The Nigeria Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013 and the concepts of justice, law and morality

There is no ground for the arguments in support of legalization of same sex marriage other than that it gives weight to the recognition and protection of human rights. Legalization of same sex marriage no doubt depicts further protection of such rights as the Right to Freedom of Thought and Conscience. Even this seems a cogent reason for like the suffragettes of the early 20th Century England, same sex couples actually do have some sort of rights to claim. Yet there is something fundamental about the struggle for universal suffrage that is obviously lacking in the clamour for granting legal status to same sex marriage. The suffragettes envisioned a right that emphasized our common humanity as fellow sufferers who needed concern and respect. On the contrary, same sex couples only had an atomistic view of right, a view of right which sees the individual as a possessor of rights and who is entitled to claim such rights against all odds. This paper stated that the problem with the atomistic conception of right which same sex couples claim is that it overlooks certain yearnings of mankind that are universal. Thus, a right of that kind even contradicts the idea of ‘human right’ for which human rights are declared ‘universal’. The Nigeria same sex marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013 exemplifies an attempt to avoid a conception or right in line with atomistic view of human nature. Such an act is not unsusceptible to attack by individuals who support same sex marriage as well as to countries that have legalized that act. This paper by scrutinizing the Act in the light of the requirements of justice law and morality, absolves if of the criticisms that may come from the supporter of same sex marriage. According to this paper, the right  to same sex marriage when juxtaposed with the right to marriage between the opposite sexes is a wrong right. The right to marriage between people of the opposite sexes as recognized by the Nigeria Act emphasizes our common humanity as fellow beings with the instinct for not only self- preservation but also for the elongation of the human species.Keywords: same sex marriage, justice, law and moralit

Rescuing ‘defenseless selves’: tasking the Nigeria Criminal Justice System on capital punishment in the 21st century

Nigeria will still make effective use of capital punishment in the 21st century, at least to satisfy the principle of double effect. Better capital punishment than the violence of capital crime. More than the better of two evils, this paper argued that the death penalty is crucial for those facing trails for capital crimes in Nigeria achieving authenticity in Soren Kierkegaard’s view. Such criminals are among the ‘defenseless selves’, those whose individuality has been lost due to external influences. The institution of capital punishment by a criminal justice system that does not jeopardize the ingredients of justice, especially, proper apprehension suspected criminals, competent representation of the prosecuted, prompt prosecution and execution, of those found guilty, could rescue condemned criminals and enable them become ‘individuals’ or achieve authenticity. Moreover, it will reduce the spate of capital crime in the county, as well as economic loss due to amnesty bargains between governments and suspected criminals or due to ransom being paid kidnappers.Thus, even as speculations on abolition of capital punishment continues, the Nigerian legal profession should encourage competent and adequate representation of criminals facing the death sentence for the country to realize more through capital punishment.Keywords: ‘Defenseless Selves’, Criminal Justice System, Capital Crime, CapitalPunishmen

The sacred impetus behind creative empowerment in poetry : a comparative study of black women poets Catherine Acholonu and Lorna Goodison

