International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research

Evaluation of donor-funded NGO projects in Tanzania: A case study of the Tupande Usambara Lushoto school-based livelihood project

Emmanuel Paul Mzingula — 2026-08-19

Background: Donor-funded projects complement government efforts to promote sustainable livelihoods. Assessing their effectiveness is essential for ensuring accountability, improving project implementation, and sustaining development outcomes. Although numerous studies have examined donor-funded project performance in other contexts, limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of donor-funded NGO projects in improving livelihoods in Lushoto District, Tanzania.

Objective: This study investigated the effectiveness of a donor-funded school-based livelihood project implemented by Tupande Usambara Lushoto in Tanzania.

Method: A qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected from 38 participants through interviews, focus group discussions, and observations.

Results: The findings showed improvements in food quality and timely meal delivery, although some students were dissatisfied with food portion sizes despite adequate supplies being provided to schools. School uniforms were distributed on time and met expected standards, whereas delays in the distribution of books, pens, and pencils disappointed students. Sports equipment was delivered on time and in good condition to Lukozi Primary School, while the other three schools received desktop computers and printers instead, based on requests from school management. Water tanks, desktop computers, and printers were delivered as planned, meeting expectations for scope, timing, and quality. However, the number of improved avocado tree seedlings supplied to schools was below the planned target, indicating implementation gaps. Overall, the project increased school attendance, improved hygiene, and enhanced students' well-being and happiness.

Conclusion: The project was generally effective in improving learning conditions and supporting school-based livelihoods in the targeted primary schools. However, implementation challenges remained, including inadequate food portions, delays in the distribution of learning materials by school management, limited provision of sports equipment, and insufficient tree seedlings on school premises.

Unique Contribution: The findings provide practical insights for NGOs, schools, donors, and other stakeholders on improving the implementation, monitoring, and sustainability of donor-funded livelihood projects beyond the funding period.

Key Recommendation: NGOs and school management should strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems, improve supervision of project implementation, and enhance collaboration with stakeholders to ensure the timely and equitable delivery of project benefits and sustain students' access to quality education.

Identity construction of the Bukusu people of Kenya in the spoken word performances of Sokoto, a Kenyan poet

Dennis Wabuyaka Waswa — 2026-08-19

Background: Spoken word performance has long served as a medium for identity formation, social critique, and cultural preservation in African oral traditions. Among the Bukusu of western Kenya, rapid social change driven by urbanisation, globalisation, colonialism, and westernisation has intensified questions of cultural belonging, moral order, and political accountability. Sokoto, a Bukusu spoken word artist whose performances circulate on digital platforms, provides a valuable site for examining identity negotiation in contemporary postcolonial Kenya.

Objective: This paper examines how identity is constructed in Sokoto's spoken word performances, focusing on the rhetorical strategies and thematic domains through which he negotiates, critiques, and preserves cultural, political, and moral identities amid rapid social change.

Method: The study employed qualitative content analysis of 20 purposively selected performances drawn from Sokoto's publicly available digital recordings. The performances were translated from Lubukusu into English and verified by a bilingual native speaker with expertise in Bukusu cultural studies. A thematic framework, developed deductively from the research objectives and inductively through repeated textual analysis, identified six identity domains: environment, politics, ethics and morality, love and marriage, family, and religion. Analysis focused particularly on first-person narration as a key site of performative identity construction. The study was informed by Butler's (1990) theory of performativity, postcolonial ecocriticism, and sociological perspectives on cultural identity.

Results: Sokoto constructs identity across multiple interconnected domains. Ecologically, he presents himself as an environmental advocate, documenting biodiversity loss while promoting conservation. Politically, he portrays himself as a voice of accountability, critiquing electoral fraud, corruption, and political betrayal beyond ethnic loyalties. Ethically, he combines Bukusu cultural values with Christian teachings to address theft, witchcraft, and communal violence, positioning himself as a moral guide. In the domains of love, marriage, and family, he negotiates tensions between tradition and modernity while addressing polygamy, orphan neglect, and responsibilities toward ageing parents. Religiously, he integrates Christian eschatology with Bukusu moral traditions to construct a confessional yet communally instructive identity.

Conclusion: Identity in Sokoto's spoken word is dynamic and multidimensional. He simultaneously performs as an environmental advocate, political critic, moral guide, devoted family member, and committed Christian, constructing a vision of authentic Bukusu identity that balances cultural continuity with social change. His performances function as both a cultural mirror, reflecting contemporary challenges, and a cultural compass, promoting values for navigating a changing society.

Unique Contribution: This study provides the first systematic academic analysis of Sokoto's performances, contributing to scholarship on performative identity, postcolonial African oral literature, and Bukusu cultural studies. It demonstrates that contemporary digital spoken word serves as a powerful medium for cultural preservation, identity negotiation, and social critique.

Key Recommendations: Cultural and educational institutions should archive Sokoto's performances as important texts of Bukusu oral literature. Environmental NGOs should collaborate with spoken word artists to promote conservation awareness through culturally resonant communication. Electoral bodies and civil society organisations should address the political grievances reflected in these performances through electoral reforms and anti-corruption measures. Family welfare organisations should use the issues raised—including orphan neglect, domestic violence, and polygamy—to facilitate community dialogue. Finally, scholars should expand research on contemporary spoken word artists in Kenya and across East Africa, recognising the genre as a significant field of academic inquiry.

Destination image and behavioural intention of domestic visitors to national parks in northern tourism circuit, Tanzania

Melkizedeck Leoni Mushi — 2026-08-19

Background: Domestic tourism plays a significant role in the tourism industry, accounting for more than 80% of tourism expenditure in many developed countries. Despite that, Tanzania has not exploited its potential although the government is working to induce more visitors but still lags behind.

Objective: This study examined the effects of cognitive and affective destination image on the behavioral intentions of domestic visitors to national parks in Tanzania.

Method: The study employed a sequential mixed-methods design. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with 15 tourism stakeholders, followed by a survey of 400 domestic tourists. Data were analyzed using content analysis method and Smart PLS 4.

Results: There were significant positive relationships between; cognitive destination image and behavioral intentions (β = 0.208, p = 0.049), affective destination image and behavioral intentions (β = 0.199, p = 0.049), cognitive destination image and affective destination image (β = 0.519, p = 0.000).

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that cognitive destination image significantly influences domestic tourists’ emotional responses and behavioral intentions toward national parks in Tanzania. Also, affective destination image significantly influences behavioral intentions of domestic tourists to national parks in Tanzania. Contribution: The study addresses a significant gap in tourism literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of destination image in shaping domestic tourists’ behavioral intentions within the context of wildlife tourism in Tanzania.

Recommendation: Destination managers should prioritize the development and promotion of positive cognitive destination attributes, as they significantly influence tourists’ emotional responses and future behavioral intentions. Also marketing strategies that prioritize affections of domestic tourists as they significant influence behavioral intentions.

Emerging technologies and hospitality entrepreneurship: An analytical review of opportunities and adoption challenges in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Samwel Savunyu — 2026-08-19

Background: Emerging technologies are reshaping hospitality entrepreneurship by transforming service delivery, customer engagement, operational decision-making, innovation, and value creation in the industry. Despite the growing adoption of emerging technologies in hospitality, existing studies remain fragmented across individual technologies and operational contexts, resulting in a limited and fragmented understanding of the opportunities and barriers that influence hospitality entrepreneurship.

Objective: This study critically examines the opportunities created by emerging technologies for hospitality entrepreneurship and synthesizes the major factors constraining their adoption and diffusion within the hospitality sector in Zanzibar.

Method: An analytical literature review guided by the Diffusion of Innovation Theory was conducted, drawing on secondary sources, including peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2025, identified through Google Scholar, Scopus, and Emerald Insight. This review covered 33 published articles. Sources were included if they addressed emerging technologies, hospitality entrepreneurship, opportunities for technology adoption, and implementation challenges in the industry. The selected literature was analyzed thematically and analytically using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the guiding framework. The analysis focused on recurring themes related to technological opportunities and adoption barriers.

Results: The review shows that emerging technologies create opportunities for hospitality entrepreneurship through service personalization, automation, forecasting, pricing decisions, operational efficiency, sustainability, digital marketing, and platform-based business models. Specifically, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and big data support decision-making and responsiveness; the Internet of Things (IoT) improves smart facility control, monitoring, maintenance, and personalized services; cloud computing enhances scalability and coordination; blockchain enhances transaction trust; and virtual, augmented, and metaverse applications support customer engagement and experience-based marketing. However, adoption is constrained by high costs, weak infrastructure, cybersecurity and privacy risks, regulatory uncertainty, weak data governance, limited digital skills, and employee or guest resistance.

Conclusion: Emerging technologies provide significant opportunities for innovation, competitiveness, service personalization, and operational transformation in hospitality entrepreneurship. However, their successful diffusion depends not only on technological benefits but also on organizational readiness, stakeholder acceptance, digital capabilities, responsible data governance, and supportive institutional environments.

Unique Contribution: This study provides an integrated framework for understanding how emerging technologies create entrepreneurial opportunities while simultaneously generating barriers to adoption, thereby addressing fragmentation in hospitality technology literature.

Key Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should adopt technologies through a phased implementation approach, staff training, governance safeguards, and public–private partnerships.

Evaluating the impact of short-form video content on sustainable tourism narratives in Rwanda and Lombok, Indonesia

Joanna I. Ogunsile — 2026-08-19

Background: Social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have transformed destination marketing, making digital media central to contemporary tourism promotion. While these platforms enhance destination visibility, they also raise concerns about cultural misrepresentation, staged authenticity, and the ethical implications of user-generated content (UGC).

Objective: This study examines how short-form digital tourism content contributes to sustainable tourism by evaluating its effectiveness in destination promotion, ethical representation, and support for sustainability objectives.

Method: A qualitative research design was adopted using non-participatory content analysis of 20 short tourism videos purposively selected from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The sample comprised influencer-generated content, local business promotions, and user-generated travel vlogs showcasing emerging destinations across Africa and Asia. Data were analysed through thematic coding based on three key dimensions: destination visibility, ethical representation, and alignment with sustainable tourism principles.

Results: The findings indicate that digital platforms significantly enhance destination visibility and promotional reach. However, they often fall short in ensuring ethical representation and authentic portrayals of local cultures. Three major challenges emerged: selective storytelling, exclusion of local communities from destination narratives, and superficial representations of tourism destinations.

Conclusion: Digital tourism marketing offers substantial promotional advantages but poses significant sustainability challenges when ethical considerations and local community perspectives are overlooked. Achieving sustainable tourism requires digital marketing practices that balance promotional objectives with authentic and responsible destination representation.

Unique Contribution: This study advances understanding of the relationship between digital tourism marketing and sustainable tourism by demonstrating how user-generated content shapes destination narratives and influences the ethical dimensions of destination branding.

Key Recommendation: Tourism organisations should adopt ethical digital marketing strategies that prioritise community participation, promote authentic destination narratives, and actively involve local stakeholders in content creation to support sustainable tourism development.

Influence of smart hospitality technologies (SHTs) on operational efficiency of five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Samwel Savunyu — 2026-08-19

Background: Emerging technologies are transforming hotel operations. In five-star-rated hotels, emerging technologies have become important tools for enhancing operational efficiency. Whereas numerous studies have examined emerging technologies in the hospitality industry in relation to guest experience and service innovation, limited empirical attention has been paid to how adopting these technologies influences operational efficiency in five-star-rated hotels in developing countries, particularly Zanzibar. This gap is important because Zanzibar’s hotel sector operates in a competitive tourism environment, where efficient service delivery, process coordination, and effective resource utilization are essential to operational efficiency.

Objective: This study examined the influence of the adoption of emerging technologies on the operational efficiency of five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar.

Method: This study adopted a mixed-methods convergent parallel design. Quantitative data were collected from 252 managers of five-star-rated hotels using structured questionnaires, and qualitative insights were obtained through open-ended questions. A census approach was used to include all eligible hotel managers, and stratified sampling ensured the representation of hotel departments. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), whereas qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: The findings show that five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar have adopted emerging technologies, with cloud computing recording the highest adoption score, followed by big data analytics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain, and virtual and augmented reality. Respondents reported that positive operational efficiency outcomes included improved work performance and service delivery speed, reduced errors, time and cost savings, and improved communication. The MANOVA results demonstrated a statistically significant multivariate effect of the adoption of emerging technologies on operational efficiency (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.668, F (15, 673.978) = 7.070, p < 0.001). The between subjects effect on operational efficiency was also significant, F (5, 246) = 9.749, p < 0.001, R^² = 0.165. Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons indicated that minimal adopters performed significantly lower than moderate and advanced adopters.

Conclusion: This study concludes that the adoption of emerging technologies significantly enhances operational efficiency in five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar by improving service speed, reducing errors, strengthening interdepartmental coordination, supporting timely decision-making, and improving resource utilization.

Unique Contribution: Although emerging technologies have been widely studied in developed hospitality markets, empirical evidence from luxury hotels in developing tourism destinations, such as Zanzibar, remains limited. This study fills this gap by demonstrating that operational efficiency improves significantly as hotels progress from minimal to advanced technology. This study contributes to the hospitality technology literature by providing empirical evidence from Zanzibar.

Key Recommendation: This study recommends that five-star-rated hotels in Zanzibar support continuous staff training, digital competence development, and leadership support

Character traits and cultural expressions in ancestral worship of Egungun in South-West, Nigeria and dÍa de los Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico

Joanna I. Ogunsile — 2026-08-19

Background: This study examines character traits and cultural expressions in ancestral worship through a comparative analysis of the Egungun Festival in South-West Nigeria and Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico. It addresses a gap in comparative museological literature, particularly the limited integration of African masquerade traditions within global discussions of intangible cultural heritage and museum representation.

Objective: The study aims to explore how reverence for ancestors, humor, and community identity are expressed through ritual performance, costumes, and sensory cultural practices, as well as their implications for tourism and museology.

Method: A qualitative comparative case study approach was adopted, drawing on recent secondary sources, academic literature, and institutional reports published between 2020 and 2025.

Results: Findings reveal that both festivals strongly reinforce communal identity and moral values, though expressed differently through embodied masquerade performances in Egungun and altar-based commemorations in Día de los Muertos. Both traditions also contribute significantly to local economies through cultural tourism and creative industries.

Conclusion: The study concludes that both traditions offer valuable insights for museums, emphasizing the need for immersive, multisensory, and community-centered approaches to representing living cultural heritage.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to comparative museological scholarship by integrating African masquerade traditions into global discourse on intangible cultural heritage, highlighting their relevance in contemporary museum representation and cultural tourism studies.

Key Recommendation: Museums and cultural institutions should adopt more inclusive, participatory, and sensory-driven exhibition strategies that actively engage source communities in the interpretation and presentation of living heritage traditions.

Analysis of retirees' investment preferences for financial products and physical assets in Zanzibar, Tanzania from the theory of planned behaviour perspective

Juma Omar Juma — 2026-08-19

Background: Retirement marks a critical life transition during which individuals must make investment decisions that shape their long-term financial security and well-being. Although investment behaviour has been widely studied in developed economies, existing research has focused predominantly on financial products such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and pension funds, with comparatively little attention given to retirees' preferences between financial products and physical assets. Furthermore, most comparative studies have been conducted in developed and emerging financial markets, leaving limited empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Zanzibar, where ownership of land and other tangible assets is deeply embedded in socio-cultural and economic practices. Consequently, little is known about how retirees in Zanzibar choose between financial products and physical assets or the extent to which their investment preferences are influenced by the behavioural factors proposed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Objectives: The study assesses retirees' preferences for financial products and physical assets and examines gender-based differences in these investment preferences.

Methods: A quantitative descriptive research design was adopted, involving 283 retirees from the Urban West Region of Zanzibar. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered across the Urban, West A, and West B districts, covering 33 Shehias (ward units within constituencies). The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

Results: The findings reveal that retirees overwhelmingly prefer investing in physical assets, particularly land and residential housing, rather than financial products. Although investment patterns differ between male and female retirees, both groups demonstrate a stronger preference for land ownership than for financial investment instruments.

Conclusion: The study concludes that retirees in Zanzibar exhibit a stronger preference for physical assets than financial products, a pattern that differs from findings reported in many developed economies where financial assets dominate retirement investment portfolios. The findings further indicate that retirees' investment decisions are influenced by behavioural factors consistent with the propositions of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Specific Contribution: The study contributes to the literature by providing comparative evidence on retirees' investment preferences for financial products and physical assets within the socio-economic context of Zanzibar. It extends the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to retirement investment decisions in a developing economy and offers context-specific evidence that contrasts with findings from developed financial markets.

Key Recommendation: Financial institutions should develop retirement investment products that align with retirees' behavioural preferences while improving awareness of the long-term benefits of diversified financial investments. Policymakers and pension authorities should formulate investment policies and retirement education programmes that integrate behavioural factors influencing retirees' investment decisions and encourage balanced investment portfolios.

Evidence-based instructional strategies for enhancing English language reading skills among learners in adult and continuing education centers in Kakamega County, Kenya

Rodgers Achesa — 2026-08-19

Background: Adult literacy remains a key pillar for socio-economic development and lifelong learning. While many educational policy papers and programme evaluations propose teaching strategies for improving adult literacy, but few are grounded in rigorous, localised evidence. In rural regions such as Kakamega County, Kenya, adult learners continue to face challenges in acquiring effective English language reading skills due to socio-economic constraints, limited instructional resources, and diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Objective: This study investigated evidence-based instructional strategies for enhancing English language reading skills among adult learners in Adult and Continuing Education Centres (ACECs) in Kakamega County, Kenya.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and targeted adult learners and English language instructors across selected sub-counties in Kakamega County. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 116 participants from 16 ACECs. Data were collected using interviews and document analysis, and analysed using descriptive techniques.

Results: Findings revealed that the envisaged instructional strategies such as the use of learners’ daily life reading materials, integration of language learning with livelihood skills, and participatory teaching methods were rarely implemented. The study further established that challenges including inconsistent learner attendance, limited professional training for instructors, and inadequate learning materials significantly hampered instructional effectiveness and learner participation in the reading process.

