Utilization of Religious Education for Effective Inculturation of the Gospel

‘‘Go therefore make disciples of all the nations baptize them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and to teach them to observe all the command I gave you’’ (Mt: 28:19), is a mandate given by Christ to preach the Gospel message to every nook and cranny of the world. The success of this mandate however depends on the degree to which the preaching of the Gospel is adapted to local cultures. To make it succeed, these is every need of the incarnation of Christian life and Christian message in a particular cultural context, in such a way that this experience not only find expression through elements proper to the culture in question, but becomes a principle that animates, direct and unites the culture, transform it and remaking it so as to bring about ‘New Creation’’ The gospel, therefore should penetrate the very life of culture, becomes incarnate in them, overcoming those cultural elements that are incompatible with the faith and Christian living and raising their values to the mystery of salvation which comes from Christ. The crux of this paper is to ascertain how religious education can be employed as a medium for the enculturation of the gospel message in Africa. Quantitative data collection was carried out in South East Geo-Political Zone (among the Igbo people) of Nigeria to investigate into the role of religious education in acculturating the gospel message in Africa. The outcome of the study revealed that religious education plays outstanding role in promoting enculturation of the gospel message. It has the specific vocation of bringing the gospel message to the heart of culture and enables all to understand for themselves and commit to the concrete living of Christian meaning and living. It makes possible, the conversion of persons, cultures and Christianization of ethos of the people’s cultures and through enculturation encourages evangelization to respect and preserve what is good in a culture. Recommendations included that those who are pastorally responsible for culture should resolutely be committed to finding ways of evangelization to reach minds and hearts, and to transform cultures in a way which also enrich them. The study was conducted in Igbo speaking states of South East zone of Nigeria. The findings were generalized to cover Africa as it is the same Gospel of Christ dialoguing with the various cultures of Africa. Keywords: Religious Education, Inculturation, Gospel Message, Cultur

The Role of Religious Education in Improving the Image of Disabled Persons in Nigeria

It is the trust of this paper to bring to the limelight the roles religion can play in elevating the image, education and career opportunities of the disabled persons. The objectives include to establish a water-tight revelation of the plights of the disabled persons in Nigeria and seeks the way religion can help in ameliorating them. To achieve these objectives phenomenological method of examination will be employed in the interpretation of data collected, aimed at giving objective and unbiased analysis to issues. Keywords: Religious Education, Disability, Disabled Persons, Nigeri

Resources Used by Universal Basic Education (UBE) Teachers in Teaching Basic Science and Technology in Nigeria

The study investigated the extent to which UBE teachers put their training experience into practice with regard to the utilization of resources for teaching basic science and technology. The design of the study was descriptive survey research design. The population consisted of all13630 primary school teachers in Enugu State, Nigeria. The sample consists of 1363 Basic Science and Technology teachers randomly sampled. A 30 – item questionnaire was used to collect data from the teachers. The face validity of the instrument was determined by four experts and found to be valid. Crombach Alpha method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument which yielded an index of .86. Three research questions which guided the study were analyzed using mean. The findings of the study show that basic science and technology teachers occasionally  involve other teachers and class pupils as resource persons in teaching basic science and technology; they sparingly involve parents, community members, community leaders, NGOs, UNICEF, and UNESCO. With regard to material resources; they use textbooks, real objects and chalk/white board always and occasionally use charts, flat pictures, posters, cartoons, mockups, models, science and technology corners, improvisation and flannel board. However, they sparingly use the electronic resources and never use computer assisted instruction and internet. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made which include that industry school partnership should be encouraged. This is a situation where schools work   collaboratively with ICT firms for the purposes of supply of ICT facilities, training and retraining of teachers and pupils. Keywords: Resources, Universal Basic Education, Basic Science and Technology, Teaching

Stemming the Incidence of Kidnapping in the Nigerian Society: What Religious Education Can Do?

