Nigerian Girl Research Articles

I’m Still Nigerian: Navigating Race Through Digital Literacies

Literacy scholarship captures immigrant youth of color ethnoracial identity constructions through their digital literacy practices. Still, few studies examine how immigrant youth of African origin use digital literacy to navigate ethnoracial tensions and craft racialized identities. Drawing on raciolinguistic and postcolonial theory, this study extends and nuances existing scholarship by examining the digital literacy practices and ethnoracial identity formations of a 13-year-old Nigerian girl who migrated to the United States. Positioning my analysis within the intersection of race, language, and identity, I inquire: How does Isioma leverage digital literacies to navigate U.S. racialization and negotiate U.S. racial identity categories? Furthermore, how does Isioma employ digital literacies to construct and negotiate her ethnoracial identities? I employ a narrative analysis of home observations, semistructured interviews, and literacy artifacts. Findings illustrate how digital tools disrupt raciolinguistic perspectives against minoritized languages. Digital literacies also enable the preservation of ethnic identities and languages while influencing racialized and hybrid identity formation and narration in the physical world.

Ben Okri’s Eco-Imagination in Every Leaf a Hallelujah (2021): An Afropolitan Approach

There are possibly myriad approaches to an examination of Sir Ben Okri’s African folktale, Every Leaf a Hallelujah (2021), that sings the praises of Mother Nature’s ability to transform human nature. Premised on the phenomenology of the eco-imagination that adopts Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka’s Imaginatio Creatrix as the pivotal force of the genesis/ontopoiesis of human life and reality, coupled with Arne Naess’s notion of “deep ecology” that likewise emphasises the intrinsic interconnectedness of all lifeforms and geophysical features on Planet Earth, the discussion shows that Every Leaf a Hallelujah implicitly explores the developmental phenomenology of perception via Achille Mbembe’s notion of Afropolitanism. It does this through the agency of the innocent prescience of a small Nigerian girl child, the seven-year-old Mangoshi who is attuned to the choral voices of nature. Writing against the rift of the prevalent Western belief in a nature that is utilitarian or where nature serves human needs, this article is embedded in an African eco-critical imaginary that investigates the interrelationship between human nature and Mother Nature from an Afropolitan literary perspective in which there is a mythic conjunction between humans and nature, as well as art and science. Echoing Tymieniecka’s phenomenology of life and the human creative condition, the argument concludes that Every Leaf a Hallelujah represents a significant contribution to contemporary discourse on conservation for sustainability.

P10 New rash in a child of skin of colour

Abstract A 7 year old Nigerian girl was referred by Haematology to the Paediatric Dermatology team with “suspected eczema”. She had known sickle cell disease, for which she was on hydroxycarbamide, Mum reported an 8 month history of a new rash with no systemic features. She had marked indurated plaques on face, forehead and forearms which were associated with scarring and hyperpigmentation. She had a number of investigation including negative urine dipstick. ANA was positive with elevated RO and RNP antibodies. Inflammatory markers were normal. Skin biopsy results were consistent with discoid lupus erythematosus. Stringent photo protection and sun blocking creams were advised. She was commenced on potent topical steroids and hydroxychloroquine which is first line systemic treatment. Within 4 weeks of commencing hydroxychloroquine there was significant flattening of the plaques. She was referred to Paediatric Rheumatology for assessment, given her high risk features. Clinical features of DLE in children are similar to adult DLE in presentation and chronic course. However it is rare in children with less than 2% of patients developing DLE before 10 years of age. DLE tends to be more common and severe in skin of colour. There are complications of scarring and pigmentation. It is important to be aware of the psychological impact on both parent and child’s quality of life. There is high risk of transition to SLE in children with DLE and hence screening bloods and early referral to Rheumatology should be considered.

Premature Adrenarche in a 4 year Old Nigerian Girl: A Case Report with Review of Literature

Premature Adrenarche in a 4 year Old Nigerian Girl: A Case Report with Review of Literature

Duplicated left ectopic ureter with ureterovaginal fistula in a Nigerian girl

Duplicated left ectopic ureter with ureterovaginal fistula in a Nigerian girl

Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome with supraventricular tachycardia

Abstract Wolff–Parkinson–White (WPW) syndrome is a congenital abnormality of the cardiac conducting system. In the general population, its prevalence is 0.15%–0.3%, with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) being the most common rhythm disorder associated with it. SVT is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in children that requires therapy. It occurs because an accessory conduction pathway allows atrioventricular impulses to reenter the normal conduction pathway, thus completing a circuit that stimulates the atrium and ventricle at a rapid rate. Symptoms are nonspecific but could be life-threatening in infants, necessitating prompt intervention and prophylaxis. Cardioversion by pharmacologic or synchronized direct current (DC) is indicated in life-threatening or refractory arrhythmias. We report a 16-month-old Nigerian girl who had WPW syndrome and developed SVT that required synchronized DC cardioversion.