Conclusion: The study concludes that despite the existence of recommended literacy teaching strategies, their non-implementation continues to undermine the development of English language reading skills among adult learners in ACECs in Kakamega County. This situation limits the contribution of adult literacy programmes to national literacy and development goals.

Unique Contribution: This study provides localised empirical evidence on the gap between policydriven instructional strategies and classroom practice in adult literacy education. It highlights the background realities influencing instructional delivery in rural ACECs in Kenya.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends the adoption of learner-tailored, contextually relevant, and evidence-based instructional practices, supported by regular instructor training, improved learning resources, and strengthened learner support systems to enhance reading outcomes in Adult and Continuing Education Centres.

Career development initiatives and employee performance in local government authorities in urban West Region of Zanzibar, Tanzania

Mattar Bakar Haji — 2026-08-19

Background: Career development is an important tool for enhancing employee abilities, motivation, and commitment necessary for quality service delivery. In Zanzibar Local Government Authorities’ context, various career development initiatives are offered to increase performance of the employees and better service delivery. Despite these efforts, employees are still underperforming, raising a concern on the effectiveness of career development programmes offered. Also, whereas numerous studies exist on the influence of career development on employee performance, there remains a gap on how career development initiatives carried out in the unique administrative system of Zanzibar local government authorities.

Objective: The current study examined how career development practices influence employee performance in Zanzibar Local Government Authorities, focusing on West B Council and Zanzibar Municipal Council.

Method: The study adopted mixed research, gathering quantitative data from 242 respondents using questionnaire, and interview was employed to collect qualitative information from key informants. PLS-SEM and content analysis were used to analyse the data.

Result: The finding indicates that career development significantly influences employee performance (β = 0.222, p = 0.001).

Conclusion: Effective practices of career development increase employees’ abilities, motivation, and commitment, leading to employee performance and organisational productivity.

Unique Contribution: The study result offers a nuanced understanding on the need for effective career development initiatives to increase performance of the employees and overall organisational success.

Key Recommendations: It is recommended that Zanzibar Local Governments should institutionalize and effectively implement comprehensive career development initiatives that are explicitly aligned with competency requirements, performance standards, and organisational goals.

Dialogic communication and strategic citizen engagement through Ghana's public sector websites

Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku — 2026-08-19

Background: Despite significant investment in digital platforms and e-government initiatives, public sector communication in Ghana via the corporate website continues to function as oneway interaction aimed at information dissemination rather than enabling dialogue, feedback, or sustained citizen engagement.

Objectives: This study examines the extent to which Ghana's public sector corporate websites incorporate dialogic communication principles and identifies the institutional, cultural, and technological barriers that constrain their implementation for citizen engagement.

Methods: The study adopted a qualitative multiple-case design to investigate the understanding, practice of, and barriers to adopting dialogic communication principles for Ghana’s public sector corporate websites using semi-structured in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and a manifest content analysis.

Results: The study reveals that Ghanaian public sector corporate websites operate predominantly as one-way information repositories. The dialogic loop, enabling feedback and timely responses, emerged as the weakest element, constrained by hierarchical approval processes, limited digital capacity, and inadequate feedback systems. Other dialogic principles, including mutuality and propinquity, were partially present across institutions, while empathy and commitment were largely absent, indicating a systemic orientation toward information provision rather than relational engagement.

Conclusion: The results contribute to scholarship on digital governance in postcolonial African contexts, proposing ways in which corporate websites may be repositioned from static information hubs toward more interactive platforms with the potential to support democratic dialogue, public trust, and citizen-centred governance.

Unique contribution: The study proposes an eight-component framework, distinguishing strategic from tactical components to facilitate dialogic communication via a corporate website in an African public sector context.

Key recommendation: Ghanaian public sector institutions must reposition their corporate websites as a strategic governance resource by adopting a dialogic approach grounded in listening, mutual understanding, and shared responsibility between the government and citizens.

Probability and nonprobability sampling techniques in communication research: Perceptions of communication studies students at UBIDS, Ghana

Ismail Saani — 2026-08-19

Background: Sampling is a fundamental methodological decision that influences the validity, reliability, and generalizability of empirical research. Despite its importance, emerging scholars often misunderstand sampling principles, resulting in inappropriate methodological choices that compromise research quality.

Objective: This study examined the perceptions of Communication Studies students at the University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Ghana, regarding probability and nonprobability sampling techniques and their application in empirical research.

Method: A survey design was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to select 20 Communication Studies students at UBIDS. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results: The findings revealed that most students demonstrated adequate conceptual knowledge of probability sampling techniques but experienced practical challenges in their application, particularly in constructing sampling frames and determining appropriate sample sizes. Although nonprobability sampling techniques were widely used, they were often employed without adequate methodological justification.

Conclusion: The study concludes that strengthening students' competencies in sampling methodology is essential for improving the quality of empirical research in communication studies. Enhanced methodological training can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, thereby promoting more rigorous and credible research practices.

Unique Contribution: The study contributes to the methodological literature by providing empirical evidence on Communication Studies students' understanding and application of sampling techniques within a Ghanaian higher education context, an area that has received limited scholarly attention.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that Communication Studies departments integrate more practical, application-oriented training in sampling design, including hands-on exercises in sampling frame development, sample size determination, and the appropriate justification of sampling techniques in empirical research.

Framing propaganda narratives on X and Facebook during The 2026 United States-Israel-Iran conflict

Roseline Uzoamaka Anigbo — 2026-08-19

Background: On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated air and missile strikes against Iran, targeting military installations, nuclear facilities, and strategic command centres in Tehran and other cities. The strikes were undertaken amid escalating tensions over Iran's nuclear programme and growing security concerns arising from Iran's regional military activities and support for allied armed groups. The conflict generated extensive information flows across social media platforms, where competing actors sought to shape public opinion through propaganda narratives.

Objective: This study examined how social media platforms were used to frame propaganda narratives during the United States – Israel – Iran conflict between 28 February and 31 March 2026.

Method: The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining content analysis and survey research. A total of 257 social media posts related to the conflict were analysed, while 400 respondents participated in the survey.

Results: The findings revealed that X and Facebook played a significant role in shaping propaganda narratives during the United States – Israel – Iran conflict through emotionally driven framing, misinformation, and repeated digital amplification. The platforms also facilitated the rapid dissemination of competing narratives that influenced users' perceptions of the conflict.

Conclusion: The study concludes that social media platforms play a pivotal role in constructing, amplifying, and sustaining propaganda narratives during contemporary armed conflicts.

Unique Contribution: The study extends the literature on digital propaganda by demonstrating how AI-generated visuals, manipulated content, and coordinated online narratives intensified the circulation of propaganda and shaped audience engagement during the United States–Israel–Iran conflict.

Recommendations: The study recommends strengthening media literacy programmes, enhancing independent fact-checking mechanisms, promoting responsible platform governance, and encouraging balanced media framing to improve public resilience against propaganda and misinformation during armed conflicts.

China’s economic and strategic engagement and its implications for security challenges in Nigeria

Manko Rose Rindap — 2026-08-19

Background: China has become one of Nigeria's most important economic and strategic partners through expanding trade, investment, infrastructure development, and bilateral cooperation. Despite these growing engagements, Nigeria continues to face persistent security challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of violent conflict. Although China has supported Nigeria through limited security cooperation, its longstanding foreign policy principles of non-interference and non-intervention have constrained its involvement in addressing Nigeria's internal security challenges.

Objective: This study examined the nature of China's economic and strategic engagement with Nigeria and its implications for the country's security challenges.

Method: The study adopted a documentary research design, drawing on secondary data from academic publications, policy documents, government reports, and other relevant documentary sources. Data were analysed using thematic and content analysis to identify recurring patterns and emerging themes.

Results: The findings indicate that while China has provided security-related assistance to Nigeria in the form of military equipment, intelligence support, and the training of security personnel, its overall engagement has remained predominantly economic. Consequently, China's contribution to addressing Nigeria's complex security challenges has been limited, with security cooperation receiving considerably less attention than trade, investment, and infrastructure development.

Conclusion: The study concludes that, despite the strategic partnership between China and Nigeria, addressing Nigeria's security challenges has not been a central priority in bilateral relations, largely due to China's adherence to its policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of partner states.

Unique Contribution: The study contributes to the literature on China–Africa relations by providing a nuanced understanding of the imbalance between China's extensive economic engagement and its relatively limited security cooperation with Nigeria, thereby highlighting an underexplored dimension of bilateral relations.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that Nigeria and China strengthen their strategic partnership by renegotiating existing cooperation frameworks to incorporate more robust security collaboration, while respecting the sovereignty and foreign policy principles of both countries. Enhanced intelligence sharing, capacity building, and institutional cooperation should complement existing economic partnerships to address Nigeria's evolving security challenges more effectively.

Theory of planned behaviour (TPB) constructs and moral attitude as predictors of intentions to adopt COVID-19 safety protocols among undergraduates of Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria

Perpetua Chinonye Umeaku — 2026-08-19

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented public health challenges worldwide, prompting governments and health authorities to promote preventive measures such as mask wearing, hand hygiene, physical distancing, and vaccination. Despite widespread public health campaigns, compliance with these preventive protocols remained inconsistent, particularly among young adults in developing countries such as Nigeria. This has raised concerns about the behavioural factors influencing individuals' intentions to adopt COVID-19 safety measures. Although the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) has been widely used to explain health-related behaviours, limited empirical evidence exists on the predictive role of its constructs, alongside moral attitude, in shaping COVID-19 preventive behavioural intentions among Nigerian university students.

Objective: This study examined the extent to which the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and moral attitude predict intentions to adopt COVID-19 safety protocols among undergraduates of Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 400 undergraduate students selected from a population of approximately 16,000. Inferential statistical techniques were employed to test the predictive effects of health attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and moral attitude on intentions to adopt COVID-19 preventive measures.

Results: The findings revealed that moral attitude was a stronger predictor of behavioural intention than health attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. The results suggest that individuals' internalised sense of moral responsibility exerts a greater influence on their intentions to adopt COVID-19 preventive measures than the traditional constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Conclusion: The study concludes that the traditional constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour were not significant predictors of intentions to adopt COVID-19 safety protocols in the study context. Instead, moral attitude emerged as the most significant determinant of behavioural intention, highlighting the importance of moral considerations in promoting preventive health behaviours.

Unique Contribution: The study extends the Theory of Planned Behaviour by demonstrating the explanatory value of moral attitude in predicting preventive health intentions within a public health emergency. It also contributes to health communication scholarship by providing empirical evidence that moral framing offers additional explanatory power beyond the traditional TPB constructs in influencing health-related behavioural intentions among university students.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that future public health communication campaigns on infectious disease prevention incorporate moral framing by presenting compliance with preventive measures as a civic and moral responsibility. Such messages should be culturally and religiously sensitive to enhance their relevance, acceptance, and persuasive effectiveness among target audiences.

Influence of health communication on knowledge of the management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder for improved academic performance among students of select institutions in Enugu State, Nigeria

Obioma R. Ozioko — 2026-08-19

Background: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that can significantly impair emotional stability, cognitive functioning, and overall wellbeing among women. Despite its impact, awareness and open communication about PMDD remain limited, particularly among female students, thereby affecting their academic performance.

Objective: This study examined the influence of health communication in reducing the effects of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder on the academic performance of female students aged 15 to 39 years in Enugu State, Nigeria.

Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised female students of Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Success Base Secondary School, and Divine Apple Seed Secondary school Enugu. A sample size of 384 was determined using the Cochran’s formula. A multistage sampling technique was employed to ensure proportional representation across the selected institutions. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The instrument was validated by experts, and its reliability was established through a pilot study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages, and results were presented in tables.

Results: Findings revealed a low level of awareness of PMDD and its management among female students in selected Institutions. The study also found that students exhibit poor attitudes and perceptions towards the disorder and they have to a large extent not discussed PMDD related issues with their teachers. Furthermore, PMDD symptoms were found to negatively affect students’ academic performance, particularly their ability to concentrate during lessons. The school environment emerged as the most preferred medium through which students’ access PMDD related information.

Conclusion: The study concludes that inadequate health communication contributes significantly to poor awareness and open communication around PMDD among female students, thereby adversely affecting their academic performance.

Unique Contribution: This study provides empirical insight into the critical role of targeted health communication in addressing reproductive health challenges among female students, highlighting the gap between information access and behavioral outcomes.

Key Recommendation: It is recommended that educational stakeholders collaborate with media institutions to enhance accurate and consistent portrayal of PMDD in media content, while also integrating school based health communication programmes to improve awareness, reduce stigma, and promote open discussions about the disorder.

Social media and menstrual hygiene education among undergraduates of Plateau State University, Bokkos, Nigeria

Salgan Lohnan Moses — 2026-08-19

Background: Globally, about three million women menstruate at any given time, yet an estimated five million lack access to adequate menstrual products, information, and education for proper menstrual hygiene management, reflecting significant health and knowledge gaps. Social media has emerged as an important platform for disseminating menstrual health information and promoting hygiene practices. However, limited empirical evidence exists on its use, perceived importance, and associated challenges among female students of Plateau State University, Bokkos, Nigeria.

Objective: This study assessed the use of social media for menstrual hygiene education among female students of Plateau State University, Bokkos, Nigeria.

Methods: The study adopted a mixed-methods approach. Data were collected from 245 female students using a questionnaire and interview guide. Qualitative data were analysed using narrative analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, and mean scores.

Results: The findings revealed extensive use of social media for menstrual hygiene education. Respondents reported using social media to obtain information on menstrual pain management, menstrual cycle tracking, symptoms requiring medical attention, menstrual stigma reduction, and the proper use, storage, cost, and effects of menstrual products. However, participants also identified the widespread circulation of misleading and unverified menstrual health information on social media platforms.

Conclusion: The study concludes that social media has become an important platform for menstrual hygiene education among female students by facilitating access to menstrual health information and promoting awareness. Nevertheless, the proliferation of inaccurate and unsubstantiated information remains a significant challenge.

Unique Contribution: The study contributes to the growing literature on social media and health communication by providing empirical evidence on the role of social media in menstrual hygiene education among female university students in Nigeria, thereby addressing an important contextual gap.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that health educators, educational institutions, and public health agencies leverage social media to disseminate accurate, evidence-based menstrual hygiene information while strengthening mechanisms to combat misinformation on digital platforms.

Global research trends in antimicrobial resistance among Enterococcus species: A bibliometric review

Azi Simon Onyema — 2026-08-19

Background: Antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus species has emerged as a major global public health concern due to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains, particularly Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium.

Objective: This work presents a bibliometric and descriptive analysis of published studies on antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus species, focusing on authorship patterns, institutional affiliations, journal distribution, publication occurrence, and research impact.

Methodology: This investigation presents a bibliometric analysis of all research articles on antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus species published between June 2011 and June 2024, indexed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection with database searches performed between March to May, 2026. VOS viewer was used in bibliometric analysis.

Results: Most publications focused on vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm), resistance gene dissemination, genomic characterization, and diagnostic applications of sequencing technologies. The analysis further identified prominent contributors and institutions from countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, the United States, China, and Vietnam, highlighting strong international collaboration in antimicrobial resistance research.

Conclusion: Overall, this study demonstrates the growing scientific attention devoted to antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus species and emphasizes the importance of genomic surveillance, global collaboration, and advanced molecular diagnostic tools in combating the spread of resistant enterococcal infections.

Unique Contribution: This study has offered an insight on current status of Enterococcus Species and Antimicrobial Resistance globally.

Fusidic acid as an alternative therapeutic option for Staphylococcus aureus infections in the era of rising antimicrobial resistance

Azi Simon Onyema — 2026-08-19

Background: Fusidic acid is one of the most effective antibiotics against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), making it a valuable option for the treatment of S. aureus infections. The present study aimed at evaluation of Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of tested virulent S. aureus strain CM05 on fusidic acid

Objective: This study examined actions of Fusidic Acid as an alternative therapeutic option for Staphylococcus aureus Infections in the era of increased antimicrobial resistance.

Methodology: Clinical Microbiology strain (CMO5) of S. aureus from Dr Sue Langs’ collection with her approval and Oxford strain of S. aureus for MIC control were obtained and reconfirmed before use in this study between April to December, 2014. Repetition of the experiment on the isolates were carried out through cultural, gram reaction, catalase, agglutination and API web tests. The confirmed isolates were subcultured into Blood agar (BA) (Colombia agar), Brain heart infusion agar (BHI), Muller-Hinton broth & agar (MH) and Trypton soya broth (TSB). All media were from Oxoid, Ltd, Basingstoke Hampshire, and England. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to CLSI, 2014 guidelines.

Results: The strain showed hemolysis on blood agar, round shaped and size of 2 μm. Gram reaction showed positive cocci in cluster, catalase and coagulase positive. API identification revealed a 97.8% probability of the isolate being Staphylococcus aureus with biochemical reactions used to obtain 7 unique numbers that was matched with API web software based on colour. The MIC and MBC of fusidic acid against strain CM05 were 0.12 μg/mL and 0.5 μg/mL, respectively in relation to oxford strain of 0.12-0.5 μg/mL range that was used as control.

Conclusion: The work showed Fusdic acid as an alternative in antibiotic of choice in treating S. aureus related infection and confirmed the identity of our strain for this study which is CM05.

Unique Contribution: This study has offered an alternative means for rising antimicrobial resistance.

Key Recommendation: Further study in DNA, RNA, and cDNA of CMO5 strain with the experiment to be performed more than twice for appropriate results comparison and bridge of information gap in the research area.

Communication strategies and behaviour change outcomes in malaria prevention campaigns in Abuloma Community, Rivers State, Nigeria

Sarah Chidiebere Joe — 2026-08-19

Background: Malaria remains a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa despite sustained prevention efforts. In Nigeria, communication strategies such as radio broadcasts, television advertisements, social media, printed materials, and community health outreach are used to promote preventive behaviours. However, persistent malaria prevalence suggests that awareness does not always translate into behaviour change.

