A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE SPREAD OF ISLAM IN WEST AFRICA UNTIL 11TH CENTURY CE

Islam spread in the African continent in phases and in different ages. The process occurred through either expansion of Muslim power as in North Africa, or trading as happened in West Africa. Falola argued that the process of spreading Islam in West Africa generally occurred peacefully through trading and preaching. In that regard, the purpose of this article is to examine the process of spreading Islam in West Africa until the 11th century CE. On the whole, this article is a qualitative research using historical study and content analysis to gather and analyse information from relevant primary and secondary sources. Research findings argue that initial contact of Muslims with the West African region began since the century 1H/7CE. From this contact, Islam began to be introduced to the inhabitants of West Africa through trade from the 2H/8CE century. This research finds that at the end of 4H/10CE and early 5H/11CE centuries, Islam was accepted by the ruling class of West African kingdoms, such as the conversion of rulers of Kanem, Songhay, Takrur and Malal. However, there were also West African rulers who did not embrace Islam such as the ruler of Ghana. Nevertheless, Muslims who resided in their territories were well-treated. Later on, this helped to spread Islam in these territories.

Mothers Delivery Kit: Antenatal Care Innovation in West Africa

The Mothers Delivery Kit discusses an innovative healthcare package sold in the poor West African region to aid with the delivery of expectant mothers. The package combines various necessary items used for proper and hygienic delivery of the rural and remote mothers with the help of a local midwife or medical practitioner. Antenatal care in the region is poor due to lack of infrastructure and government funding in healthcare. The Mothers Delivery Kit addresses that issue by providing a cheap and hygienic alternative to conventional delivery methods. The kit has decreased newborn death in the region noticeably. The founders have worked closely with local midwives to train them and enable them to use the Mothers Delivery Kit properly to improve delivery conditions. Regardless of the setbacks caused by local traditional beliefs and culture, the kit has proven to be an active effort to improve delivery conditions.

Behind the Curtain of the Border Spectacle: Introducing ‘Illegal’ Movement and Racialized Profiling in the West African Region

The introduction of ‘illegal’ migration in West African countries represented a major conceptual policy shift for societies that were historically characterized by intra-regional free movement. However, this transformation went along with severe allegations of racialized profiling of undocumented migrants in many West African societies. De Genova’s concept of the ‘border spectacle’ describes how the presumed ‘illegality’ of migrants is made spectacularly visible in Europe, thus producing a criminalized and racialized portrayal of migrants. Nonetheless, this work argues that today’s illegalization through a racialized representation of migrants has been extended beyond Europe’s boundaries and behind the spectacle’s curtain towards countries of migration origin. Drawing on the cases of Mauritania and Mali, this paper considers their fundamentally opposite reaction to the introduction of ‘irregular’ movement and illustrates the inherent problematics of transferring the figure of a racialized migrant into the West African region. Particularly successful in countries with a history of ethnic conflicts, this process essentially externalized European border practices of racialized profiling. On the contrary, this analysis concludes that the presence of established patterns of regional movement and cross-border habits made it undesirable to either introduce the policy concept of ‘illegal’ migration or to adopt its potentially racialized portrayal.

Archaeology in the Public Space in Nigeria

Nigeria, with over 200 million people, covers an area of 923,768 km2 and it occupies the eastern section of the West African region (Figure 1). The regions of Nigeria have prehistoric sites spanning from the Early Stone Age through the Middle Stone Age, the Late Stone Age/Neolithic to the Iron Age and the beginning of urbanization. Several historic empires, states and polities developed within the geographical area now occupied by Nigeria and had left archaeological relics.