Sarcoma Botryoides of the Bladder in a Nigerian Child: A Case Report

Sarcoma botryoides of the bladder is a variant of the embryonal form of rhabdomyosarcoma that is characterized by protrusion of tumour cells and stroma into a body cavity like a bunch of grapes. Apart from the bladder, the embryonal form of this tumour can occur in other areas such as the vagina, nasopharynx, middle ear and common bile duct. One of its complications is obstruction of the bladder outlet, presenting as acute urinary retention and acute kidney injury. Pressure on the adjacent tissues and organs is also well recognized. It has an intermediate prognosis which depends on age, site and the extent of disease at diagnosis. We report a case of sarcoma botryoides in a 3-year-old Nigerian girl, confirmed by imaging and histology.

Vulva Haematoma following Sexual Assault in an Adolescent Nigerian Girl: A Case Report

Non-obstetric vulva haematomas are uncommon, with an incidence of 3.7% accounting for less than 1% of gynaecologic emergencies. Non-consensual sexual intercourse constitutes the most common aetiology. A 15-year-old adolescent Nigerian girl, who presented to the Gynaecologic Emergency Unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, with vulva haematoma following sexual assault, is presented. She had surgical management, screening and prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections, emergency contraception, and psychosocial therapy and was discharged after 24 hours, following an unremarkable postoperative period. This case is being reported to draw attention to the serious global public health problem of adolescent sexual abuse, highlight that though rare, vulva haematomas, which could be life-threatening, can be a complication of sexual assault, and review the literature on its management.

Acute Uterine Inversion Complicating Mid-Trimester Unsafe Abortion in a Teenage Nigerian Girl

Uterine inversion is a rare but life-threatening obstetric emergency, complicating 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 50,000 deliveries. Very rarely, this condition also complicates unsafe abortion. A case of acute complete (fourth-degree) uterine inversion, with gangrene of the uterus in an 18-year-old nulliparous girl who presented to the Gynaecologic Emergency Unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in hypovolemic shock from massive haemorrhage following unsafe mid-trimester termination of unwanted pregnancy is reported. She was adequately resuscitated, and a vaginal hysterectomy was performed. The patient was discharged following an uneventful postoperative period. This case highlights the consequences of the high unmet need for family planning and the restrictive abortion laws in Nigeria, limiting access to effective contraception and safe abortion services, thereby increasing the risk of maternal mortality and morbidity from complications of unsafe abortion

Yellow Fever and Hepatitis B Co-Infection in A Nigerian Girl with Acute Febrile Jaundice: A Case Report

Yellow fever is a lethal re-emerging viral disease transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes. It is largely endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, with high risk of widespread outbreak in an unimmunized population. Recent outbreaks have been reported in several states in Nigeria. Yellow fever causes an acute febrile jaundice which can be confused with several endemic diseases, particularly viral hepatotropic infections such as hepatitis B, emphasizing the need for surveillance of co-viral pathogens during outbreaks. We report a rare case of yellow fever with hepatitis B co-infection in a 15-year-old girl who was successfully managed in a tertiary hospital in South-East Nigeria.

An Analysis of Daily Trust Newspaper in The Promotion of Girl Child Education in Northern Nigeria