Objective: This study assessed the impact of communication strategies in malaria prevention campaigns and their influence on behaviour change among residents of Abuloma Community, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Method: A descriptive survey design was adopted. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, 345 respondents were selected. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and chi-square statistics.

Result: Findings revealed high exposure to malaria prevention messages among residents. Radio broadcasts and community health workers emerged as the most influential communication channels. A statistically significant relationship was found between campaign exposure and the adoption of preventive behaviours. However, economic constraints, inconsistent message exposure, and cultural beliefs limited campaign effectiveness.

Conclusion: Communication strategies significantly promote malaria preventive behaviours, although their effectiveness is constrained by socio-economic and cultural factors.

Unique Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence linking communication-based malaria interventions to behaviour change and underscores the importance of community health workers and culturally relevant messaging.

Key Recommendation: Malaria prevention programmes should prioritise community-based, culturally sensitive, and sustained communication strategies while addressing economic barriers to preventive practice adoption.

Parental mediation strategies for managing secondary school students' social media use in select local government areas of Lagos State, Nigeria

Oba Abdulkadir La’aro — 2026-08-19

Background: There is growing concern among stakeholders about the use and misuse of digital media by young people, particularly secondary school students. Media literacy scholars recommend parental mediation as an effective strategy for mitigating the potential risks associated with digital media use among young people. Although previous studies have examined parental mediation strategies as mechanisms through which parents regulate their children's digital media use, few have investigated parents' perceptions of, and preferences for, specific parental mediation strategies and the implications of these preferences for young people's social media use.

Objective: This study investigated parental mediation strategies for managing secondary school students' social media use. Specifically, it examined the active, restrictive, and technical mediation strategies adopted by parents and assessed the influence of parents' background characteristics on the adoption of these mediation strategies.

Method: The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. Using a combination of stratified and simple random sampling techniques, a sample of 384 parents was selected from chosen local government areas of Lagos State, Nigeria. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and tables) were employed alongside correlation and regression analyses.

Results: The findings revealed that parents adopted all three parental mediation strategies — active, restrictive, and technical—to regulate their children's digital media use. However, further analysis established a clear hierarchy of strategy preference, with restrictive and technical mediation serving as the primary approaches, while active mediation, particularly its discursive component, was adopted less consistently.

Conclusion: The study concludes that digital parenting is largely driven by parents' fear of the potential misuse of digital media, resulting in a preference for restrictive mediation strategies. This finding suggests that many parents have yet to embrace media literacy-oriented approaches that foster their children's critical thinking, digital competence, and resilience when engaging with digital media.

Unique Contribution: This study enriches the literature on parental mediation by providing contextspecific evidence from Nigeria. It contributes to the growing body of research advocating the development of parental mediation models that reflect the realities of the contemporary digital media environment. By examining parental mediation strategies within the context of social media use, the study addresses an important theoretical and practical gap with implications for policymakers, educators, and media practitioners.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends a reassessment of current parental mediation practices by investigating the long-term effects of predominantly control-oriented approaches on children's digital resilience, self-regulation, and media literacy. Policymakers and educators should move beyond promoting technological control tools and encourage parents to adopt mediation strategies that strengthen children's media literacy competencies. Intervention programmes should particularly promote the integration of discursive active mediation with restrictive and technical mediation to achieve a more balanced and effective digital parenting approach.

Digital activism, citizen participation, and vaccine uptake in Nigeria’s integrated measles-rubella and polio campaign in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Sarah Chidiebere Joe — 2026-08-19

Background: Despite expanded immunisation efforts in Nigeria, measles, rubella, and polio remain significant public health challenges. Although digital media increasingly shape health communication and civic engagement, there is limited empirical evidence on how digital activism and citizen participation influence actual vaccine uptake during integrated vaccination campaigns.

Objective: This study investigated the influence of digital activism and citizen participation on vaccine uptake during the integrated measles-rubella and polio vaccination campaign in Port Harcourt City, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Method: The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining a descriptive cross-sectional survey with qualitative interviews involving parents and guardians of vaccine-eligible children, digitally active citizens, and key stakeholders in Port Harcourt. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan sample size table, 384 respondents were proportionately selected using Bowley's allocation formula, while 10 key stakeholders were purposively selected for in-depth interviews. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide. Instrument validity was established through expert review, while methodological triangulation enhanced the credibility of the findings. Quantitative data were analysed using Weighted Mean Scores (WMS), whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Results: The findings revealed that social media platforms and digital influencers constituted the predominant forms of digital activism during the campaign. Citizen participation occurred mainly through online information sharing, with relatively limited offline engagement. Although digital activism increased awareness and enhanced public trust in the vaccination campaign, it had a limited effect on reducing vaccine hesitancy or directly increasing vaccine uptake. Religious beliefs and concerns about vaccine safety emerged as the principal factors influencing vaccination decisions.

Conclusion: The study concludes that digital activism alone is insufficient to improve vaccine uptake, as increased awareness and online engagement do not necessarily translate into behavioural change.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to the health communication literature by identifying a disconnect between digital participation and actual vaccine uptake. It further reconceptualises digital activism as a pre-behavioural communication mechanism that facilitates awareness and engagement but requires complementary interpersonal interventions to achieve meaningful behavioural outcomes.

Key Recommendation: Public health vaccination campaigns should integrate digital mobilisation with trusted interpersonal communication delivered through religious leaders, community influencers, and healthcare workers to improve vaccine uptake and address vaccine hesitancy more effectively.

Exposure to radio advertisements and knowledge and practice of family planning among married couples of reproductive-age in Ikere Local Government Area, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Taiwo Oluwole Ayinla — 2026-08-19

Background: Persistent high fertility rates and low contraceptive prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria, have prompted sustained efforts by governmental and nongovernmental organisations to promote family planning. These initiatives seek to educate couples about the benefits of family planning and encourage the adoption of modern contraceptive methods. Radio remains one of the most accessible and cost-effective channels for health communication; however, empirical evidence regarding its effectiveness in promoting family planning behaviour at the community level remains limited.

Objective: This study investigated married couples' exposure to radio advertisements on family planning, their level of knowledge of family planning, and the extent of family planning practice among married couples of reproductive age in Ikere Local Government Area (LGA), Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A multistage sampling procedure involving stratified, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques was used to select 400 respondents from a population of 147,355, based on Yamane's sample size formula. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Chi-square) at a 0.05 level of significance.

Results: The findings revealed that respondents had a high level of exposure to radio advertisements on family planning (mean = 3.39), demonstrated substantial knowledge of family planning methods (mean = 3.39), and reported moderate-to-high levels of family planning practice (mean = 3.14). Furthermore, a statistically significant relationship was found between exposure to radio advertisements and knowledge of family planning (χ^² = 21.56, p = 0.002).

Conclusion: Although radio remains an effective medium for disseminating family planning information in rural and semi-urban communities, increased exposure and knowledge alone are insufficient to promote consistent family planning practice.

Recommendation: Government agencies and non-governmental organisations should increase investment in radio-based family planning campaigns while strengthening community stakeholder engagement and developing culturally sensitive programming to maximise their effectiveness and promote sustained behaviour change.

The NBC code and radio climate change communication: Assessing environmental justice in vulnerable communities in Ibadan, Nigeria

Michael Dare Ogunniyi — 2026-08-19

Background: Climate change is crucial to both environmental health and societal livelihoods. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) code, in its social responsibility obligations prescriptions, though not explicitly, implicitly mandates radio to promote environmental justice and climate change mitigation strategies in society, yet scholarly attention remains sparse.

Objective: This study examined the NBC Code’s provisions for promoting environmental justice in climate change communication, and investigated Ibadan radio’s reportage of climate change in vulnerable communities. It also assessed the impact of radio content in promoting environmental justice and mitigation strategies, and identified barriers to the inclusion of diverse voices in reportage.

Method: This study adopted a mixed-methods approach. It involved the use of content analysis of climate change content aired on Premier FM (Federal), Amuludun FM (State), and Agidigbo FM (Private) between January and June 2025, with a descriptive survey involving 15 radio practitioners, interviews with 11 community leaders, a focused group discussion among 22 residents and an in-depth interview with five NBC staff.

Result: Findings revealed a regulatory gap, specifically a lack of explicit NBC Code guidelines for climate change diversity and environmental justice. The predominance reliance of radio on official sources (58.3%) and event-driven reporting (45%), resulted in the marginalisation of vulnerable communities (8.3%), thereby limiting participatory and justice-oriented climate discourse.

Unique contribution: This study contributes to scholarship by revealing how gaps in the NBC Code may inadvertently enable radio stations to perpetuate informational inequities through the marginalisation of vulnerable communities in climate change reportage. It thus advances understanding of the relationship between media regulation, climate communication, and environmental justice in Nigeria.

Recommendation: It is recommended that the NBC Code be revised to include explicit guidelines for climate change and environmental justice, and stations should increase investment in specialised environmental journalism training.

Cultural abuses of young widows and associated trauma In Igbo society: An ethical critique

Donatus Oluwa Chukwu — 2026-08-19

Background: In Igbo society, widowhood-particularly when experienced in youth — often exposes women to severe cultural abuses and psychological trauma. This study examines the lived experiences of young widows who, following the death of their husbands, face dispossession, social stigma, emotional neglect, and accusations of culpability for their spouses’ deaths.

Objective: The study documented persistent practices such as dispossession of property, stigmatisation, forced rituals, and denial of inheritance rights of young widows.

Method: Using a qualitative research method that includes interviews and open-ended questionnaires, the study explores the forms, frequency, and effects of these abuses.

Result: Findings indicate that Igbo society is patriarchal. Hence, cultural practices account for a significant proportion of approximately 25% of reported abuses, with significant adverse effects on physical health (31%) and socio-psychological and socio-economic well-being.

Conclusion: Young widows are frequently stereotyped as gold diggers and, in extreme cases, subjected to harmful ritual practices that endanger their physical health. The study argued that these practices constitute violations of fundamental human rights and natural justice.

Unique Contribution: The work distinguished young widows from other classes of widows and documented their ordeals in Igbo society.

Key Recommendation: The study recommended targeted psychological therapy, legal protection, and legislative interventions to safeguard the dignity, inheritance rights, and well-being of young widows. And legislative reform is a necessary measure for safeguarding the dignity, autonomy, and well-being of young widows in Igbo society.

Women’s representation in Nigerian media: Between progress and persistent marginalisation

Helen I. Mekowulu — 2026-08-19

Background: Despite increasing scholarly attention to gender and media studies in Nigeria, there remains inadequate understanding of whether recent developments in women’s representation signify genuine transformation or merely symbolic progress. Persistent structural inequalities, patriarchal media practices, and limited institutional reforms continue to shape the representation of women in Nigerian media spaces.

Objective: This position paper examines women’s representation in Nigerian media within the context of progress and persistent marginalisation. It seeks to evaluate whether recent gains in visibility and participation reflect substantive structural change or superficial advancement.

Method: The paper adopts a qualitative position paper approach, drawing on scholarly literature published between 2018 and 2026. It reviews global and Nigerian debates on gender and media, while critically examining institutional, cultural, and regulatory factors that sustain women’s marginalisation in the Nigerian media industry.

Result: The study finds that although there has been visible progress in the number of women employed in Nigerian media organisations and the rise of feminist digital counter-publics, these developments have not fundamentally transformed the structural conditions that perpetuate unequal representation. Patriarchal norms, weak policy implementation, and gender-insensitive editorial structures continue to limit equitable representation.

Conclusion: The paper concludes that numerical increases in women’s participation should not be mistaken for genuine structural transformation. Sustainable progress in women’s representation in Nigerian media requires deeper institutional reforms capable of addressing entrenched gender inequalities within the industry.

Unique Contribution: This paper contributes to ongoing gender and media scholarship by distinguishing between symbolic progress and substantive transformation in the Nigerian media landscape. It further integrates contemporary feminist digital activism into discussions on media representation and structural inequality in Nigeria.

Key Recommendation: The paper recommends the adoption of intersectional policy reforms, gender-sensitive editorial policies, strengthened accountability mechanisms, and media literacy initiatives aimed at promoting equitable and accurate representation of women in Nigerian media.

Analysis of metaphor of pain and escape in Nigerian suicide notes

Ifeoma Amalachukwu Nwegbo — 2026-08-19

Background: Suicide is a growing public health concern in Nigeria, often hidden due to stigma, moral judgment, and legal repercussions. Suicide notes, as personal expressions of distress, provide valuable insight into the psychological and emotional struggles of victims. Metaphors in these notes serve as a lens through which individuals communicate unbearable pain, the desire to escape, and attempts to shift responsibility.

Objective: This study examined how metaphors in suicide notes reflect emotional pain, conceptualize death as an escape, and illustrate the denial or displacement of personal responsibility among Nigerian suicide victims.

Method: Employing a qualitative research design, suicide notes from five Nigerian victims were purposively collected from media outlets and social media platforms between April 2022 and July 2025. The notes were anonymized and analyzed using the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980) to identify recurring metaphorical themes of pain, escape, and responsibility displacement. Textual analysis was conducted, and findings were presented descriptively.

Results: The analysis revealed that victims frequently represented pain as overwhelming, using metaphors of darkness, blockage, and brokenness. Death was consistently portrayed as a form of release, peace, or liberation from intolerable suffering. Additionally, victims often shifted moral or causal responsibility onto external forces, such as family, society, or circumstances beyond their control.

Conclusion: Nigerian suicide notes show that language, through metaphors, provides a window into the inner emotional worlds of victims, revealing extreme suffering, the pursuit of escape through death, and attempts to minimize personal accountability. Understanding these metaphorical expressions can guide mental health practitioners, families, and policymakers in developing culturally sensitive suicide prevention strategies.

Unique Contribution: This study offers new insight into how linguistic metaphors communicate extreme emotional distress in a highly stigmatized context. It emphasizes the importance of language analysis for understanding the experiences of individuals whose suffering is often hidden or silenced.

Key Recommendation: Suicide prevention efforts should integrate awareness of metaphorical expressions of distress, train mental health professionals to recognize linguistic indicators of extreme emotional pain, and promote culturally sensitive communication strategies to identify and support atrisk individuals before suicide occurs.

Evaluation of the sustainability of the integrated Almajiri education programme in North-East Nigeria using The CIPP model

Olubunmi Esther Abidakun — 2026-08-19

Background: Educational exclusion among Almajiri children in Northern Nigeria remains a major concern due to its implications for literacy development, social integration and national development. The Integrated Almajiri Education Programme (IAEP) was introduced to address this challenge by integrating formal education into the traditional Qur’anic schooling system, yet concerns persist regarding its long-term sustainability, particularly in North-East Nigeria.

Objective: This study investigated the sustainability of the Integrated Almajiri Education Programme in North-East Nigeria using the Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) evaluation framework.

Method: Adopting a descriptive survey research design, 56 respondents comprising 47 teachers and 9 programme officials were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, while analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), with results presented using tables and mean scores.

Results: Findings revealed a generally favourable perception of programme goals among teachers, indicating acceptance of the programme. However, instructional resources were largely inadequate, particularly technology-based materials, while teaching practices remained predominantly traditional despite relatively high supervision. Although there was strong primary-level completion, higher dropout rates were recorded at the junior secondary level, indicating challenges in sustaining student participation.

Conclusion: The study concludes that although IAEP has improved access to education among Almajiri children, its sustainability remains limited due to inadequate resources, weak institutional coordination and uneven contextual alignment.

Unique Contribution: This study provides insight into how the interaction of context, resources, implementation and outcomes influences programme sustainability, and it is hoped that policymakers, educational planners and programme implementers will find these insights useful in designing more sustainable interventions.

Key Recommendation: Comprehensive and sustained interventions involving improved funding, adequate instructional resources, strengthened teacher capacity and effective institutional coordination are required to enhance the long-term sustainability of the programme.

Emerging frontiers of insecurity: Implications of AI-driven deepfake news for national security in Nigeria

Chidinma Felicia Nwosu — 2026-08-19

Background: Nigeria's digital information environment between 2020 and 2026 has been increasingly disrupted by AI-driven deepfake technology, which poses significant threats to national security, democratic governance, and public trust in institutions. Deepfakes have become more accessible, technically sophisticated, and easier to produce and disseminate. Despite these developments, scholarly research on their security implications within African political contexts remains limited.

Objective: This study examined the implications of AI-driven deepfake news for national security in Nigeria. Specifically, it investigated the role of the media in mitigating the effects of deepfake disinformation, identified the challenges confronting media organisations in combating synthetic content, and proposed a strategic media framework for addressing emerging deepfake threats.

Method: A qualitative exploratory research design was adopted. Primary data were generated through structured brainstorming sessions involving eight purposively selected participants comprising senior journalists, digital verification specialists, and political communication stakeholders with direct experience of Nigeria's 2023 general election. Secondary data were obtained from peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and credible journalistic reports. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase thematic analysis framework.

Results: The findings reveal that AI-driven deepfake news constitutes a multidimensional threat to Nigeria's national security. Beyond facilitating deception, deepfakes generate widespread uncertainty, undermine public confidence in the media and state institutions, reinforce confirmation bias within politically polarised environments, and create the Liar's Dividend effect, whereby authentic evidence is dismissed as potentially fabricated. The study further found that Nigerian media organisations face significant capacity, technological, financial, and regulatory constraints in responding effectively to these threats.

Conclusion: Addressing the national security risks posed by AI-driven deepfakes requires a coordinated, multi-stakeholder strategy that integrates institutional deepfake detection capabilities, public media literacy initiatives, strengthened regulatory frameworks, and proactive crisis communication protocols. The agenda-setting, investigative, and fact-checking functions of the media remain indispensable for safeguarding national security in the era of synthetic media.

