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Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of Crude Oil impacted Sites in Mangrove Ecosystem of Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State
Get PDFThe study assessed the heavy mental contents of crude oil impacted sites in selected mangrove ecosystem of Degema Local Government area, Rivers State. The study adopted the true-experimental design on twelve (12) sampling points out of which eight (8) soil samples were from the Crude Oil Exploration Sites (COES), two (2) soil samples from Artisanal Refining Site (ARS), and two (2) soil samples as the Control were randomly collected in triplicates and composited. The data collected were analyzed using Mean and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The study revealed that: Cadmium (Cd) concentration (2.80 mg/L) at Bukuma community was significantly higher than all other sampling points. Also, Pb, Cd, Fe, and Cu concentrations of 0.49 mg/L, 1.34 mg/L, 21.75 mg/L, and44.64 mg/L respectively at the artisanal refining site are significantly higher than the control (0.07 mg/L), WHO (2017) limit of 3.0, 0.01, 0.003, and 0.003 for Pb, Cd, Fe, and Cu respectively in soil. Hence, the result concluded that Crude oil extraction increases the concentration of harmful heavy metals in mangroves, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to reduce pollution and human health effects. The study recommended that The Nigeria Environmental Society should collaborate with governments to monitor companies' compliance with operating standards to reduce the discharge of untreated effluents containing heavy metals that harm mangroves, biodiversity, and contaminate food and water sources as well as harm human health.
Keywords: Heavy Metal, Mangrove, Crude Oil, Ecosystem, Degema
Bridging the Divide: Exploring the Journey of Unity in the Ecumenical Movement
Get PDFThe Christian community's ecumenical movement was founded upon a desire for unity and cooperation among differing churches. It aims to create a diverse and yet unified church, grounded in the early churches' apostolic sense. The movement emerged in response to the pluralistic issues of modern society, with hopes of promoting unity amid diversity. The term "ecumenism" was originated after an International Missionary Conference in 1910, gaining further popularity following the Second Vatican Council. Organizations such as the World Council of Churches (WCC) offer means for ecumenical engagement such that various Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican, and others may fulfill their stance under these principles. Overcoming numerous challenges over time, the ecumenical movement continues to evolve today through new strategies, partnerships, and educational resources meant to support its mission of promoting cooperation and fostering interfaith dialogue while also sowing seeds for social justice and addressing human rights issues. In 1948, with World War II having a profound impact on society at large, renewed interest arose prompting new efforts and initiatives for peace and justice. The establishment of WCC that same year achieved a significant milestone by providing a means through which different Christian traditions might work towards unity-improving collaboration through years thereafter. Recent decades have seen challenges such as secularism or religious diversity, but with remarkable progress too via embracing opportunities available. Such opportunities made possible via numerous focal points have strongly supported ecumenical projects through dialogic ties with interfaith groups-and while recognizing core values around promoting peace and reconciliation within nations worldwide in order instilling hope while addressing global injustices of all kinds regardless if religious or political altogether worldwide. In summary, it is indeed ever hopeful than before that the ecumenical movement remains undiminished to continue advancing what has already been accomplished-to allow for continued growth amidst shifting political landscapes, such as nationalistic sentiments or populism styles globally speaking-pursuing tirelessly its objectives of unity within diversity no matter what comes next; being strengthened too by new allies and partnerships, constantly improving educational approaches to meet the evolving challenges of this digital age.
Keywords: Ecumenism, Christianity, Movemen
Investigating Secondary School Students’ Attitude Towards Gender Stereotype in Ijebu-Ode Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria
Get PDFThis research investigated secondary school students' attitudes toward gender stereotypes in the Ijebu-Ode metropolis, Ogun State. Questionnaires were administered to two hundred (200) students from four selected secondary schools in the metropolis. Data were collected and analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation and t-tests. The findings of this study revealed students' positive attitudes towards gender stereotypes. Also, it was found that there is no significant difference in the students' attitudes towards gender stereotypes based on gender and class of study. Some recommendations were made on the findings obtained from the study.
