunting public criticism, alienating the people and fostering the emergence of self-serving leaders. The paper holds that a sociopolitical system based on people's consciousness, orientation, and aspirations elicits people's committed engagement in the pursuit of good governance and stability of the polity. It advocates pragmatic evaluations of the sociopolitical systems in African countries to align them with people’s orientation. Considering the African orientation and commitment to community values, it recommends an indigenous community-based sociopolitical system that will overcome transitional sociopolitical liminality, promote active public engagement in governance and in the censorship of leaders, and ensure efficient resource management for national stability and economic development. Achieving this objective will require an eclectic hybridisation of modern and traditional governance systems to develop an efficient indigenous system suited to each country’s contemporary realities and orientations.
This study seeks to evaluate teachers’ attitudes towards the use of gamification in the teaching of history. The study addresses three research questions and three hypotheses using a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprises all the teachers of History in Junior Secondary schools and all the teachers of Citizenship and Heritage Studies in Senior Secondary schools in selected schools within Nigeria. A sample size of 400 teachers was chosen for the study through a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using the instrument: Gamification and Interconnected Histories Questionnaire (GIHQ), which was validated by relevant experts. The reliability of the instrument was also established using Cronbach's alpha, which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.82; the data were collected through the direct administration of the questionnaire with the assistance of trained research assistants.The research questions were answered using the mean and standard deviation, while the hypotheses were tested using the the independent samples t-test statistics at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that teachers held positive perceptions of gamification as an instructional approach. In contrast, the traditional method of teaching history was perceived as less effective, while the 5E instructional model was considered an appropriate pedagogical framework for integrating gamification into history instruction. The study recommended the adoption of gamification and the 5E teaching model in history education to enhance students' engagement and learning outcomes.. It also recommended the provision of adequate technological resources and continuous professional development programmes to equip teachers with the skills required for the effective implementation of gamified instruction. In conclusion, the study established that gamification increases students' engagement, critical thinking, and improves their understanding of the interconnected histories of the Ottoman Empire and Africa.
This paper focuses on the intersection of knowledge production and development within the dynamics of postcolonial class relations in Africa. The study adopted a critical qualitative research approach, to carry out content analysis on documentary and non-documentary data. Leveraging the framework of postcolonial epistemology, which integrates insights from state in postcolonial societies and World Systems theories, the study argues that the continued marginality and peripheral positioning of Africa in the global political economy are linked to the dominance of Western paradigms in knowledge production about Africa, which has continued to reproduce forms of dependency that constrain the continent's development. Knowledge production in Africa reflects the structure of power relations among contending social classes, marked with exogenous control of instruments of knowledge and economic production. Consequently, knowledge production in Africa takes the form of extractivism, in which local cultural and intellectual resources are exploited in the same manner as the exploitation of Africa’s natural resources within the world market system. Indigenous epistemic infrastructures have become subordinated through externally controlled research institutions, funding and publishing, resulting in pervasive commodification of knowledge. This not only undermines the production of authentic knowledge about Africa that serves African interests; it also retards autochthonous transformation and entrenches dependency in Africa’s development trajectories. This paper concludes that social transformations in Africa, therefore, require a more eclectic approach to knowledge production that fosters a diversified knowledge base capable of reducing exploitative external dependence.
Background: Social media comedy skits have evolved into influential cultural texts across Africa. Although they are consumed as entertainment, these skits can reproduce, challenge, or normalise gendered assumptions about sexuality and romantic relationships. This study examined representations of African characters in social media comedy skits, with specific attention to the gender dynamics of sexuality and romantic relationships. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative content analysis design. The data comprised 133 comedy skits posted by 42 Nigerian comedians between August and October 2022 on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. The skits were purposively selected based on their focus on gender, relationships, sexuality, and romantic behaviours. They were analysed using thematic content analysis to identify recurring patterns in the representations of gender dynamics, sexuality, emotional expression, and relationship behaviours. Findings: Male sexuality was often represented as something urgent and immediate, visually stimulated, entitled, and dependent on a man’s ability to perform, while women’s sexuality was represented ambivalently as desirable and tempting to men, morally contested, and in need of discipline. Romantic relationships were often framed along economic lines: men were expected to provide for women financially, and women were portrayed as materially demanding or attracted to wealth. The gender of the comedian shaped the framing of the skits in relation to gender dynamics. Male comedians often focused more on male anxieties and portrayed women as the relational problem to be managed, while female comedians often foregrounded emotional harm, sexual negotiation, marital support, grief, and the consequences of male behaviour. Conclusion: Social media comedy skits are important digital cultural spaces where gender norms around sexuality and romantic relationships are performed and circulated. These skits can reinforce patriarchal assumptions, including male sexual entitlement, transactional intimacy, female moral scrutiny, and gendered double standards. Future research should examine how audiences interpret these representations and how online comedy may be used in gender-transformative media literacy, sexual health communication, and relationship education.
