A comparative evaluation of the impact ofpopulation and wealth distribution on theenvironment of West Africa

The debate on the relationship between population, wealth and environment has been a contentious one. In West Africa, variations exist across countries within the sub-region with regard to population size, population density, wealth distribution, and environmental stress albeit in hitherto undefined magnitude. This work is, therefore, an attempt at examining the magnitude of linkages between the variations in population, wealth and environmental stress. Findings of the study reveal disparities in the linkages between population density, wealth distribution and environmental stress across the sub-region. Based on the magnitude of environmental stress estimated from the analysis, countries of the study area are broadly grouped into areas with low, medium and high environmental stress. Consequently, this work suggests the application of country-specific measures in the quest of the sub-region to achieve sustainable development and meet up with the targets of the millennium development goals.Resume: Le dèbat portant sur le lien qui existe entre la population, les biens et, l’envionnement s’est avéré interminable. En Afrique de L’Ouest, des variations existent à travers les pays de la sous-région en matière de la taille de la population, la densité de la population, la distribution des biens, et la pression environnementale dont leurs dimensions restent non–spécifiées. Cette recherché constitue donc une tentative de scrutin de la magnitude des liaisons entre la densité de la population, la distribution des biens et la pression environnementale. Les conclusions de cette recherche révèle des inégalités de la dénsité des populations, de la distribution des biens, et de la pression environnementale à travers la sous-région. Sous la base de la magnitude de la pression environnementale révélée par l’analyse, les pays considérés dans cette recherche sont largement regroupés en trois zones de pression environnementale: basse, moyenne et élevée. Par conséquent, cette recherche propose la mise en oeuvre des mesures basées sur les spécificités de chaque pays de la sous-région dans le but d’avoir un développement durable et d’atteindre les objectifs millinaires du développement.Mots-clés: Environnement; population; pression; biens; Afrique de I’Ouest

Rural-urban differences in the predictive influence of sex preference on marital dissolution in Nigeria

This study examined the influence of place of residence on sex preference as a predictor of marital dissolution in Nigeria. It also appraised the mediation of socio-demographic factors on the relationship between sex preference and marital dissolution. Data were sourced from the 2018 demographic and health survey of Nigeria. Analyses involved the use of descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square test and binary logistic regression models. Generally, marital dissolution significantly occurred more in rural than in urban areas. While more respondents had no child sex preference, preference for boys was significantly more among the urban women compared to the rural women. Irrespective of place of residence, sex preference was not a significant predictor of marital dissolution in Nigeria as the unadjusted models of marital dissolution and sex preference indicated that preference for more boys significantly decreased the odds of marital dissolution in the rural (OR=0.84; p=0.05), urban (OR=0.67; p=0.001), and total population (OR=0.77; p=0.001). In addition, preference for more girls significantly decreased the likelihood of marital dissolution in the rural (OR=0.82; p=0.002) and total populations (OR=0.84; p=0.05). Moreover, in the full adjusted model of the total population, preference for more males (OR=0.57; p=0.002) was also significantly associated with decreased odds of marital dissolution. Conversely, other factors that significantly increased the odds of marital dissolution included educational attainment, intimate partner violence, religion, being employed, polygamous unions, and region of residence. Women should achieve higher levels of education and be engaged in income earning occupations as mitigation measures against marital dissolution. Antidissolution campaigns should be initiated, especially in rural areas with high levels of intimate partner violence and in regions with relatively high incidences of marital dissolution/p-/p-1. Keywords: Marital dissolution, Nigeria, place of residence, sex preference Cette étude a examiné l'influence du lieu de résidence sur la préférence sexuelle en tant que prédicteur de la dissolution du mariageau Nigéria. Il a également évalué la médiation des facteurs sociodémographiques sur la relation entre la préférence sexuelle et la dssolution du mariage. Les données proviennent de l'enquête démographique et sanitaire de 2018 au Nigéria. Les analyses  impliquaient l'utilisation de statistiques descriptives, du test du chi carré de Pearson et de modèles de régression logistique binaire.En général, la dissolution du mariage se produit beaucoup plus en milieu rural qu'en milieu urbain. Alors qu'un plus grand nombrede répondants n'avaient pas de préférence sexuelle pour les enfants, la préférence pour les garçons était significativement plus élevée chez les femmes urbaines que chez les femmes rurales. Quel que soit le lieu de résidence, la préférence sexuelle n'était pas un prédicteur significatif de la dissolution du mariage au Nigéria, car les modèles non ajustés de dissolution du mariage et de préférence sexuelle indiquaient que la préférence pour plus de garçons diminuait considérablement les chances de dissolution du mariage en milieu rural (OR = 0,84; p = 0,05), urbaine (OR = 0,67; p = 0,001) et population totale (OR = 0,77; p = 0,001). De plus, la préférence pour un plus grand nombre de filles réduisait considérablement la probabilité de dissolution du mariage dans les populations rurales (OR = 0,82; p = 0,002) et dans l'ensemble (OR = 0,84; p = 0,05). De plus, dans le modèle ajusté complet de la population totale, la préférence pour un plus grand nombre d'hommes (OR = 0,57; p = 0,002) était également associée de manière significative à une diminution des chances de dissolution du mariage. À l'inverse, d'autres facteurs qui augmentaient considérablement les probabilités de dissolution du mariage comprenaient le niveau de scolarité, la violence entre partenaires intimes, la religion, le fait d'avoir un emploi, les unions polygames et la région de résidence. Les femmes devraient atteindre des niveaux d'éducation plus élevés et être engagées dans des professions rémunératrices en tant que mesures d'atténuation contre la dissolution du mariage. Des campagnes anti-dissolution devraient être lancées, en particulier dans les zones rurales où la violence entre partenaires intimes est élevée et dans les régions où l'incidence de la dissolution du mariage est relativement élevée. Mots-clés: Dissolution conjugale, Nigéria, Lieu de résidence, Préférence sexuell