Unique Contribution: This study provides an empirically grounded, Africa-centred analysis of AI-driven deepfake news as an emerging national security challenge. By integrating the concepts of the Liar's Dividend, confirmation bias, and structural media capacity deficits within the Nigerian context, it extends the deepfake governance literature beyond predominantly Western perspectives. The study also offers a replicable qualitative framework for examining deepfake-related security challenges in other emerging democracies.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends a four-pillar strategic response framework comprising: (1) institutional capacity building through AI-assisted deepfake detection units; (2) sustained public media and digital literacy programmes; (3) the development and enforcement of comprehensive deepfake legislation and regulatory guidelines; and (4) transparent, proactive crisis communication protocols. Effective collaboration among media organisations, regulatory agencies, technology companies, civil society organisations, and government institutions is essential to mitigating the national security risks posed by AI-generated disinformation.

School financial management strategies of school governing bodies in rural secondary schools in QwaQwa, South Africa: Challenges and implications

Mampe Emily Msimanga — 2026-08-19

Background: The management of school finances by the School Governing Bodies in rural secondary schools is a challenge. In performing their financial roles, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) are currently failing to manage school finances in rural secondary schools in QwaQwa, South Africa.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the financial management strategies used by SGBs to manage finances in rural secondary schools in QwaQwa, South Africa.

Method: A qualitative research approach was used, with a case study design. Participants included 12 members of the SGB, three school principals, three finance officers, three Chairpersons, and three treasurers, all selected through purposive sampling. A qualitative research approach was followed, and a case study design was applied. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: The findings reveal that the financial management strategies used by SGBs are inadequate and ineffective, which emanates from a lack of financial skills and insufficient training. The findings also reveal that members of the SGB, including parent governors, lack financial management skills, which stems from a lack of formal education and the rural areas in which they are situated. Parent governors often face the challenge of not being actively involved in the school's finances due to a lack of financial skills.

Conclusions: The study concludes that although SGBs in rural secondary schools use financial management strategies, these strategies are ineffective; therefore, there is a need to educate SGB members in rural communities about school finance matters.

Unique contribution: This study makes two unique contributions to the body of knowledge. Firstly, the context-specific insights into financial management strategies in rural QwaQwa, South African secondary schools, and the systemic analysis linking rural poverty, limited education, and weak SGB financial governance capacity in this setting, make the study unique.

Key recommendations: The study recommends that, since finances are the pillars of schools and the way they are managed determines a school's success or failure, parents who lack the necessary skills and knowledge should not be encouraged to serve on the SGB.

Digital transformation and tourism promotion: Application of the diffusion of innovation theory in Carnival Calabar, Nigeria

Theresa Azin Mbu — 2026-08-19

Background: Digital transformation has shifted tourism promotion from traditional media to interactive digital platforms, making digital marketing essential for promoting cultural tourism events such as Carnival Calabar.

Objective: This study examined digital change in contemporary tourism through the Diffusion of Innovations Theory, focusing on the adoption and effectiveness of digital marketing strategies in promoting Carnival Calabar, Nigeria.

Method: A mixed-methods design was adopted. Data were collected from 231 stakeholders through structured questionnaires and documentary sources and analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative interpretation.

Results: Online advertisements, event websites, and influencer promotions were the most effective digital platforms influencing attendance. Content quality, internet access, influencer engagement, and funding enhanced digital promotion, whereas high campaign costs, ineffective influencer collaborations, and poor internet connectivity constrained its effectiveness.

Conclusion: Digital marketing is indispensable for promoting Carnival Calabar, but its success depends on the effective diffusion and adoption of digital innovations among stakeholders.

Unique Contribution: The study extends the application of the Diffusion of Innovations Theory to cultural tourism promotion in Nigeria by providing empirical evidence on digital tourism transformation.

Key Recommendation: Increased investment in digital infrastructure, stakeholder capacity building, strategic collaborations with influencers and media organizations, and culturally relevant digital content is recommended to enhance sustainable tourism promotion.

Social media and commercialisation of self-expression among content creators in select higher institutions in Ondo State, Nigeria

Toyin Adinlewa — 2026-08-19

Background: The rapid growth of social media has transformed communication, particularly among young people who increasingly use digital platforms for self-expression. While platforms such as TikTok and Facebook enable users to construct and express their identities, they also commercialise users' online activities. However, limited empirical research has examined the intersection of selfexpression and identity commodification among students in Nigerian higher institutions.

Objective: This study examined how social media platforms simultaneously facilitate selfexpression and commodify users' identities among students in selected higher institutions in Ondo State, Nigeria.

Method: A survey research design was adopted. Using Yamane's formula, a minimum sample size of 394 was calculated from a population of 27,000 and increased by 30% to 512 respondents to improve representativeness. Participants were purposively selected from 10 academic departments across Adekunle Ajasin University and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on validated measures of identity performance and the political economy of social media and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: TikTok and Facebook emerged as the preferred platforms for self-expression, reflecting respondents' preference for visually oriented social media. Participants demonstrated moderate to high levels of self-expression but were generally reluctant to share opinions perceived as unpopular. Respondents also showed strong awareness that their online activities generate value for platform owners and that algorithms influence visibility. Inferential analysis revealed significant differences in self-expression across platforms, while greater awareness of commodification was associated with stronger perceptions of the empowerment – exploitation paradox and constraints on authentic selfexpression.

Conclusion: Social media platforms simultaneously enable self-expression and commodify users' identities, creating a contradiction that shapes authentic communication and democratic participation among young people.

Unique Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence supporting communicative capitalism by demonstrating the coexistence of communicative freedom and economic extraction on social media platforms.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends strengthening digital literacy programmes to include critical awareness of algorithmic governance, platform accountability, and data commodification.

A multivariate analysis of factors influencing The spread of Misinformation among undergraduates of The Federal University of Technology, Akure, nigeria

Busayo R. Ajayi-Owoyemi — 2026-08-19

Background: Misinformation has become a pervasive challenge in today's information environment, driven by factors such as limited media literacy, social media algorithms, and economic incentives. Although previous studies have examined the prevalence and consequences of misinformation, limited empirical evidence exists on the underlying factors that drive its spread among Nigerian undergraduates.

Objective: This study investigated the factors responsible for the spread of misinformation among undergraduates at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.

Method: A survey research design was adopted. Using Taro Yamane's formula, a minimum sample size of 311 was determined from an undergraduate population of 19,100. Following data collection, 256 completed questionnaires were found valid for analysis. Data were collected using a 15-item Likert-scale questionnaire validated by experts in communication and media studies. Exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and multiple regression were used for data analysis.

Results: Exploratory factor analysis identified four underlying factors — cognitive and analytical limitations, social and peer influence, content and platform architecture, and trust and access barriers — which jointly explained 62.4% of the total variance. The instrument demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .861). Multiple regression analysis showed that these factors collectively explained 52.6% of the variance in misinformation spread, with cognitive and analytical limitations emerging as the strongest predictor (β = .452).

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the spread of misinformation among undergraduates is shaped by a combination of cognitive, social, technological, and trust-related factors, with cognitive and analytical limitations exerting the greatest influence.

Unique Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence on the multidimensional drivers of misinformation dissemination among Nigerian undergraduates and offers a validated framework for understanding students' vulnerability to misinformation.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends strengthening critical thinking skills, expanding peer-based media literacy programmes, and improving platform design and governance to reduce the spread of misinformation among university students.

Disaster communication and institutional responsibility in Nigeria: A systematic review of preparedness and response strategies in flood and conflict contexts

John Vendaga — 2026-08-19

Background: Effective disaster communication is crucial for enhancing preparedness and response in complex risk situations. In Nigeria, various organisations, including the National Emergency Management Agency and State Emergency Management Agencies, are responsible for coordinating risk communication in various crisis situations, particularly those related to floods and conflicts.

Objective: This study analyses disaster communication and institutional accountability in Nigeria by comparing preparedness and response tactics in flood and conflict scenarios.

Method: The study employs a systematic review process utilising secondary data from peer-reviewed articles, policy documents, and reports obtained through Scopus and Google Scholar. The study concentrates on articles from 2010 to 2025, utilising content analysis to ensure comparability across various disaster scenarios. Initially, 304 publications were discovered, and following screening, 254 pertinent to disaster communication, institutional responsibilities, and flood and conflict contexts were analysed.

Result: The results indicate that communication during flood situations is predominantly organised and anticipatory, focusing on early warnings and public awareness, but communication in conflict-related disasters is more reactive and hindered by insecurity, restricted access, and informational obstacles. Divergences in institutional capability and coordination additionally affect the efficacy of communication within these contexts.

Conclusion: The study suggests that disaster communication in Nigeria is inadequately tailored to the distinct requirements of flood and conflict scenarios, thereby hindering institutional efficacy in disaster preparedness and response.

Unique Contribution: This study offers a comparative analysis of catastrophe communication by synthesising flood and war situations, thereby enhancing the contextual understanding of institutional communication practices in Nigeria.

Key Recommendation: The study advocates for the implementation of context-specific and adaptable communication strategies, enhanced institutional coordination, and augmented capability for successful catastrophe communication across various risk situations.

Grassroots communication channels and agribusiness awareness and adoption among farmers in Ohaji/Egbema local government area of Imo State

Queen Ifeoma Nwabueze — 2026-08-19

Background: Agribusiness is increasingly recognised as a catalyst for economic growth, employment generation, and rural development in Nigeria. Promoting its adoption among rural farmers requires communication approaches that align with local contexts and existing community information networks. Despite growing interest in agricultural transformation, limited empirical research has examined the role of grassroots communication channels in promoting agribusiness awareness and adoption among rural farmers.

Objective: This study assessed the influence of grassroots communication channels on agribusiness awareness and adoption among farmers in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised 10,240 registered farmers, including 4,500 maize farmers and 5,740 general crop farmers. Using Taro Yamane's (1967) formula, a sample size of 400 respondents was selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire validated by experts in Mass Communication and analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages.

Results: The findings revealed that farmers' cooperative meetings, church and mosque announcements, and town criers were the most frequently used grassroots communication channels for disseminating agribusiness information. Most respondents (92%) reported that these community-based channels increased their awareness of agribusiness opportunities and encouraged adoption, while 86% indicated that information received through these channels influenced their decision to engage in agribusiness activities.

Conclusion: The study concludes that grassroots communication channels remain effective pathways for promoting agribusiness awareness and self-reported adoption among rural farmers. Although the descriptive design does not establish causality, the findings suggest that community-based communication systems play an important role in facilitating knowledge dissemination and encouraging agribusiness participation.

Unique Contribution: The study contributes to agricultural communication scholarship by providing empirical evidence that locally embedded communication channels remain valuable mechanisms for promoting agribusiness awareness and the diffusion of agricultural innovations among rural farmers in Nigeria.

Key Recommendation: Agribusiness stakeholders should integrate traditional mass media with grassroots communication channels to strengthen information dissemination and enhance the adoption of agribusiness practices among rural farming communities.

The Punch, Nigerian Tribune and Daily Trust Coverage of insecurity in Nigeria between January and June 2022

Victor Olusegun Babatunde — 2026-08-19

Background: Nigeria has a long history of violence and instability, characterised by poverty, social unrest, insurgency, communal conflicts, banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism. The media's role in reporting conflict has attracted considerable scholarly attention, with many researchers advocating a shift from war journalism to peace journalism. Despite the growing body of literature, there remains a gap in understanding how Nigerian newspapers frame insecurity from the perspective of conflict-sensitive journalism. This study addresses that gap.

Objective: This study examined how three Nigerian newspapers — Punch, Nigerian Tribune, and Daily Trust — reported insecurity in Nigeria between January and June 2022.

Method: The study adopted a quantitative content analysis design, guided by Framing Theory. Using purposive sampling and the Krejcie and Morgan sample size table, 226 newspaper editions were selected from a population of 549 editions published during the study period. Individual newspaper stories constituted the unit of analysis and were coded across ten content categories, including story genre, story placement, depth of coverage, type of insecurity, gender focus, and tone of reportage. These categories enabled a systematic assessment of how the selected newspapers framed insecurity issues during the six-month period.

Results: The findings indicate that although the newspapers devoted considerable attention to insecurity-related issues, the majority of reports were straight news stories with limited depth. Most stories occupied quarter-page spaces and were characterised by predominantly negative or harsh tones, reflecting widespread concern over the deteriorating security situation.

Conclusion: The study concludes that the selected newspapers have yet to provide sufficiently in-depth reporting on insecurity issues. Their heavy reliance on straight news stories limits comprehensive public understanding of the complexities surrounding insecurity in Nigeria.

Unique Contribution: This study provides empirical evidence demonstrating that Nigerian newspapers continue to rely predominantly on routine news reporting rather than investigative reports, editorials, feature articles, and analytical pieces in their coverage of insecurity. The findings contribute to the growing literature on conflict-sensitive journalism and offer evidence-based recommendations for media practitioners, policymakers, and journalism educators.

Key Recommendation: Nigerian newspapers should move beyond predominantly event-based reporting by embracing conflict-sensitive journalism that incorporates investigative reporting, editorials, feature stories, and analytical commentaries. Media organisations, policymakers, and journalism educators should also collaborate in strengthening journalists' capacity to adopt ethical, responsible, and peace-oriented reporting practices capable of promoting informed public discourse and contributing to conflict resolution.

Urbanisation and solid waste management in Oredo local government area, Edo State, Nigeria: Challenges and sustainable management strategies

Ambrose Osawonamen Eghaghe — 2026-08-19

Background: Rapid urbanisation in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria, has significantly increased solid waste generation and strained existing waste management systems.

Objective: To ascertain urbanization’s effect on solid waste generation; identify measures for establishing an effective solid waste management programme in Oredo LGA; and investigate challenges affecting solid waste management in the area.

Method: A qualitative approach collected primary and secondary data. Primary data came from focus group discussions with 40 Oredo residents and in-depth interviews with 5 local government staff and 5 waste disposal workers. Secondary data were drawn from books, journals, and online sources. Data were analysed thematically using predetermined and emergent themes related to waste generation, management practices, and institutional challenges.

Results: Urbanization increased solid waste from households, markets, restaurants, and institutions. Higher consumption of packaged goods raised non-biodegradable waste-plastics, polythene, cans, glass-accumulating in drains and dumpsites. Rapid urban expansion outpaced available waste management infrastructure, resulting in irregular waste collection and increased environmental pollution.

Unique Contribution: The study provides context-specific insights into waste generation patterns and management challenges in Oredo LGA, thereby addressing the paucity of location-specific evidence on urban waste management in Benin City.

Key Recommendations: Improving waste collection logistics; promoting waste sorting and recycling; increasing funding for waste management infrastructure; and strengthening public-private partnerships.

Entrepreneurial skills required by graduating students of electrical/electronics technology education for self-reliance in South- East, Nigeria

Basil Onwukike Okoro — 2026-08-19

Background: Electrical/Electronic Technology Education is a programme offered in tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education (Technical), to provide students with the knowledge and practical competencies required for the installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of electrical and electronics systems used in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. According to Oluka (2016), the programme equips undergraduates with the competencies needed to address employment challenges by preparing them to become competent teachers, skilled professionals in industry, or successful entrepreneurs. Consequently, it is imperative that graduating students acquire not only theoretical and practical competencies but also entrepreneurial skills that will enable them to become self-reliant in South-East Nigeria.

Objective: This study identified the entrepreneurial skills required by graduating students of Electrical/Electronics Technology Education for self-reliance in South-East Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design.

Results: The findings revealed that communication, technical, and creativity skills are among the essential entrepreneurial skills required by graduating students of Electrical/Electronics Technology Education for self-reliance.

Conclusion: The study concludes that entrepreneurial skills are essential for graduating students, as they enhance employability and empower graduates to establish and sustain self-employment ventures.

Unique Contribution: The findings provide valuable insights for government, policymakers, curriculum planners, educational administrators, and other stakeholders in developing policies and programmes that promote entrepreneurial skills acquisition among Electrical/Electronics Technology Education students before graduation.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that government and educational institutions should strengthen entrepreneurship education and provide adequate support for entrepreneurial skills acquisition to enable graduating students of Electrical/Electronics Technology Education to achieve self-reliance.

Influence of Coast to Coast environmental programme on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Lokoja on attitude of viewers towards flooding in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria

Ottah Gabriel Alhassan — 2026-08-19

Background: Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, Nigeria, is highly prone to flooding due to its proximity to the River Niger and River Benue. In response to the recurring flood incidents in the area, the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Lokoja introduced the environmental programme, Coast to Coast, to educate and sensitise residents on flood preparedness, prevention, and safety measures.

Objective: This study investigated the influence of the Coast to Coast programme on viewers' attitudes towards flooding in Lokoja, Kogi State.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 347 respondents was drawn from a population of 195,261 adult residents of Lokoja. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that was purposively administered to the respondents.

Results: The findings revealed a high level of exposure to the Coast to Coast programme among the respondents. Exposure to the programme significantly enhanced awareness of flood prevention and preparedness measures, encouraged positive attitudes towards flood risk reduction, and promoted proactive community responses to flood-related challenges.

Conclusion: The Coast to Coast programme has positively influenced viewers' attitudes towards flooding by improving environmental awareness and encouraging preventive actions. Sustained and strategically designed environmental broadcasting is therefore essential for strengthening public environmental consciousness and enhancing effective flood risk management.

Unique Contribution: Although flooding in Lokoja has attracted considerable scholarly attention, limited empirical evidence exists on the influence of the Coast to Coast programme on residents' attitudes towards flooding. This study fills that gap by providing evidence on the programme's effectiveness in enhancing public awareness, fostering positive environmental attitudes, and encouraging community-based and individual actions aimed at reducing flood risks.

Key Recommendation: Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Lokoja should sustain and strengthen the Coast to Coast programme by incorporating more in-depth discussions, expert interviews, practical demonstrations of flood preparedness measures, and success stories from flood-prone communities to further enhance public engagement and environmental resilience.