Examining poetry under the rubric of religion, geography, and gender provides a lens through which I read postcolonial literatures, thus positing new emphasis in literary studies, and suggesting for African women empowerment as opposed to weakness, articulation as opposed to silence. Religion and poetry among Black people in Africa and the Black diaspora are sacred because religion pervades values, beliefs, and socio-political life, and religion saturates the environment; as well, the role of a poet is connected to that of a seer or a sage. Comparing Turn Thanks, a collection by Jamaican-born Afro-Caribbean poet Lorna Goodison with The Spring’s Last Drop, a collection by Nigerian poet Catherine Acholonu, reveals that African and Afro-Caribbean women’s strong sense of community, spiritual sensitivity, holistic attitude of women’ fight for liberation, the quest for healing and hope through the power of crafted words and rituals present an ideology of Africana womanhood as embedded in African cultural traditions. The two poets are rooted in their culture and being rooted empowers them as members of the community and speaking voice to build on values in their communities. In terms of the structure and themes of their books, the diction of their poems and the titles of their works, the poets suggest that there is a spirit connected with the works that readers must discern and become attuned to in order to unravel the meaning and the significance of the works. Both poets go back to the primacy of the word in the spiritual and oral traditions. The thesis argues that spirituality will continue to interest scholars because it represents a strong desire of twentieth-centruy humanity to maintain equilibrium in the face of socio-political upheavals through a discerned integration of both the spirit and body for a holistic existence and survival of communities and to understand the potential of applying and realizing the power of the spirit in connecting rather than fragmenting individuals and communities. On the whole, African people in Africa and the diaspora have utilized their spirituality in order to survive, to maintain the sanctity of their culture, and to present communities that have the quality of constituting a complex unity. People from other cultures and vocations can apply the benefits that can be gained from spirituality in their communities and vocations, not only for creative empowerment but for wholeness in those communities and maximum benefits in their vocations

Role of Technology Inclined Public Relations in Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo

The study is specifically interested in roles of technologized public relations and such influence in the dispensation of medical services in Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo. Findings from the research work related public relations to the customer care unit of firms and implies creative rapport cutting across the intra and inter-systems of the medical facility. The research made use of structured in-depth interview (IDI) as its source of data collection. The excellence theory, as well as the modernization theory provided the framework for the study. Thematic analysis was used in data analysis. It is to this end that ICT and Public Relations were seen as interdependent, bearing so much influence on the dispensation of medical services. Which is obvious in the fact that relationships at all levels, stem from communication which connotes appropriate conveyance of information both in content and process. Finally, conclusions from the study show that the medical centre in Jalingo is yet to fully embrace the advantages of technology, let alone its influence in promoting effective public relations. Hence, medical services tend to suffer and require timely interventions of significant bodies

THE LIBRARIAN IN THE DIGITAL AGE: A PREFERRED NOMENCLATURE, PERCEPTIONS OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS IN IMO STATE NIGERIA.

Nomenclature is a system of names or terms or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. It has a far-reaching impact on the mind. It also defines the status of positions. Therefore changes in librarians’ professional identity as a result of increased use of new technology in the performance of their routine chores seem, however, inevitable. Such application generates changes in the context of their work and ultimately necessitates changes in professional identity.This article explored various changing roles of the librarian in this digital age. It also identified the nomenclatures professional librarians in Imo State would prefer to be identified with and also gave some reasons they would favor such nomenclature. Descriptive survey research method was employed to investigate a total population of 68 professional librarians in Imo State. The structured questionnaire was used to collect data for the research out of which 57 representing 83.8% were duly filled and returned for analysis. Findings revealed that professional librarians in Imo State would want a change in nomenclature. The study also identified some of the nomenclatures they would prefer. It discovered that librarian, Information manager, information scientist and information professional are some of the nomenclatures they prefer. Finally, they gave reasons on why they prefer such nomenclatures

Problems of Social Research in Nigeria

The quest for knowledge is a germane task in an ever increasing changing world from the rear to the fore; from basic to advance and from spatial to a global village. Hence, survival in a world of such dynamism can only be tenable through positive adaptation which is a product of epistemological and ontological truths. Achieving this brings research to bear which is aimed at digging up knowledge for personal and public consumption, while seeking remedy to problems. Research as a factor of discovery and rediscovery of knowledge becomes a relevant ingredient for personal, organizational and national development. A branch of research that explores, explains and describes human behaviorisms and interactions and their consequences on human existence and activities, is the social research. Complexities of human dynamism and several other individual and structural factors often constitute several problems in the execution of the social research venture. It is in this regard that this paper seeks to identify, justify and explain most of these problems plaguing the survival and astuteness of social research and where necessary, make remedial suggestions. The paper would depend on concept-mapping in explaining units of knowledge that make up this work; provide for a theoretical orientation via Paul Romer’s New Growth Theory and as well make reference to relevant theoretical and empirical literatures for adequate clarification, comprehension and action sought where needed