APPRAISAL OF THE FACTORS OF RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

 This study highlighted the pattern, and examined the factors of rural-urban migration in Southeastern Nigeria. The primary data for this study was generated through questionnaire surveys and key informant interviews. A total of 225 rural-urban migrants were administered with the questionnaire across the five states, five urban areas and fifteen rural Local Government Areas covered by this study. The data generated from the fieldwork were analyzed with descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and principal component analysis. Results of the study show that over 70percent of the migrants are males while over 80percent of them are also single or married. The analysis of variance shows that while some factors vary significantly across the study area in determining rural-urban migration, others do not. The principal component analysis reduced the factors to thirteen underlying components that together account for 68.95percent of the cumulative variance in the determinants of migration. These underlying components include migrating to look for job, to join spouse, and to further education. Based on the results of the study, recommendations such as the establishment of skills acquisition centers and provision of social infrastructures in the rural areas are made. KEYWORDS: Appraisal; Factors; Migration; Rural-urban; Southeastern Nigeria

Theology of Climate Change Mitigation , Stewardship and Adaptation: The Place of the Church

In this age of technology characterized by capitalist and materialist culture, Christian ministry pertaining to the natural world of creation has been relegated to the background in the teaching and preaching of many churches whereas on the other hand, it has long been held that the environment is among the most pressing concerns of this generation. While most Christians appreciate the beauty of nature, many do not realize that there is a strong biblical basis for creation care, and that, in fact, many ethical values, fundamental to the development of a peaceful society, are particularly relevant to the ecological question. The purpose of this research is twofold, firstly, to establish the basis for the Church’s response to the problem of climate change by correlating climate change with the Biblical mandate for creation care and secondly, to provide recommendations on how creation care can be integrated into the local church’s administration and ministry. Recent scientific findings on climate change alongside its environmental and social implications provided the framework upon which this research is based. This paper through descriptive phenomenological method of scholarship made an inroad into the role of the church as steward of the entire oikoumene-the entire inhabited earth. The significance of the research is that it has provided a document that spells out clearly why and how Christian Churches should be involved in tackling the issue of climate change and the resultant ecological problems facing the world today. Keywords: Theology. Climatic change, mitigation stewardship, adaptatio