Assessment of journalists’ training and institutional readiness for Artificial Intelligence adoption in broadcast journalism in Anambra State, Nigeria

Shadrach Idi — 2026-08-19

Background: The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed journalism globally by reshaping news production, content distribution, audience engagement, and newsroom operations. Despite these developments, the preparedness of broadcast media organisations in Nigeria to adopt AI technologies remains largely unexplored.

Objective: This study assessed the level of AI training among journalists and the institutional readiness of broadcast media organisations in Anambra State, Nigeria, with particular emphasis on organisational policies, funding, and regulatory frameworks for AI adoption.

Methodology: The study adopted a mixed-methods research design. Quantitative data were collected and analysed first, followed by qualitative data obtained through in-depth interviews to explain and complement the quantitative findings.

Results: The findings revealed a low level of institutional readiness for AI adoption among broadcast media organisations in Anambra State. Specifically, most organisations lacked formal AI policies, dedicated budgetary provisions, and management-driven initiatives to support AI integration into journalism practice. The study also found that journalists had limited access to formal AI training, whether through employer-sponsored programmes or self-sponsored professional development initiatives.

Conclusion: The study concluded that both journalists and broadcast media organisations in Anambra State are inadequately prepared to effectively adopt and utilise Artificial Intelligence in journalism practice.

Unique Contribution: This study extends existing scholarship by moving beyond perception-based assessments to empirically examine the institutional capacity required for AI adoption in broadcast journalism. It contributes to the growing body of Global South literature on digital transformation and provides evidence for addressing the technological and capacity gaps that hinder AI integration in Nigerian media organisations.

Key Recommendation: Broadcast media organisations should develop comprehensive AI policies, establish dedicated budgetary provisions for AI implementation, and invest in continuous training and capacity-building programmes to facilitate the effective integration of Artificial Intelligence into journalism practice.

AI-Enhanced learning towards reviving educational foundations in the South African teacher education space

Mensah Prince Osiesi — 2026-08-19

Background: Educational foundations disciplines, such as the Philosophy of Education, Sociology of Education, and History of Education, among others, are crucial for training future teachers. Yet, in some contexts, teacher educators have struggled to attract students’ interest in enrolling in these disciplines. Meanwhile, although Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced learning has increasingly been recognised for promoting personalised, interactive, and student-centred learning experiences, few studies have examined its potential as a strategy for improving students’ interest in Educational Foundations within the South African university context.

Objective: This study, therefore, explores opportunities for AI-enhanced learning as a strategy for improving declining students’ interest in Educational Foundations (EDF) in universities in South Africa.

Method: The study is conceptual in design, which provides an overview of AI-Enhanced Learning in relation to students’ interest in EDF, vis-à-vis the Philosophy of Education. It employs a reflective methodology, as well as insights from the literature.

Results: This paper highlights that training future teachers in AI-enhanced philosophy of education can benefit them in future classrooms, and that actionable strategies should be adopted in enhancing students’ interest and enrolment in EDF programmes.

Conclusion: EDF is crucial for teacher preparation. Opportunities of AI-enhanced learning needs to be made available to educators and teacher trainees. Actionable strategies that fosters students’ interest and enrolment, as well as creating more awareness about the relevance of EDF as a programme is important.

Unique Contribution: This paper provides a baseline on the intricacies of AI-enhanced learning and strategies for improving students’ interest and enrolment in EDF programmes.

Key Recommendations: The findings suggest that to enhance students’ interest in EDF, especially in contexts marked by inequality, diversity, and historical legacies, including South Africa, educators should be equipped with the intellectual tools to navigate the tensions between traditions and innovation. Students and teachers alike should be trained on how to adopt and apply AI tools and technologies in their future AI-enhanced classroom transactions. Fostering positive attitudes, values, knowledge, and philosophies of EDF, as well as increased students’ enrolment in the discipline, should be prioritised and sustained. Furthermore, EDF courses should be expanded to include critical engagement with ethical technology adoption and intense AI literacy, while being complemented by the adoption of interactive and participatory pedagogies by educators.

Impact assessment of UBEC/SUBEB continuous professional development programmes on teacher productivity In Ekiti State, Nigeria

Olutoyin Olufunke Fajobi — 2026-08-19

Background: In response to declining educational standards, the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has made significant financial investments in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes. Despite increasing investments in teacher development programmes in the area, concerns persist over declining teacher productivity and instructional effectiveness in public basic schools. There is limited empirical evidence on the extent to which these programmes have improved teacher productivity, particularly in Ekiti State. This study, therefore, assessed the impact of UBEC/SUBEB Continuous Professional Development programmes on teacher productivity in Ekiti State.

Objective: This study assessed the "Value for Money" (VFM) of these investments by evaluating their impact on teacher productivity in primary schools in Ekiti State.

Method: Underpinned by the Human Capital Theory (HCT), and adopting a descriptive survey research design, the study sampled 160 teachers selected via the simple random technique across 16 LGEAs in Ekiti State who participated in the 2023/2024 UBEC/SUBEB CTPD programmes. The completed questionnaire was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Face and content validity of the questionnaire were determined using the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.83, depicting that the questionnaire was valid and reliable. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts and percentages, mean and standard deviation).

Result: Findings indicate moderate improvement in teachers’ productivity. However, while training programmes are frequently conducted, the "transfer of learning" to classroom productivity is hindered by systemic bottlenecks, including inadequate post-training support and limited resources.

Conclusion: The study concludes that current CPD models emphasise "output" (number of teachers trained) over "outcome" (improved pedagogical efficiency).

Unique Contribution: This study fills a knowledge practice gap by providing insights into the value chain of educational investment, particularly with respect to teachers’ professional development and its impact on teachers’ productivity.

Key Recommendation: It recommends a transition toward needs based, school located training to ensure a higher return on this capacity building investment.

Socioeconomic drivers and economic consequences of Cultism in rural Niger Delta communities: evidence from Ogbia, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

O. G. Atabiri — 2026-08-19

Background: Cultism has become a persistent social and security challenge in many rural communities of the Niger Delta, undermining economic activities, livelihoods, and community development. Despite growing concern over its prevalence, empirical evidence on the socioeconomic factors driving cultism and its economic consequences in rural communities remains limited.

Objective: This study examined the socioeconomic drivers of cultism and assessed its economic consequences in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Ordered Logistic Regression, and other relevant inferential statistical techniques.

Results: The findings revealed that unemployment (0.871), illiteracy (0.844), poverty (0.796), and peer influence (0.741) were the major socioeconomic drivers of cult involvement among respondents. The study further established a strong positive relationship between cultism and economic instability (r = 0.724, p < 0.001). Ordered logistic regression analysis also confirmed that cultism exerts a significant positive effect on economic instability (β = 1.482, p < 0.001; Pseudo R^² = 0.47), indicating that increasing cult-related activities substantially worsen the economic conditions of affected rural communities.

Conclusion: The study concludes that cultism is primarily driven by socioeconomic deprivation, particularly unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, and peer influence. It further demonstrates that cult-related activities significantly undermine economic stability, reduce livelihood opportunities, discourage investment, and hinder sustainable rural development in Ogbia Local Government Area.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on both the socioeconomic determinants and economic consequences of cultism in a rural Niger Delta setting. Unlike previous studies that have largely focused on the security implications of cultism, this research integrates socioeconomic and economic perspectives, thereby offering a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon and informing evidence-based policy interventions.

Key Recommendation: Government, community leaders, and development agencies should implement integrated interventions that address the root socioeconomic drivers of cultism through employment generation, poverty reduction programmes, skills acquisition, quality education, and youth empowerment initiatives. In addition, community-based security partnerships and sustained public awareness campaigns should be strengthened to reduce cult recruitment and promote sustainable rural development.

Financial inclusion in Nigeria: The impact of eletronic banking

Ogbonna Uzoma Emmanuel — 2026-08-19

Background: Financial inclusion is a key enabler for growth and development that sustains in both modern and developing economies. It refers to a situation in which adult citizens have easy, affordable, and reliable entrance into a wide range of formal financial products and services, including savings, credit, payment systems, and insurance. Despite its acknowledged importance, achieving full financial inclusion remains a major challenge in many developing economies, including Nigeria.

Objective: This study examined electronic banking and its impact on financial inclusion in Nigeria.

Method: Ex post facto research design was adopted. The study employed multiple regression and cointegration techniques to analyze the collected data.

Results: The study found that both ATM and POS significantly enhance financial inclusion. The results further revealed a long-run equilibrium relationship and bi-directional causality between electronic banking infrastructure and the number of banked adults.

Conclusion: it was concluded that electronic banking plays a critical role in expanding financial access.

Unique Contribution: This study provided a fresh insight into measuring financial inclusion ii terms of numbers of depositors with commercial bank per 1000 in Nigeria.

Key Recommendation: The study recommended intensified deployment of ATM and POS infrastructure, especially in underserved areas.

Family communication in sustaining marital peace among married couples in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

M. Chime — 2026-08-19

Background: Family communication plays a vital role in promoting understanding, trust, conflict resolution, and stability in marriage. Effective communication strengthens emotional bonds and fosters peaceful cohabitation, whereas poor communication often results in misunderstandings, conflicts, and marital instability. The increasing incidence of marital conflicts and relationship breakdowns in Nsukka, Enugu State, underscores the need to examine the role of family communication in sustaining marital peace among married couples.

Objective: This study investigated the role of family communication in sustaining marital peace among married couples in Nsukka, Enugu State.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised married couples in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. Cochran's formula for an infinite population was used to determine a sample size of 384 respondents. A multi-stage sampling technique involving cluster and simple random sampling was employed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire whose validity was established by experts, while its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.81. The data were analyzed using frequency distributions and percentages.

Results: The findings revealed that family communication plays a significant role in sustaining marital peace by promoting mutual understanding, trust, emotional bonding, and effective conflict resolution among married couples. Open communication and regular family discussions emerged as key strategies for fostering marital harmony, while inadequate quality time, cultural differences, inconsistent communication, and excessive social media use were identified as major barriers to effective family communication.

Conclusion: Family communication is a critical determinant of marital peace among married couples in Nsukka. However, contemporary social challenges, particularly excessive social media use and limited quality interaction, continue to hinder effective communication within families.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by demonstrating the significance of family communication practices in sustaining marital peace among married couples in Nsukka, Enugu State. It also enriches the literature on family communication and marital stability within the Nigerian context.

Key Recommendation: Married couples should cultivate open and honest communication, spend quality time together, engage in regular family discussions, and moderate excessive social media use to strengthen marital relationships and promote lasting marital peace.

Artificial Intelligence and the future of journalism in Nigeria: Threats, opportunities, and policy implications

Samaila Libba Moses — 2026-08-19

Background: The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into global media ecosystems has transformed journalistic practice and generated significant debate regarding its implications for media systems, particularly in developing countries.

Objective: This paper examines whether Artificial Intelligence constitutes a threat or an opportunity for journalism practice in Nigeria. It seeks to critically evaluate the multidimensional implications of AI adoption within the Nigerian media landscape.

Method: The study adopts a qualitative position paper approach based on the synthesis of existing empirical literature and theoretical perspectives. Drawing on Technological Determinism Theory and Diffusion of Innovations Theory, the paper analyses the opportunities, risks, and structural implications associated with AI integration in Nigerian journalism.

Result: The paper finds that AI presents significant opportunities for Nigerian media practice through automated content production, enhanced data journalism, audience analytics, accelerated fact checking, and revenue diversification. However, the study also reveals major threats, including job displacement, misinformation amplification, algorithmic bias, widening digital divides, and the erosion of editorial autonomy.

Conclusion: The paper concludes that Artificial Intelligence is neither inherently beneficial nor entirely harmful to journalism practice in Nigeria. Its overall impact depends on deliberate policy choices, institutional adaptation, ethical regulation, and the capacity of media organisations to integrate AI in ways that uphold the public interest function of journalism.

Unique Contribution: This paper contributes to emerging scholarship on AI and journalism in Africa by providing a balanced and context specific analysis of the opportunities and threats associated with AI adoption in Nigerian media practice. It further contextualises global debates within Nigeria’s socio political and technological realities.

Key Recommendation: The paper recommends the development of comprehensive AI regulatory frameworks, continuous professional training for journalists, investment in digital infrastructure, ethical guidelines for AI assisted journalism, and collaborative policy initiatives aimed at ensuring responsible and inclusive AI integration within Nigeria’s media industry.

Influence of TikTok on social activism, youth empowerment, and community building in Osun State, Nigeria

Pius Owoicho Ogwuche — 2026-08-19

Background: The rise of social media has revolutionised global activism, with TikTok emerging as a significant platform for digital participation, particularly among young people. However, its role in activism and community development in Osun state Nigeria remain largely unexplored.

Objectives: This study evaluates TikTok's impact on social activism, youth engagement in activism, and community building in Osun state, Nigeria, while also assessing its potential and challenges.

Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research method, using questionnaire as instrument of data collection. 400 youth in Osun state Nigeria were selected as respondents using simple random sampling technique. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics using IBM Statistical Product and Service Solution (IBM SPSS) version 22.

Results: TikTok is predominantly viewed as beneficial for raising awareness and enhancing civic participation among youth in Osun state. Furthermore, community development is perceived as advantageous for sustaining digital action. Notable opportunities identified include global reach and diverse perspectives, whereas primary challenges consist of content limitations and misinformation.

Conclusion: Despite substantial structural and informational challenges, TikTok significantly contributes to youth empowerment, activism, and community development in Osun state Nigeria.

Unique Contribution: This study provides empirical evidence regarding TikTok's role in digital activism in Osun state Nigeria, thereby expanding resource mobilisation theory to encompass short-form video platforms.

Key Recommendation: Stakeholders are encouraged to promote media literacy and collaborative participation to mitigate disinformation and maximise TikTok's potential for fostering inclusive and effective social change.

Influence of TikTok on digital inclusion and preservation of minority Nigerian languages

Faith Onovwerosuoke Enekhai — 2026-08-19

Background: Digital platforms are reshaping language use and cultural expression among youths. TikTok, as a fast-growing social media platform, offers new opportunities for minority Nigerian languages to gain visibility, yet its algorithmic structure may also reinforce the dominance of major languages. Therefore, this study sought to find out how TikTok influences the visibility, usage, and preservation of these minority languages in contemporary digital spaces.

Objectives: This study examined the influence of TikTok on the visibility, participation, and preservation of minority Nigerian languages among Nigerian youths.

Method: The study employed the descriptive survey research design, using questionnaire as instrument to collect data from 400 respondents who were selected through purposive sampling procedure. Analysis was done using tables, frequency counts, percentages and weighted mean scores.

Results: Findings show that TikTok enhances awareness and participation in minority languages through creative content formats. However, algorithmic biases and unequal digital representation favour dominant languages, limiting the reach of minority language content.

Conclusion: TikTok presents both opportunities and structural challenges for the promotion of minority Nigerian languages in the digital space.

Unique Contribution: The study provides insight into how platform algorithms intersect with linguistic diversity, highlighting digital inequality in language representation.

Key Recommendations: Government agencies and cultural institutions should establish digital language preservation programmes, grants and content-creation competitions that encourage the production of minority-language content on social media platforms. Content creators who produce videos in minority Nigerian languages should receive training, funding opportunities and collaborative support from cultural organisations to increase the quality, reach, and sustainability of indigenous-language content.

Analysis of The role of social media in promoting credible electoral process during The 2023 general elections In Nigeria

Jude Omaka Okoro — 2026-08-19

Background: Globally, increased recognition of the relationship between the media and the government in fostering credible elections and acceptable governance processes have given rise to increasing demands for freer and more credible elections. Today, the increasing demands for transparency and accountability by stakeholders and the need to adhere to global best practices in election administration and operations necessitated this study. Whereas numerous studies exist on the relationship between the media and elections, there remains a gap on how social media particularly promotes credible electoral process during the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.

Objective: This study interrogates the role of social media in promoting credible electoral process in Nigeria, with specific reference to the 2023 general elections with a view to mirroring into 2027.

Method: The work adopted conceptual and analytical approaches which involved the review of extant related literature on issues of elections, social media and governance in Nigeria with a view to garner experiences during the 2023 general elections and mirror into 2027.

Results: In the findings, the research found that, social media, governance and elections are compatible, that good governance fosters credible electoral process just as the mass media are reliable partners in ensuring credible and acceptable elections, none can progress without the other. Also, it was found that the roles media played in the past elections in Nigeria were commendable and the combination of social media and conventional media in the 21^st century further fostered more credible electoral process.

Conclusion: The study concludes that both social and conventional media have substantial potential to foster credible electoral processes in Nigeria through information dissemination, voter education, and accountability, its actual contribution in the 2023 general elections was undermined by structural, technological, and socio-political constraints and efforts by the ruling parties to manoeuvre opposition political parties which could be averted during the 2027 general elections.

Unique contribution: This study no doubt has provided a new deep leap into the exponential increase on the influence of social media in enthroning credible, free, fair, transparent and acceptable electoral process which had over the years eluded Nigeria. It is hoped that, the nation’s electoral umpire, political parties and other key stakeholders will gain fresh insight useful enough in enshrining electoral credibility during electoral process.

Key recommendation: Review of the Nigeria’s Electoral Act to include specific guidelines on social media use during elections, such as provisions for admissible digital evidence in courts, mandatory factchecking protocols, and penalties for deliberate disinformation.

Infrastructure constraints and capacity development in journalism education in West Africa

Adenike Omotayo Okeya-Olayinka — 2026-08-19

Background: Development of viable infrastructure is one of the essential ingredients for capacity development in journalism education and training in Nigeria. Journalism training has been in practice before they were training institutions to produce journalist. However, evolution and development of infrastructure is inherently faced with diverse constraints which are often shaped and molded by historical peculiarities, political setting, economic space and even environmental factors.

Objective: This study examined infrastructure constraints and capacity development journalism Education in Nigeria.

Method: Being a position paper, the researcher depended solely on secondary sources of data to arrive at a conclusion. The researcher consulted empirical and theoretical studies from other researchers and scholars in the field of infrastructure, constraints, journalism education and other works related to the topic. Data and conclusions reached were derived from extensive consultations of textbooks, journals, newspapers, magazines and other online materials. This helped the researcher to arrive at the conclusions here.