This paper researches on stemming the incidence of kidnapping in the Nigerian society with particular emphasis on what religious education can do. The much sought progress and development of the Nigerian society have been hampered by serial kidnapping. Using descriptive research and data analysis, this research exposes the meaning and many incidences of kidnapping in Nigeria with the context of case studies. What religious education can do in stemming the incidences of kidnapping was elaborately elucidated. The paper ended with recommendation and action areas to build the Nigerian society of our dream. Keywords: Kidnapping, Nigeria, Religious Education

Religious Education in Context: Evangelization of the Igbo People and Culture

The context, content and process, by which the Church brings the good news of Christ into all aspects of human life and endeavors, influencing its transformation from within, constitute what is known as evangelization. Evangelization is about people and their way of life, that is their culture. It is a process of religious education which seeks to transform adherents of the Christian faith, whether new or old members, into persons who are Christ-like. In this regard, this paper grapples with the question: ‘what will it take to produce the kind of Christians, today and in the future, who are Christ-like in mentality, behavior, and attitudes?’ Using case stories from the mission fields in conjunction with available literature, including various post-synodal apostolic exhortations, the paper proposes ‘integral evangelization as inculturation,’ coupled with a prophetic stance, which keeps Christ central to the entire process. Key words: religious education, context, Igbo culture, evangelization, inculturatio

Inclusive Education and Sustainable Peace in Africa

Inclusive education is an innovative approach to education by which all children, youths and adults on the globe have equal opportunities to learn comfortably in the same academic environment regardless their intellectual and physical ability/disability and irrespective of their political, ethnic and socio-economic background. It is a brain child of UNESCO (the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization); part of its Education For All (EFA) initiative which seeks to overcome the global challenges of marginalization, discrimination and exclusion. In this light, this paper examines the concept of inclusive education as a means of attaining long-lasting peace in Africa, which in turn will rekindle socio-economic and political progress. The paper provides copious evidence of the fact that socio-economic and political exclusion and marginalization are major sources of conflict and instability in Africa. Its underlying assumption is that inclusive education is a sure means of attaining optimum integral development and sustainable peace in Africa. Keywords: Inclusive education, sustainable peace in Afric

Evaluation of the Effect of Federal Government External Debts and Reserves on Economic Growth in Nigeria

This study is to evaluated the effect of federal government external debts and external reserve on economic growth in Nigeria. The study spanned 2007– 2016. Gross Domestic Product formed the basis for economic growth The study adpoted the ex post facto as research design. The analytical tools used were unit root test and ordinary least square. The study found out that external debt stock had a negative and significant effect on real gross domestic product with the studied period and external debt service payment had a negative and non-significant influence on real gross domestic product with the sampled period. The study therefore recommended that external debts should be contracted solely for economic reasons and not for social or political reasons. This is to avoid accumulation of external debt stock overtime and prevent an obscuring of the motive behind external debt. The authorities responsible for managing Nigeria’s external debt should adequately keep track of the debt payment obligations and the debt should not be allowed to pass a maximum limit so as to avoid debt overhang. Keywords: Federal government, External Debts, External Reserve, Economic Growth,  Nigeria

Kinetic field dissipation and fate of endosulfan after application on theobroma cacao farm in tropical Southwestern Nigeria

Endosulfan, 6,7,8,9,10,10-hexachloro-1,5,5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methano,2,4,3-benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide, is still a pesticide of choice for most cocoa farmers in Southwestern Nigeria, in spite of its persistence, bioaccumulative, toxicological properties, and restriction. A single treatment of 1.4 kg ai/ha (0.5% ai) of technical grade endosulfan (Thiodan, 35EC) was applied to 0.0227 ha of cultivated Theobroma cacao L. (Cocoa) farm at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN). Levels of parent endosulfan (α-, β-endosulfan) and major metabolite (endosulfan sulfate) were determined in vegetation and surrounding matrices at days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 60 using GC-MS. Their kinetic variables were determined. Order of ∑endosulfan distribution at day 0 was dry foliage > fresh foliage > bark > pods > soil (0–15 cm). No residual endosulfan was found in cocoa seeds and subsurface soil (15–30 cm). Low residual levels in pods on day 0 may be due to endogenous enzymatic breakdown, with α-isomer more susceptible and α/β-endosulfan ratio being 0.90. Fell dry foliage as mulch was predominantly the receiving matrix for non-target endosulfan sprayed. Volatilization was key in endosulfan dissipation between days 0 and 7 from foliage surfaces (> 60% loss), while dissipation trend was bi-phasic and tri-phasic for vegetation and soil, respectively. ∑endosulfan loss at terminal day ranged between 40.60% (topsoil) and 99.47% (fresh foliage). Iteratively computed half-lives (DT′ 50 ) ranged from 6.48 to 30.13 days for ∑endosulfan in vegetation. Endosulfan was moderately persistent in pods—a potential source for cross contamination of seeds during harvest. Iteratively determined DT′ 50 and initial-final day DT 50 are highly correlated (R = 0.9525; n = 28) and no significant difference (P = 0.05) for both methods

