Africa Research Articles

Ethno-Cultural Associations as Shadow States: The Case of Ijebu Province in Western Nigeria, 1900-1960

Extant scholarly works on ethno-cultural associations (ECAs) have done little to provide a robust historical perspective on their roles in community development of British colonies in continental Africa. Thus, this paper is an attempt to fill the gap in the body of knowledge on ethno-cultural associations in colonial Africa with specific reference to Ijebu province in Western Nigeria. The study is aimed at providing a critical historical discourse on the social, economic and political roles of ethno-cultural associations in colonial Ijebu province of Western Nigeria. The study utilises primary and secondary sources. While archival materials and oral interviews provide the primary data in this discourse, books, journal articles and newspaper reports are explored as secondary data. The study found out that the efforts made by the ECAs through several strategies in colonial Ijebuland brought about meaningful development at the community level. We also found out that the ECAs represented indigenous organizational structures developed by the Ijebu people and functioned as community-wide forums for problem identification and prioritization, social and financial resource mobilization and development project implementation at the community level in colonial Ijebu province of Western Nigeria. The study concludes among other things that the ECAs were more or less shadow states and that their efforts must be seen against the background of the failure of the colonial state and the Ijebu Native Administration between 1900 and 1960.

BEYOND BORDERS: UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIETAL AND POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF MIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION IN INDIA

India has been a significant source of human resources for many countries. However, it has also emerged as a destination for migrants from the African continent and neighboring Asian countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, seeking education and work opportunities. However, this influx of migrants and immigrants has led to various social problems and political challenges that require urgent policy attention. Within the host country, immigrants often face unfavorable conditions, uncertainty, and instability. The social problems resulting from migration and immigration in India encompass poverty, acculturation, education, housing, employment, social adjustment, and family difficulties. These challenges demand a comprehensive understanding and effective policy measures. In addition to the social issues, immigration and migration have significant political consequences. Questions arise regarding political inclusion, political liberties, effects on political stability, and potential implications for conflicts and wars. It is essential to address these political aspects to ensure a harmonious and sustainable social and political environment. This paper delves into a thorough analysis of the social problems and political challenges arising from immigration and migration within India. It takes into account both international immigration and internal migration, providing a holistic perspective on the issue. To tackle the identified social problems and political challenges, this paper proposes policy statements that prioritize the interests of all stakeholders involved, including the host country, the country of origin, local communities, and the immigrants and migrants themselves. The aim is to foster an inclusive and cooperative approach towards addressing these issues effectively.

Mount Faifa, a local hotspot of butterfly diversity (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

During four surveys in 2022 and 2023, we studied the butterfly fauna of Mt. Faifa at 25 locations situated mainly on the wooded north western side of the mountain. A total of 75 species were recorded, bringing the species count for the mountain to 82, which represents 65 % of the butterfly fauna of Saudi Arabia. Several rare species were recorded including Lepidochrysops haveni, which is reported in Saudi Arabia for the first time. Given the proximity of the African continent, widespread Pan-African species dominate the biogeographic composition. There are only a few montane species present on Mt. Faifa, and both mid-elevation maximum and a decline in butterfly richness towards the higher altitudes was noticeable. This mountain could be considered a hot spot of butterfly diversity, thus some efforts should be made to preserve the remaining woodlands and other butterfly-rich habitats.

The Russian Diaspora in Africa. History and Modernity

The article is devoted to the history of the Russian diaspora on the African continent. Russia is a country with a relatively long emigration tradition. Having taken on a massive scale at the end of the XIX century, emigration from Russia continues to this day, representing a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has always had a great impact on the life of Russian society, regardless of the position that the state authorities took in relation to it at one time or another in history. The article traces its formation at different stages – from its inception at the beginning of the twentieth century to the middle of the twentieth century, marked by the beginning of the national liberation struggle of African peoples for their independence. An independent section of the article is devoted to the current state of the Russian Diaspora in the countries of the African continent., which highlights the problems of the formation of the Russian Diaspora at the present stage, comprehensively analyzes the civil and socio–cultural characteristics of the female Russian contingent - the main source of replenishment of the Russian Diaspora in modern Africa, the specifics of this group of compatriots and their descendants from Afro- Russian marriages de jure and de facto, its role in the social and cultural life of recipient countries and relations with the historical homeland. the unique potential of the “soft power” of the Russian Federation, concluded in its interaction with Russian-speaking communities on the African continent.

