6 research outputs found
Zaar Conversation 1 (Girls)
No full textConversation between 2 girls + StoryFree conversation between 2 friends: girls aged 20, attending their final year in the same secondary school. They are neighbours born and grown up in the same village: Tudun Wada, Bogoro LGA, Bauchi State. Some instances of code-switching with Hausa and English
Memories of enslavement as identity formation in the legal collections of the Pentateuch
No full textThesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is a study of memories of enslavement as identity formation embedded in the slave instructions of the legal collections of the Pentateuch. The personal experiences of the writer in his native country of Nigeria and the last twenty years in the USA, became the impetus for the scrutiny of these slave instructions. The constant tribal and religious conflicts in Northern Nigeria are usually accompanied by the mention of past experiences of slavery and colonialism. Similarly, the black community in the USA seems weighed down by the memories of slavery and segregation as it wrestles with the matters of dignity, poverty and lack of education that affect it disproportionately. These concerns caused the author to reflect on the biblical material in the Pentateuch that relates to memories of slavery as the communities seek an identity of their own. Hence, this dissertation, with the title “Memories of Enslavement as Identity Formation in the Legal Collection of the Pentateuch”, seeks to investigate how those passages addressed ancient Israel regarding the ethical treatment of the poor and downtrodden.
The author approached the passages from the point of view of a historical-grammatical study, where attention is paid to the grammar and syntax of the text, and similarities and dissimilarities in the synoptic texts where they address the subject of slave instructions in the Covenant Code (CC) in Exodus 21:1-11; the Holiness Code (HC) in Leviticus 25:39-55; and the Deuteronomic Code (DC) in Deuteronomy 15:12-18. An observation of the contexts surrounding these instructions shed light on their individual contexts and the guiding interests of the authors. The references to Egypt as a house of slavery in these instructions is considered a literary device to jolt the memory and direct behaviour in the right direction for the treatment of workers, especially fellow Israelites. It appears that, in each instruction, the setting of the pre-exilic and post-exilic world events of the ANE had influenced the behaviour of the audience so that the appeal to consider kinship relationships was prominent in the Deuteronomic and Holiness codes, where the term “brother” is employed as the true identity of the Hebrew slave. First, the CC and DC limit the service of Hebrew slaves to six years. The HC, which appears to be the latest instruction, removes the term “slave” entirely and draws attention to the claims of Yahweh, that Israel was redeemed to be “servants” of God and not anyone else’s. Second, in the effort to guarantee the freedom of Israelite slaves at the Jubilee, the HC further removes “female slaves” as a possibility for Israelites. In the narrative sections of the Pentateuch, descriptive narrations of slavery require the attention of further research, because this dissertation focused narrowly on the slave instructions. Any further research into those narratives will yield helpful information on how oral cultures tell and retell stories as a collective, identity-forming mechanism.
The dissertation seeks to bring to light analogies from the above Pentateuchal passages to the Nigerian experiences of tribal and religious relationships, as discussed in Chapter 2. The topic, “Memories of Enslavement as Identity Formation in the Legal Collections of the Pentateuch”, indicates the initial intention of the study. However, the historical-grammatical study revealed that memories are tied to kinship in ancient Israel – illustrated by the metaphors related to family. The exilic community found a strong tie in kinship through the recollection of a common past. The common identity, in turn, was at the heart of the theological and ethical call to acknowledge the authority of Yahweh as the true Lord of all Israel. The slave instructions provide a sense of theological and ethical direction for the audience of each instruction. Likewise, the instructions appear relevant for theological and ethical direction for the modern world. The theological-ethical motivations of the slave instructions are relevant for Nigeria and other countries struggling to devise an identity from the memories of slavery and colonialism.