WOMEN AND ADULT EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: A PANACEA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Adult literaClJ and adult education are necessan; to ensure an enlightened government and citizenry, whose insights, activities and decisions are vital for the achievement of national goals and de-velopment. Education is one paramount yardstick often used to measure the development of any nation. Through education, relevant skills, knowledge and values are acquired by members of the society to enable them maximize their potentials in the ever changing ·world, but there is observed imbalance in the education of men and women in Nigeria. This is adduced to many reasons: cultural, economic, and religious factors among others. This paper therefore examines women in adult education from the point of view of the history, meaning, forms and objectives of adult education. The purpose of women's education and an assessment of their involvement in Adult education as a basis for Nigeria national development are equally examined and the paper concludes 1.vith suggestions for further study

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR WIDOWS : PATHWAYS FOR SUSTAINABLE GRASSROOT DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

This paper examines capacity building for widows and pathways for sustainable grass root development in Nigeria. The increasing number of widows with little or no means of capacity for economic empowerment at the grass root has become an acknowledged social problem in most developing societies like Nigeria. This paper argues the need for capacity building as an urgent step for attaining the needed sustainable national development for this segment of the population. The study relies on survey of942 widows across sixAwori communities, in Ogun state, Nigeria. Using descriptive statistics, the result shows that, about 60 percent of the sampled population had no form of fbrmal or informal education. Thus, they live in abject poverty. This paper recommends the need for both government and Non Governmental Organizations (NGO's) to drive capacity building through formal and Non-formal education, to enable widows especially at the grass root maximize their potentials in the ever changing world

Policy Response to Widowhood Rites among the Awori of Ogun State, Nigeria

This paper examines policy response to widowhood rites among the Awori of Ogun State, south west, Nigeria. The paper argues that widows form a significant proportion of the Awori population, yet, much is not known about their plight nor policy response to the practice of widowhood rites and its associated challenges among the study group. The paper examines the situational analysis of widows and existing widowhood practices. it identifies economic and psychological challenges faced by the widows with a view to suggesting the way forward. The functional theory serves as a guide for the sociological view point in this paper. The study rely on data from both quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (In-depth Interviews- IDI's) sources. It concludes with a critical examination of existing gender policies and response to widowhood rites in the Awori context

Women, Culture, Tourism And National Development In Nigeria

In spite of' the abundant cultural resources, Nigerian leaders seem not to realise their value and apply same to evolve viable tourist industries with monetary gains for the count1y Unlike in Europe, Asia and Australia where, culture and tourism sector account for huge income to execute national projects and as viable source of employment generation, much is yet to be achieved to enable Nigeria tap her widespread tourism potentials maximally. The aim of this paper is to define and classify the various forms of tourism, which can be explored for positive advantage. In addition, the ecotourism potentials of Nigeria, problems and prospects from the point of view of culture, women and the role ofmass media in harnessing tourism for national development are examined. It concludes with some suggestions on the way fOrward in terms of measures required to redefine culture, tourism and Nigeria's much needed national development

RELIGION AND WIDOWHOOD PRACTICES IN A WORILAND: KEY ISSUES AND LESSONS FOR POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS

This paper examines the role of religion in widowhood practices among the Awori, a Yoruba sub-ethnic group located in Ado-Odo!Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State Southwestern Nigeria. Relying purely on data from primary sources: (Indepth Interview and questionnaire), the common religions among the Awori: Islam, Christianity and Traditional religion were examined with a view to ascertain their influence on the widowhood practices observed by widows in the study area. Findings from 942 widows sampled using the purposive sampling method reveals that, religion occupy key roles in widowhood practice. Not only does religion influences the type and duration of widowhood practices, it serves as a coping strategy during the mourning period. It offers support for widows in cash and kind. On the basis of findings in the study, this paper recommends that, the posirive strengths of religion in widowhood practices should be harnessed for societal development

WOMEN, ENVIRONMENT AND FOOD PRODUCTION: THE CHALLENGE OF THE NIGER DELTA

This paper attempt to appraise the contributions of rural women to food production and the various challenges encountered in maximizing their potentials in the Niger Delta. It acknowledges the fact that despite women 's roles as natural home-makers, care-givers and cradle rockers, their place in food production cannot be over-looked. Their activities range from vegetable farming of all kinds to cassava and rice production. The women not only produce but also process, market and distribute farm produce to consumers either on a small, medium or large scale. Despite their huge presence and enormous contributions to the food sector, the poverty level of the rural women in the Niger Delta region is worrisome and calls for concern. The article adopts the political economy approach as a theoretical framework. It demonstrates that social, cultural, and physical environmental factors are major obstacles to women. The paper demonstrates that due to certain sociocultural inhibitions, women do not have access to land and credit facilities to enhance their maximum participation in food security thus the struggle continues. These environmental factors coupled with oil exploration activities in the region pose serious threats for food production and sustainability in the near future. The paper recommends strategies for overcoming the obstacles including the removal of socio-cultural inhibitions, new environmental laws to protect the rights of women and the active involvement of women in designing and implementing policies that directly affect them

RURAL WOMEN AND THE DEVELOPMENT QUESTION: ANY HOPE FOR NIGERIA IN THE 21sT CENTURY?

Nigeria's detachment from the apron's strings of the British government and her gallant entry into independence on October I" 1960 has much been celebrated. The aftermath of this epoch making event has no doubt birthed several reforms, policies and programmes aimed at transforming the lives of the citizenry. It is worrisome however that, nearly fifty (50) years after, th ere seem not to be any remarkable progress and desired transformations in view especially for the rural women who constitute a greater proportion of the population. Hunger, poverty, disease, ignorance and gender violence constitute the lot of these women. Against this backdrop, this paper appraises the plight of Nigeria's rural women, their-strategic roles in development and the militating factors impeding their economic empowerment from independence till date. It examines a few post-independence programmes targeted at uplifting women and why remarkable progress has not been achieved. The theoretical perspective adopted for article is the political economy theory, while data from secondary sources mainly, content analysis was utilized. The paper concludes with suggestions on urgent pragmatic steps and lessons for the way forward

DOMESTIC WORKERS AND CAREER WOMEN: THE DILEMMA OF FAMILY STABILITY

Sociological research Oil paid domestic work has inaeased' substantially in recent years. Domestic employment has also continued to be common in developing countries and some of today's most advanced societies are witnessing a resurgence· rather than a decline in such employment. Inspite of several policies on child right and widespread prohibition of child slavery by various nations to discourage the perpetuation of the illegal acts, domestic employment still thrives in various societies. While the girl child account for the greater proportion of domestic worker globally, career women are found to be massively involved in the employment of domestic workers in order to sustain their own participation in paid employment. lt is expedient to state that the issue of domestic work is a modem phenomenon. In a traditional family setting, the woman ran tne home in terms of domestic chores and child care but in contemporary times due to job mobility and the changing economy as ushered in by industrialization, the woman has also become a partaker ill breadwinning thereby necessitating the need for the employment of domestic worker. (It will not be out of place to state that the domestic worker is a necessary evil because of the various activities they engage in.) This paper sets out therefore to answer the following qitestions: who benefits in the tong, run? What is the future of the domestic worker in the home? Are career women not guilty of excess delegation of their duties? What danger does this pose for the offspring in the horne and the larger society? And what is the way out of this dilemma