So much value is ascribed to human life. This is so because life is generally regarded as a precious gift to humanity, which should be cherished and protected, as failure to cherish and protect life will bring about the inevitable extinction of the entire human race. Abortion is one of the numerous contemporary issues that undermine the sanctity and value of human life; for it involves terminating a pregnancy by removing a fetus or embryo before it can survive independent of (...) the uterus, or killing the fetus inside the uterus. The issue of abortion is highly controversial; for while some individuals permit it, some others condemn it totally, as evident in the 'pro-life' versus 'pro-choice' controversy. 'Pro-life' advocates condemn abortion because it is an outright disrespect for the dignity and value of human life, and hold that there should be sustained discussions on it, to expose its danger and fatal consequences. 'Pro-choice' advocates are simply indifferent to the issue of abortion; for them, getting involved in abortion is a matter of choice for an individual - that is, one is at liberty to accept or reject abortion so that in the final analysis, abortion should not be an issue for discussion. This article explores several arguments and bioethical concerns on abortion, approaches to the issue of abortion, and Nigeria's abortion provisions, which are evident in the Criminal and Penal Codes, respectively. Ultimately, this article recommends that beyond merely stating punishments for those involved in abortion, the following should be done: (a) Correcting the disparity between the Criminal and Penal Codes by ensuring that both Codes have the same penalty stated, or completely reducing them into a single Code that will be applied across the country, (b) Modifying the Criminal and Penal Codes by including information that will serve the purpose of educating Nigerians on the bioethical issues associated with abortion, and (c) Designating a body charged with ensuring compliance with and implementation of the abortion laws. (shrink)

Although Africa is endowed with rich human and natural resources, it is arguably the poorest continent in the world. Blessed with a diversity of rich cultural heritage and tradition, it is bedeviled by a lost identity and existential integrity. This is not unconnected with its experiences of colonisation, slavery, racism, and western imperial domination, which displaced several established traditional structures in Africa. For instance, African cultures, customs, traditions, beliefs, world-views, values, languages, religions, lifestyles, political systems, and others, were distorted and (...) subjugated. Western colonisers and imperialists justify their actions by claiming that Africa was a dark continent with nothing substantial to contribute to global development prior to their intervention, and arguing that Africans were illogical, and primitive, with infantile mentality. Contrary to this claim that is untrue, the distortion and subjugation of African cultures and ways by the West is largely responsible for the loss of its identity and existential integrity. To halt and reverse this situation, several African scholars, such as Leopold Sedar Sénghor and Julius Nyerere, have made efforts to rediscover the African heritage. This paper critically explores Sénghor’s Negritude and Nyerere’s Ujamaa (African socialism), with the aim of finding an intersection between them and drawing a roadmap towards the restoration of Africa’s identity and existential integrity. Both ideologies emphasise pride in African identity, communalism, and cultural uniqueness while rejecting the Eurocentric myth of African inferiority. Sénghor and Nyerere advocate for a return to Africa’s pre-colonial values, where communal solidarity, respect, and autonomy prevailed. This paper argues that the convergence of Negritude and Ujamaa provides a joint roadmap for restoring Africa’s sense of self, highlighting the importance of unity, equality, and cultural resurgence as essential elements for Africa’s development in the modern world. (shrink)

This study analyzed consumers' preferences for local textiles, specifically Tie-dye and Batik, in the Itoku Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Itoku markets were purposefully selected due to their high sales of Adire and Batik. One hundred and fifty respondents were randomly selected from two markets in Itoku. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means. T-test was used to analyze differences in preference between tie-dye and batik. The results (t = -7.97, (...) P = 0.003) showed a significant difference in consumers' attitudes towards tie-dye and batik. It was also found that the factors influencing consumers' preferences significantly affected both Adire and Batik (t = -4.11, P = 0.001). Further analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in the factors responsible for consumers' preferences between tie-dye and batik (t = 0.008, P = 0.940). Thus, a good number of the respondents preferred tie-dye to batik, just as there were a good number of them who also preferred batik to tie-dye, regardless of factors such as aesthetic values, design patterns, color combinations, durability, attractiveness, production cost, and selling prices. (shrink)