Result: The paper observed that there has been so many scholarly works done on journalism. It has been theorized, researched, studied and criticized worldwide by people coming from a wide variety of disciplines. In addition, it also observed that those who contribute occasional articles to newspapers or electronic media are not journalist, at best, they are mere writers noting that Journalism training is effective, only when there is proper infrastructure in place as they both go hand in hand. It also observed that the vital issues affecting journalism training in Nigeria are finance, corruption, politicization of infrastructure projects and international requirement of projects.

Conclusion: This study concludes that it is crucial to mention that infrastructure challenges has affected journalism training to a large extent in Nigeria. Despite these challenges, there are various solutions that can be implemented on to improve journalism training in Nigeria.

Unique Contribution: The study is significant to journalist, incoming journalist, policy makers and researchers.

Key Recommendation: The study recommended that despite these constraints, there are various solutions that can be implemented to improve journalism training in Nigeria.

Social media influencer marketing and purchase intention in the Nigerian beauty industry: A conceptual framework

Bettina Oboakore Agbamu — 2026-08-19

Background: The intersection of social media technology and consumer psychology has made influencer marketing a critical force in digital communication; yet, scholarly understanding of its mechanisms remains fragmented, especially in non-Western contexts like Nigeria's beauty industry.

Objective: This conceptual article examines the theoretical and empirical foundations linking social media influencer marketing to consumer purchase intention in the Nigerian beauty industry, developing an integrated conceptual model.

Method: A thematic synthesis of peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and industry reports (2017 – 2025) was conducted, guided by recurring constructs including influencer credibility, content authenticity, trust, parasocial interaction, and cultural context.

Result: No single theory sufficiently explains influencer-driven purchase behaviour. An integration of Social Influence Theory, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, and the Theory of Planned Behaviour offers greater explanatory power. Four conceptual gaps were identified: inadequate theorisation of cultural context in Global South research, understudied long-term brand loyalty effects, limited micro-influencer conceptualisation, and absence of platform-specific models for Instagram. The Influencer – Consumer Behaviour Integration Framework (ICBIF) is proposed across structural, relational, cognitive, and behavioural dimensions.

Conclusion: The ICBIF transcends mono-theoretical approaches, acknowledging cultural context, platform affordances, and authenticity as moderating variables within a dynamic, self-reinforcing communication ecosystem.

Unique Contribution: The ICBIF is the first integrated conceptual model contextualised for Nigeria's beauty industry and comparable Global South digital economies.

Key Recommendation: Culturally adapted measurement scales, longitudinal empirical designs, and interdisciplinary scholarship are essential to advancing influencer marketing research in African contexts.

Editorial rhetoric and policy agenda setting in select Nigerian newspapers, 2014-2023

Audrey Vershima Soho — 2026-08-19

Background: Newspaper editorials play significant role in democratic societies by influencing public opinion and shaping policy discourse. Despite the growing body of research on agenda setting, limited studies have examined the rhetorical mechanisms through which editorials influence policy priorities in Nigeria.

Objective: This study investigated the rhetorical discourse structures and persuasive appeals employed in selected Nigerian newspaper editorials and examined their influence on policy agenda setting between 2014 and 2023.

Method: The study adopted a quantitative content analysis design complemented by rhetorical analysis. A total of 240 editorials published in selected Nigerian newspapers between 2014 and 2023 were purposively sampled and analysed.

Results: The study identified the use of deliberative, judicial, and epideictic rhetorical discourse structures in framing policy concerns. Logos emerged as the dominant persuasive appeal, followed by ethos and pathos, indicating a strong preference for evidence-based reasoning and institutional credibility in editorial advocacy.

Conclusion: The study concludes that newspaper editorials remain influential instruments of policy agenda setting in Nigeria. Through the strategic deployment of rhetorical structures and persuasive appeals, editorials amplify public concerns, shape audience perceptions, and contribute to policy discussions despite the increasing prominence of digital media platforms.

Unique Contribution: This study provides fresh empirical insight into the relationship between editorial rhetoric and policy agenda setting in Nigeria. It extends agenda-setting scholarship by demonstrating how rhetorical discourse structures and persuasive appeals function as strategic tools for influencing policy debates and public understanding of governance issues.

Key Recommendation: Newspaper organizations should strengthen editorial advocacy through balanced, evidence-driven arguments while policymakers should pay closer attention to editorial discourse as a valuable source of public concerns and policy feedback.

Influence of social media propaganda on public perception of hydrocarbon pollution remediation project activities in Ogoniland, Rivers State, Nigeria

Bibiana Uguoma Ineji — 2026-08-19

Background: Decades of oil exploration and recurrent oil spills in Ogoniland, Rivers State, necessitated the establishment of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for environmental clean-up and restoration. Despite these efforts, concerns have emerged regarding the portrayal of HYPREP's activities on social media and the extent to which such reports influence public perception. This study investigated the influence of social media propaganda on public perception of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Objective: The study sought to examine how host communities perceive alleged propaganda in social media reports on HYPREP activities in Ogoniland and to determine whether exposure to social media reports is associated with host communities' perceptions of propaganda regarding the implementation of the clean-up programme. The study was anchored on the Conspiracy Theory and the Uses and Gratifications Theory.

Method: The study adopted a survey research design using questionnaires and interviews as the primary instruments for data collection. Data were collected from 380 respondents drawn from Khana and Gokana Local Government Areas of Rivers State. The data were analysed using the Chi-square statistical technique.

Results: The findings revealed that many members of the host communities believe that social media propaganda has been employed in the portrayal of HYPREP's clean-up activities through the perceived exaggeration of project achievements. The study further established a statistically significant relationship between exposure to social media reports and host community members' perceptions of propaganda surrounding HYPREP's remediation activities.

Unique Contribution: The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on environmental communication by demonstrating how social media narratives shape public perceptions of environmental remediation programmes. It underscores the need for effective collaboration among communication professionals, environmental experts, HYPREP, host communities, and government agencies to promote credible and transparent communication.

Conclusion: The study concludes that credibility, transparency, and factual accuracy should remain central to communication concerning environmental remediation activities. Disseminating truthful and verifiable information is essential for strengthening public confidence in HYPREP's clean-up programme.

Key Recommendation: The government should revisit the implementation framework contained in the UNEP Report and engage competent environmental experts to strengthen the effectiveness, transparency, and credibility of remediation activities in the affected communities. Furthermore, relevant supervisory agencies should monitor HYPREP's social media communication to ensure that published information accurately reflects the actual progress of the clean-up exercise.

Firehose of falsehood propaganda and political decision-making among the electorate in South-East Nigeria

Chukwuebuka Stephen Nworie — 2026-08-19

Background: Political communication in Nigeria in the twenty-first century has increasingly been characterised by post-truth politics, where repetition often takes precedence over factual accuracy. This trend poses a serious threat to democratic processes by shaping public opinion through misinformation and disinformation, thereby influencing political outcomes. Despite growing scholarly attention to misinformation, empirical evidence on the application and effects of the firehose of falsehood propaganda model in Nigeria's electoral context remains limited, particularly in South-East Nigeria.

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of the firehose of falsehood propaganda technique in political communication in South-East Nigeria and assessed its influence on the political decision-making of the electorate.

Method: The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising 18 items administered to 356 registered voters selected from the five states of South-East Nigeria — Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. The study was anchored on the Media Framing Theory and Rational Choice Theory. A two-stage sampling procedure involving stratified and purposive sampling techniques was employed. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The instrument was validated by experts in media effects research and produced a test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.87.

Results: The findings revealed that the firehose of falsehood propaganda technique is widely deployed in political communication in South-East Nigeria, with 56.1% of respondents affirming its prevalence. Although its influence is moderated by factors such as political literacy, personal interests, ethnicity, religion, and group affiliations, the technique significantly shapes political interest, participation, mobilisation, campaign engagement, and voting decisions.

Unique Contribution: This study extends the application of the firehose of falsehood propaganda model to Nigeria's electoral communication environment by providing empirical evidence that its effects are significant but moderated by socio-cultural and cognitive factors. The findings demonstrate that political literacy and social identities mediate the influence of coordinated disinformation on electoral decisionmaking, thereby enriching propaganda and political communication scholarship in emerging democracies.

Conclusion: The study concludes that while the firehose of falsehood propaganda model has not completely displaced the core political values and ideological orientations of the electorate, it exerts a significant influence on political behaviour and electoral decision-making in South-East Nigeria.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends the institutionalisation of comprehensive media and information literacy programmes, strengthened fact-checking mechanisms, and strategic collaboration among electoral bodies, media organisations, educational institutions, civil society organisations, and digital platforms to build public resilience against coordinated disinformation during electoral processes.

Public relations strategies and stakeholder relationship management among pension fund administrators in Ogun State, Nigeria

Johnson Babafemi Akintayo — 2026-08-19

Background: Globally, pension management has long been a concern for governments and societies due to its direct link to social security and economic stability. In Nigeria, the pension system was plagued with inefficiencies that undermined public trust. Hence, different reforms a critical turning point designed to restore confidence, ensure transparency, and align the system with international best practices. Despite these developments, there remains limited empirical evidence on how Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) in Nigeria leverage public relations (PR) to retain customers and grow their operations in this competitive environment. This study, therefore, investigated PR strategies and stakeholder relationship management among PFAs in Ogun State, Nigeria

Objective: This study examined the PR strategies employed by PFAs to retain customers, targeting Federal Government Civil Servants and grow their operations in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Method: A qualitative research design was utilised, with purposive sampling, selecting four leading PFAs from the 19 licensed operators within federal government parastatals in Ogun State, with Key Informant Interviews (KII) conducted with four senior managers, each from the selected PFAs.

Result: Thematic analysis of the data indicated that PFAs implement a range of public relations strategies, including relational, informational, digital, and stakeholder-focused approaches.

Conclusion: The study concludes that well-delivered PR strategies through structured, feedback-driven, and customer-centred processes, tailored to the specific needs, foster engagement with and loyalty of Federal Government Civil Servants in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Contribution to knowledge: The study highlighted the emphasis on Customer Relationship Management (CRM), pension education and awareness campaigns, digital communication, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives among Federal Government Civil Servants in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Key Recommendation: PFAs in Ogun State, Nigeria, should enhance their PR strategies’ visibility through consistent, multi-channel communication to strengthen stakeholder trust and emotional connection.

Influence of environmental public relations on waste management behaviour among residents of Nsukka Urban of Enugu State, Nigeria

Nweke C. Henry — 2026-08-19

Background: Waste management remains a major environmental challenge in many Nigerian urban communities due to indiscriminate waste disposal, inadequate facilities, and poor environmental sanitation practices. Environmental public relations strategies have increasingly been adopted to promote environmental awareness and responsible waste management behaviour.

Objective: This study examined environmental public relations strategies used in promoting waste management behaviour among residents of Nsukka Urban, Enugu State.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised 483,256 residents of Nsukka Urban, Enugu State. The Australian Online Sample Size Calculator was used to determine a sample size of 384 respondents at a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. A multi stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting respondents from major communities within Nsukka Urban. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by experts in mass communication and public relations, while reliability was established through a pilot study which yielded a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.81. Data were analyzed using frequency distributions and simple percentages.

Result: Findings revealed that environmental public relations strategies are utilized to a high extent in improving waste management behaviour, with posters and flyers emerging as the most frequently used communication channel. The strategies promote proper waste disposal, participation in sanitation exercises, and compliance with waste management practices. However, inadequate waste disposal facilities and poor enforcement of sanitation laws remain major challenges. The findings support the Two-Way Symmetrical Theory and Systems Theory by highlighting the importance of communication and stakeholder collaboration in effective waste management.

Conclusion: The study concludes that environmental public relations strategies contribute to improved waste management behaviour among residents of Nsukka Urban.

Unique Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence on the role of environmental public relations in influencing waste management behaviour within an urban Nigerian context.

Key Recommendation: Government and environmental management agencies should strengthen environmental public relations campaigns through radio programmes, social media platforms, community meetings, and information materials while providing adequate waste disposal facilities and enforcing environmental sanitation regulations to promote sustainable waste management behaviour among residents.

Exploring public relations strategies and stakeholder engagement in the implementation of the world bank-supported L-PRES project in Taraba State, Nigeria

Ezra Artimas — 2026-08-19

Background: Effective public relations (PR) and stakeholder engagement have become indispensable components of development interventions, particularly among donor-funded projects that depend on community participation, transparency, and sustained public support for successful implementation. In Nigeria, agricultural and rural development initiatives have increasingly adopted participatory communication approaches to improve project ownership and sustainability. Despite this growing emphasis, limited empirical evidence exists on how public relations strategies facilitate stakeholder engagement and project implementation within World Bank-supported agricultural development programmes, particularly the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project in Taraba State.

Objectives: This study therefore investigated the public relations strategies employed by the L-PRES Project Implementation Unit in supporting project implementation and stakeholder engagement in Taraba State, Nigeria with particular focus on their influence on stakeholder awareness, trust, and participation, and explored the communication-related challenges encountered during project implementation.

Methods: The study adopted a qualitative research design, employing In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Thirty-two purposively selected participants, comprising project officials, community leaders, and project beneficiaries, participated in the study. Data were analysed thematically.

Results: Findings revealed that stakeholder engagement meetings, community outreach programmes, workshops, local media engagement, printed information materials, and the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) constituted the principal public relations strategies supporting project implementation. These strategies significantly enhanced stakeholder awareness, trust, participation, and collaboration. However, their effectiveness was constrained by low literacy levels, language barriers, irregular community engagement, and persistent communication gaps.

Conclusion: The study concludes that strategic public relations practices are critical to the successful implementation and long-term sustainability of donor-supported rural development initiatives. Effective stakeholder engagement strengthens trust, promotes community ownership, and enhances project outcomes.

Unique Contribution: The study extends development communication and public relations scholarship by providing empirical evidence on how dialogic, participatory, and excellence-oriented public relations practices facilitate stakeholder engagement and improve the implementation of donor-funded agricultural development projects in rural communities.

Key Recommendation: Project implementing agencies should institutionalise culturally sensitive, participatory, and continuous multi-channel communication strategies that strengthen stakeholder engagement, improve feedback mechanisms, and enhance community ownership throughout the project lifecycle.

Proverbs as communicative patterns among the Bekwarra people of Cross River State, Nigeria

Linus Ejunka Emuru — 2026-08-19

Background: Proverbs are central to African indigenous communication systems, serving as cultural instruments for transmitting values, wisdom, and social norms across generations. Among the Bekwarra people of Cross River State, proverbs function as communicative patterns used in everyday interactions, conflict resolution, moral instruction, and traditional leadership. However, despite studies on African oral traditions and indigenous communication, little scholarly attention has been given to the communicative functions and contextual use of proverbs among the Bekwarra people specifically. Meanwhile, most existing studies emphasise linguistic or literary interpretations of proverbs among broader ethnic groups, leaving a gap in understanding their socio-cultural and communicative relevance in Bekwarra society.

Objective: The study examined proverbs as communicative patterns among the Bekwarra people of Cross River State. The study explored how communication through proverbs can help revives our cultural values and promote our identity as a people.

Method: The study made use of survey research as its method with the use of face-to-face and phone call interviews, and focus group discussion, using purposive sampling method, while the study adopted descriptive analysis and the result was presented in themes.

Results: Findings reveal that proverbs possess strong communicative power in indigenous culture and carry deep cultural meanings that reflect the identity of the Bekwarra people. The study further reveal that proverbs also strengthen people’s cultural heritage and show the uniqueness of their culture.

Conclusion: The study concludes that Bekwarra proverbs do not only serve as the identity of the Bekwarra people but also as communication patterns of the people as well as a powerful tool of the people’s culture.

Unique Contribution: The study contributes to communication scholarship by providing insights into the uniqueness of proverbs as part of everyday communication pattern of a people.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that parents should expose their children to various proverbs in their local language. Bekwarra Traditional Rulers’ Council should incorporate proverbs competition into the annual Bekwarra New Yam Festival competition.

Media consumption habits among students of select higher educational institutions in Ibadan, Nigeria

Adenike Omotayo Okeya-Olayinka — 2026-08-19

Background: Media consumption habits has to do with the recurring patterns, preferences and behaviours that an individual or demographics exhibits when engaging with various forms of media as it dictates the content that people choose to absorb, how they access and what they do with it.

Objective: The study examined the Media Consumption Habits of Students in Higher Institutions in Ibadan. The objective of the study was to identify students' media habits in the selected universities in the Ibadan metropolis, southwest, Nigeria.

Method: The methodology used for the study was the descriptive survey method. While the research instrument used was the Self-administered questionnaire to collect relevant information from the students, however, a total number of three hundred and twenty-six questionnaires were administered and a simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The data gathered were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 in the form of tables, percentages and frequency count.

Result: Social media platforms enable users to communicate, build relationships, and gain popularity. While social media connects students with peers and faculty, the rise of digital platforms has led to increased online content consumption, including streaming services, podcasts, and news outlets. This study also shows the effects of media habits on undergraduates in Ibadan and found that media use encourages learning, provides information, influences lifestyle, and entertains, but can also lead to procrastination and addiction. Interestingly, media use does not affect self-esteem or lead to loneliness.

Conclusion: This study concludes that undergraduates primarily use the Internet for browsing and social media, with minimal engagement in streaming, downloading, and reposting content.

Unique Contribution: the study has offered new insight into how policymakers can use the study results to develop evidence-based policies and guidelines to promote healthy media consumption habits among students, ensuring their academic success and overall well-being. In addition, guiding media literacy and responsible media use

Key Recommendation: The study recommended that Media literacy training should be done to integrate media literacy into the university curriculum to educate students on responsible media usage, critical thinking, and online safety.