Keywords: Gender, Stereotype, Attitude, Students, Ijebu-Ode Metropolis
Shattered Dreams and the Japa Syndrome: Interrogating the Irony in the Migrants’ Dream in Contemporary Nigerian Fiction
Get PDFThe movement of people from one location to another is as old as man. The reasons for the migration can be for social or economic upliftment. But most times, the reasons for the migration are often not realised. This is the focus of this paper. This paper argues that as represented in contemporary Nigerian fiction, the dreams of majority of migrants who relocate to the diaspora are often not realised. The paper leans on the psychoanalytic theory and it draws illustrations from Helon Habila’s Travellers to buttress its thesis. The analysis of the journey of the migrants and their stay in the diaspora yields the motifs of loss of identity, alienation, regrets, dislocation and loneliness. The study also investigates the outcome of the migrants’ dream whether in the diaspora or their return to their home country. The result is failure of the migrants’ dream. The themes of loss of job, depression, divorce, dropout and death become the outcome of the dream of social or economic upliftment by the migrant. The techniques of flashback, contrast and symbolism enable the migrant storytellers to achieve a realistic point of view. I also discovered in this paper that the major reason for the failure of the migrants’ dream is the process of acculturation and hybridity - the unsuccessful merger of the migrants’ home culture and that of the diaspora. The paper concludes that the migrant literature is a realistic portrayal of the “Japa” syndrome. The outcome of the syndrome is always negative in the novel.
Keywords: Migrant, Relocation, Diaspora, Dream, Failur
Woman as the Goddess, the Mother, and the Lover: A Literary Analysis of Selected Poems of J. P. Clark
Get PDFWomen have traditionally been viewed from the images of the supernatural, motherhood, and the sensual, and depending on the beholder and the context, these images come with layers of negativity and/or positivity ascribed to them. Many communities categorise women into these separate and distinct entities, and in few occasions, women embody these social types. Under each of these entities are sub-types and kinds that women are believed to portray; for example, under the sensual, women are also believed to be sorcerers, wicked, calculating, murderers, among other negativities. Under motherhood, women are generally perceived as caregivers, not ambitious, long suffering, sacrificial, homely, etc. As supernatural beings, women are generally feared, adored, entreated, powerful, and vengeful. Women have over the centuries contended with these prescribed roles and traits and have also come to believe many of these about themselves. John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo, popularly known as J.P. Clark, a first-generation Nigerian poet and dramatist analysed a number of these perceptions and beliefs about women in his poetry, using the Niger Delta terrain as the backdrop. His robust education notwithstanding, a number of his poems dwell on the strengths, weaknesses, presence, and invisibility of women, particularly those who were people he related with. From the early 60s, when he published his first poetry collection, to the 21st century, nothing really has changed much in the general views about women. Instead, in spite of the gallant strides women have made personally and for the common good, they are still regarded as subservient and incomplete.
Keywords: Poetry, Women, JP Clark, Patriarchy, Archetypal, Images 
The Emirs and the Visits of Christian Missions in Ilorin Muslim Emirate of Northern Nigeria, 1823 – 1900
Get PDFThis article traces the genesis of the Emirs of Ilorin Emirate encounter with the Christian Missions. The Emirs were ‘head bent’ in protecting their domain against the Christian missionary’s incursion. They did this not because they hated Christianity but because they followed the instructions and general directives tenaciously in line with the Sokoto caliphate to run away from religious rivalry, competition particularly, Christianity and for fear of conversion. Thus, we have noted that each of the Emirs’ played the role of defensor fedei in his emirate and as such he could not willy – nilly allow missionaries to proselytize. One remarkable thing about Emirs with the Christian missions’ encounter was the level of friendliness and display of knowledge in their various doctrinal expositions. It is against this background that we examine the Emirs and the visits of the Christian Missions in Ilorin Emirate, C. 1823 – 1900. The author made use of both the primary and secondary sources. In particular, the study relied on eye witness account of the Christian Missions. In addition, travellers’ records were also utilized with secondary materials and used for chronologic and thematic analysis.
Keywords: Emirs of Ilorin, Christian Missions, Doctrinal Encounter, Christianity, Islam and Caliph Directives
The Articulation of English Liquids by Annang-English Bilinguals
Get PDFThis paper investigates the articulation of the English liquids by Annang-English bilinguals. It identifies the liquid sounds and analyses them, taking into consideration the similarities and dissimilarities in both languages. As a result, the theoretical framework employed for the study is provided by the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) propounded by Robert Lado in 1962. Forty subjects drawn from a population of one hundred and twenty (120) Annang-English bilinguals of the Faculty of Arts, Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), were given a production test of twenty-five (25) items containing the liquid lateral sound and the rhotic. Each subject was required to articulate the words containing the liquid sounds. This was done to ascertain the subject's ability towards articulating these sounds. From the study, it was realised that the subjects had difficulties pronouncing some of the words. Researches in bilingual analysis have shown that the similarities of sounds in both languages facilitate learners’ ability to speaking the language appropriately and differences hinder. This study revealed that although the two liquids are present in the Annang language, the subjects had difficulties articulating the sounds when they were preceded by plosives. These consonant clusters posed a problem to the subjects. It also showed that since the subjects’ speech community uses these liquids in free variation, some of them transferred it to the target language and this affected their pronunciation. Worthy of note is the fact that these problems were not observed at the initial word positions as the subjects were able to appropriately articulate the sounds. In conclusion, if Annang speakers make conscious efforts and are intentional about articulating the right sounds, they will certainly do so. This paper therefore submits that these set of speakers face these problems because of the positions in which these liquids appear in a word. That, the use of liquids in free variation in Annang also hinders them from articulating the words accurately.
