The Petroleum Exploitation and Pollution in Ogoni, Rivers State, Nigeria: The Community Perspective

The aim of this paper was to examine community perspective to petroleum exploitation and pollution in Ogoni, Rivers State. To achieve this aim, the objective was to determine the extent to which the pollution of the environment has affected the people’s views of usefulness of the resources in their communities. The survey design method was employed. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 21 oil bearing communities from the four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ogoniland. The data were collected using interviews, focus group discussions, oral testimonies and questionnaires. Being qualitative; transcriptions, rewriting and coding were employed in data analysis, except for the questionnaires which adopted descriptive statistical methods. Results showed that majority of the people have not benefitted from the petroleum resources in their communities. It was revealed that pollution has changed the people’s views of the usefulness of petroleum resources, as they clearly see the resources in their communities as a curse. However, many communities believed that there was no sincerity on the part of their leaders, as the dividends claimed to be given by the multinational oil companies (MNOCs) for the welfare and benefit of the people were not visible. It is recommended that in order to change the perception of the people toward petroleum exploitation, the MNOCs should massively develop the host communities with basic social amenities and deal directly with the land owners whose portions of land are directly affected and not through the chiefs or the Community Based Organisations (CBOs)

Assessment of the Demographic Burden of Epidemics and Diseases within the African Sub-Region: A Review of Recent Epidemiological Data, Responses, and Resultant Psychosocial Risk Tendencies

Background: Over the past few decades, epidemic outbreaks and disease occurrences have become more frequent and widespread in Africa, posing challenges for poor countries in the region and impacting vulnerable populations. Limited resources, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, socioeconomic inequalities, malnutrition, mass gatherings, and lack of proper sanitation and hygiene contribute to Africa’s high burden of epidemics and infectious diseases such as cholera, measles, monkeypox, Ebola viral disease, and COVID-19. This paper reviewed epidemic outbreaks and diseases transmitted through intimate contact in Africa and their impacts on vulnerable populations. Methods: A narrative review approach was adopted to gather and analyze the relevant literature on epidemic outbreaks in African sub-regions. The review encompassed causes, transmission patterns, demographic impact, community susceptibility, preventive measures, and psychosocial risk-taking behaviors. Results: This study emphasizes the importance of addressing the causes of response lapses and the resulting human, material, and economic losses in the region. Effective preventive measures include disease surveillance, early mitigation strategies, contact tracing, personal protective measures, improved political and public health leadership, and socioeconomic equity. However, the review highlights challenges in implementing these measures effectively due to limited resources, delayed detection, and difficulties in scaling up response solutions. Conclusions: There is a need for a comprehensive approach involving health departments, infrastructure development, and addressing socioeconomic factors.Unfunde

Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Expression in the Hippocampal Formation of Mefloqine Induced-Seizured Rats Treated with Aqueous Leaf Extract of Luffa aegyptiaca Mill

This study investigates the expression of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and effects of aqueous leaf extract of Luffa aegyptiaca Mill on the hippocampus of the brain of Albino Wistar rats with Mefloquine induced seizure. Thirty albino wistar rats (190-250 g) were grouped into 6 groups of 5 rats each. Group 1 was control. Group 2 rats were induced with mefloquine only (4.28 mg/kg). Group 3 were given average dose of luffa extract only (800 mg/kg). Group four rats were induced with mefloquine (4.28 mg/kg) and treated with diazepam (5 mg/kg). Group 5 rats were induced with (4.28 kg/kg) with mefloquine and treated with low dose luffa aegyptiaca mill (400 mg/kg). Group 6 were induced with mefloquine (4.28 mg/kg) and treated with high dose luffa aegyptiaca mill (1200 mg/kg). The rats were then perfused transcardially and sacrificed. Brain sections were analyzed for histological (H&E) and immunohistochemical staining using glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), marker for astrocytes. The histological results showed disruption of pyramidal cells layer in CA3 subfield of hippocampus and regional selectivity of pyramidal cell loss in seizured rats indicating induction of seizure with mefloquine. There was some restoration of pyramidal cells with the treated groups but no disruptions in the control group. There was less expression of GFAP positive cells in the control group and treated groups and more expression in the seizure rats. The expression of GFAP positive cells was an indication of different levels of neuroinflammation. The reactive astrocytes being predominant in the seizure group. The present study therefore provides empirical data on GFAP expression in the hippocampus of seizure animal model treated with aqueous leaf extract of luffa

Digital technologies and remote teaching during COVID-19 pandemic in African higher education institutions

Digital transformation of higher educational institutions (HEIs) in Africa has been a discussion issue in many fora across several African countries, yet with little investment commitment from the government. Interestingly, the outbreak of COVID-19 with the attendant lockdown paved the way to transition to online teaching and learning. Using the dynamic capability theory, this chapter aims to explore the role of digitalisation on pedagogy among African HEIs during the COVID-19 lockdown. Semi-structured interviews comprised data collected from 15 academics from three African countries (Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria). The study found that the implementation of digital technologies in remote teaching differed across African HEIs during the COVID-19 lockdown. This study offers theoretical and practical recommendations to accelerate the digitalisation of HEIs in Africa.peerReviewe

Assessment of Sensorimotor Behaviour in Konzo-Induced Rats Using the Irvine, Beattie Bresnahan Forelimb Scale

Konzo is a neurological disorder of selective upper motor neurons. It is an irreversible paralytic disease associated with prolonged consumption of Cassava. It contains cyanogenic glycosides metabolized to hydrogen cyanide, which has been shown by studies to affect the motor neurons of the central nervous system. The Irvine, Beattie Bresnahan (IBB) scale is a recently developed forelimb scale for the assessment of fine control of the forelimb and digits after cervical spinal cord injury such as Konzo. 20 Adult male Wistar rats were assigned to 4 experimental groups (i) control n=5, (ii) konzo-induced group n=5, (iii) induced + Complan n=5 (iv) Induced + Bambara Nut (Okpa). The bitter cassava foods were taken by oral ingestion for a period of 4 weeks. The assessment of the forelimb and digits were done using the Irvine, Beattie Bresnahan (IBB) with specific parameters such as Predominant Elbow Joint movement, Contact Volar Support, and Grasping method. The body weight of the animals was also recorded every week. The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA. The result obtained showed that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the body weight of the animals induced with Konzo and rehabilitated with Complan milk and Bambara nut when compared to the unrehabilitated Konzo-induced group. There were differences in the results of the parameters being tested for the Irvine, Beattie Bresnahan (IBB) scaling. The IBB scale confirmed that there was a high level of cyanide content in the cassava which affected the behavioral attributes of the induced group and it also confirmed that the induced group can be ameliorated with the use of Complan and Bambara Nut (Okpa) which was shown in the parameters being tested such as Predominant Elbow Joint movement, Contact Volar Support, and Grasping method. It was concluded that insufficiently processed bitter cassava is toxic and has neurotoxicity effects on the Spinal Cord especially on the upper motor neurons and IBB scale is capable of measuring gradual improvements in motor forelimb functions in this model and may be a new and effective assessment tool for peripheral nerve injury