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif stel ondersoek in na die herinneringe aan slawerny as identiteitsvorming ingebed in die slawebepalings van die regsversamelings van die Pentateug. Die persoonlike ervarings van die skrywer in sy land van herkoms, Nigerië, en die afgelope twintig jaar se verblyf in die VSA het aanleiding tot die ondersoek van die slawebepalings gegee. Die voortdurende stam- en godsdienstige konflik in Noord-Nigerië gaan dikwels gepaard met verwysings na vorige ervarings van slawerny en kolonialisme. Ooreenstemmend het die swart gemeenskap in die VSA druk ervaar van die herinneringe aan slawerny en segregasie tydens die stryd om waardigheid, armoede en gebrek aan opvoedingsgeleenthede aan te spreek. Hierdie besorgdhede het aanleiding gegee tot die bestudering van die regsversamelings van die Pentateug om vas te stel hoe dit verband hou met die herinneringe aan slawerny as deel van die proses waartydens ’n eie identiteit ontwikkel word. Vandaar die titel, “Herinneringe aan slawerny as identiteitsvorming in die regsversamelings van die Pentateug”, wat ondersoek instel na hoe hierdie gedeelte antieke Israel aangespreek het ten opsigte etiese optrede teenoor slawe, werkers en die verdruktes. Die skrywer benader die teksgedeeltes vanuit die hoek van histories-grammatiese eksegese, waarbinne aandag geskenk word aan die grammatika en sintaksis van die teks, asook ooreenkomste en verskille in die sinoptiese tekste wat die onderwerp van slawebepalings in die Verbondsboek (Ex 21:1-11), Heiligheidswetgewing (Lev 25:39-55) en die Deuteronomistiese wette (Deut 15:12-18) aanspreek. Aandag vir die literêre kontekste van hierdie bepalings werp lig op die individuele kontekste en die rigtinggewende belange van die skrywers. Die verwysings na Egipte as ’n slawehuis in hierdie bepalings word as ’n literêre middel beskou om herinnering aan te wakker en om gedrag te rig ten opsigte van die behandeling van werkers, veral mede-Israeliete. Dit blyk dat, in elke bepaling, die konteks van die voor-eksiliese, eksiliese en na-eksiliese wêreld van die Ou Nabye Ooste ’n invloed uitgeoefen het op die gedrag van die gehoor sodat die aanspraak op die inagneming van die verwantskapsverhoudings voorrang geniet het binne die Deuteronomiese en Heiligheidswette, waar die begrip “broer” gebruik word om uitdrukking aan die ware identiteit van die Hebreeuse slaaf te gee. Ten eerste beperk die Verbondsboek en die Deuteronomistiese wette die dienstydperk van Hebreeuse slawe tot ses jaar. Die Heiligheidswette, as die jongste bepalings, verwyder die begrip “slaaf” as geheel en fokus die aandag op die aansprake van Jahwe, dat Israel uit slawerny gered is om as “dienaars” van God en niemand anders op te tree. Tweedens, as deel van die poging om die vryheid van Israelitiese slawe tydens die Jubeljaar te waarborg, verwyder die Heiligheidswette “vroulike slawerny” as ’n moontlikheid vir Israeliete. In die verhalende dele van die Pentateug verlang die vertellende verwysings na slawerny verdere navorsing omdat hierdie proefskrif spesifiek op die slawebepalings gefokus het. Verdere navorsing oor hierdie vertellings behoort nuttige inligting te bied oor hoe mondelinge kulture stories vertel en hervertel het as deel van ’n identiteitsvormingsproses. Die proefskrif probeer om analogieë tussen bogenoemde gedeeltes van die Pentateug en die Nigeriese ervarings van stam- en godsdienstige verhoudings aan die lig te bring soos in hoofstuk twee bespreek. Die onderwerp, “Herinneringe aan Slawerny as Identiteitsvorming binne die Regsversamelings van die Pentateug” verwoord die aanvanklike bedoeling van die proefskrif. Die histories-grammatiese ondersoek toon hoe die herinneringe verband hou met verwantskap in antieke Israel – soos uitgebeeld deur die familiemetafore. Die ballingskapsgemeenskap het deur herinneringe aan ’n gemeenskaplike verlede sterk verwantskapsbande gebou. Die gemeenskaplike identiteit was op sy beurt die middelpunt van die teologiese en etiese oproep om Jahwe as die ware Here van Israel as geheel te erken. Die slawebepalings verskaf teologiese en etiese rigtinggewing vir elke bepaling se gehoor. Op ’n soortgelyke wyse blyk die slawebepalings van toepassing te wees vir teologiese en etiese koersgewing in die moderne wêreld. Die teologies-etiese motiverings vir die slawebepalings is ter sake vir Nigerië en ander lande wat worstel met identiteitsvorming te midde van herinneringe aan slawerny en kolonialisme.Doctora
