Employment, Motherhood and Wellbeing: A Discourse on the Trio within Public Organisations in Southwest Nigeria

African women in public service experience some issues in their bid to juggle between their jobs and parenting; however, not much is available within the literature to explain these dynamics. This study seeks to document this by understanding their experiences, the coping strategies adopted and the implications on the respondents’ wellbeing and that of their children. For quantitative data, a total number of one hundred and sixty questionnaires were purposively administered to mothers with infants working within the selected organizations and complemented with twenty in-depth interview schedules. Findings: a majority (40.0 percent) of the respondents were aged 31-40 years. About 73.0 percent claimed their challenges include how to combine paid employment with motherhood while 26 .9 percent attributed it to finance. Respondents mentioned that their children experience diarrhoea and malaria (22.2 percent), loss of appetite and weakness (23.1 percent) while they are away to work. On the part of the mothers, 62.3 percent claimed that their major challenges are stress and in ability to focus on their work. Respondents further argued that child spacing (7.5 percent) and support from husband (17.5 percent) are part of their coping mechanisms. Working mothers need a more conducive atmosphere for career development and parenting

Career advancement among workers in public and private organisations in Southwest Nigeria

Recent studies have argued that workers no longer enjoy upward mobility in their careers due to a number of challenges. However, little is understood regarding some of the factors responsible for this development. This study examined career advancement among workers in private and public organisations in southwest Nigeria. A total of ninety-six questionnaires were distributed among the same number of respondents at selected public and private organisations in Ado Ekiti. The study also used in-depth interviews to elicit qualitative information from a total of twelve adult male and female respondents. Results indicate that respondents feel they have not enjoyed the desired career advancement at their workplaces

Negotiating work risks and challenges of street vending among female youths in southwest Nigeria.

The need to negotiate the economic hurdles in the country coupled with the culture of peddling wares have pushed young female traders into street trade. This study investigated the experiences of these youngsters in terms of risks and abuse while performing their trading activities. This study adopted the use of quantitative and qualitative methods to elicit data from the respondents. For the quantitative, a total of 120 copies of questionnaires were distributed to the respondents selected through a 2 stage sampling techniques in Ado Ekiti metropolis, southwest Nigeria. For the qualitative, 6 in depth interviews coupled with 4 key informants interviews were used to complement the quantitative data. Finding revealed that a majority (76.7 percent) of the street traders were teenagers and they were in the trade based on the instruction of their parent/guardians. Further, the majority (90.0 percent) of the respondents were aware of the risks involved in the trade. Verbal and physical abuse constitute a part of their experiences in the trade and verbal abuse was often used to force them into sexual intercourse. As regards how they handled the risks and abuse, majority discussed with friends on the trade while on the long run they adjust by keeping quiet regarding their experiences while on the trade. However, IDI revealed that quite a number of them have adjusted to the experiences and may not be willing to share their experiences if not under pressure. Averting the risks associated with street trade might be challenging considering the attitude of the victims and their significant others regarding how they handle these risks and abuse

Interrogating Youths’ Involvement in Politics and Implications on Violence in Nigeria

Protests, whether violent or non-violent are part of the instruments deployed by youths to express their dissatisfaction with poor governance and non-inclusion in decision-making in Nigeria. To the youths, their relevance in politics seems to begin during election and terminates as soon as elections are over. Changing this narrative becomes critical for these youths in order to enable them to utilise their potentials and contribute to national development. This scenario raises a number of questions: what have been the activities of youths within political spaces and decision-making over the years? Are they involved or excluded and why? The present article interrogates these and other issues and makes suggestions on how youths’ potentials in Nigeria can be properly harnessed, developed and utilised for the benefits of both youths and the citizenry as a whole

Employment, Motherhood and Wellbeing: A Discourse on the Trio within Public Organisations in Southwest Nigeria

African women in public service experience some issues in their bid to juggle between their jobs and parenting; however, not much is available within the literature to explain these dynamics. This study seeks to document this by understanding their experiences, the coping strategies adopted and the implications on the respondents’ wellbeing and that of their children. For quantitative data, a total number of one hundred and sixty questionnaires were purposively administered to mothers with infants working within the selected organizations and complemented with twenty in-depth interview schedules. Findings: a majority (40.0 percent) of the respondents were aged 31-40 years. About 73.0 percent claimed their challenges include how to combine paid employment with motherhood while 26 .9 percent attributed it to finance. Respondents mentioned that their children experience diarrhoea and malaria (22.2 percent), loss of appetite and weakness (23.1 percent) while they are away to work. On the part of the mothers, 62.3 percent claimed that their major challenges are stress and in ability to focus on their work. Respondents further argued that child spacing (7.5 percent) and support from husband (17.5 percent) are part of their coping mechanisms. Working mothers need a more conducive atmosphere for career development and parenting

Interrogating Youths’ Involvement in Politics and Implications on Violence in Nigeria

Protests, whether violent or non-violent are part of the instruments deployed by youths to express their dissatisfaction with poor governance and non-inclusion in decision-making in Nigeria. To the youths, their relevance in politics seems to begin during election and terminates as soon as elections are over. Changing this narrative becomes critical for these youths in order to enable them to utilise their potentials and contribute to national development. This scenario raises a number of questions: what have been the activities of youths within political spaces and decision-making over the years? Are they involved or excluded and why? The present article interrogates these and other issues and makes suggestions on how youths’ potentials in Nigeria can be properly harnessed, developed and utilised for the benefits of both youths and the citizenry as a whole

Negotiating work risks and challenges of street vending among female youths in southwest Nigeria.

The need to negotiate the economic hurdles in the country coupled with the culture of peddling wares have pushed young female traders into street trade. This study investigated the experiences of these youngsters in terms of risks and abuse while performing their trading activities. This study adopted the use of quantitative and qualitative methods to elicit data from the respondents. For the quantitative, a total of 120 copies of questionnaires were distributed to the respondents selected through a 2 stage sampling techniques in Ado Ekiti metropolis, southwest Nigeria. For the qualitative, 6 in depth interviews coupled with 4 key informants interviews were used to complement the quantitative data. Finding revealed that a majority (76.7 percent) of the street traders were teenagers and they were in the trade based on the instruction of their parent/guardians. Further, the majority (90.0 percent) of the respondents were aware of the risks involved in the trade. Verbal and physical abuse constitute a part of their experiences in the trade and verbal abuse was often used to force them into sexual intercourse. As regards how they handled the risks and abuse, majority discussed with friends on the trade while on the long run they adjust by keeping quiet regarding their experiences while on the trade. However, IDI revealed that quite a number of them have adjusted to the experiences and may not be willing to share their experiences if not under pressure. Averting the risks associated with street trade might be challenging considering the attitude of the victims and their significant others regarding how they handle these risks and abuse

Urban youth patrons of improvised viewing centers in Southwest Nigeria

The need for entertainment and leisure among youths more especially as it relates to European football matches in Nigeria necessitated the establishment of football viewing centres to cater for their needs. While this can be seen as a welcome development, it also raises questions about the youths who come to watch European football matches within the halls. Apart from watching European league matches, what other forms of social relationships are created and recreated in these viewing centres? Indeed, what kinds of youth subculture are produced? In what ways have their subculture impacted on them as youths, other youths and the wider society as a whole. This study therefore seeks to answer these research questions in a study to be conducted in Ado Ekiti south west nigeria