In most indigenous societies, different elements often act as agents of social justice and control that bind groups together. In traditional Ndoki communities, the Okonko masquerade cult has offered a paradigm shift in social control, but its role in conflict management has not been properly examined in the literature. This study explored the roles of the Okonko masquerade cult in communal conflict management and the socio-political implications of such roles in Ndoki communities of Ukwa-East LGA, Abia State. The study adopted a cross-sectional design. Data were obtained from primary sources using a structured questionnaire and analysed using inferential statistics, to show the mean and standard deviation of the responses generated. A sample size of 621 respondents was purposely selected from nine villages within the study area. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. A triangulation of Afrocentric and Symbolic Interactionism theories were adopted as the theoretical framework. The findings reveal that the Okonko masquerade cult is a custodian of justice modeled on cultural values and ethos of indigenous beliefs. Traditionally institutionalised justice systems are reconciliatory agencies for socio-cultural and political integration in Africa, which propels peace building and sustainable development. This is different from Western court litigation processes that are based on technicalities and winner-takes-all, without reconciliation or social integration of offenders. The study calls for the revival of indigenous conflict management systems that are in tandem with the cultural worldview of oneness in African societies.
Digital technology is now a part of everyday life and family interactions in Nigeria, creating new avenues for communication, learning, and exposure. However, it also raises concerns about emotional bonds, supervision, and connectedness within households. Based on Attachment Theory, this study investigates how digital engagement is transforming parent-child relationships in Nigerian families. A qualitative approach was employed, involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with 10 parents in Enugu Urban, South-East Nigeria. Participants were purposefully selected to ensure they had relevant experience in parenting and digital technology. Thematic analysis, based on Braun and Clarke’s methodology, was used to analyze the data. Parents showed strong awareness of digital technology and recognized its advantages for communication, education, accessing information, and staying connected, especially when family members were separated. However, they also reported relational issues such as less face-to-face interaction, decreased emotional closeness, distractions, secrecy, disciplinary tensions, and challenges in supervision and trust. Concerns about children encountering harmful content and changing family dynamics were common. Despite these issues, parents actively managed technology use by monitoring, limiting screen time, offering guidance, promoting discipline, and supporting improved digital literacy, regulation, and infrastructure. Digital technology has a dual impact on Nigerian families: it facilitates communication and learning, but also can lead to emotional distancing and relational tension. The study emphasizes the importance of improving parental digital literacy, promoting balanced technology use, and developing supportive policies to ensure that digital tools enhance, rather than harm, parent-child bonds in Nigeria and other African countries.
The expansion of social media has transformed political communication and civic engagement across many democratic societies. Yet, women’s political participation remains limited and constrained by enduring structural, cultural, and institutional barriers. This qualitative study tries to understand how social media intersects with patriarchy to shape women’s political participation in Nsukka urban, in the context of the Africa we want. The study was anchored on the Uses and Gratifications Theory and Feminist Theory, and data were elicited from 19 respondents through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Participants were purposively selected, and data were analyzed using manual thematic analysis. Findings revealed that social media platforms provide opportunity to access political information, express political opinions, mobilize others during elections, and support female candidates. However, perceptions of social media’s efficacy were mixed; while some viewed it as empowering and democratizing, many believed that online expression does not automatically translate into concrete political action. Cultural norms rooted in patriarchy, alongside socio-economic limitations such as low income, limited digital skills, and high data costs, significantly shaped residents’ perceptions and constrained women’s full political participation. Challenges identified included cyberbullying, fear of reputational damage, and technological barriers. The study concludes that social media holds immense potential to enhance African women’s political engagement, but its benefits are moderated by prevailing socio-cultural and structural realities. Thus, African research should be people-centered, context-specific, and transformative, in order to produce knowledge that amplifies women’s voices, challenges patriarchal barriers, and promotes inclusive democratic development in line with the Africa we want.