The Case for Pre-Emptive Pharmacogenetic Screening in South Africa.

Lack of equitable representation of global genetic diversity has hampered the implementation of genomic medicine in under-represented populations, including those on the African continent. Data from the multi-national Pre-emptive Pharmacogenomic Testing for Preventing Adverse Drug Reactions (PREPARE) study suggest that genotype guidance for prescriptions reduced the incidence of clinically relevant adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by 30%. In this study, hospital dispensary trends from a tertiary South African (SA) hospital (Steve Biko Academic Hospital; SBAH) were compared with the drugs monitored in the PREPARE study. Dispensary data on 29 drugs from the PREPARE study accounted for ~10% of total prescriptions and ~9% of the total expenditure at SBAH. VigiLyze data from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority were interrogated for local ADRs related to these drugs; 27 were listed as being suspected, concomitant, or interacting in ADR reports. Furthermore, a comparison of pharmacogene allele frequencies between African and European populations was used to frame the potential impact of pre-emptive pharmacogenetic screening in SA. Enumerating the benefit of pre-emptive pharmacogenetic screening in SA will only be possible once we initiate its full application. However, regional genomic diversity, disease burden, and first-line treatment options could be harnessed to target stratified PGx today.

The future of access to private archives? Public–private partnership in South African archives

Purpose This study aims to assess the role of the National Archives of South Africa (NARSSA) in promoting the preservation and management of private archives. Design/methodology/approach This study used the qualitative method, and data was collected through unstructured questionnaires and interviews. In addition, purposive sampling was used to collect data from the selected archivist. Findings The study found that the NARSSA raised awareness on the preservation of private archives and is also in the process of reviewing the National Archives and Records Service Act 43 of 1996 to promote the preservation and management of private archives. The study also revealed that the role of the NARSSA in enforcing compliance with Section 14 of the National Archives and Records Service Act 43 of 1996 for the proper management and coordination of private archives was ineffective because of a lack of coordination, infrastructure, training and development. Research limitations/implications The qualitative data was obtained from three participants with the NARSSA and two selected from private archives. The sample is small to generalise results. The public–private cooperation in archives management is limited, and this is proved by the severely limited number of participants in the research. Furthermore, the private archive in this study is limited to the liberation movement archives institutions in South Africa. Practical implications This study could work as a stimulus for potential approaches to conduct further research on the possible kinds of cooperation between private–public archival organisations. Social implications The study is innovative, in that there are very few research investigations that focused on the cooperation between private and public archives in the African region and especially in South Africa. Originality/value The article makes a significant contribution to the area of private–public archival organisations, especially in South Africa. It will expand the knowledge on private–public archive cooperation and management in South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

Impact of Atlantic multidecadal variability on rainfall intensity distribution and timing of the West African monsoon

