| 1 |
Author(s):
Christele Nadège Ngando, Innocent Fasse Mbouya.
Page No : 1-13
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The Reflections of Regulatory Adjustments to Pre-Employment Internships on Engagement and Individual Employability Strategies: A Comparative Study within Two Banks in Central Africa.
Abstract
In a banking environment marked by uncertainty and the continuous revision of rules governing pre-employment internships, pre-employment interns develop specific individual strategies to enhance their opportunities for sustainable professional integration. While the literature primarily focuses on normative transitions (school-to-work, employment-to-retirement, unemployment-to-employment), the status of the pre-employment intern remains largely understudied. This study aims to analyze the impact of regulatory adjustments implemented by Cameroonian banks on the engagement of pre-employment interns, and to identify the individual strategies mobilized to enhance their employability prior to the transition towards permanent integration. A comparative qualitative method was employed within two banks (UBA and BICEC), based on in-depth interviews with nine pre-employment interns. The results reveal a dual effect: demotivation for some and self-motivation for others. Self-motivated interns develop personal self-training strategies, notably learning-by-doing, trial-and-error learning, and learning through observation. These strategies lead to temporary or interim forms of integration, without a guarantee of permanence. This study contributes to the literature on employability and career transitions by shedding light on an often-neglected status, while also questioning the transferability of skills acquired in a context of institutional uncertainty.
| 2 |
Author(s):
Adélaïde Compaoré.
Page No : 14-29
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Reliance on Street Medicine Vendors as Livelihood Survival Strategy: A Qualitative Account from Rural Burkina Faso.
Abstract
“Street medicine vendors” popularity is commonly attributed to affordability and convenience, or sometimes such explanations risk oversimplifying the complex realities that shape care-seeking behaviour. This study draws on 17 group discussions and 27 interviews conducted in Nanoro, Burkina Faso, to explore how street medicine vendors are embedded in everyday strategies to navigate precarity. Findings show that street medicine vendors are critical actors in sustaining livelihoods. Their medicines enable people to keep working through illness, reduce out-of-pocket health expenses, and maintain animal health, which is vital to rural economies. Mothers face compounded pressures as caregivers and income earners in their households, often relying on informal care in difficult economic circumstances, with limited fathers’ support. The widespread use of street medicines reflects not just economic benefits but adaptive responses to structural barriers, gendered roles, and the imperative to preserve wellbeing and productivity.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Mokolapo Oluwatosin Tenibiaje (Ph.D.).
Page No : 30-38
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Psychosocial Effects of COVID-19 on the Educational System in Nigeria: A Need to Review the Educational Policies.
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruptions to educational systems globally, with significant psychosocial implications for students in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the psychosocial effects of COVID-19 on the Nigerian educational system, focusing on students’ perceptions of the pandemic, depression, hopelessness, and perceived social support. A descriptive survey design was employed, involving 200 undergraduate students (109 males, 91 females) from Ekiti State University, Nigeria. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire incorporating adapted measures from the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Independent t-tests were used to test four hypotheses. Findings indicated that students’ perceptions of COVID-19, levels of depression, and hopelessness significantly influenced their perceptions of the educational system, reflecting increased psychological distress and reduced educational optimism following prolonged institutional closures. In contrast, perceived social support did not significantly influence educational perceptions, suggesting the relative stability of social networks during the pandemic. The study underscores the substantial psychological impact of educational disruption. It highlights the need for policy interventions that integrate digital learning infrastructure and institution-based psychological support services to enhance resilience within the Nigerian educational system.
| 4 |
Author(s):
Charles Pere Okoro, Fidelis A. E. Paki (Ph.D.).
Page No : 39-55
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Strategies and Skills Required for Effective Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Related Initiatives.
Abstract
This article examines the strategies and skills required for the effective implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-related initiatives across sectors and governance levels. It addresses the persistent gap between SDG commitments and outcomes, often driven by fragmented planning, limited technical and managerial capacity, inadequate financing, and weak monitoring systems. The study aims to identify practical, transferable strategies and core competencies needed to translate SDG targets into measurable national and local results, with particular attention to low- and middle-income country contexts. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines a systematic review of scholarly and practitioner literature, comparative analysis of successful SDG initiatives, and skills mapping, the findings show that effective implementation depends on integrated planning, inclusive stakeholder engagement, sustained capacity-building, diversified financing, and robust data systems for monitoring and accountability. The analysis further demonstrates that technical expertise must be complemented by leadership, negotiation, and communication skills. Overall, the article argues that achieving SDG impact requires a systems-oriented approach linking institutional reform, skills development, and financing innovation.
| 5 |
Author(s):
Samuel Oyeyemi Agbeleoba, Rotimi Adewusi, Olufemi Adeosun.
Page No : 56-69
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Exploring the Rhetorical Structures of Nigeria’s Two National Anthems: A Comparative Study.
