Nigerian widows on screen: Reflections on a changing landscape

The welfare of African widows has generated a significant amount of research within the past twenty years, mainly from Nigerian scholars having an insider’s knowledge of these practices, with female scholars often taking the lead. Recent years have seen scholars’ concerns spill over to the public arena, with a growing number of voices challenging long-established traditions associated with widowhood. This article briefly surveys the development of studies on this issue, focusing on Igboland, a linguistic and cultural area in southeastern Nigeria. It shows how these concerns have found their way into Nollywood films, considers the evolution of storylines and explores their links with societal trends, analyzing sixteen films produced between 1998 and 2013

Soil Erosion Control and Damage Costs in Nigerian Small Farms: Implications for Farm Growth and Sustainability

In Nigeria 90% of the agricultural primary produce is in the hands of small holders cultivating between 0.8-4 hectares. Farm size expansion is limited by population pressure, land fragmentation, poor market opportunities and lack of finance. This article presents estimates of soil erosion control(SEC) and soil erosion damage costs (SEDC) in small farmers' fields in Nigeria and examines the contents and direction of the country’s agriculture and environment policies vis-à-vis the SEC among small farmers. It was found that 24% of the farmers’ spending on tillage/cultural practices was directed at the institution of SEC measures, and that SEC-related defensive expenditures was 3.7 times more than the estimated SEDCs. The capacity of small farmers to respond to soil degradation is severely limited. Most SEC measures deployed derive from non-tradable inputs blurred by incomplete/missing markets for environmental assets. Yet farm development and environmental policies in Nigeria have dwelt on supply-side interventions based on marketable inputs, and have been largely ineffective. Policy and institutional reforms are needed to increase and focus support to farmers to increase defensive expenditures for SEC.Soil erosion, damage costs, farm growth, Environmental Economics and Policy, Production Economics,

Traditional methods of preserving dead human bodies in Southeastern Nigeria

Traditional methods of preserving dead human bodies have been of immense importance in many societies. This practice has been sustained for thousands of years for cultural, religious and socio-environmental reasons. Although there is dearth of literature on the preservation of dead bodies in Nigeria, ethnographic evidences revealed that the tradition is still practised in parts of Igboland. This paper examines the traditional methods employed by the people of Southeast Nigeria in preserving dead human bodies and argues that the tradition can be harnessed for cultural tourism, while promoting the culture of the people

Evaluation of gully erosion sites inselected rainforest and derived savannah ecosystem in Abia State, south east Nigeria

A study of gully erosion sites in selected Rainforest and derived savannah ecosystem was undertaking. Two single factor experiments in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications were utilized separately to determine the dimensions of gullies in erosion sites. Result revealed that gully dimension in rainforest area of Abia State were highest in length in Ahiaeke Ntigbu at 1436.67m and lowest in Ossah Ibeku at 400m, width were highest in Amigbo Ubakala at 52m and lowest at 30m, depth were highest inAmigbo Ubakala at 31.67m and lowest in Ossah Ibeku at 16m. In derived savannah were seen highest in lentgh in Oruruala Amayi at 1450m and lowest in Amaekpu at 440m,width were highest in Oruruala Amayi at 92m and lowest in Akanu at 31.67m and depth were highest Oruruala Amayiin 33.33m and lowest in Akanu at 18.33m. Result of the study revealed gully erosion are more active in derived savannah area than the rainforest area of Abia State due to the type of soil in the region. Observation revealed that soil erosion in some communities was aggravated by human activities, such as deforestation and bush burning/removal of vegetation cover, mining activities, urban development and sand excavation. This problem is affecting the development because infrastructures such as houses, roads and many others are being destroyed yearly and this in turn constitutes an environmental menace. The services of competent professionals for design, construction and supervision of erosion control and soil conservation measures should be ensured and utilized.Keywords: Soil degradation, Soil erosion, rainforest, derived savanna

Analysis Of Rainfall Distribution In Owerri And Enugu, Nigeria Using Precipitation Concentration Index