Abstract. Previous studies agree on an impact of the Atlantic multidecadal variability (AMV) on the total seasonal rainfall amounts over the Sahel. However, whether and how the AMV affects the distribution of rainfall or the timing of the West African monsoon is not well known. Here we seek to explore these impacts by analyzing daily rainfall outputs from climate model simulations with an idealized AMV forcing imposed in the North Atlantic, which is representative of the observed one. The setup follows a protocol largely consistent with the one proposed by the Component C of the Decadal Climate Prediction Project (DCPP-C). We start by evaluating model's performance in simulating precipitation, showing that models underestimate it over the Sahel, where the mean intensity is consistently smaller than observations. Conversely, models overestimate precipitation over the Guinea coast, where too many rainy days are simulated. In addition, most models underestimate the average length of the rainy season over the Sahel; some are due to a monsoon onset that is too late and others due to a cessation that is too early. In response to a persistent positive AMV pattern, models show an enhancement in total summer rainfall over continental West Africa, including the Sahel. Under a positive AMV phase, the number of wet days and the intensity of daily rainfall events are also enhanced over the Sahel. The former explains most of the changes in seasonal rainfall in the northern fringe, while the latter is more relevant in the southern region, where higher rainfall anomalies occur. This dominance is connected to the changes in the number of days per type of event; the frequency of both moderate and heavy events increases over the Sahel's northern fringe. Conversely, over the southern limit, it is mostly the frequency of heavy events which is enhanced, thus affecting the mean rainfall intensity there. Extreme rainfall events are also enhanced over the whole Sahel in response to a positive phase of the AMV. Over the Sahel, models with stronger negative biases in rainfall amounts compared to observations show weaker changes in response to AMV, suggesting that systematic biases could affect the simulated responses. The monsoon onset over the Sahel shows no clear response to AMV, while the demise tends to be delayed, and the overall length of the monsoon season enhanced between 2 and 5 d with the positive AMV pattern. The effect of AMV on the seasonality of the monsoon is more consistent to the west of 10∘ W, with all models showing a statistically significant earlier onset, later demise, and enhanced monsoon season with the positive phase of the AMV. Our results suggest a potential for the decadal prediction of changes in the intraseasonal characteristics of rainfall over the Sahel, including the occurrence of extreme events.

Identifying genetically redundant accessions in the world's largest cassava collection.

Crop diversity conserved in genebanks facilitates the development of superior varieties, improving yields, nutrition, adaptation to climate change and resilience against pests and diseases. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) plays a vital role in providing carbohydrates to approximately 500 million people in Africa and other continents. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) conserves the largest global cassava collection, housing 5,963 accessions of cultivated cassava and wild relatives within its genebank. Efficient genebank management requires identifying and eliminating genetic redundancy within collections. In this study, we optimized the identification of genetic redundancy in CIAT's cassava genebank, applying empirical distance thresholds, and using two types of molecular markers (single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and SilicoDArT) on 5,302 Manihot esculenta accessions. A series of quality filters were applied to select the most informative and high-quality markers and to exclude low-quality DNA samples. The analysis identified a total of 2,518 and 2,526 (47 percent) distinct genotypes represented by 1 to 87 accessions each, using SNP or SilicoDArT markers, respectively. A total of 2,776 (SNP) and 2,785 (SilicoDArT) accessions were part of accession clusters with up to 87 accessions. Comparing passport and historical characterization data, such as pulp color and leaf characteristic, we reviewed clusters of genetically redundant accessions. This study provides valuable guidance to genebank curators in defining minimum genetic-distance thresholds to assess redundancy within collections. It aids in identifying a subset of genetically distinct accessions, prioritizing collection management activities such as cryopreservation and provides insights for follow-up studies in the field, potentially leading to removal of duplicate accessions.

Exploring Theological and Biblical perspectives on wealth and poverty

The subject of wealth and poverty is one of the major themes in the JudeoChristian Scriptures. The continent of Africa is one of the regions hugely affected by poverty. As such, there is an ongoing discourse about the biblical view of wealth and how it may be used in tackling the canker of poverty. At one breath, our contemporary materialistic culture is seducing Christians to accept the idea that poverty is a curse from God, whilst on the other extreme, wealth is viewed as an impediment to entering the kingdom of God. While a complete eradication of poverty remains a formidable challenge, particularly in vulnerable contexts, there exists an opportunity for more concerted efforts to alleviate the plight of the impoverished. As a contribution to the scholarly discourse, this paper examined what the Bible reveals about wealth and poverty and made relevant theological deductions for African church in dealing with wealth and poverty. This is timely against the backdrop that the “centre of gravity” of Christianity is in Africa which makes it befitting to address the menace of poverty from the biblical standpoint. The paper conducted a theological study of relevant biblical passages. The fact that one’s wealth does not necessarily indicate their acceptance by God and the need to share material resources were emphasized. Though the authors had the African continent in mind, the paper also applies to other contexts which share Africa’s socio-economic realities.