Behavioural mentoring and employee productivity in the civil service of Edo State, Nigeria

Samuel Oyakhire — 2026-08-19

Background: Behavioural mentoring is a structured developmental process through which experienced officers (mentors) guide less experienced employees (mentees) by modelling ethical standards, workplace discipline, emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and professional conduct. By shaping employees' attitudes, work ethics, and professional behaviours, behavioural mentoring enhances discipline, efficiency, teamwork, and citizen-centred service delivery within the public service.

Objective: This study examined the impact of behavioural mentoring on employees' work completion, job performance, and overall productivity in the Edo State Civil Service, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive design based on documentary research. Data were obtained from secondary sources, including scholarly journal articles, textbooks, government publications, conference papers, and other relevant literature. The collected data were subjected to qualitative desk analysis to draw conclusions on the relationship between behavioural mentoring and employee productivity in the public service.

Results: The study found that behavioural mentoring enhances employees' job performance, productivity, discipline, accountability, teamwork, commitment, and adherence to ethical standards within the civil service. Through guidance, coaching, counselling, supervision, and role modelling, experienced officers facilitate the transfer of professional knowledge, values, and workplace competencies to younger employees. Behavioural mentoring also promotes organizational continuity, succession planning, leadership development, and improved service delivery across ministries, departments, and agencies.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive conceptual synthesis of behavioural mentoring and demonstrating its significance as a strategic human resource development approach for improving employee productivity and organizational effectiveness in the Edo State Civil Service.

Key Recommendation: The Government of Edo State and the management of the State Civil Service should institutionalise structured behavioural mentoring programmes across ministries, departments, and agencies. Such programmes should include formal mentor–mentee frameworks, continuous monitoring, and periodic evaluation to strengthen professionalism, ethical conduct, workplace discipline, leadership development, and employee productivity.

Influencer marketing and consumer behaviour in the beauty industry: Evidence from Maybelline's Instagram campaigns among Instagram users in Owa-Alero, Delta State

Bettina Oboakore Agbamu — 2026-08-19

Background: Influencer marketing has emerged as a dominant digital strategy in the global beauty industry, yet its effectiveness in culturally diverse emerging economies like Nigeria remains insufficiently examined. Instagram-based influencer campaigns by international brands such as Maybelline present unique opportunities and challenges in local markets where cultural identity and content relatability are critical determinants of consumer response.

Objective: This study investigated how influencer marketing on Instagram influences consumer behaviour within the Nigerian beauty industry, using Maybelline's Instagram campaigns as a case study among beauty consumers in Owa-Alero, Delta State.

Method: Adopting a descriptive survey research design, 74 Instagram users comprising makeup artists, boutique shoppers, and hair stylists were sampled from an estimated population of 800. Of the 80 structured Likert-scale questionnaires distributed, 74 were returned and valid, representing a 92.5% response rate. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (Pearson's correlation).

Results: Findings reveal that 81.1% of respondents actively use Instagram, with 54.1% engaging daily. Maybelline's influencer campaigns were perceived as highly engaging by 75% of respondents, and 62.5% confirmed that influencer endorsements directly influenced their purchasing decisions. However, 44% strongly disagreed that influencer content felt personally relatable, attributable to cultural mismatch and dominance of foreign influencer aesthetics. Influencer credibility and brand-value alignment emerged as the strongest predictor of consumer trust (87%), with a statistically significant positive relationship found between influencer credibility and purchase behaviour (r = .72, p < .05).

Conclusion: While influencer marketing effectively drives initial purchase decisions, its capacity to sustain long-term brand loyalty remains contingent on content authenticity, cultural relevance, and audience alignment.

Unique Contribution: This study offers empirical evidence on the moderating role of cultural congruence in digital influencer marketing effectiveness within emerging economies, providing fresh insight into the conditions under which influencer campaigns translate audience engagement into sustained consumer loyalty.

Key Recommendation: Brands like Maybelline should prioritise localised, culturally resonant influencer partnerships that reflect the aesthetic identities and lived realities of Nigerian consumers, complemented by transparent sponsorship disclosures, to deepen market penetration and build durable brand loyalty in Nigeria.

Administrative-to-academic Career transitions in Nigerian Higher education: identity reconstruction, transferable skills, and self-efficacy

Matthew Taiwo Oni — 2026-08-19

Background: Higher education institutions in many developing countries face persistent shortages of qualified academic staff due to brain drain, increasing enrolments, and limited recruitment. While attention has largely focused on attracting and retaining academic personnel, little empirical research has examined the experiences of non-teaching administrative staff who transition into academic careers despite possessing valuable institutional knowledge and transferable professional competencies. Understanding how these individuals reconstruct their professional identities and adapt to academic roles is essential for developing sustainable talent pathways within higher education.

Objective: This study explored the identity reconstruction, transferable skills, and self-efficacy of nonteaching administrative staff who transitioned into academic careers in selected Nigerian higher education institutions.

Method: The study adopted an interpretive phenomenological design to examine participants' lived experiences. Guided by three research questions, it investigated the personal and professional motivations for career transition, the influence of prior administrative experience on academic preparedness, and the role of self-confidence, writing ability, and interpersonal relationships in facilitating successful adjustment. Twenty-three participants were purposively and snowball sampled from the University of Ibadan and The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using the Career Transition Interview Schedule for Non-Teaching Staff (CTIS-NTS) and analysed thematically.

Results: The findings revealed that career aspirations, opportunities for professional advancement, the desire to contribute to knowledge production, and personal fulfilment were the principal motivations for transitioning into academic careers. Previous administrative responsibilities — including management, office administration, safety and security, and secretarial services — provided transferable competencies such as organisational effectiveness, leadership, discipline, communication, report writing, and interpersonal skills. These competencies enhanced participants' academic self-efficacy, classroom confidence, professional identity, and capacity to adapt successfully to teaching and research responsibilities.

Conclusion: Administrative-to-academic career transition represents a viable but underutilised pathway for strengthening academic workforce capacity in Nigerian higher education. The successful integration of transferable administrative competencies into teaching and research roles demonstrates that prior professional experience can facilitate identity reconstruction, enhance self-efficacy, and improve academic performance.

Unique Contribution: This study extends career transition and higher education literature by conceptualising administrative-to-academic mobility as a strategic talent development pathway. It demonstrates how transferable administrative capital contributes to academic identity formation, professional confidence, and effective role adaptation in higher education institutions.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that universities and regulatory agencies institutionalise Recognition of Prior Administrative Learning (RPAL) frameworks, incorporate structured mentoring and professional development programmes, and recognise transferable administrative competencies as strategic assets for strengthening academic workforce development.

Assessing local government capacity in solid waste management in Nigeria: Evidence from environmental agency reports, 2015–2024

Obaren Thomas Igabor — 2026-08-19

Background: Rapid urbanisation and population growth have significantly increased the volume of solid waste generated across Nigeria, placing enormous pressure on local governments, which bear the primary responsibility for waste management. Although numerous studies have examined solid waste management practices, few have synthesised evidence from environmental agency reports to assess the institutional capacity of local governments over time.

Objective: This study examined the capacity, performance, and institutional challenges of local governments in managing solid waste in Nigeria between 2015 and 2024.

Method: The study adopted a secondary data research design. Twelve reports published between 2015 and 2024 were purposively selected from the Federal Ministry of Environment, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the World Bank, and UN-Habitat based on predefined eligibility criteria. Data were analysed using trend and thematic analysis.

Results: The analysis revealed a steady increase in urban population and corresponding growth in solid waste generation throughout the study period. Despite the existence of relevant policy frameworks, local governments faced persistent institutional constraints, including inadequate funding, weak regulatory enforcement, insufficient waste management infrastructure, limited recycling initiatives, inadequate technical capacity, and low levels of community participation.

Conclusion: The study concludes that the effectiveness of solid waste management in Nigeria is constrained less by the absence of policy than by weak institutional capacity at the local government level. Strengthening institutional frameworks, improving funding, enhancing regulatory enforcement, investing in waste management infrastructure, and promoting community participation are essential for achieving sustainable and efficient solid waste management.

Exposure and response to Dream 92.5 FM gender-based violence campaign messages among women in Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu State, Nigeria

Isiani Grace Amarach — 2026-08-19

Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a persistent human rights and public health challenge despite sustained awareness campaigns by governments, media organisations, and nongovernmental organisations. The continued prevalence of GBV raises concerns about the extent to which media campaigns influence victims' behavioural responses.

Objective: This study examined women's exposure and response to Dream 92.5 FM Enugu gender-based violence campaign messages in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to 400 women selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. The sample size was determined using Taro Yamane's formula. Stratified random sampling was employed to categorise respondents by age and socio-economic status, purposive sampling was used to identify women with experiences of gender-based violence, and simple random sampling was applied to select listeners of Dream 92.5 FM. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results: The findings revealed high exposure to Dream 92.5 FM's GBV campaign messages and positive perceptions of their awareness-raising effectiveness. However, increased awareness did not translate into corresponding reporting or help-seeking behaviour. Fear of stigmatisation, victim-blaming, and other entrenched socio-cultural norms emerged as the major barriers preventing women from acting on the campaign messages.

Conclusion: While Dream 92.5 FM's GBV campaign effectively enhanced awareness, its behavioural impact was constrained by prevailing socio-cultural barriers. Media campaigns should therefore be complemented with community-based interventions that reduce stigma, challenge harmful social norms, strengthen survivor support systems, and promote confidence in reporting mechanisms.

Unique Contribution: The study advances media effects and health communication scholarship by demonstrating that message exposure alone is insufficient to drive behavioural change in GBV prevention. It highlights the mediating role of socio-cultural barriers in shaping women's responses to radio campaign messages and provides evidence for integrating behaviour change communication with community-level social norm interventions to improve the effectiveness of GBV campaigns.

Cinematography and editing as instruments of social conscience in concrete Bread (2025): A technical analysis

Vincent Onyeaghanachi Odoh — 2026-08-19

Background: Although Nigerian documentary films have increasingly addressed issues of social justice, gender inequality, and labour exploitation, existing studies have focused predominantly on their thematic and narrative content, with limited attention to how technical film elements, particularly cinematography and editing function as communicative tools for social advocacy. Consequently, little is known about how these cinematic techniques construct social conscience and shape audience engagement with marginalized communities. This gap necessitated an examination of the technical dimensions of socially conscious documentary filmmaking.

Objective: This study examined the cinematic language of social conscience in the Nigerian documentary Concrete Bread (2025), focusing on how cinematography and editing are employed to advocate for women engaged in physically demanding labour in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a qualitative research design using content analysis of the documentary Concrete Bread (2025). The film was purposively selected because of its thematic relevance to gender, labour, and social justice, as well as its rich application of cinematographic and editing techniques. The analysis focused on camera composition, shot types, editing patterns, sound design, and narrative structure.

Results: The findings reveal that the documentary effectively integrates close-up, medium, and long shots with continuity, parallel, and rhythmic editing, complemented by B-roll footage, ambient sound, music, and voice-over narration to foreground the physical, emotional, and socio-economic realities of women labourers. These cinematic techniques evoke empathy, expose structural inequalities between the working class and privileged groups, and reinforce the documentary's advocacy message. Guided by Social Responsibility Theory, the study demonstrates that cinematography and editing function not merely as aesthetic devices but as persuasive instruments for promoting social awareness and public engagement.

Conclusion: The study concludes that documentary cinema, when supported by deliberate cinematographic and editing choices, serves as a powerful medium for social advocacy, public enlightenment, and social transformation. Technical film elements significantly influence how audiences perceive, interpret, and respond to issues of gender inequality and labour exploitation. Unique Contribution: This study contributes to film and media scholarship by shifting attention from thematic analysis to the technical dimensions of documentary filmmaking. It demonstrates how cinematography and editing operate as strategic communicative tools for constructing social conscience.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to film and media scholarship by shifting attention from thematic analysis to the technical dimensions of documentary filmmaking. It demonstrates how cinematography and editing operate as strategic communicative tools for constructing social conscience while documenting the lived experiences of women engaged in strenuous manual labour in Ebonyi State—an area that has received limited scholarly attention.

Key Recommendation: Future studies should examine audience reception and the social impact of advocacy documentaries such as Concrete Bread to determine how cinematographic and editing techniques influence viewers' perceptions, attitudes, and behavioural intentions toward social justice issues.

Influence of digital storytelling in youth-led climate change campaigns on environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour in Enugu, Nigeria

Josiah Vincent — 2026-08-19

Background: Climate change communication in Nigeria has increasingly leveraged digital media, particularly through youth-led initiatives on social media platforms. However, despite growing attention to online advocacy in this area, existing studies have largely focused on message dissemination and audience engagement, with limited attention on how digital storytelling techniques in youth-led campaigns shape environmental awareness and behaviour.

Objective: This study investigated digital storytelling techniques in youth-led climate change campaigns such as SustyVibes and PreserveOurRoots and their influence on environmental awareness and proenvironmental behaviour among residents of Enugu, Nigeria.

Method: A mixed method approach was adopted. The qualitative component involved thematic analysis of 30 purposively selected digital materials, including Instagram posts, X threads, and YouTube videos from two youth-led campaigns in Nigeria - SustyVibes and PreserveOurRoots. These were thematically analysed. The quantitative component comprised a survey of 385 respondents across nine neighbourhoods in the three Local Government Areas in Enugu metropolis (Enugu North, Enugu East and Enugu South LGA), selected using the Australian Calculator. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire with a consistency coefficient of 0.86. The data were analysed using mean scores and standard deviations.

Results: Findings reveal that the SustyVibes and PreserveOurRoots campaigns employed relatable visual storytelling, humour, and narrative techniques to communicate climate change and sustainable living messages. These strategies moderately enhanced environmental awareness and positively influenced attitudes, but had limited impact on encouraging active, physical participation in climate action.

Conclusion: Digital storytelling in youth-led climate campaigns in Nigeria can effectively shape environmental awareness and attitudes when messages are engaging and contextually relevant. However, converting this influence into active participation may require deliberate framing of climate action as accessible, rewarding, and socially supported.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to the literature by linking digital storytelling strategies with behavioural outcomes in the context of youth-led climate campaigns, thereby extending beyond general analyses of social media use to examine narrative influence on environmental communication.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that development communicators, NGOs, and policymakers strengthen support for youth-led digital storytelling initiatives and integrate strategies that encourage deeper behavioural engagement beyond awareness and attitudinal change.

Effectiveness of catholic church public relations in addressing misconceptions about the vatican's same-sex blessing declaration among Catholic Laity in Abakaliki, Nigeria

Nweze Samuel — 2026-08-19

Background: The publication of the Vatican Declaration Fiducia Supplicans (Same-Sex Blessing Declaration) in December 2023 generated widespread public debate and misconceptions, particularly the belief that Pope Francis and the Catholic Church had approved same-sex marriage. These misconceptions were more pronounced in Nigeria, where religious and socio-cultural values strongly oppose same-sex unions. This study examined the impact of Catholic Church public relations in correcting misconceptions surrounding Pope Francis' declaration on the blessing of persons in same-sex unions among residents of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Objectives: The study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the Catholic church Public Relations in addressing misconceptions about the Vatican's Same-Sex Blessing Declaration among Catholic Laity in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Methods: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised residents of Abakaliki Metropolis, Ebonyi State. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, and mean scores.

Results: The findings revealed that awareness of the Catholic Church's public relations messages on Fiducia Supplicans was moderately high among respondents. The Church's public relations efforts significantly improved public understanding by clarifying that the declaration did not approve same-sex marriage but permitted non-liturgical pastoral blessings of persons in same-sex unions without altering Catholic doctrine on marriage. Church sermons, pastoral letters, diocesan communications, official websites, and social media platforms emerged as the principal channels through which these clarifications were communicated. Nevertheless, misconceptions persisted among some residents, largely due to misinformation and selective media interpretations of the declaration.

Unique Contribution: This study extends public relations scholarship by demonstrating how strategic religious public relations can mitigate misinformation arising from doctrinal communications within a culturally conservative society. It also provides empirical evidence on the effectiveness of ecclesiastical communication in shaping public understanding of controversial religious pronouncements in Nigeria.

Conclusion: Catholic Church public relations have played a significant role in correcting misconceptions surrounding Fiducia Supplicans among residents of Abakaliki. However, continuous, coordinated, and audience-centred communication remains essential for improving public understanding of sensitive doctrinal issues.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that the Catholic Church institutionalise proactive public relations strategies by leveraging digital media, community engagement, and local-language communication to provide timely and consistent clarification of doctrinal pronouncements, thereby reducing misinformation and enhancing public understanding.

Artificial Intelligence and broadcast journalism in an emerging economy: A study of Ebonyi State Broadcasting Corporation (EBBC), Abakaliki, Nigeria

Vincent Onyeaghanachi Odoh — 2026-08-19

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming broadcast journalism worldwide by enhancing news gathering, content production, editing, audience engagement, and newsroom efficiency. However, the adoption and application of AI remain uneven across emerging economies due to infrastructural, financial, and technological constraints. In Nigeria, despite increasing scholarly attention to AI in journalism, there is a dearth of empirical studies examining its practical application within public broadcasting organisations, particularly at the state level. Against the backdrop of Nigeria's prolonged digital broadcasting migration, this study investigated the impact and challenges of Artificial Intelligence in newsroom production at Ebonyi State Broadcasting Corporation (EBBC), Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Objective: The study examined the extent to which Artificial Intelligence is utilised in newsroom production at EBBC, its perceived benefits, and the challenges associated with its adoption.

Method: The study adopted a qualitative research approach using a case study design. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with selected newsroom professionals at EBBC, including correspondents, editors, presenters, and technical personnel. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis, guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), particularly the constructs of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use.

Results: The findings indicate that AI is already being utilised in EBBC's newsroom, particularly for content creation, script editing, information verification, studio presentation, and social media engagement. Participants reported that AI enhances speed, efficiency, productivity, and workflow, reflecting a high level of perceived usefulness. Nevertheless, the study identified several barriers to effective AI adoption, including limited access to AI technologies, inadequate staff training, high subscription costs, concerns about job displacement, and questions regarding the authenticity, contextual accuracy, and credibility of AI-generated content.