Keywords: Liquid sounds, Articulation, Free Variation, Bilinguals, Speech community
Understanding the Nature and Functions of Igbe Priesthood in the Light of Old Testament Priesthood
Get PDFIgbe religion is one of the variants of African traditional religion that have widespread expression in Urhoboland. It is native to the people of Urhobo the same way Judaism is native to the Jews. One common characteristic of both Igbe religion and Judaism is that both are monotheistic in nature; hence the priests are the officiants chosen by the Most High God (Oghene, Yahweh) to act as intermediaries between him and the people, particularly adherents. However, Igbe religion is often derogatorily criticised as fetish and heathenish by majority of people, particularly Christians who brand Igbe priests as witches and wizards. The objective of this paper is to present an expository discourse on Igbe priesthood to show its relationship with Old Testament priesthood. The essence is to phenomenologically show that the Igbe priest is not necessarily or inherently a witch or wizard, but rather s/he is an officiant divinely chosen or consecrated for service in the temple of God (Oghene). To achieve this objective, this paper adopted historical, descriptive and comparative approaches. More so, the phenomenological method was employed to investigate the nature and functions of priesthood in Igbe religion. The finding of the paper is that Igbe priests are officiants of the Supreme Being (Oghene) just like the priest of Yahweh in the Old Testament and their role is to connect the people to God (Oghene, Yahweh) and perform the roles of sacrificing, cleansing, healing and revelation of divine will. The recommendation of the paper is that Igbe religion should be closely studied to understand its foundations, nature and operations to avoid baseless criticisms, derogatory assertions and false conclusions.
Keywords: Igbe, Old Testament, priesthood, nature, functions
An Appraisal of Niccolo Machiavelli’s Political Philosophy
Get PDFThe paper argues the thesis that morality is a significant concept in politics, and as such, one cannot divorce it from politics, or else, the very essence of politics, will be drained out that is, any act could be performed which can brutalise the citizens. While philosophers have through the ages been trying to show that morality is inseparable from politics, Machiavelli tried to do precisely the opposite. He tried to remove morality from politics and advised rulers to ignore morality if they want to be successful politicians or rulers. It is a well-known fact that morality is the soul of the society hence, any attempt to remove it from politics, will spell doom for that society. This is because, morality plays its pivotal role in any nation’s development and advancement. It serves as a strong catalyst for nation’s development and progress. It is against this background that the paper strongly argues against Machiavelli’s political philosophy and all that it stands for. In order to achieve its intended objectives, the paper discusses meaning and definition of political philosophy, the task of political philosophy, Machiavelli’s political philosophy and its criticism. The paper concludes that morality plays pivotal role in politics which will of course, catapults the nation to accelerated development.
Keywords: Niccolo Machiavelli, Political Philosophy, Morality, Governance, Development
Women’s Mobility and Activity Trends in Urban Areas of Ogun State, Nigeria
Get PDFIn the dynamic landscape of modern life, the movement of people and goods fuels economic progress. However, transportation disparities between genders persist globally. Recognizing distinct mobility needs and behaviours between women and men is crucial. This study delves into the travel and activity patterns specifically among women in urban centers of Ogun State, Nigeria. Employing a cross-sectional community survey design, the study sampled women from four cities in Ogun State. A total of 1,597 respondents participated, with analysis focusing on descriptive statistics. Patterns in women's travel, including trip duration, distance, purpose, and mode of transportation, were examined. Results highlighted purpose-driven travel, predominantly for work, household tasks, and religious engagements within town. Motorcycles, tricycles, and walking were common modes of transportation, influenced by factors like trip speed and purpose. Additionally, leisure and visiting friends and relatives constituted frequent out-of-town travel motives. Three distinct daily activity patterns emerged. Addressing challenges like limited access to private vehicles, inadequate infrastructure, and security concerns is vital to enhancing women's travel experiences in the region.
Keywords: Women’s mobility, Activity patterns, Urban centres, Ogun State