The challenges faced by twenty-first-century youths are increasingly complex in a globalised world where transnational mobility and cross-cultural interactions have become commonplace. There is a need for literary scholars and critics to examine the interactions arising from these transnational contacts, and how they reshape ideological constructions of sexuality and identity. This study investigates how dominant cultural ideologies governing sexuality are represented in Iweala’s Speak No Evil and Emezi’s The Death of Vivek Oji, and how the texts’ protagonists, viewed through Antonio Gramsci’s theory of the organic intellectual, resist and reshape prevailing social and cultural norms. It also explores how globalisation shapes non-normative identities and creates hybrid spaces of belonging. The findings reveal that sexuality is portrayed in the texts as both a site of control and disruption. This is instantiated by the protagonists’ lived experiences, which unsettle dominant narratives, and open space for alternative, self-defined identities. The findings also establish that organic intellectuals challenge dominant ideologies, creating spaces where sexual expressions intersect with global influences, disrupting cultural hegemony and allowing alternative narratives to emerge. Globalisation and migration act as catalysts that dismantle established norms and foster a more inclusive discourse on sexuality. Ultimately, the primary texts demonstrate that contemporary Nigerian fiction is increasingly interested in reimagining sexuality beyond the binaries of tradition and modernity, offering fluid and intersectional frameworks that expand the possibilities of identity, belonging, and self-expression within a globalised world.
This research paper examines the civilization values and aesthetic aspects of the unified Adhan model in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the perceptions of both Muslims and non-Muslims. The descriptive survey research design was used, and 200 respondents, who included both religious groups, were used to collect data. The research explored four major themes, namely civilization values, unity and social cohesion, aesthetic features, and perceptions of Adhan standardization. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test). The results indicated that Muslims and non-Muslims concurred that the unified Adhan reflects high civilization traits, including discipline, order, time sensitivity, moral reflection, cultural maintenance and appreciation of diversity. Equally, the Adhan was identified to enhance unity, social cohesion through development of a sense of belonging, social interaction, and mutual respect, though its influence on sustaining intercultural harmony and positive social perceptions was moderate. Regarding the aesthetics, the respondents perceived the Adhan as melodious, relaxing, and well-organized, which improved the soundscape without interrupting it. Nonetheless, there was a significant variation in perception of Adhan standardization with non-Muslims expressing more agreement compared to Muslims. The research article concludes that the cohesive Adhan in the UAE is a strong representation of civilization values, social bonding and aesthetic appeal, as well as a manifestation of various interpretations of standardization.The findings highlight the value of the UAE Unified Adhan model in promoting coordination, social cohesion, cultural identity, and mutual respect within the UAE’s diverse social environment.
Juvenile delinquency has become an increasing social concern in many urbanising communities in Nigeria, raising questions about how urban social conditions influence youthful behaviour. Responding to calls for context-sensitive research in Africa, this study examines the relationship between urbanisation and juvenile delinquency in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, prioritising local realities over externally driven assumptions. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and relied exclusively on quantitative data. Using a multistage probability sampling technique, data were collected from 483 secondary school students between the ages of 10 and 18 years in selected schools within Nsukka LGA. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Z-test inferential techniques to examine patterns and differences in delinquent behaviour. The findings indicate that the overall level of self-reported juvenile delinquency in the study area is relatively low, with sexual misconduct emerging as the most commonly reported delinquent behaviour. The results further show that urban-related factors, particularly peer influence, urban poverty, exposure to violence, and weakened traditional social control, significantly shape juvenile delinquent behaviour, with peer influence exerting the strongest effect. Crucially, this research argues that interventions must serve the interests of the local community by strengthening indigenous social control mechanisms rather than importing punitive models. The study concludes that urban social environments play a critical role in shaping juvenile behaviour. Hence, it recommends strengthened parental supervision, school-based guidance and counselling programmes, and community sensitisation initiatives to mitigate juvenile delinquency in urbanising communities.