The precipitation concentration index (PCI) of Owerri and Enugu for 1974 to 2011 was computed to characterise the rainfall distribution for both locations. The PCI was estimated on an annual and seasonal scale. The seasonal estimation was based on the categorisation of the seasons in eastern Nigeria into long wet season, short wet season, short dry season and dry season. The results of the PCI computed for Owerri showed that 87% of the years for which annual PCI was computed fell within the moderate concentration category range, while for Enugu 71% of the years fell within the moderate concentration category. For the long wet season for the study period, 74% and 66% of the years fell within the uniform precipitation concentration category at Owerri and Enugu, respectively, while 13% of the years at Owerri, and 16% of the years at Enugu fell within the moderate precipitation category. The varying degrees of precipitation concentration as indicated by the study implies that effective management of water resources and agriculture, and the control of erosion in the study locations might be more difficult to achieve under the prevailing climatic conditions.Key Words: Precipitation Concentration Index; Owerri, Enugu, Rainfall; Variabilit

Granite Mining Operations in Umuelema Land, Amata-Village, Community, Ishiagu 1950-2010

Granite mining operations took place in some parts of Ishiagu community in the colonial and part of the post-colonial eras before the Nigerian civil war 1967-1970. The villages involved were Amonye and Amaeze village communities. The agencies of government that carried out the operation were the Nigeria Railway Corporation and the Nigeria Army Engineers. Mining activities commenced in the large expanse of land belonging to Umuelema kindred, Amata village, Ishiagu in the 1950s but increased in tempo in the 1970s following the end of the Nigeria civil war in 1970s. The war had some devastating effects on parts of the Nigerian nation, particularly Igboland which was a war theatre where virtually the entire infrastructural developments of the pre-civil war society came to the ruins. Availability of granite stones in our area of study attracted various categories of miners to the land. Labour was sourced from within and outside Ishiagu. Land lease agreements were entered into by each miner or groups of miners (leasee) and (the land owner leasers). Each party benefitted from the enterprise due to its lucrative nature. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-10-04 Publication date:May 31st 202

Traditional Methods of Preserving Dead Human Bodies in Southeastern Nigeria

Traditional methods of preserving dead human bodies have been of immense importance in many societies. This practice has been sustained for thousands of years for cultural, religious and socio-environmental reasons. Although there is dearth of literature on the preservation of dead bodies in Nigeria, ethnographic evidences revealed that the tradition is still practised in parts of Igboland. This paper examines the traditional methods employed by the people of Southeast Nigeria in preserving dead human bodies and argues that the tradition can be harnessed for cultural tourism, while promoting the culture of the people. Key Words: Traditional preservation, Dead human bodies, Embalmment, Southeastern Nigeria

A Fictional X-ray of the Contemporary Society: a Study of Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s Trafficked

Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo is one of the contemporary writers who strongly affirm that a true fiction must aptly mirror the world of the writer. This, she vividly demonstrates in her Trafficked. Adimora-Ezeigbo got her  inspiration for the fiction from historical and contemporary facts. In our contemporary society, female  trafficking is on the increase. Many unpatriotic citizens indulge in the illegal deal which they see as a very  lucrative business. Unwary young women are lured into international sex trade with lots of tantalizing  promises that would eventually turn to illusions. Trafficking is frowned at in Nigeria, yet people are perpetually trafficked. In this research work, the researcher examines the novel in line with sociological approach so that the ills of human trafficking as it is a case in the contemporary society would be seen. The researcher believes that when the ills are exposed, there would be reformation

An Appraisal of Gully Erosion along River Ngaddabul Floodplain, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

The study focuses on appraisal of gully erosion along River Ngaddabul floodplain Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. The objectives were to examine the factors and processes influencing gully development. The data used were obtained through measurements of the parameters such as gully length, width and depth at four locations. Also examine were slope angles, relief and vegetation of the topography and mapping of the gully patterns. The data were subjected to laboratory and statistical analysis. The findings revealed that factors that influence gullying (process) along the floodplain are rainfall amount, runoff taking advantage of footpaths, wheeled-tracks and soil texture. It was also revealed that human activities such as sand mining contribute to gullying processes by influencing mass wasting processes like slumping through undermining of channel banks leading to caving as well as collapse of channels. The construction of new houses along the road due to population pressure accelerated the gullying processes. The River Ngaddabul annual floods also contribute towards gullying (processes) by deepening the channels, leading to the initiation of new gullies on the slopes. In view of these, the study recommends that drainage channel should be constructed in the gully affected areas to check the volume of runoff influencing gullying. Sand quarrying should be restricted to specific locations along the road in order to prevent further disfiguring of the Ngaddabul channel through undermining processes along the channel. Keywords: Floodplain, Runoff, Gully erosion, Gully pattern, Maiduguri