Perspectives on African Rhythm and Dance in Onwueme’s Riot in Heaven

Studies in the life and works of the literary icon, Tess Onwueme has been manifolded. Her ideologies on gender and other topical issues have enjoyed academic patronage by scholars in the humanities with her works succinctly capturing the histories and cultural heritages of the African people. As pervasive as her works have been, there exists a relative lack in the capture of performative nuances of the African people. This writer thus undertakes a study on the different perspectives of African rhythm and dance in Onwueme’s Riot in Heaven. Through an enduring content analysis against the historicity of the play’s setting and a review of related literature, the writer arrived at findings which further reveal the creative ingenuity of Tess Onwueme. These include the utilization of aural, visual and psychological rhythms against the background of African dance forms. Aural rhythm is made manifest in vocal renditions like songs, instrumentations, hand clapping, shouts and chants. Visual rhythm which addresses the sense of sight is exemplified in the play by the use of ceremonial and social dances of worship, unity and protest; marches and procession as well the floor patterns and movements. Psychological rhythm which works in the remote reserves of the human mind is revealed through characterization as travellers and living deads. The ideas of coming and going, living and dying, death and rebirth, violent drum sounds and deafening gunshots create psychological rhythm in the minds of the readers. Onwueme has beautifully captured the African life and setting through rhythm and dance in Riot in Heaven. This study serves as a springboard for further researches on performance components of literary works

Molecular construction of HIV-gp120 discontinuous epitope mimics by assembly of cyclic peptides on an orthogonal alkyne functionalized TAC-scaffold

Mimics of discontinuous epitopes of for example bacterial or viral proteins may have considerable potential for the development of synthetic vaccines, especially if conserved epitopes can be mimicked. However, due to the structural complexity and size of discontinuous epitopes molecular construction of these mimics remains challeging. We present here a convergent route for the assembly of discontinuous epitope mimics by successive azide alkyne cycloaddition on an orthogonal alkyne functionalized scaffold. Here the synthesis of mimics of the HIV gp120 discontinuous epitope that interacts with the CD4 receptor is described. The resulting protein mimics are capable of inhibition of the gp120–CD4 interaction. The route is convergent, robust and should be applicable to other discontinuous epitopes

Female virginity and marital honour as vituous acts among the Ijaw people in Akpos Adesi’s Ebidein-ere

This paper attempts a critical analysis of some cultural practices of the Ijaw People in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria using Akpos Adesi‟s Ebidein-ere: The Village Belle. Focusing on the themes of virginity and heroism, the study reveals that the act of keeping virginity by maidens before marriage is seen as highly honourable act by families and community. The paper also emphasizes the need to recognize elders and heroes for a better society

Interrogating the feminine conception of the ‘supreme being’ as a religio-cultural practice among the Ijaw people of the Niger Delta

Culture which provides order and meaning to the social, political, economic, aesthetic and religious norms and modes, forms the basis of a people’s heritage and existence. Cultural expressions and religious manifestations engender the thought-process and development of societal values and behavioural traits, the world over. Although, several studies have been carried out on the Ijaw People of the Niger Delta, little attention has been devoted to their cultural practices and belief systems. This paper thus, interrogated the Ijaw People’s conception of the Supreme Being (God) as Feminine, which is reflective of their matrilineal lineage system. This is with the aim of bringing to the fore, the people’s cultural practice and religious belief that God is a woman and its manifestations in their communal existence.Keywords: God, Femininity, Religion, Culture, Ijaw People, Niger Delt

Autoethnography on teaching during a pandemic

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted and changed teaching strategies in a young adolescent science classroom and how the pandemic changed personal ideas around online learning. Prior research shows how online learning can be implemented successfully in collegiate classrooms, but it is rare to find research that shows how to successfully implement online learning in a young adolescent classroom. This point of view is from a rural, Iowa middle school standpoint and data was collected through the use of personal journals, emails, and a timeline from March 2020 and May 2020. After the analysis, it was found that converting from an in person to an online format took flexibility, teamwork, patience, and strong student teacher relationships

The role of livelihood, social capital, and market organization in shaping rural-urban interactions (post-print)

This chapter starts from the premise that economic actions can only be understood if looked upon as embedded in social structure. Therefore, it elaborates the concept of (sustainable) livelihood, which is taken to emanate from the interactions of actors with vital capitals. It argues that, in the context of globalization, livelihood becomes increasingly multidimensional and multilocal, spanning rural and urban areas at the same time. The chapter focuses on changing rural-urban linkages in West Africa, notably on the trade in maize, yam, and cattle in Benin. Expanding flows between rural areas and urban outlets are analysed against the background of the livelihood strategies of traders, paying special attention to trade organization, networks, entry modes, and accumulation paths. Emphasis is placed on the role of social capital in these interactions

Police Officers\u27 Perceptions of Changes in Their Behavior While Being Video Recorded

Body worn cameras (BWCs) are a newer piece of equipment that has been issued to police officers in efforts to increase transparency and improve relations with the community. Researchers who have just recently begun studying the effects of BWCs have observed changes in behavior of officers who wear the equipment. Some of these changes potentially have an adverse effect on citizens and the officers who wear BWCs. Lipsky\u27s street-level bureaucracy theory was utilized to examine police officer use of discretion when conducting field activities while wearing BWCs. The research question pertained to police officers\u27 perceptions regarding changes in behavior while being video recorded on duty. This study used generic qualitative inquiry to understand five police officers\u27 perceptions through individual semi structured interviews complemented by the responsive interview model. Themes that emerged consisted of implementation, personal harm, privacy, and behavior modification. Notable findings under the theme of implementation included lack of initial acceptance of the equipment followed by approval of the equipment after use; and that initial training of BWCs was deemed insufficient. In the personal harm theme, participants expressed concern over functionality of BWCs and that superiors possibly would use footage for punitive reasons. Minimal privacy issues for officers were discovered; however, use of BWCs in private residences was perceived by participants as a concern for citizens. The most significant behavior modification was increased professionalism. Implications for social change include improved officer and citizen safety and the delivery of more effective police services, improving relations with the community