Output – Inflation nexus in selected African countries: A GARCH-MIDAS approach

This study delves into the complex interplay between output growth and inflation volatility in 17 selected African countries to compare outcomes across different regions and socioeconomic settings on the African continent. The empirical analysis is carried out using the GARCH-MIDAS approach as this framework enables the use of combined data with mixed frequencies and allows the circumvention of the problem of information loss due to averaging of series. Our findings indicate that output growth plays a moderating role in taming inflation volatility in specific countries, while it does not hold the same significance in other sub-regions. These results emphasize the importance of region-specific policy strategies for effectively managing and addressing inflation fluctuations in diverse economic contexts. Also, the research observes the persistence of inflation volatility, albeit with a mean reverting tendency. Our robustness checks reveal output gap to predict inflation volatility with regional differences.

Opportunities, challenges and future perspectives of Geothermal Energy in Ethiopia: A Review

Ethiopia is among the East African regions with huge geothermal energy potential due to the presence of geologically active volcanic and hot spring-featured Rift Valley. However, geothermal energy is at its infant stage of utilization not only in Ethiopia but also in the continent of Africa and globally. Regionally, Kenya is the country with advanced extraction of it for electricity generation followed by Ethiopia in East Africa. Generation of electricity from this largely abundant energy resource has an enormous opportunity for societal and regional economic development though it is not an easy process due to the many challenges of the generation process. In this paper, geothermal energy in Ethiopia and the region, the opportunity, barriers with possible solutions, and future perspective are stated.

‘When Faith Is Not Enough’: Encounters between African Indigenous Religious Practices and Prophetic Pentecostal Movements in Zimbabwe

African Pentecostalism remains the fastest growing form of Christianity on the African continent. Scholarship on Zimbabwean Pentecostalism has noted how the emergence of New Pentecostal Movements (NPMs), specifically Prophetic Pentecostalism (PP), has increased this growth. Apart from other attracting factors, such as the Holy Spirit, claims of faith healing, deliverance and prophecy, among others, African Pentecostalism is known for its emphasis on faith as a major anchor of any Pentecostal Christian. Hebrews 11, with its emphasis on faith, is, therefore, a central scripture in this Christian tradition. However, the emergence of NPMs at the height of the Zimbabwean crisis from the year 2008 to the present, has challenged Zimbabwean Pentecostal Christians from their sole dependency on faith. The crisis called for much more than faith could stand on its own. Hence, NPMs responded to this need by infusing indigenous religious practices with biblical ones as a way of strengthening believers through the crisis. Prophetic Pentecostal Movements (PPMs) in Zimbabwe introduced touchable objects such as anointed towels, handkerchiefs, wrist bands, stickers, oils and even condoms. While this appears to be sophisticated syncretism, a critical analysis of the practices shows how steeped they are in the African indigenous religious worldview. This article, therefore, seeks to examine the religious encounters between indigenous African religious practices and Pentecostal practices as practiced in the NPMs in Zimbabwe. The focus of this paper is to establish the resilience of indigenous religious practices within a Christian tradition that claims to have totally broken from the past. It further argues that the fast growth of PPMs depends on the ‘Christianization’ of indigenous religious practices, which are presented to believers as ‘purely biblical’. This is largely a desktop research project in which secondary sources were used as sources of data.

The New Scramble for Africa

Abstract The relationship between Africa and the developed world has been a subject of much discussion over the years. Recently, however, there has been a lot of controversy around China’s activities in Africa. Several criticisms have arisen alleging the exploitation of Africa by China. This study set out to examine China’s activities on the African continent with a focus on Ghana and Ethiopia to clearly reveal the various sides of the argument and put them into perspective. The study also sought to establish whether a new scramble is occurring in Africa, with neocolonialist strategies. The study relied on the realist theory to understand China’s intentions regarding its activities on the continent and on neocolonialism to explore any incidence of a new scramble. Secondary sources were employed to collect data for analysis. The study found that although some of the activities of China on the continent were questionable, they have been partially beneficial to the continent. Africa is not as vulnerable as perceived but has the capacity to leverage some of its resources to foster its development.

