Media-State Relationship in Democratic Societies: An Appraisal of the current Nigerian Democratic Experiment

This essay interrogates the nexus between media and democracy. It is a two-pronged approach to the discourse of media-state relationship in democratic settings, with the intention to proffer answer to the questions of what role the media play in democratic consolidation, and what role the state plays to facilitate media operations in the interest of democracy. Divided into four major parts, the first part sets the scene for discussion by giving an overview of the key concepts- media and democracy, upon which the whole gamut of the essay hinges. The second part pegs the study on a theory. Here, Development Media Theory has been employed to explain the dynamics of media-state relationship in budding democracies. Next is a perspective on   media-state relationship, where the three state roles of regulation, participation and facilitation of media operations are discussed. The last part of the   essay is a functionalist approach to the discourse of media-state relationship in a democratic setting, with accent on the major functions expected of a vibrant media sector such as surveillance, correlation, mobilization, information,     enlightenment, education and sensitization, discussed vis-à-vis the Nigerian “politico-media” landscape. The study concludes that media and democracy are interlocked in a symbiotic relationship that is beneficial to each other. The relationship here is best described as two sides of the same coin that can never be separated, hence, each needs and yearns dearly for the other

Mapping of lymphatic filariasis in Benue State, Nigeria

An epidemiological mapping was undertaken from December, 2004 to February, 2005 with the aim of determining the prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti in 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State, Nigeria. A total of 1,830 persons aged 20 years and above were screened for circulating filarial antigen (CFA) using immuno-chromatographic (ICT) whole blood tests. An overall CFA prevalence of 6.5% was recorded in 65% of 20 communities from the 18 LGAs. The results indicate that lymphatic filariasis is widely distributed in the state. Prevalence of infection was significantly (

Radioactivity distributions and biohazard assessment of coastal marine environments of niger-delta, Nigeria

ABSTRACTThe Unumherin community in Nigeria’s Niger Delta is home to coastal marine polluted zones, and this research examines the radioactivity distributions and biohazard in the coastal environment. The activity concentrations of 40K, 238U, 232Th, as well as the outdoor dose rate of contaminated coastlines were measured using a calibrated RS-125 Gamma-Spec and a NaI(Tl) gamma-detector. The laboratory examination of sediments, water, and fish from the same coastal region – Clarias gariepinus Pseudotropheus elongated Oreochromis niloticus and Stromateus fiatola – was combined with the in-situ observations of gamma dose rates. With a value of [Formula: see text], the hotspot at site 4 is shown by the geographic distribution of gamma dose rates. The findings showed that the activities of the primordial radionuclides varied, with average values for the sediments and water exceeding suggested limits. Similarly, the corresponding mean hazard indices mostly exceeds the allowable limits. The species specificity of the fish species accounts for the variation in the mean concentrations of 40K, 238U and 232Th. C. gariepinus, having accumulated higher concentrations of 40K and 238U, may be the first to elicit health hazards in the future if pollution continues unmonitored. Hence, continuous monitoring of the aquatic environment alongside is highly recommended

Lymphatic Filariasis in Nigeria; Micro-stratification Overlap Mapping (MOM) as a Prerequisite for Cost-Effective Resource Utilization in Control and Surveillance

Background Nigeria has a significant burden of lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by the parasite Wuchereria bancrofti. A major concern to the expansion of the LF elimination programme is the risk of serious adverse events (SAEs) associated with the use of ivermectin in areas co-endemic with Loa filariasis. To better understand this, as well as other factors that may impact on LF elimination, we used Micro-stratification Overlap Mapping (MOM) to highlight the distribution and potential impact of multiple disease interventions that geographically coincide in LF endemic areas and which will impact on LF and vice versa. Methodology/Principal findings LF data from the literature and Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) were collated into a database. LF prevalence distributions; predicted prevalence of loiasis; ongoing onchocerciasis community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTi); and long-lasting insecticidal mosquito net (LLIN) distributions for malaria were incorporated into overlay maps using geographical information system (GIS) software. LF was prevalent across most regions of the country. The mean prevalence determined by circulating filarial antigen (CFA) was 14.0% (n = 134 locations), and by microfilaria (Mf) was 8.2% (n = 162 locations). Overall, LF endemic areas geographically coincided with CDTi priority areas, however, LLIN coverage was generally low (<50%) in areas where LF prevalence was high or co-endemic with L. loa. Conclusions/Significance The extensive database and series of maps produced in this study provide an important overview for the LF Programme and will assist to maximize existing interventions, ensuring cost effective use of resources as the programme scales up. Such information is a prerequisite for the LF programme, and will allow for other factors to be included into planning, as well as monitoring and evaluation activities given the broad spectrum impact of the drugs used