Zaar Conversation 1 (Girls)
No full textConversation between 2 girls + StoryFree conversation between 2 friends: girls aged 20, attending their final year in the same secondary school. They are neighbours born and grown up in the same village: Tudun Wada, Bogoro LGA, Bauchi State. Some instances of code-switching with Hausa and English.Recording conditions: Edirol 09 Digital recorder ; Sennheiser ME66 microphon
Multi-step Homotopy Analysis Method for Solving Malaria Model
No full textIn this paper, we consider the modified epidemiological malaria model proposed by Abadi and Harald. The multi-step homotopy analysis method (MHAM) is employed to compute an approximation to the solution of the model of fractional order. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. We illustrated the profiles of the solutions of each of the compartments. Figurative comparisons between the MHAM and the classical fourth-order reveal that this method is very effective
Counter-Terrorism Measures: Addressing Youths Unemployment and Poverty in Northern Nigeria
No full textThe Nigerian state was known for peaceful co-existence before 2009 when the Boko Haram launched attacks that bedevilled peace and security sustainability in Nigeria. The country is subdivided into six geopolitical zones which includes the North-west, North-central, North-
east, South-west, South-south and South-east. Thus, Northern Nigeria comprises North-west, North-central and North-east that makes up the area of study. The study made use of qualitative research design through the conduct of interviews for the purpose of this research. The findings therefore, reveal that most of the youths who engaged in terrorism activities is as a result of unemployment and poverty in this region. It is also revealed that, some of the youths are engaged in terrorism activities so as to get a source of living. This work therefore recommends that, youths in Nigeria should be gainfully employed and fully engaged in a skill in order to eradicate terrorism in Nigeria. Also, the paper recommends industrialization in Nigeria which could serve as a tool for source of generating revenue and a source of employment opportunities for Nigerians. Thus, through establishment of industries, jobs can be created for the youths and it can generate sources of revenue for the government in order to eradicate poverty in Nigeria
The Crisis of Street Children in Tanzania Solution Comes from the Values of African Family, Ujamma Policy, and the African Synods
No full textIt is very common to see unsupervised children roaming around in the streets of
Dar-Es-Salaam. At traffic lights children knock at car windows to attract the driver's
attention and ask for money. Sometimes, they are accompanied by their parents or
guardians. Occasionally, these children and youths carry containers of soapy water. When
a car stops, the children immediately start washing the windscreen without the owner's
permission. They expect that the owner, out of kindness, will throw some change to them.
This happens not only in Dar-Es-Salaam, but in almost every big city in Tanzania. Called
"street children", these children live and work on the street.
Many social problems underlie the crisis of street children in Tanzania, at the base
lies the lack of recognition and respect for human dignity and rights. This crisis began in
the 1980s when Tanzania was heavily stricken by poverty. Things grew worse in the late
1980s when the country was forced in to the World Bank and International Monetary
Fund (IMF) Structural Adjustment Policies (SAP) to recover from the struggling
economy. As well, the HIV/AIDS crisis forms a reciprocal, causal relationship with
poverty, which has struck many communities in devastating ways. Other factors include
orphanage conditions, and verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. Some on the street are
children of prostitutes, some are handicapped children rejected by their families, and
some are non-marital children who have been disowned by their parents who could not face the shame of a sexual affair before or outside their marriage. Due to this
combination of factors, most families failed to meet the critical needs of their members,
especially those of growing children. As a result, young people and children started
migrating from their home villages to the big cities, expecting to secure good jobs and
live a decent life. Contrary to expectation, many ended up living and working on the
street.