Measuring palliative care integration in Malawi through service provision, access, and training indicators: the Waterloo Coalition Initiative

BackgroundFewer than 1 in 20 people on the African continent in need of palliative care receive it. Malawi is a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa that has yet to achieve advanced palliative care integration accompanied by unrestricted access to pain and symptom relieving palliative medicines. This paper studied the impact of Malawi’s Waterloo Coalition Initiative (WCI) – a local project promoting palliative care integration through service development, staff training, and increased service access.MethodsInterdisciplinary health professionals at 13 hospitals in southern Malawi were provided robust palliative care training over a 10-month period. We used a cross-sectional evaluation to measure palliative care integration based on 11 consensus-based indicators over a one-year period.Results92% of hospitals made significant progress in all 11 indicators. Specifically, there was a 69% increase in the number of dedicated palliative care rooms/clinics, a total of 253 staff trained across all hospitals (a 220% increase in the region), substantive increases in the number of patients receiving or assessed for palliative care, and the number of hospitals that maintained access to morphine or other opioid analgesics while increasing the proportion of referrals to hospice or other palliative care programs.ConclusionPalliative care is a component of universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goal 3. The WCI has made tremendous strides in establishing and integrating palliative care services in Malawi with notable progress across 11 project indicators, demonstrating that increased palliative care access is possible in severely resource-constrained settings through sustained models of partnership at the local level.

LYMPHY Review

In the livestock business, lumpy skin disease (LSD) results in significant financial losses. Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a member of the Poxviridae family, is the culprit. with the Neethling strain serving as the model. LSDV is a member of the Capripoxvirus genus, which also includes the sheep pox and goat pox viruses. Cattle are susceptible to the infectious, eruptive, and rarely fatal LSD illness, which is characterised by skin nodules. The only impacted animal species are cattle and water buffalo, which have significant morbidity rates but minimal death. Nonetheless, calf mortality rates are higher. LSD impairs the production of milk and beef, results in female miscarriages, and makes males sterile. LSD's origins can be traced back to 1929 in Zambia. Throughout the African continent, LSD is regarded as an endemic disease

Legal Implications of Judicial Independence on Implementation of Provisions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Nigeria

In this study, a legal examination of judiciary role in the implementation of human right protection decisions emanating from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights- African Commission (AC) - in Nigeria, was examined. It employs series of intricate factors including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the AC and Independence of the Judiciary. The research, which has its roots in historical contexts, highlights the challenges and legal difficulties that the Commission faces in carrying out its decisions. It examines the legal framework dictating the implementation process, drawing parallels between important decisions of the AC and the developmental journey of the Nigerian judicial system. The study looks at the main implementation issues and offers complex viewpoints on the difficulties encountered in accomplishing the goals of the Charter. It acknowledges that the African Commission on Human Rights (ACHPR) has the responsibility to promote and defend human rights throughout the continent of Africa; but, it finds that the ability and desire of national governments and institutions, particularly the judiciary, to carry out its functions determines effectiveness of the decisions. Even though the judiciary holds a position in ensuring implementation, there is setback due to inability to freely act as an independent body. The article gives special attention to the constitutional non-justiciability of socio-economic rights, which amongst others, is a major complication in ensuring adherence. The study recommends strategies to strengthen the network for ensuring compliance with the Commission’s decisions.

Epidemiology of Cefotaxime-Hydrolysing β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Children with Diarrhoea Reported Globally between 2012 and 2022.

The global spread of cefotaxime-hydrolysing β-lactamase (CTX-M)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) and its associated impact on paediatric diarrhoeal treatment and management has become a public health concern. This review assessed surveillance studies on CTX-M-producing E. coli associated with diarrhoea in children published between 2012 and 2022 globally. A total of thirty-eight studies were included for data analysis, categorised into continental regions, and tabulated. The majority (68%) of studies were conducted in Asian countries while few studies were conducted in Europe (11%) and Africa (18%), respectively. On the African continent, the majority (11%) of studies were conducted in Northern Africa while no studies were reported in East Africa. On the American continent, 3% of the studies were reported from South America. The studies included were classified into diarrheagenic E. coli (74%; 28/38) and faecal carriage (26%; 10/38). Of all the E. coli pathotypes associated with CTX-M production, EPEC was frequently reported. The prevalence of CTX-M-producing E. coli including the CTX-M-15-producing variants ranged between 1% and 94%. About 37% of the studies generalised the report as blaCTX-M-positive E. coli. The use of sequencing in characterising the CTX-M-producing E. coli was reported in only 32% of all the studies. This review provides information on the epidemiology of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli in paediatric diarrhoea and the extent to which surveillance is being performed. This is relevant in informing clinical practice for the management of diarrhoea as well as the design of future surveillance studies.