Girl child education has been a problem in most developing countries, Nigeria inclusive. The problem of the Nigerian girl child is the cultural web in which she is caught which makes it impossible for her to compete with her peers in the developed world. Various studies have shown that there is a strong link between girls’ literacy rates and religious and traditional misconceptions. As Nigeria is a very religious country, many of its citizens tend to live according to the holy writings, be it the Bible or Quran. That is why many households think that girls should not receive education in the same way boys do, if they receive it at all. The same can be said for traditions. Many people still live with a very traditionally biased view on life. According to this view, a girl should grow up to be a mother and a housewife. Why would she need education for that? Out of these reasons stems another one: gender discrimination. Girls are discriminated based on their gender both in their communities and in schools. Their achievements are not considered as significant as the boys’ achievements are. Women’s history is not taught at schools. Less attention is paid to educating girls on the topics of their bodies and their health. In line with this background, this research work was conducted to determine the role of the print media (Daily Trust Newspaper) in promoting the girl child education through its publicities and to what extent. Internet based method was used to gather data which were analysed using descriptive method and simple percentage. The population of the study is 391 weekly editions (educational stories) within 12 months (September 2020-October 2021). The findings revealed that educational issues are paid the least attention to in news coverage in Daily Trust Newspaper when compared to other issues. It was recommended among others that the print media should make conscious effort to ensure a wider and consistent coverage of educational issues to sensitise policy makers, and other stakeholders on the importance of girl child education as this will ensure the provision of solutions to problems affecting girl child education, promoting national development.

The Nigerian Girl Child and Reality of An Abusive Absurdity: A Reflection on Philosophy for Children in Higher Educational System

One of the social ills in contemporary Nigeria state is the abusive condition of the girl child. She has been abandoned, starved, beaten, enslaved and sexually molested by the society that ought to care about her but instead tames and guides her. Hence the paper attempts a social re-engineering process through philosophy for children dimension in higher education with a view to minimising, if not curbing, this ugly tragedy. The study employed both philosophical analysis and descriptive survey type. Philosophy for children is not an effort at teaching children the philosophical jargons but rather towards enablement of philosophical skills and its applications to questions of personal significance to the student. Findings revealed that the girl child abuse, though on the rise recently, but could be reversed where she is well trained in philosophical mindset at early age. Also, justice prevails when the abuse is timely reported to the law enforcement agents. Further, the establishment of victim-friendly court system would go a long way in facilitating quick dispensation of justice. Nevertheless, the vigorous pursue of ethical genuine poverty alleviation programmes would undoubtedly reduce the trend of the abuse in the society. The paper concluded that society should endeavour to nip the problem in the bud through conscientious philosophical guidance of Nigerian girl child at all time by all stakeholders. It is stated that the involvement of higher educational system will assist the parents, guardian, girl child, law enforcement agents, the law makers, the clinicians, the theoretician, the researcher and all other concerned with children’s welfare in such a way to shed light on a path of progress in decreasing and preventing this affront on our girl child in particular and children in general.

Erythema marginatum: an uncommon presentation of acute rheumatic fever in a Nigerian adolescent girl\u2014a case report

BackgroundErythema marginatum is an uncommon presentation in children with acute rheumatic fever and it is one of the major criteria needed to make a diagnosis. It is seen in less than 10% of cases. It is also reported to be difficult to detect in black-skinned children. This is the first and only patient to present with the above since the inception of the unit about 14 years ago and also the first to be reported in Nigeria as far as the authors are aware, after a careful literature search; hence, we report this case based on the rarity of this symptom of acute rheumatic fever.Case presentationThis is a case report of O.E, a 12-year-old Nigerian girl who presented with features of acute rheumatic fever, and these features included the rare manifestation of erythema marginatum. She presented with generalized skin eruptions on the trunk and extremities, sparing the face, migratory polyarthritis, features of congestive heart failure and high grade continuous fever. The skin lesions consisted of papules, patches, plaques and polycycles with a reticular pattern having serpiginous and raised borders. Diagnostic investigations revealed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 83mm/h, anti-streptolysin O titer of 2020IU/L and echocardiography which showed thickened mitral valves with grade II mitral regurgitation and a mild pulmonary artery hypertension. The patient was treated with anti-inflammatory and anti-failure drugs and commenced secondary prophylaxis with benzathine penicillin. Skin eruptions resolved within 3 weeks of management and are currently on follow up.ConclusionsWe present the above to increase awareness on the possibility of acute rheumatic fever presenting with erythema marginatum in our region, to encourage early diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever to reduce morbidity and mortality from its sequel, rheumatic heart disease.

