The question of “being” in African philosophy

This work is of the view that the question of being is not only a problem in Western philosophy but also in African philosophy. It, therefore, posits that being is that which is and has both abstract and concrete aspect. The work arrives at this conclusion by critically analyzing and evaluating the views of some key African philosophers with respect to being. With this, it discovers that the way that these African philosophers have postulated the idea of being is in the same manner like their Western philosophers whom they tried to criticize. This work tries to synthesize the notions of beings of these African philosophers in order to reach at a better understanding of being. This notion of being leans heavily on Asouzu’s ibuanyidanda ontology which does not bifurcate or polarize being, but harmonizes entities or realities that seem to be contrary or opposing in being.KEYWORDS: Being, Ifedi, Ihedi, Force (Vital Force), Missing Link, Muntu, Ntu, Nkedi, Ubuntu, Uw

A Critique of Sartre’s Notion of Being and Nothingness from the Perspective of Ibuanyidanda Philosophy

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Prevalence of sexual harassment/victimization of female students in Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria

Objective: To assess the prevalence, types and consequences of sexual harassment/victimization of female students in the University. Methodology: This was a cross sectional descriptive study. Using a cluster sampling method, 295 female students resident in the four campuses of the university were recruited and interviewed with a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Results: One hundred and eight (36.7%) of the respondents had experienced sexual harassment/victimization at least once on campus. Out of this, 35 (32.4%) were forced sexual intercourse while 73 (67.6%) were other forms of unwanted sexual contact including indecent touch, romance and kisses. Majority 53 (49.1%) of the perpetrators were fellow students. Similarly, majority 55 (50.9%) of the harassment/victimization took place in the student's residence, 27 (25.0%) took place at staff offices while 26 (24%) took place in other venues including hotels. The most common adverse consequence of the sexual harassment/victimization was psychosocial distress (89.8%) followed by poor academic performance (56.5%) and sexually transmitted infection (6.5%). However, 12 (11%) of the victims claimed that the harassment resulted to an improved academic performance. Being older (= 30 years) and being married were significantly more associated with being victimized. Conclusions: About a third of female students in Ebonyi State University had been sexually victimized or harassed. Fellow students were responsible for most of the incidents followed by academic staff and other university employees. Most incidents occurred in the students' hostels or residences and older students and those who were married had higher risk of being harassedJournal of Community Medicine & Primary Health vol 23 (1-2) 201

HIV voluntary counseling and testing practices among military personnel and civilian residents in a military cantonment in southeastern Nigeria

BN Azuogu, LU Ogbonnaya, CN Alo Communicable Diseases Control Research Centre, Department of Community Medicine, Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria Background: Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services are expected to lower rates of HIV transmission through a reduction in high-risk sexual behavior and through improved access to medical treatment, care, and support. However, increasing access to and uptake of VCT, especially among groups at high risk for HIV infection, has remained a major challenge in Africa. Purpose: The study was undertaken to determine the uptake of VCT (measured by whether study participants had ever received an HIV test) and the factors influencing this practice among military and civilian residents of a military cantonment in Abakaliki, southeastern Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey of all cantonment residents aged between 20 and 64 years was conducted. A multistage sampling technique was used to establish the sample size; data were collected from 350 military and civilian cantonment residents using a pretested questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (v 16.0; SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) and the significance of any association was tested at P < 0.05 using the chi-square statistic. Results: One hundred and forty-five (41.4%) respondents reported having ever been tested for HIV; however, only 44 (12.6%) respondents had received the test between 4 and 12 months prior to the survey period. Some of the significant factors that positively influenced uptake of VCT were awareness of VCT (P < 0.001), education level (P < 0.006), and knowledge of antiretroviral therapy benefits (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The uptake of VCT by the residents of the cantonment was low. The establishment of VCT services in the cantonment is urgently recommended, together with the targeting of high-risk population groups in HIV/AIDS and VCT information dissemination efforts. Keywords: VCT uptake, HIV test, most-at-risk population (MARP), people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs

The status of tuberculosis infection control measures in health care facilities rendering joint TB/ HIV services in “German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association” supported states in Nigeria

Objective: To assess the status of tuberculosis (TB) infection control practice in health care facilities implementing joint TB/HIV activities.Materials and Methods: A descriptive survey triangulating self-administered questionnaire (facility survey to Infection Control Officer, individual health worker to general health workers), review of facility case notes and participant observation techniques was carried out. Twelve health facilities from southern Nigeria were assessed.Results: (1) Administrative and work practice control measure: Only 1 (8.3%) facility had a documented TB Infection control policy; 2 (16.7%) facilities had Infection Control Committee; 5 (41.7%) facilities had Infection Control Officer; 2 (16.7%) asked questions at the health records about cough; 1 (8.3%) facility had health workers intermittently checking for patients with cough in the waiting hall; and 2 (16.7%) facilities had Infection Control Officers who have attended some training on infection control. No facility had Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials reminding patients and health workers of the possibility of TB transmission in the health care setting. While 86.4% of TB patients were screened for HIV, only 54.7% of HIV patients were tested for TB. (2) Environmental control measures: All the waiting halls were well ventilated. Though 66.7% of the consulting rooms were well ventilated, 25% of them were over crowded; 58.3% of the facilities managed sputum smear positive TB patients in the same ward with HIV-positive and other vulnerable patients; no facility had air cleaners.Conclusion: Implementation of the different aspects of the administrative control and work practice component of TB infection control measure range from 8.3% to 41.7% of the facilities. Urgent measures should be taken to reverse this trend in the face of TB burden due to HIV