When these children live on the street, they experience various types of hardships,
including physical and sexual abuse, hunger, and lack of healthcare and shelter. As a
result, these children lose their sense of identity and belonging, and their future prospects
are bleak. Their squalid life has moved me to research the crisis of street children in
Tanzania in order to understand its cause and effect, ultimately to propose ways of
mitigate or eradicate them. I am encouraged by the Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights which observes, "investing in children in a street situation is essential to
build a society that respects human dignity, because every child counts." The crisis of street children is one of the pressing social problems in the world,
particularly in developing countries. Studies show the number of street children is
growing due to various causes, especially poverty. However, my research does not focus
only on the number of children on the street. The increasing presence of street children in
the cities of Tanzania indicates a growing social crisis. Unfortunately, some people
consider these children to be the problem. To solve it, the government resorts to detention, imprisonment, and repatriation to their home villages. The "welfare approach"
(rescuing children from the street) and the "repressive approach" (detaining children) do
not solve the problem because they are based on misconceptions and ignorance of the
root of the problem. My work is neither welfarist nor retributive, but rather follows
along the research lines of various experts in human rights and children's law, like
Lutfried Mbunda and Chris Maina Peter; social anthropologists like Joe Lugalla, Joachim
Mwami, and Catherine Panter-Brick; poverty and health theorists like Huruma Sigalla
and Colleta Kibassa; as well as the work of organizations like the Consortium For Street
Children (CSC) and Mkombozi Center for Street Children.
The following is a note about the terminology in this work. First, the word “man”
occurs frequently in Julius Kambarage Nyerere’s and the Church’s documents. When
Nyerere uses the word “man” in the African family and Ujamaa context, he is not
referring to a “male person” but rather a “person” or a “human being”, either male or
female. In Kiswahili (the national language of Tanzania), the word translated as “man” is
gender inclusive. Mtu or Binadamu means both a male person (mwanaume) and a female
person (mwanamke). Second, I use the term “African family” rather than “African extended family” because a real African family is necessarily an extended family, as
opposed to a nuclear family. In an African context, the term “African extended family” is
a tautology. Therefore, throughout this work, unless it is in a quotation, the term “African
family” or “Traditional African family” signifies “extended family” (for the sake of non-
Africans). Thus, Daniel Bitrus, an African author, describes the African family as "a
network of relationships through which individual members receive or give care and
support for each other in various ways. These interpersonal family ties provide cohesion
as well as a sense of belonging and accountability to those in relationship." This mode
of life is at the heart of Nyerere's Ujamaa policy, whose core message is "Fraternity" or
"Family-hood". It is this "oneness" that the First African Synod in 1994 appropriated in
naming the "Church as Family of God." In this appropriation, the Church of Africa used
the notion of the African family to pastorally examine Africa’s situation. Fifteen years
later, (2009) the Church acknowledged some failures in the implementation of the First
African Synod's resolutions. The Church called for a Second Synod of Africa that
emphasized global reconciliation, peace, and justice.
The African family, the Ujamaa policy, and the Synods of Africa constitute three
verses of a beautiful song whose drumbeats sound "We", whose lyrics are living together,
working together, and benefiting together from our work and resources. Respect for
human dignity, rights and duties cut through these verses. Therefore, these three verses
together exemplify very rich and basic values for developing concrete proposals and recommendations to address the present situation effectively.
In this project I argue that many values inherent in the African family mode of
life, the Ujamaa policy of Julius Nyerere, and the African Synods, if seriously examined
and implemented, could reduce the crisis of street children and ultimately eradicate it
completely.
Scholars like Joe Lugalla and Colleta Kibassa have conducted research on the
crisis of street children in Tanzania and proposed remarkable solutions which are already
helpful to these children and, hopefully, will eventually eradicate this situation.
Organizations like the Consortium for Street Children (CSC) and the Mkombozi Center
for Street Children have approached the problem from social, political, and economic
perspectives.
This project is intended as a background study for the Church and the people of
Tanzania, uniquely approaching the crisis from a theological perspective. The
significance and uniqueness of this project lies in emphasizing the values found in the
"We song", and considering solutions in light of these values, read through the lens of the
Church’s teaching in an African context.