This article examines the features of the artistic representation of cultural values in African and Central Asian literature using the theory of intercultural communication. Within the context of contemporary globalization, literature is recognized not only as an aesthetic form of expression, but also as an important medium of cultural communication through which the worldview, historical memory, national identity, and spiritual values of different peoples are articulated, preserved and transmitted. The purpose of this research is to identify the narrative strategies of transmitting cultural values in African and Central Asian literary texts and to assess their roles in building intercultural understanding in communication. A combination of the frameworks of comparative literature, intercultural communication theory, and narratology was used in the research. The data comprise prominent texts from African and Kazakh literature. The findings demonstrate that such values as national identity, collective memory, tradition, family, community, spiritual heritage, and historical experience are reflected in both literary traditions through narrative structures. In addition, it was found that the issues of colonial experience, cultural transformation and preservation of national values in the context of globalization are prominent in the literature of both regions. The research demonstrates the potential of literary texts in the development of intercultural dialogue and contributes to strengthening mutual understanding and tolerance across diverse cultures.
The development of infrastructure is broadly acknowledged as a crucial catalyst for macroeconomic growth, structural change, and social well-being. Nevertheless, in numerous African countries, the challenge extends beyond mere infrastructure shortfalls to include inadequate integration of research and evidence-based planning before, during, and after project implementation. This paper investigates the connection between weak institutional frameworks and the neglect of infrastructure in Nigeria, situating this issue within the broader discussions of governance, development policy, and the role of research in public infrastructure projects. The study utilized a qualitative policy analysis supported by secondary data obtained from government reports, oversight bodies, and development organizations. The paper examines the extent, trends, and fundamental causes of infrastructure abandonment across the key sectors of Nigerian economy. The results indicate that the neglect of infrastructure in Nigeria is a systemic problem that is intricately tied to institutional shortcomings, such as poor policy coordination, politicizing the selection of projects, inadequate utilization of research and feasibility studies, weak accountability mechanisms, and ineffective monitoring and evaluation systems. The paper argues that the absence of rigorous research throughout the project cycle contributes significantly to poor project planning, implementation, and sustainability. Consequently, the study recommends an effective policy evaluation mechanism and a transparent, research-driven, independent feedback system for all public infrastructure projects in Nigeria.
This research presents a comparative study of phraseological units in selected African languages and English, focusing on their semantic, structural, and cultural peculiarities. Phraseological units, consisting of idioms, proverbs, collocations, and fixed expressions, constitute an essential component of linguistic competence and cultural identity. They embody collective experience, worldviews, and social values, making them significant for both linguistic analysis and intercultural communication. The research aims to analyse the similarities and differences in the formation, usage, and interpretation of phraseological units across diverse linguistic and cultural contexts. Drawing on theories from cognitive linguistics, cultural linguistics, and phraseology, this study employs qualitative and comparative methods to analyse data collected from literary texts, dictionaries, and spoken discourse in English and selected African languages. The findings demonstrate that, while many phraseological units in both language groups share universal conceptual metaphors related to nature, the body, and social relations, they differ considerably in imagery, symbolism, and pragmatic functions. African languages tend to reflect communal values, traditional beliefs, and environmental influences, whereas English phraseology often emphasises individualism, industrial experience, and historical influences. By identifying common patterns and culturally specific features, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of linguistic relativity and cross-cultural semantics. The results are expected to benefit linguists, translators, language educators, and intercultural communication specialists by providing insights into the cultural embeddedness of phraseology and its role in facilitating human interaction.