Prejudice Nation: Hypersexualization and Abuse in Jude Dibia’s Unbridled

With the global #Metoo movement yet to arrive in Nigeria, Jude Dibia’s Unbridled reflects an emblematic moment for the underrepresented to occupy their stories and make their voices heard. The study analyzes patriarchy’s complicated relationship with the Nigerian girl child, significantly reviewing the inherent prejudices in patriarchy’s power hierarchies and how radical narratives explore taboo topics like incest and sexual violence. Contextualizing the concepts of hypersexualization and implicit bias to put in perspective how women, expected to be the gatekeepers of sex, are forced to navigate competing allegiances while remaining submissive and voiceless, the article probes the struggles of sexual victims and how hierarchies in a patriarchal society exacerbate their affliction through a culture of silence. Arguing that Dibia’s Unbridled confronts the narrative of silence in Nigerian fiction, the article explores ways the author empowers gender by challenging social values and traditional gender roles, underscoring gender dynamics and the problematic nature of prevalent bias against the feminine gender in Nigeria.

A RARE CASE OF BILATERAL CATARACTS AS THE FIRST MANIFESTATION OF TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS IN A 14 YEAR OLD NIGERIAN GIRL

Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) is made in some persons in the Ophthalmology clinic when they present with eye complaints. Cataract is a common DM ocular complication in clinical practice. The objective of this report is to draw attention to cataract which is usually seen in older persons but which could be the first manifestation of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children and adolescents. We report this first case of a teenage Nigerian girl with a diagnosis of bilateral cataract presenting as the first manifestation of type 1 diabetes. She was later referred to the endocrinologists because of severe hyperglycaemia. She was treated to achieve a good glycaemic control and had a successful surgery (cataract extraction) in both eyes. She is being followed up in both the Ophthalmology and Diabetes clinics. In conclusion, all patients presenting with cataracts irrespective of their ages must be screened for diabetes mellitus so that proactive measures can be put in place to prevent and manage other chronic complications of DM affecting the eyes and other organs. Conversely, all T1DM patients should be screened for cataract soon after diagnosis.

Exploration of the Impact of the COVID-19 on Girls Education in Nigeria

This article explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on girls education in Nigeria. COVID-19 raises concerns to every nationality and has thus made way to the continent of Africa, therein Nigeria. This pandemic has a significant gendered impact on children, especially girls being out of school. The vast majority of pupils affected by this pandemic are rural girls. Despite the fact that these rural girls from poor backgrounds are already marginalised, the pandemic has highly disadvantaged them in terms of access to education, limited provision of resources and infrastructure to ensure learning is taking place even at home. While some research was found to have been done on COVID-19, none was found specifically on rural girls and education in Nigeria. This paper utilised a secondary research methodology which involved reviewing and interpreting past data to explore the impact of this pandemic on the Nigerian girl child. Among other impacts, peer pressure temptations, sexual abuse, unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, and child exploitation were found to put girls at risk. The researchers were able to suggest possible interventions for the girl child’s education in the post COVID-19 era which include the reviewing of cultural practices and customs, making education fashionable, providing extra classes, establishing programmes and initiatives to empower women, and awareness against gender-based violence. This pandemic has drawn attention to the injustices girls live under; and if these interventions are put into practice, a better life for all can be assured.

A REPRESENTAÇÃO FEMININA NEGRA EM AMERICANAH, DE CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE ”“ IMAGENS CONTROLADORAS E OLHAR OPOSICIONAL

Este artigo busca analisar a representação negra feminina em Americanah, de Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Publicado em 2013, o romance conta a história de Ifemelu, garota nigeriana que vai morar nos EUA. Ifemelu se depara com uma série de dificuldades no novo país, entre elas a imagem da mulher negra neste país. A personagem percebe que existem diversas imagens controladoras ”“ termo utilizado por Patricia Hill Collins (2019) ”“ da mulher negra no imaginário dos Estados Unidos. Assim, Ifemelu passa a escrever em um blog a respeito de suas experiências e reflexões sobre o que é ser negra e africana naquele país. O ato de escrever configura parte da aquisição do olhar oposicional da personagem, conceito de Bell Hooks, que significa o olhar crítico e questionador perante os modelos de feminilidade impostos em segmentos da arte e da vida de mulheres negras. Abordando o enredo do romance, este artigo pretende, além de ressaltar obras como a de Adichie, que apresentam mulheres negras como protagonistas, apontar imagens controladoras, demonstrar possibilidades de modelos de feminilidade e estudar a aquisição do olhar oposicional como forma de resistência a padrões impostos por uma sociedade racista, machista e limitada em suas visões sobre o que é ser mulher.