The task of eradicating the complex crisis of street children in Tanzania calls for a
"pastoral circle" (circle of praxis) methodology. This methodology is a continuous
interplay of planning and implementation. The pastoral circle consists of four parts:
insertion, social analysis, theological reflection, and pastoral planning, all of which are
held together by experience. Insertion provides an encounter with people’s life
experiences in a given society and how they respond to them. Social analysis reveals the
causes, consequences, and the actors behind the social experience. Theological reflection seeks to understand the experience from the point of view of faith, tradition, Scripture,
and the social teaching of the Church. Given the analysis and reflection, pastoral planning
asks: what is to be done at the individual and community/societal levels? It also offers
strategies and actions providing both short and long term solutions to deal with a given
experience. Then the circle starts afresh.
Throughout my studies at the Jesuit School of Theology, I took courses in light of
my interest in the crisis of street children in Tanzania, children with whom I have met,
and whose stories I have heard. In my term papers, I researched the causes and
difficulties these children face on the street. I tried to understand them from the point of
view of Scripture, African tradition, and the social teaching of the Church. I offered some
solutions to the crisis. However, I did not see the method behind my work: social analysis
as discussed in the books Social Analysis and The Pastoral Circle Revisited. When I
read these books, I recognized my methodology as the "pastoral circle." I was happy to
find my instincts validated, and to have a name for what I was doing.
This work consists of five chapters. Chapter One: Insertion, through two childrelated
stories (my own encounter with street children and a street child’s own story),
opens up the social reality of street children in Tanzania. Though neither precise
definitions nor the exact numbers of street children have been established, research
enables us to identify the makeup of this particular group of children who work and live
in extremely difficult circumstances in the towns and cities of many countries, and to give
estimated numbers of street children. This chapter also summarizes the causes for children to take to the street, the difficulties they face there, and their coping strategies.
Finally, the chapter discusses efforts already in place both to help street children and stop
the migration of children to the streets, and offers general suggestions to improve the
efforts already in place.
Chapter Two: Social analysis of the causes and consequences of the crisis begins
by tracing the historical background of this dilemma going back to the 1980s when
Tanzania’s economy suffered a severe breakdown. In order to recover, the country gave in
to the conditions set by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in their
structural adjustment polices (SAPs). Some of these conditions included reduction or
withdrawal of subsidies, retrenchment of workers, freezing of wages, and the introduction
of cost-sharing policies in education and health. This had a devastating effect on social
services in Tanzania. As a result the cost of living increased, and in the end many
Tanzanians were left poorer than before the introduction of SAPs. The HIV/AIDS
epidemic which has a reciprocal and causal relationship with poverty, also contributed in
a devastating way to the crisis of street children. The chapter also gives various “push
factors”, factors in the home environment that either force or encourage children to take
to the street, and “pull factors”, attractions that exist on the street that encourage children
to leave their homes. These factors (push and pull), are complexly interrelated and often
it takes more than one factor for a child to leave home and live on the street. Lastly, the
chapter reveals the difficulties children encounter on the street. These difficulties include
lack of basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, education, and
parental love. Children take jobs beyond their age and capacity in order to survive on the
street. They are physically and sexually abused by the police, detained, and imprisoned; they live in fear of violence and brutality from both the public and the law enforcement
officers.
Chapter Three: Critical assessment of responses by the relevant social actors
continues the social analysis. Consisting of two parts, this chapter first explores how the
role of the various stakeholders affects the lives and well-being of street children. The
stakeholders include street children themselves, families and community, police officers,
social workers, everyday citizens, Community Based-Organizations (CBOs) and Nongovernment
Organizations (NGOs). The crisis of street children is the result of society’s
embarrassing failure to provide for and protect children. This embarrassment manifests
itself when families, communities, and society treat street children as a source of family
income as well as a threat to society. Street children receive inhumane treatment from
individuals, police, and other government officials. To protect themselves, street children
live and work in groups that offer a sense of identity, belonging, and solidarity. The
government’s policies, to provide basic necessities for street children and protecting other
vulnerable children, are insufficient. As a result, CBOs and NGOs, both secular and
religious, play a very active role in addressing these children’s needs.