Ranking of diagnostic features of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis by medical doctors in southeastern Nigeria

Objective: To rank diagnostic features of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis; and to determine the effect of working in tuberculosis Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) facilities on the ranking of these features by medical doctors. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study, using structured questionnaires to collect data from medical doctors whose daily routine included attending to sick children in 34 selected children outpatient clinics and TB DOTS centers in southeastern Nigeria. Results: Approximately, one quarter (25.3% or 56 of 221) of respondents worked in Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) clinics, while three quarters (74.7% or 165 of 221) worked in nonDOTSclinics. Majority of the respondents (69.7%) ranked chronic persistent cough (1), 42.5 % ranked weight loss and failure to thrive (2), another 27.7% ranked weight loss and failure to thrive (3), while 17.6% and 21.7% ranked History of contact with adult index case and radiographic abnormalities, (4) and (5), respectively. The study found that the percentage of doctors working in DOTS clinics who ranked weight loss and failure to thrive (2) was statistically and significantly higher than those of non-DOTS respondents. Conclusions: The most important symptoms/signs on which medical doctors based their diagnosis of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis include cough, weight loss and failure to thrive, history of contact with adult with smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis, and radiographic abnormalities consistent with active tuberculosis. There was statistically significant difference between the ranking of weight loss and failure to thrive by doctors working in DOTS clinics and their counterparts in non DOTS clinics. This study showed a decline in the percentage of ranking in both DOTS and Non DOTS respondents as they moved from the first to the fifth.KEY WORDS: Childhood pulmonary tuberculosis, Doctors, Ranking, Diagnostic features, Directly observed treatment short course (DOTS)

Perception and attitude towards work related ill-health and use of dust mask among crushers of selected quarry (crushed stone) industry in Ebonyi State: effect of health education

Background: Quarry industry has become a major means of livelihood in Ebonyi state, but insufficient data exists on their operations and use of control measures like dust mask, with no serious attempt at comprehensive health education. The study sought to assess the effect of health education on the perception and attitude towards work related ill-health, and use of dust mask among crushers of selected quarry industry.Methodology: The study was conducted in the crush stone sites in Abakaliki and environs as the study group, while sites in Ishiagu, Ikenyi and Iyioge Ukwagba were the control group. Study population was 104 crushers, dust mask was provided at all sites, but health education (didactic lectures, demonstrations and interactive sections) for 8weeks was for the study group. Post-intervention evaluations were done at 3 and 6 months. Data was obtained using interviewer administered semi structured questionnaires, tally sheets and bimonthly forms, and analysed using SPSS (16.0) and Mathcad 7.Result: Health education was followed with: significant improvement in the proportion with good perception of work-related ill-health (P<0.00003) in the study group, but not in the control (P<0.639); more significant improvement in the proportion with good perception of dust mask in the study (P<0.00003) than control (P<0.004) group; lesser improvements in attitudes and significant improvement in the proportion that always wore dust mask, 6% to 24% (P<0.003) in the study group.Conclusion: Sustained periodic health education by government and private sectors is necessary, with training on dust mask usage, greater availability and provision of water-cooled caps.Keywords: Quarry Crushers, Ill-health, Dust Mask, Health Education, Ebony

Financially insecure and less ethical: Understanding why and when financial insecurity inhibits ethical leadership

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic among other crises (e.g., Russia–Ukraine conflicts and recession projections) threatening organizations’ financial conditions across the globe, supervisors may not only encounter challenges such as job cuts that test their ethical leadership, but also experience financial insecurity themselves. However, our knowledge of why and when supervisors’ ethical leadership behaviors may be affected in such a situation remains quite limited. In this research, we draw on uncertainty management theory (UMT) to examine the potential influence of financial insecurity on ethical leadership. Specifically, we suggest that financial insecurity triggers anxiety in supervisors, which inhibits their demonstration of ethical leadership. We also propose organizational pay fairness as a boundary condition for this process, such that supervisors who perceive their pay as fair are less susceptible to the anxiety resulting from financial insecurity than those who perceive their pay as unfair. Results from two multi-source, multi-wave studies supported our hypothesized model. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our findings