The Determinant Factors for the Adoption of IFRS in Africa

Many countries worldwide have converted local accounting standards to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Although most countries embraced the IFRS, only a few African countries adopted global accounting standards in their current form. This paper extends the literature by investigating potential factors influencing the adoption of IFRS on the African continent and contributes significantly to the current knowledge in the field. The study employs a panel data logistic regression using the random‑effects statistical estimation technique to compare African countries that adopted the IFRS to non‑adopting countries from 2005 to 2019. The findings suggest that culture, external pressure, investor protection, market capitalisation, and trade openness are the predicted springboards determining African countries’ decisions to adopt the IFRS. These findings provide valuable insight for standard‑setters, enabling them to effectively promote the IFRS among African countries that have not adopted the IFRS in their current form.

Examining the Role of Social Determinants of Health and COVID-19 Risk in 28 African Countries

While the impact of the pandemic has varied between and within countries, there are few published data on the relationship between social determinants of health (SDoH) and COVID-19 in Africa. This ecological cross-sectional study examines the relationship between COVID-19 risk and SDoH among 28 African countries. Included were countries with a recent demographic and health survey (years 2010 to 2018). The response variables were COVID-19 case rates and death rates (reported as of 15 August 2020); and the covariates comprised eight broad topics common to multiple SDoH frameworks aggregated to the country level: geography (urban residence), wealth index, education, employment, crowding, and access to information. A negative binomial regression was used to assess the association between aspects of SDoH and COVID-19 outcomes. Our analysis indicated that 1 in 4 (25.1%) households in study countries are without safe and clean water and a space for handwashing. The odds of COVID-19 morbidity and deaths were higher in countries with a high proportion of households without access to safe and clean water. Having a high proportional of educated women (1.003: 95% CI, 1.001–1.005) and living in a less crowded home (0.959: 95% CI, 0.920–1.000) were negatively associated with COVID-19 deaths, while being insured and owning a mobile phone predicted illness. Overall, aspects of SDoH contribute either negatively or positively to COVID-19 outcomes. Thus, addressing economic and environmental SDoH is critical for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and re-emerging diseases on the African continent.

Cooperation of the People’s Republic of China With Countries of the African Continent in the Military Sphere

The purpose of the research paper is to investigate the collaboration between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and African nations in the military domain, examining the impact of ideological, socio-economic, international, and other elements.
 Scientific novelty. Based on documents and historiographical materials, the study analyzes the stages of development, characteristics, and content of the PRC’s military cooperation with African countries.
 Conclusions. The PRC’s with African countries has gone through a long and complex path. The first stage (late 1950s – mid-1970s) coincided with the rise of national liberation struggles in Africa, and China’s involvement had an ideological character.
 The second stage, (late 1970s – 1990s) witnessed a transition to commercialization, but faced limitations due to resource constraints, low-quality weaponry, and concerns about relations with Western investors. However, cooperation with Western corporations to modernize the military-industrial complex and develop new weapons was disrupted by the events in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Instead, cooperation with Russia in the defense field intensified, which allowed China to update the military-industrial complex and develop new weapons systems. However, due to their low quality, they did not stand up to competition, particularly in the African arms market. From the mid-1990s, China involved European and American corporations in modernization process, under the condition of potential export opportunities.
 The third stage of cooperation began in the early 2000s and continues to this day. China has significantly expanded its military cooperation with African countries through various military training programs, participation in international arms exhibitions, arms loans, military equipment sales, and involvement in UN peacekeeping missions. Deepening military cooperation strengthens China’s position in Africa and increases its competitive advantage not only in the African arms market.