Secondly, the chapter looks at international/regional and national laws and
policies enacted for children. These laws and policies do not directly address street
children. However, their implementation affects the lives of street children both
positively and negatively. The implementation of some national laws makes their lives
even more miserable. Under such laws, many street children are arrested and detained by
police. Such treatment is contrary to the intent of international and regional treaties about
children. Although these treaties do not address the phenomenon of street children directly, realization of children’s rights, as stipulated in these treaties, would serve both
children who live at home and children who live on the street. These treaties posit that all
children deserve equal treatment, no matter where they live. Although the government of
Tanzania has made commendable efforts to domesticate these treaties in national policies
and laws, they need to direct more efforts toward protecting the rights of children,
especially street children, so that all children in the country enjoy equal rights.
Chapter Four: In a critical theological reflection on the “We song”, I evaluate the
ethics of the African family, Ujamaa, of the Synods and Catholic social teaching. The
chapter consists of two parts. It begins by introducing the metaphor of the “We song”,
which illustrates the interconnectedness of the three resources: African family, Ujamaa
policy, and the social teaching of the Church, especially in the two African Synods.
Despite their emerging in different periods in Tanzania’s history and using different
language, the three resources emphasize the same values of human dignity and rights,
respect, and equality. Human equality does not imply uniformity. In a community all
individuals do not necessarily receive the same share of resources, nor benefit equally
from them. The fact of the matter is that some community members, like the sick, the
elderly, and children, who because of their status as dependants, need more attention and
have the rights to receive from the community without contributing directly to it.
Through the metaphor of the “We song”, I discuss in detail the values of the
African family, of Ujamaa policy (which is based on the African family’s values), and the
values found in the two African Synods that focused on the Church as the family of God,
which works for reconciliation, peace, and justice. The second part of the chapter brings
to light the commonalities between the “We song” and Catholic social teaching. The Ujamaa, in particular, integrates the language of human dignity and rights very well. In
this way, the “We song” illustrates well the Church’s social teaching. This marriage
between the “We song” and Catholic social teaching, in turn, plays a central role in the
final chapter’s proposals.
Chapter Five: In an effort toward pastoral planning, I suggest some strategies and
actions to minimize and ultimately eradicate the crisis. These concrete
proposals/strategies try to answer the question: how can Tanzania respond to God’s call
in addressing the needs of children who live and work on the street, as well as those who
live at home. The answer is divided into three parts: short-term, mid-term, and long-term
strategies, which interrelate in a complex way and complement each other. Therefore, we
need to consider them holistically. The bottom line however, is the recognition that all
children, including street children, are right holders who when incorporated into policy
making and implementation efforts, can be active agents of change in our society.
Short-term strategies deal with the day-to-day difficulties street children face on
the street, that is, their need for food, shelter, and healthcare, and re-unification of street
children with their families. Mid-term suggestions mainly look at the near future life and
development of children, both on the street and at home, including issues like education,
entrepreneurial opportunities, and laws and policies protecting street children. Long-term
solutions address the corruption, poverty, laws and policies at the source of Tanzania's
social crisis. As the main argument of this project stands, the foundation for these
strategies is built on the values embedded in the three verses of the "We song," to provide
a holistic and authentic liberation of street children, and in so doing, to liberate the
society of Tanzania from the crisis of street children. While some of my suggestions offer concrete solutions to the problem, others carry my hope that when implemented,
they may provide a platform for more research. They express a strong invitation for all
Tanzanians to listen attentively to this song whose lyrics are the values of humanity,
living and working together, and sharing our natural talents and resources according to
everyone’s needs. They reflect the principles of the social teaching of the Church: human
dignity, rights and duties, solidarity and the common good, and the preferential option for
the poor. If we decide to sing/live together by these values, we will improve the life of
street children and ultimately eradicate the crisis from the country of Tanzania