Conclusion: The study concludes that Artificial Intelligence has considerable potential to enhance broadcast journalism and support sustainable media development in emerging economies when deployed as a complementary tool that strengthens, rather than replaces, human professional judgment and editorial responsibility.

Unique Contribution: This study provides one of the earliest empirical investigations into the adoption and application of Artificial Intelligence within a state-owned public broadcasting organisation in Nigeria. By focusing on EBBC, it fills an important gap in the literature and extends the discourse on AI in broadcast journalism from the perspective of an emerging economy.

Recommendation: The study recommends sustained capacity building for broadcast professionals, increased institutional investment in AI technologies, the development of newsroom ethical guidelines for AI use, and supportive government policies to promote the responsible, effective, and sustainable integration of Artificial Intelligence into public broadcasting.

Effectiveness of government public relations in promoting the People's Charter of Needs agenda of the Ebonyi State government under governor Francis Nwifuru

Nweze Samuel — 2026-08-19

Background: Public relations is a strategic management function that facilitates effective communication between government and citizens, promotes public understanding of policies, and enhances civic participation in governance. In Ebonyi State, the implementation of Governor Francis Nwifuru's People's Charter of Needs agenda has relied considerably on government public relations to communicate policy objectives, mobilise public support, and foster citizen engagement. However, the effectiveness of these public relations efforts in promoting awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the agenda among the people remains an important empirical issue.

Objectives: The study examined the effectiveness of government public relations in promoting the People's Charter of Needs agenda of the Ebonyi State Government. Specifically, it assessed the roles of media relations, public education, advocacy, and feedback mechanisms in enhancing citizens' awareness, understanding, and support for the government's development agenda.

Methods: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Data were collected using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire administered to 350 respondents selected from different demographic groups across Ebonyi State. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and percentages.

Results: The findings revealed that government public relations significantly enhanced public awareness and understanding of the People's Charter of Needs agenda. Respondents generally perceived media relations, public education campaigns, advocacy programmes, and feedback mechanisms as effective strategies for communicating government policies and encouraging public support. Nevertheless, the findings also indicated the need for greater inclusiveness, stronger citizen participation, and more responsive communication channels to improve policy acceptance and stakeholder engagement.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to public relations scholarship by providing empirical evidence on the role of government public relations in promoting policy communication and citizen engagement at the sub-national level in Nigeria. It demonstrates how strategic public relations can strengthen government–citizen relationships and facilitate the successful implementation of developmentoriented policy initiatives.

Conclusion: Government public relations plays a pivotal role in promoting the People's Charter of Needs agenda by enhancing public awareness, improving policy understanding, and fostering citizen participation in governance. However, sustained stakeholder engagement and participatory communication remain essential for strengthening public trust and achieving broader policy acceptance.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that the Ebonyi State Government should institutionalise more participatory and two-way public relations strategies by strengthening community engagement, expanding digital communication platforms, enhancing media outreach, and establishing robust feedback and evaluation mechanisms to improve public confidence and ensure the effective implementation of the People's Charter of Needs agenda.

Newspaper coverage of vote buying in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections: Perceptions of academic staff of select tertiary institutions in South-South, Nigeria

Abdulazeez Hassan Kadiri — 2026-08-19

Background: Vote buying emerged as one of the most significant threats to the credibility and integrity of Nigeria's 2023 general elections, undermining democratic accountability and public confidence in the electoral process. Although several studies have examined vote buying and media coverage of elections in Nigeria, there is limited empirical evidence on how newspaper reportage shaped public perceptions of electoral credibility and the extent to which newspapers covered the phenomenon through different journalistic approaches. This study therefore investigated newspaper coverage of vote buying during Nigeria's 2023 general elections and readers' perceptions of its implications for electoral credibility.

Objective: The study examined the level of public awareness of vote buying, readers' perceptions of its impact on electoral credibility, the extent and patterns of newspaper coverage, and the dominant journalistic approaches employed in reporting the phenomenon.

Method: The study was anchored on the Social Influence Theory, Social Responsibility Theory, and Agenda-Setting Theory. It adopted a mixed-methods design comprising a survey and quantitative content analysis. The survey involved 383 academic staff selected through stratified random sampling from three tertiary institutions in South-South Nigeria. The content analysis examined 144 purposively selected editions of The Punch, The Guardian, Daily Trust, and Daily Sun published between January and December 2023. The unit of analysis was individual newspaper stories on vote buying. Stories were coded based on frequency of coverage, story type, placement, prominence, news sources, tone, and thematic focus using a structured coding sheet. Two trained coders independently analysed the content, and inter-coder reliability was established using Holsti's reliability coefficient, which exceeded the acceptable benchmark of 0.80.

Results: The findings revealed that public awareness of vote buying was relatively high, largely driven by media reports and civic education campaigns. Respondents perceived vote buying as having significantly undermined the credibility of the 2023 general elections despite increased public awareness of its consequences. The content analysis showed that newspapers devoted only modest attention to vote buying relative to other electoral issues, with Daily Trust and The Punch recording the highest frequency of coverage. Most reports were presented as straight news stories, while investigative, interpretative, and editorial reports were comparatively few. Coverage focused predominantly on political events and actors, with limited attention to the structural, legal, and socio-economic factors that sustain vote buying.

Conclusion: The study concludes that Nigerian newspapers contributed to raising public awareness of vote buying and partially fulfilled their agenda-setting and social responsibility roles. However, the predominance of event-driven reporting and the limited use of investigative journalism constrained the media's capacity to expose the systemic nature of vote buying and promote meaningful electoral accountability.

Unique Contribution: The study contributes to scholarship by integrating audience perception with quantitative newspaper content analysis to demonstrate how patterns of media coverage shape public understanding of vote buying and perceptions of electoral credibility during Nigeria's 2023 general elections.

Key Recommendation: The study recommends that Nigerian newspapers strengthen investigative and interpretative reporting on vote buying, devote greater editorial attention to its systemic causes and democratic consequences, diversify their news sources, and collaborate more closely with electoral management bodies and civil society organisations to enhance voter education and reinforce electoral integrity.

Microfinance participation and women's economic empowerment in Jalingo local government area, Taraba State, Nigeria

Embwa Abigail Moses — 2026-08-19

Background: Women's economic empowerment is widely recognised as a critical driver of sustainable development, poverty reduction, and improved household welfare. Microfinance has emerged as an important strategy for enhancing women's access to financial resources, entrepreneurial opportunities, and income-generating activities. However, despite the expansion of microfinance institutions in Nigeria, many women in Jalingo Local Government Area of Taraba State continue to experience financial exclusion and limited economic opportunities.

Objective: This study examined the relationship between microfinance participation and women's economic empowerment in Jalingo Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised 68,321 women in Jalingo Local Government Area, based on the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. A multistage sampling technique was employed to ensure adequate representation across the political wards, and a sample of 398 respondents was selected. Data were collected using a structured instrument titled Microfinance Participation and Women's Economic Empowerment Questionnaire (MPWEEQ). The instrument was validated by experts in Measurement and Evaluation and Sociology. A pilot study involving 50 women yielded Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients ranging from 0.70 to 0.74, indicating acceptable internal consistency. The questionnaires were administered by the researcher with the assistance of two trained research assistants, resulting in a response rate of approximately 97%. Data were analysed using simple regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance.

Results: The findings revealed that participation in microfinance programmes had a statistically significant positive relationship with women's economic empowerment (p < 0.05). Access to microfinance services significantly improved women's income levels, financial security, business expansion, savings capacity, and participation in household and economic decision-making.

Conclusion: The study concludes that increased participation in microfinance programmes contributes significantly to women's economic empowerment in Jalingo Local Government Area. Improved access to financial services enables women to strengthen their livelihoods, increase their economic independence, and contribute more effectively to household and community development.

Public perception of broadcast media reporting of political issues in Nigeria: A study of resource control, federalism and democratic governance

Titiloye Oyeyinka Ojo — 2026-08-19

Background: Nigeria being one of the thickly populated countries in the world has undergone various challenges in the areas of defining the true meaning of federalism, demonstration of good democratic governance and equal sharing of natural resources.

Objective: This study investigated public perception of broadcast media reporting of political issues in Nigeria with special focus on Resource control, Federalism and Democratic governance.

Method: This study utilised descriptive survey and structured interview approaches. Multistage sampling method - Purposive and Simple random was used respectively. Six states namely Kogi, Ondo, Bayelsa Bauchi, Nassarawa and Zanfara states were selected from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. 900 sample size was selected from the overall universe population of 11,074,962. Descriptive Statistics was employed to analyze the data using tables, frequencies and percentages.

Results: Findings indicated that funds allocated to states were not fully impactful which calls for the need to articulate for better performance and equity. Important areas such as education, health, housing, and power infrastructure are experiencing marginal decline, while the selected states are witnessing irreconcilable ambitious of chauvinistic elites who continue to corrupt the public resources.

Conclusion: Despite the fact that the selected states were bedeviled by series of setbacks based on the respondent responses, Nigeria with its enormous natural endowment should be able to show meaningful federalism antecedents that can indicate genuine attempt to achieve true federalism and democratic governance capable of achieving essential infrastructural development and equity in resource sharing and control.

Unique Contributions: This study has shown the increase efforts of broadcast media in clamoring for equitable sharing of Nigeria’s natural resources, genuine plays of federalism and promotion of democratic governance values that are strong enough to better the country. Hopefully, policy makers, communication experts, community leaders, political scholars, ethnic groups and other stakeholders will find this new insight useful in planning the country’s policy implementation.

Key Recommendation: Government should strike balance in the distribution of resource allocation while institutions that are responsible for policy making, sharing of resource allocations, implementations and oversight functions should be proactive enough to live up to their expectations by responding to the requests of their citizens. In addition, broadcast media should be encouraged to be more committed in their campaigns for balanced resource control and distribution for societal development.

Employees’ awareness, perception and attitude towards grapevine as an organisational communication strategy in Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria

Nwamaka Ujunwa Nzotta — 2026-08-19

Background: Grapevine communication plays an important role in organizational communication, particularly in tertiary institutions where employees rely on both formal and informal channels for information exchange. Despite its prevalence, limited empirical evidence exists on employees' awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine as an organizational communication strategy in Nigerian universities.

Objective: This study investigated employees' awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine as an organizational communication strategy at Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.

Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 319 teaching and non-teaching staff was drawn from a population of 1,851 employees using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.824. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and mean scores, were used to analyze the research questions, while Pearson's Product Moment Correlation was employed to test the hypotheses.

Results: The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between employees' level of awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine communication and its effectiveness as an organizational communication strategy.

Conclusion: Grapevine communication serves as an important complementary channel for disseminating information within universities, enhancing information flow alongside formal communication systems.

Unique Contribution: This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on employees' awareness, perception, and attitude toward grapevine communication as an organizational communication strategy within a Nigerian public university.

Key Recommendation: University management should recognize grapevine as a complementary communication channel by promoting transparent and timely formal communication while constructively monitoring informal information networks to improve organizational communication effectiveness.

Appraisal of media contributions to promoting security in Imo State: A study of select media organisations in Owerri, Nigeria

Doris A. Nwosu — 2026-08-19

Background: The persistent insecurity in Imo State, Nigeria, has heightened public concern regarding the role of the mass media in promoting security awareness, encouraging civic participation, and supporting peacebuilding efforts. Although previous studies have extensively examined media coverage of insecurity in Nigeria, limited empirical attention has been devoted to assessing how media organisations, through their editorial policies, programme content, and audience engagement strategies, contribute to promoting security at the state level.

Objective: This study appraised the contributions of selected media organisations in Owerri to promoting security in Imo State.

Method: The study adopted a survey research design. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and the researcher's observation.

Results: The findings revealed that both broadcast and print media employed diverse content formats to address security issues in Imo State. The selected media organisations contributed substantially to public awareness by disseminating security-related information through various programmes and publications. Furthermore, the broadcast media demonstrated considerable audience participation by providing interactive platforms for discussing security concerns.

Conclusion: The study concluded that the selected media organisations in Owerri recognised the severity of insecurity in Imo State and adopted diverse communication strategies to raise public awareness, stimulate public discourse, and encourage citizen participation in addressing security challenges.

Unique Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence on the contributions of media organisations in promoting security awareness and public engagement at the sub-national level, thereby enriching the growing body of literature on media and security communication in Nigeria.

Key Recommendations: The study recommends that media organisations increase the frequency and prominence of security-focused programmes and newspaper columns. It also recommends the development of dedicated interactive platforms that facilitate sustained public engagement and collaboration with relevant security stakeholders to strengthen security awareness and promote community resilience in Imo State.

La pensée sociopolitique d’Honoré de Balzac comme grille d’analyse du Nigeria contemporain : entre réalisme social, gouvernance et modernité

Robert Archi Onu — 2026-08-19

Background: Although Honoré de Balzac's La Comédie humaine has been widely studied as a monumental representation of nineteenth-century French society, relatively little scholarship has explored its relevance as an analytical framework for understanding contemporary African socio-political realities. Existing studies have largely confined Balzac's socio-political thought to literary criticism, leaving a significant gap in its application to modern governance and development discourse. This study addresses that gap by examining the extent to which Balzacian realism illuminates the socio-political dynamics of contemporary Nigeria.

Objective: This study examined the relevance of Honoré de Balzac's socio-political thought as an analytical framework for interpreting contemporary Nigerian realities, with particular emphasis on governance, bureaucracy, corruption, social mobility, and the challenges of modernization.

Method: The study adopted a qualitative, interpretive, and comparative research design. It employs textual analysis of selected works from La Comédie humaine alongside a critical examination of contemporary Nigerian socio-political realities. Drawing on Balzacian realism, comparative literature, and interdisciplinary perspectives from political sociology and social theory, the study identifies convergences between Balzac's representation of nineteenth-century France and present-day Nigeria.

Results: The analysis reveals striking parallels between Balzac's portrayal of the dominance of wealth in social relations, bureaucratic inefficiency, constrained social mobility, political patronage, and individual ambition and the structural challenges confronting contemporary Nigeria. The findings further demonstrate that Balzac's realist philosophy provides a valuable interpretive framework for understanding the complex interactions among political institutions, economic interests, and social actors in transitional societies.

Conclusion: Balzac's socio-political thought extends beyond its historical and literary context to offer enduring insights into contemporary governance and societal transformation. His realist approach provides a robust conceptual lens for understanding the institutional and behavioural factors that continue to shape Nigeria's political, economic, and social development. Unique Contribution: This study advances scholarship by establishing an interdisciplinary dialogue between nineteenth-century French literature and contemporary African socio-political studies. Moving beyond traditional literary interpretation, it demonstrates that Balzac's realist thought constitutes a valuable analytical framework for examining governance, corruption, bureaucracy, modernization, and development in contemporary Nigeria. The study therefore broadens the application of Balzacian scholarship while contributing to the fields of comparative literature, postcolonial studies, political sociology, and interdisciplinary social science research.

Contexte: Bien que La Comédie humaine d’Honoré de Balzac ait fait l’objet de nombreuses études en tant que représentation monumentale de la société française du XIXe siècle, peu de travaux ont exploré sa pertinence comme cadre d’analyse des réalités sociopolitiques africaines contemporaines. Les recherches existantes ont principalement limité la pensée sociopolitique de Balzac à la critique littéraire, laissant ainsi une lacune importante quant à son application à l’analyse de la gouvernance moderne et des enjeux du développement. La présente étude comble cette lacune en examinant dans quelle mesure le réalisme balzacien permet d’éclairer les dynamiques sociopolitiques du Nigeria contemporain.

Objectif: Cette étude examine la pertinence de la pensée sociopolitique d’Honoré de Balzac en tant que cadre analytique pour interpréter les réalités contemporaines du Nigeria, en mettant particulièrement l’accent sur la gouvernance, la bureaucratie, la corruption, la mobilité sociale et les défis de la modernisation.

Méthode: L’étude adopte une approche qualitative, interprétative et comparative. Elle s’appuie sur une analyse textuelle d’œuvres sélectionnées de La Comédie humaine, combinée à une lecture critique des réalités sociopolitiques du Nigeria contemporain. En mobilisant le réalisme balzacien, la littérature comparée ainsi que des perspectives interdisciplinaires issues de la sociologie politique et de la théorie sociale, l’étude met en évidence les convergences entre la représentation balzacienne de la France du XIXe siècle et le Nigeria d’aujourd’hui.

Résultats: L’analyse met en évidence des parallèles frappants entre la représentation balzacienne de la domination de l’argent dans les relations sociales, de l’inefficacité bureaucratique, de la faible mobilité sociale, du clientélisme politique et des ambitions individuelles, d’une part, et les défis structurels auxquels le Nigeria contemporain est confronté, d’autre part. Les résultats démontrent également que le réalisme balzacien constitue un cadre interprétatif pertinent pour comprendre les interactions complexes entre les institutions politiques, les intérêts économiques et les acteurs sociaux dans les sociétés en transition.

Conclusion: La pensée sociopolitique de Balzac dépasse son contexte historique et littéraire pour offrir des éclairages durables sur les questions contemporaines de gouvernance et de transformation sociale. Son approche réaliste fournit un cadre conceptuel solide permettant de mieux comprendre les facteurs institutionnels et comportementaux qui continuent de façonner le développement politique, économique et social du Nigeria.

Contribution originale: Cette étude enrichit les connaissances en établissant un dialogue interdisciplinaire entre la littérature française du XIXe siècle et les études sociopolitiques africaines contemporaines. Au-delà de l’interprétation littéraire traditionnelle, elle démontre que la pensée réaliste de Balzac constitue un cadre analytique pertinent pour examiner la gouvernance, la corruption, la bureaucratie, la modernisation et le développement dans le Nigeria contemporain. Elle élargit ainsi le champ d’application des études balzaciennes tout en apportant une contribution aux domaines de la littérature comparée, des études postcoloniales, de la sociologie politique et des recherches interdisciplinaires en sciences sociales.