Precocious puberty in a 24 month old Nigerian girl: case report

Precocious puberty refers to the appearance of signs of puberty at an earlier age than is considered normal. It occurs ten times more commonly in girls than in boys. The overall incidence ranged from 1/5000 to 1/10,000 children. The cause is idiopathic in 90% of cases of female precocious puberty. We present BA a 24 month old female toddler who presented with one year history of progressive breast development and 6 month history of pubic hair growth. There was associated increasing weight, height and vaginal secretion. There was no similar occurrence in the family. Mother attained menarche at 14 years of age. Essential finding at presentation revealed a toddler who is heavy and tall for age with a weight of 17kg (>95th percentile for age and sex), height of 90.5cm (90th percentile for age and sex), Occipito-frontal circumference of 49cm (normal). Her sexual maturityrating was Tanner stage 3 for breasts and stage 2 for pubic hair. An assessment of precocious puberty was made. Her investigation result showed an advanced bone age of 5 years; elevated serum gonadotrophins in the pubertal range; and essentially normal cranial CT. Abdomino-pelvic USS showed an enlarged uterus for age, and a dominant right follicle with internal echo measuring 17.1mm X 15.2mm. Parents were counseled on the need for treatment to arrest the progression of precocious puberty but yet to respond because of financial constraint after 2 years of diagnosis. Female precocious puberty is ten times more common than male precocious puberty. The aetiology is idiopathic in 90% of cases and It is amenable to treatment. Integration of the investigation and treatment of childhood endocrine disorders into the National Health Insurance scheme will be a great panacea to the challenge of prompt management in developing countries.
 Keywords: Precocious, puberty, 24 months old, female, idiopathic, poverty, Nigeria

Fatal Human Babesiosis in a Nine-Year Old Nigerian Girl

Background: Babesiosis is a rare emerging opportunistic disease in humans. It is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia and transmitted by Ixodid tick vector. It is often incidentally diagnosed because of its rarity but may be severe or fatal in presentation, particularly in immunocompromised hosts.
 Aim: To reportthe clinical presentationof a fatal case of human babesiosis in a nine-year old girlwith retroviral disease, in Sokoto, Northern Nigeria.
 Case Report: A nine-year old girl presented with a month history of unremitting fever, cough and weight loss, There was no history of contact with someone with chronic cough and no diarrhoea. She was diagnosed to have retroviral disease (RVD) at age of three (3) years consequent to her mother’s positive test but only the mother was on antiretroviral treatment, due to the claim that the child had remained healthy. Review of her blood film during third week of admission revealed characteristic tetrads (maltese-cross formation) pathognomonic of babesial infection. She was started on anti-babesial treatment with quinine and clindamycin. She succumbed to the illness within second week of anti-babesial treatment.
 Conclusion: This report suggested that babesiosis should be a high index of suspicion especially in immunocompromised patients with persistent fever.

Media and educational technology in Nigeria: Managing the broadcast programmes of Radio Nigeria Globe FM towards girl child education

This study was carried out in Shall and Yalwa village areas of Tafawa Balewa and Dass local government areas, respectively, in Bauchi state (Nigeria) with a strong view of determining the efficacy of media in education towards managing girl child issues in Nigeria. An intensive oral interview was employed in data collection from staff of Radio Nigeria Globe FM, as well as the students and staff of schools and the parents from both Shall and Yalwa villages. The study employed a survey design and utilized a documentary approach to obtain data. Descriptive statistics (means, frequency and percentages) and χ2were used in analysing the socio-economic characteristics of the stakeholders in girl child education. The results revealed that 91.2% of the responses hold the opinion that the strategies used by the Radio Nigeria GlobeFM to intervene in girl child education proffered unique and far-reaching benefits in educating the girl child to discover herself and associate with the right group of people, marry the right kind of men, make the right contributions and help men develop sustainable environment. The results also revealed that 61.8% of the responses hold the belief that Radio Nigeria GlobeFM programmes on the Nigerian girl child are much effective, educative and relevance. The study suggested that the adoption of educational technology strategies is a way forward to managing girl child education, which is a progressive approach in Nigeria, there by setting up booster stations and organise village rallies, discussion programmes with women as moderators to serve as role models for young girls, radio links programme to initiates talks with parents and other stakeholders, initiate kiddies programme fashioned after the likes of the world of children and finally strategies for career guidance.
 
 Keywords: Broadcast programme, educational technology, girl child, management, media.