Trends, Determinants and Health Risks of Adolescent Fatherhood in Sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND: This study examined the trends, determinants and health risks of adolescent fatherhood in three selected African countries where adolescent-girl pregnancy/motherhood are decried but with permissive male sexual latitude.METHODS: Adolescent male data were extracted from the malerecodedatasets of Demographic Health Survey (2000-2014) for Nigeria, Ethiopia and Zambia. The surveys were grouped into 3-Waves: (2000-2004); (2005-2008) and (2011-2014). The study employed descriptive and binary logistics that tested the log-odds of adolescent fatherhood with respect to selected sexual behaviour indices, and individual and shared demographic variables.RESULTS: The results revealed that the number of lifetimesexual-partners among the boys is ≥2. The likelihood of adolescent fatherhood is positively associated with increasing age at first cohabitation and multiple sexual partnerships (≥2) having OR=1.673 and OR=1.769 in 2005/2008 and 2011/2014 respectively. Adolescents who had attained tertiary education, and engaged in professional and skilled jobs were 0.313, 0.213 and 0.403 times (respectively) less likely to have ever-fathered a child. The positive association between rural place of residence and adolescent fatherhood in the past shifted to urban residents in 2011/2014.CONCLUSION: The study concludes that early sexual activities and cohabitation are common among male adolescents among the countries of study. The authors recommend discouragement of boy-girl cohabitation, increasing access to higher education and job opportunities in order to stem boy-fatherhood incidence in the study locations and, by extension, other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.KEYWORDS: Adolescent fatherhood, sexual behaviour, trends, determinants, health risks, lifetime-sexual-partner

TRENDS, DRIVERS AND HEALTH RISKS OF ADOLESCENT FATHERHOOD IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

The study examined the trends, determinants and health risks of adolescent fatherhood in countries where adolescent-girl pregnancy/motherhood are decried but with permissive male sexual latitude. Male-recode datasets of Demographic Health Survey (2000-2014) for Nigeria, Ethiopia and Zambia were used. The surveys were grouped into 3-Waves: Wave 1 (2000 and 2004); Wave 2 (2005 to 2009) and waves 3 (2010 to 2014). Ethiopia data consisted of 2000, 2005 and 2011 datasets; Nigeria‘s datasets included 2003, 2008 and 2013 while Zambia set of data featured 2002, 2007 and 2014. Wave-1 consists of 2000, 2002 and 2003 datasets; Wave-2 has 2005, 2007 and 2008 datasets while 2011, 2013 and 2014 data were used for Wave- 3. These files in each wave were grouped together and then combined into a single file. All data were weighted to ensure representation and analyses were split by countries and by waves to show the trends across .the years and for different countries. The study employed univariate, bivariate analysis and binary logistics that tested the log-odds of adolescent fatherhood with respect to selected sexual behaviour indices, individual and shared demographic variables. The results, among others, indicated that more than one out of every five adolescents has had two or more sexual partners. The likelihood of adolescent fatherhood is inversely related to condom use, but positively associated with increasing age at first cohabitation and higher number of multiple sexual partnerships (≥ 2) at odd-ratio of 1.673 and 1.769 in 2005/2009 and 2010/2014, respectively. Adolescents that have attained primary and tertiary education, and who are professionals and skilled labourers were 0.379, 0.313, 0.213 and 0.403 times (respectively) less likely to father a child as adolescent. The positive association between rural place of residence and adolescent fatherhood in the past shifted to urban residents in 2010/2014. The study concludes that enlightenment on the use of condom and testing for STIs/HIV and AIDS should be intensified. Increasing access to higher formal education including job opportunities is crucial to interventions towards boys’ vulnerability to fatherhood. The authors recommend support from policy-takers, governments and other stakeholders towards male adolescent access to higher education, skills acquisition, and campaigns against boys and girls cohabitations in the study locations and by extension sub-Saharan Africa in general

Trends, Determinants and Health Risks of Adolescent Fatherhood in Sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND: This study examined the trends, determinants and health risks of adolescent fatherhood in three selected African countries where adolescent-girl pregnancy/motherhood are decried but with permissive male sexual latitude. METHODS: Adolescent male data were extracted from the malerecode datasets of Demographic Health Survey (2000-2014) for Nigeria, Ethiopia and Zambia. The surveys were grouped into 3- Waves: (2000-2004); (2005-2008) and (2011-2014). The study employed descriptive and binary logistics that tested the log-odds of adolescent fatherhood with respect to selected sexual behaviour indices, and individual and shared demographic variables. RESULTS: The results revealed that the number of lifetimesexual-partners among the boys is ≥2. The likelihood of adolescent fatherhood is positively associated with increasing age at first cohabitation and multiple sexual partnerships (≥2) having OR=1.673 and OR=1.769 in 2005/2008 and 2011/2014 respectively. Adolescents who had attained tertiary education, and engaged in professional and skilled jobs were 0.313, 0.213 and 0.403 times (respectively) less likely to have ever-fathered a child. The positive association between rural place of residence and adolescent fatherhood in the past shifted to urban residents in 2011/2014. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that early sexual activities and cohabitation are common among male adolescents among the countries of study. The authors recommend discouragement of boy-girl cohabitation, increasing access to higher education and job opportunities in order to stem boy-fatherhood incidence in the study locations and, by extension, other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Emmanuel O. Amoo , Angie Igbinoba2 , David Imhonopi3 , Olufunmilayo O. Banjo4 , Chukwuedozie K. Ajaero5 , Joshua O. Akinyemi6 , David Igbokwe7 , Lukman B. Solanke