Compliance of agrochemical marketers with banned cocoa pesticides in southwest Nigeria

This study investigated the compliance of marketers of agrochemicals with the approved and banned cocoa pesticides in selected cocoa producing states of southwest Nigeria. Primary data was collected through the use of structured questionnaire administered to randomly selected agrochemical marketers. All the marketers (100%) were aware of the recently banned cocoa pesticides, however, majority still have the pesticides in stock. About 70.6% of the marketers in Osun state and 58.8% in Ogun state stated that they did not receive information on the banned pesticides from government agencies but through other channels. More than half of the marketers (52.9% in Ogun, 55% in Kwara and 47.1% in Osun) strongly disagreed that government should place a ban on pesticides. Availability of banned pesticides in their stock, insufficient information from the concerned government agricultural agencies, and fear of short supply of approved pesticides are among the reasons proffered by the marketers for not supporting the ban of pesticides. Relevant government regulatory agencies should conduct a comprehensive inventory of pesticides offered for sale by the marketers of agrochemicals. There should be massive public awareness programme, and wellcoordinated association for all the marketers of agrochemicals. Agrochemical manufacturers should translate instructions and warnings on pesticide labels to local languages understood by the farmers.U ovom radu je istraživana usaglašenost prodavaca agrohemikalija sa odobrenim i zabranjenim pesticidima koji se koriste u državama jugozapadne Nigerije koje prizvode kakao. Primarni podaci su prikupljeni pomoću struktuiranog upitnika koji je podeljen slučajno odabranim prodavcima agrohemikalija. Svi prodavci (100%) su bili upoznati sa nedavno zabranjenim pesticidima za kakao, ali ipak većina njih i dalje ima te pesticide u ponudi. Oko 70,6% prodavaca u državi Osun i 58,8% u državi Ogun je navelo da nisu dobili nikakvu informaciju u vezi sa zabranjenim pesticidima od vladinih agencija, već putem drugih kanala. Više od polovine prodavaca (52,9% u državi Ogun, 55% u državi Kwara i 47,1% u državi Osun) se oštro usprotivila tome da vlada treba da stavi zabranu na pesticide. Dostupnost zabranjenih pesticida u skladištima, nedovoljno informacija od odgovarajućih vladinih agencija za poljoprivredu, kao i strah od nestašice odobrenih pesticida su među razlozima za nepodržavanje zabrane korišćenja pesticida koje su naveli prodavci. Relevantne vladine regulacione agencije treba da sastave svebuhvatan spisak pesticida koje prodaju prodavci agrohemikalijama. Takođe bi trebalo obezbediti i program o javnoj svesti, kao i dobro koordinisano udruženje za sve prodavce agrohemikalija. Proizvođači agrohemikalija bi trebalo da prevedu uputstva i upozorenja na etiketama koje se nalaze na ambalažama pesticida na lokalne jezike koje poljoprivrednici razumeju.http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=AGShb201

Assessment of e-learning readiness of lecturers and students in federal colleges of education in North-East, Nigeria

Delivery of instructions on line (e-learning) is trending globally especially in areas with security challenges like the North East, Nigeria. Teachers and students can no longer stay in the classrooms without fear of being attacked or kidnapped with attendant consequences on attrition rate and quality of products. This study investigated the e-learning readiness of lecturers and students in Federal Colleges of Education in the North East, Nigeria. The design of the study is descriptive survey. Four research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population comprised of 2100 lecturers and students from three accessible federal colleges of education in the North East, Nigeria. Taro Yamen sampling formula was used to determine the sample size of 336. Two instruments were used for data collection. They were Checklist and Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and t-test were used for data analysis. The study found that e-learning facilities are available and the lecturers and students are ready but faced by many constrains. Recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.</p