Family Distress and Eating Disorders among Undergraduate Students of University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

The study investigated the relative relationship between family distress and eating disorders among undergraduate students of University of Port Harcourt. The study was guided by three research questions and three null hypotheses to test the tenability of the independent variables on the dependent variable at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted correlation research design. A sample of 388 was drawn from a population of 14,000 undergraduate students of University of Port Harcourt (predominantly 100 and 200) level, using simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The instruments for data collection were Eating Attitude Test (EAT) and questionnaire for family distress which were validated by experts.  The reliability of the instruments was ascertained to be 0.73. Mean and Standard deviation statistics were used to answer the research questions while Pearson product moment correlation analysis was used to test the null hypothesis. The study revealed that there is a relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable while hypothesis 2 was not statistically significant. It was also revealed that, hypothesis 3 was statistically significant indicating an existence influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable. It was recommended that parents, educational institutions and the government should wake up to their responsibilities of teaching certain aspects of eating attitude in order to curb the danger inherent in eating disorders. Keywords: Family, Distress, Eating, Disorders, Anorexia, Bulimia, Bing

Analysis of Entrepreneurship Courses of Library and Information Science Schools in South-East Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria

The study carried out an analysis of entrepreneurship courses of library and information science education in South-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria, the LIS schools in South-East Nigeria where LIS entrepreneurship courses are available and taught. These LIS business related courses are intended to equip LIS students with the necessary skills to be job and wealth creators upon graduation. The population comprised of 300 and 400 level students of library and information science students from five LIS schools in South-East Nigeria and a total of 1041 copies of questionnaire were distributes with a return rate of 735. Data collected were analysed using bar chart, tables and percentages. Findings from the study revealed the different entrepreneurial courses available and taught by LIS schools in South East Geo-political Zone to LIS undergraduates for job creation and self-reliant. However, LIS curriculum should be that which ensures equality and uniformity especially in its business related courses with the resultant effect of having Nigerian graduates who can confidently, creatively and innovatively contribute to the economic development of Nigeria. It was also recommended that Stakeholders in the educational sector, National Association of Library and Information Science Educators (NALISE) and Heads of LIS Departments to create forum where curriculum for LIS entrepreneurship education are harmonized for maximum and holistic achievement of the objectives

Library Internet Use and Demographic Characteristics of Undergraduates in a Nigerian University: Uncovering the Areas of Need.

This study investigated undergraduates of Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria to ascertain whether their demographic profile was a characteristic of library internet usage. Data used for the study was a textual analysis of statistic register on library internet use from May 2017 – June 2018. The study population consisted of 2682 valid name entries during the period under study. Findings revealed that FUTO has greater number of male undergraduates and this is due to the academic structure of the institution.  Discipline wise demographic characteristics showed that undergraduates from Agricultural Economics made most use of the library internet in School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT) while those in department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) were the most users in School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET). Also, undergraduates from Information Management Technology (IMT) and Project Management Technology (PMT) used the internet most in School of Management Technology (SMAT) while those in Biotechnology (BIO) were the most users in School of Biological Sciences (SOBS). Further findings revealed that undergraduates from Surveying and Geoinformatics (SVG) were the most library internet users in School of Environmental Technology (SOET) while Biomedical Technology undergraduates (BMT) made use of the internet more than their counterparts in the School of Health Technology (SOHT). Similarly, Computer Science (CSC) students used the internet most in School of Physical Sciences (SOPS). On the overall faculty level, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET) made most use of the library internet than other Schools. In terms of study level, it was revealed that final year (500 level) students used the library internet most. Having uncovered the disparity in library internet use, the study recommends among others that embedded librarians in FUTO should promote library operations and services through constant connection and communication with their various departments, continuous marketing and awareness creation of the library’s internet facility. Keywords: Academic library, Internet, Demographic characteristics, FUTO, Undergraduates, Nigerian University, Schools. DOI: 10.7176/IKM/10-2-08 Publication date: March 31st 202