Abstract
This paper provides a comparative rhetorical analysis of Nigeria’s two national anthems: “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” and “Arise, O Compatriots.” Adopted at different junctures in the nation’s post-independence history, these anthems serve as potent symbols of Nigeria’s evolving national identity, political ideologies, and socio-cultural values. This study examines the rhetorical structures, persuasive appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos), and stylistic devices employed in each anthem to construct and project a vision of the Nigerian nation. Drawing on a framework that integrates rhetorical analysis, postcolonial theory, and symbolic discourse analysis, the paper argues that the shift from “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” to “Arise, O Compatriots,” and the recent controversial decision to revert to the former, reflects a deeper national dialogue about Nigeria’s colonial past, its present struggles, and its future aspirations. The analysis reveals that while “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” embodies a rhetoric of hopeful idealism and unity in diversity, “Arise, O Compatriots” adopts a more urgent and nationalistic tone, emphasizing sacrifice and a collective call to action. By juxtaposing these two foundational texts, this study illuminates the complex interplay between rhetoric, power, and the construction of national identity in a postcolonial African state. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how national symbols are imbued with meaning and contested in the ongoing process of nation-building.
| 6 |
Author(s):
Everson Ndlovu, Ntobeko Ndlovu, Mkhokheli Sithole, Nqobizitha Dube, Busisiwe Sibanda.
Page No : 70-92
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Smallholder Livestock Farming under Climate Stress: Farmer Perceptions, Institutional Constraints and Adaptation Pathways in Beitbridge District, Zimbabwe.
Abstract
This paper examines the experiences of smallholder livestock farmers in Beitbridge, a primarily arid agroecological district in Zimbabwe, as they navigate the challenges posed by climate change and adapt their livestock management practices accordingly. It uses a mixed-method research design, largely shaped by farmer perceptions and attitudes. The study also draws on insights from scholarly literature to explore the country's limits and constraints to climate change adaptation and the coping strategies and resilience-building measures farmers employ. The research highlights the critical role of institutional arrangements, such as government policies and support mechanisms, in shaping the capacity of smallholder farmers to adapt to climate variability and extreme weather events effectively. The findings revealed that livestock farmers often confuse local by-laws with formal policy guidelines with the result that some tragically view climate change as ‘an act of God,’ leading to a sense of helplessness and detachment and a reluctance to adopt climate-smart livestock practices. The study emphasizes the need for education and training on livestock resilience building among small farmers. It calls for further research on the effects of climate change on livestock farming in particular, cattle value chains.
| 7 |
Author(s):
Jacob Ibrahim Abudu, Emmanuel Nyamekye, Agape Kanyiri Damwah, Smith Wayo Mahama.
Page No : 93-104
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An Ethnographic Study of Infidelity Among Married Women in Tamale, Ghana: Motivations, Social Perceptions, and Gendered Consequences.
Abstract
This ethnographic research investigates female infidelity among married women in Tamale, Northern Ghana, their reasons, daily lives, and gendered repercussions they encounter. Within a patriarchal and religiously conservative society, the research employs participant observation and qualitative interviews in order to unravel how women navigate extra-marital affairs within contexts of moral judgment and socio-economic marginalization. Research also indicates that adultery is not the direct result of immorality but a reaction to emotional abandonment, economic insecurity, and sexual inadequacy. These women engage in such extramarital sex as coping strategies, claims to respectability, and acts of resistance, but strategically utilize respectability in their performance in an effort to eschew censure. Despite risks of stigmatization, dispossession, and violence, the respondents exercise agency through concealment, negotiation, and emotional rationality. The study problematizes dominant narratives that pathologize women's infidelity and instead highlights its root in structural inequality and constrained choice. It contributes to African feminist scholarship and gender studies by taking into account women's voices and locating their intimacy choices.
| 8 |
Author(s):
Ifekanandu Chukwudi Christian (Ph.D.).
Page No : 105-119
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Global Supply Chain Management and Business Growth of Quoted Multinational Manufacturing Companies in South-South, Nigeria.
Abstract
This study explored the relationship between global supply chain management and business growth of quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. The study adopted the correlational research design. The population of the study consisted of 28 quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. The census sampling technique was adopted in this study. The sampling unit comprised managers of the 28 quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. A sample size of 140 managers was drawn from the 28 quoted multinational manufacturing companies on the ratio of 5 managers per company. A structured questionnaire was used as the main instrument for data collection. The data collected were analysed statistically while the hypotheses were tested using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and SPSS version 26. The findings revealed that global sourcing has significant relationship with market share growth of quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. The study also found a significant relationship between global sourcing and profitability growth of quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. A significant relationship was equally reported between global distribution and market share growth of quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. The study also discovered a significant relationship between global distribution and profitability growth of quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. Based on these findings, it was concluded that global supply chain management (global sourcing and global distribution) is significantly related to business growth of quoted multinational manufacturing companies in South-South Nigeria. Therefore, it is recommended that quoted multinational manufacturing companies in Nigeria should manage their global supply chain activities using strategies and methods that are different from those used in managing their domestic supply chain activities as it would enhance business growth.