A comparative evaluation of the impact of population and wealth distribution on the environment of West Africa

The debate on the relationship between population, wealth and environment has been a contentious one. In West Africa, variations exist across countries within the sub-region with regard to population size, population density, wealth distribution, and environmental stress albeit in hitherto undefined magnitude. This work is, therefore, an attempt at examining the magnitude of linkages between the variations in population, wealth and environmental stress. Findings of the study reveal disparities in the linkages between population density, wealth distribution and environmental stress across the sub-region. Based on the magnitude of environmental stress estimated from the analysis, countries of the study area are broadly grouped into areas with low, medium and high environmental stress. Consequently, this work suggests the application of country-specific measures in the quest of the sub-region to achieve sustainable development and meet up with the targets of the millennium development goals.Le dèbat portant sur le lien qui existe entre la population, les biens et, l’envionnement s’est avéré interminable. En Afrique de L’Ouest, des variations existent à travers les pays de la sous-région en matière de la taille de la population, la densité de la population, la distribution des biens, et la pression environnementale dont leurs dimensions restent non–spécifiées. Cette recherché constitue donc une tentative de scrutin de la magnitude des liaisons entre la densité de la population, la distribution des biens et la pression environnementale. Les conclusions de cette recherche révèle des inégalités de la dénsité des populations, de la distribution des biens, et de la pression environnementale à travers la sous-région. Sous la base de la magnitude de la pression environnementale révélée par l’analyse, les pays considérés dans cette recherche sont largement regroupés en trois zones de pression environnementale: basse, moyenne et élevée. Par conséquent, cette recherche propose la mise en oeuvre des mesures basées sur les spécificités de chaque pays de la sous-région dans le but d’avoir un développement durable et d’atteindre les objectifs millinaires du développement

Life satisfaction and internal migration intention in South Africa

This study explored the relationship between satisfaction with life and internal migration intention in South Africa. Data were from three waves of the National Income Dynamics Surveys (NIDS) conducted in 2008, 2010, and 2012. Analyses of data were by descriptive statistics, Pearson Chi square, ordinary least square and binary logistic regressions. The regression coefficient of life satisfaction was 3.29 in 2008, 2.96 in 2010, and 3.10 in 2012. Well-being variables significantly predicted life satisfaction, even as life satisfaction was negatively correlated with intention to migrate. The significant predictor of life satisfaction was race while the intention to migrate was influenced by life satisfaction in 2008 (OR=0.95), 2010 (OR=1.06) and 2012 (OR=0.98). Other predictors of intention to migrate were age, race and educational status. These findings will be relevant in the assessment and evaluation of the efficacy of policy interventions and strategies aimed at improving satisfaction with life in the country

The Effects of Rural-Urban Migration on Rural Communities of Southeastern Nigeria

This paper examined the effects of rural-urban migration on the rural communities of Southeastern Nigeria. Data were obtained using mixed methods approach comprising questionnaire surveys and key informant interviews. Six rural local government areas (LGAs) were selected based on population size and spatial equity from two states of Southeastern Nigeria. From each of the rural LGAs, fifty migrant-sending households were sampled for the study. Multiple regression and hierarchical cluster analyses were used to estimate and categorize the effects of rural-urban migration due to remittances and community projects executed by the rural-urban migrants, respectively. In addition, the Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were utilized in prioritizing areas for development interventions in the rural communities. The regression analysis shows that rural-urban migration contributes significantly towards the development of their rural communities through monetary remittances and the involvement of the rural-urban migrants in community development projects. Based on the findings, recommendations such as initiation of development projects based on the identified needs of each of the rural communities to augment the effects of migration in the study area are made