This study investigates the impact of technological development on the effectiveness and acceptance of distance and blended learning models at Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities, Abu Dhabi. It employs the descriptive-analytical design. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire distributed to 140 students. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were utilized to analyze the data. The findings show a statistically significant positive relationship between technological development and the effectiveness of distance and blended learning modalities. The student respondents reported instructional engagement, flexibility and instant feedback as the learning conditions improved through the utilization of tech-supported modalities at Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities. Blended learning was rated slightly higher in effectiveness than a purely online learning mode. The study concludes that long-term investment in technological tools through institutional support and readiness is significantly essential in maintaining the effectiveness of tech-driven educational processes.
This article examines the entangled relations between the Canary Islands and the African continent during the Iberian Union (1580–1640), situating both within the broader Iberian Atlantic framework. Drawing on a multifocal analysis of Spanish and Portuguese primary sources—particularly notarial records from the Canary Islands and Lisbon—the study reveals the archipelago’s role as a strategic intermediary in transoceanic networks. Far from being a peripheral outpost, the Canaries emerge as a dynamic node linking Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The study challenges Eurocentric historiographies by foregrounding African agency and the significance of Atlantic Africa in shaping early modern global circuits. It highlights the participation of Canarian and Portuguese elites in the slave trade, the redistribution of African commodities, and the formation of transnational mercantile alliances. Chroniclers such as Viera y Clavijo envisioned the islands as integral to a tri-continental Atlantic identity, reinforcing their centrality in the Atlantic world. Ultimately, this research contributes to a polycentric understanding of Atlantic history, emphasising the historical construction of a shared Afro-Atlantic space in which the Canary Islands and Africa were not marginal, but essential actors in the making of the early modern world.
This study examines Lithuanians’ social distance towards African immigrants, focusing on perceived threat levels, frequency of contact, and attitudes towards integration. The data were collected through a cross-sectional online survey between September 13, 2024, and March 8, 2025. After excluding participants who failed the attention check, analyses were conducted on 284 individuals; models using integration support as an independent variable were tested on 177 participants. Perceived threat was measured across economic, cultural, security, and social adaptation dimensions, while social distance was measured using seven different social proximity thresholds. The scales demonstrated adequate to high internal consistency (α = .795–.948). The findings indicated a strong positive correlation between social distance and general threat (r = .729, p < .001). The highest social distance was observed in the family and marriage domain (M = 3.208), while the lowest was in the close friendship domain (M = 2.461). Bootstrap-based mediation analyses revealed that more frequent contact is associated with lower social distance via lower general threat (ab = -0.079, 95% CI [-0.139, -0.014]). Similarly, participants who believed that African immigrants should be better integrated into Lithuanian society exhibited significantly lower social distance, mediated through general threat (ab = -0.683, 95% CI [-0.951, -0.419]) and economic, cultural, and especially security threats (ab = -0.657, 95% CI [-0.910, -0.403]). Consequently, the study demonstrates that social distance is shaped less by the mere presence of migrants, but rather by how this presence is interpreted within the frameworks of threat and integration. However, due to the cross-sectional design, these findings should be interpreted as correlational patterns and theoretically informed mediation effects rather than causal evidence.
Extant studies on the post-privatization performance of Nigeria's electricity industry have disproportionately focused on the flaws of the privatization process, regulatory inconsistencies, and systemic corruption as causal factors responsible for the poor performance of the industry. The studies tend to downplay the importance of politically motivated regulatory violations as constituting an explanatory variable. This study takes advantage of this epistemic gap to examine how the ruling elites have captured and abused the electricity regulatory frameworks in Nigeria and their implications for the overall performance of the electricity sector. A combined sources of data collection and a qualitative descriptive analytical method were used. The political capture theoretical approach is applied in the study to dissect the negative impact of political violation of the Nigeria’s electricity industry from three interrelated regulatory perspectives, namely (1) shaping and infraction of the cost-reflective tariff, (2) breakdown of long term domestic and foreign investment and liquidity predicament, and (3) corrupt tariff regime, shadow economy, poor revenue generation and service delivery. The study concludes that these underlying regulatory issues and related challenges are implicated in the post-privatization malfunctionings of Nigeria’s electricity sector. Tackling these regulatory nuances and improving on electricity service delivery in Nigeria portends strong political will in the complete privatization of the electricity industry, provision of sovereign guarantees, and the maintenance of an impartial regulatory ecosystem.