Constitutional Theories, International Legal Doctrines and Jurisprudential Foundation for State of Emergency

The conceptualisation of a state of emergency has emerged in the discourse of politics, international human rights and constitutional law as the most potent threat to the full realisation and implementation of constitutional and international human rights. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, state of emergency has become a tool for the violation of fundamental human rights not only in the West African region, but globally. This article seeks to examine the concept of state of emergency in international law and constitutional jurisprudence in order to understand whether recent claims of many governments declaring states of emergency can be justified. This article analyses and reviews the constitutional history of the use of state of emergency in Europe, United States and eventually three West Africa counties in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

First Investigative Study of Azole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus in the Environment in Burkina Faso

Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus (ARAF) strains have been reported on all continents, however, limited data exist on these strains in Africa, while several factors, mainly environmental ones, suggest their presence on this continent. This study aimed to assess the environmental prevalence of ARAF strains in Burkina Faso, a country situated in the West African region where data on ARAF is non-existent. In total, 120 environmental samples (soil) were collected and analyzed. Samples were screened for resistance using three azole-containing agar plates; one without azole antifungal (growth control) and two supplemented with either itraconazole (4 mg/L) or voriconazole (2 mg/L). The EUCAST susceptibility testing method was used to confirm the azole-resistant phenotype of A. fumigatus sensu-stricto isolates. Mutations in the cyp51A gene were determined by sequencing. Of the 120 samples, 51 positive samples showed growth of A. fumigatus isolates on control medium. One ARAF (2%; 1/51) isolate was found amongst A. fumigatus positive samples and harbored the F46Y/M172V/E427K cyp51A mutations. No TR34/L98H or TR46/Y121F/T289A mutations were observed. Our study described the first A. fumigatus isolate resistant to an azole antifungal in Burkina Faso.

Non-synonymous Substitutions in HIV-1 GAG Are Frequent in Epitopes Outside the Functionally Conserved Regions and Associated With Subtype Differences

In 2019, 38 million people lived with HIV-1 infection resulting in 690,000 deaths. Over 50% of this infection and its associated deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. The West African region is a known hotspot of the HIV-1 epidemic. There is a need to develop an HIV-1 vaccine if the HIV epidemic would be effectively controlled. Few protective cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL) epitopes within the HIV-1 GAG (HIV_gagconsv) have been previously identified to be functionally conserved among the HIV-1 M group. These epitopes are currently the focus of universal HIV-1 T cell-based vaccine studies. However, these epitopes’ phenotypic and genetic properties have not been observed in natural settings for HIV-1 strains circulating in the West African region. This information is critical as the usefulness of universal HIV-1 vaccines in the West African region depends on these epitopes’ occurrence in strains circulating in the area. This study describes non-synonymous substitutions within and without HIV_gagconsv genes isolated from 10 infected Nigerians at the early stages of HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, we analyzed these substitutions longitudinally in five infected individuals from the early stages of infection till after seroconversion. We identified three non-synonymous substitutions within HIV_gagconsv genes isolated from early HIV infected individuals. Fourteen and nineteen mutations outside the HIV_gagconsv were observed before and after seroconversion, respectively, while we found four mutations within the HIV_gagconsv. These substitutions include previously mapped CTL epitope immune escape mutants. CTL immune pressure likely leaves different footprints on HIV-1 GAG epitopes within and outside the HIV_gagconsv. This information is crucial for universal HIV-1 vaccine designs for use in the West African region.

A Decolonial Perspective on Boko Haram’s Campaign of Terror, Sources of Funding, Mobilisation Strategies and Major Attacks since 2009

In the West African region, one conflict that has ravaged the nations since 2009 is the Boko Haram Insurgency which is located in Nigeria. This Islamist group is indisputably the most dangerous group confronting Nigeria today with their violent activities ranging from political and socio-economic to security and governance aspects. Boko Haram has managed to wipe out thousands of Nigerians since its inception in 2009, with an attempt to take power from the legitimate government of Nigeria. Boko Haram’s ethnic, religious, and regional fault-lines do not only impact Nigeria but people beyond the borders of Nigeria. A quick review of the current ongoing scholarly debate on the activities of Boko Haram reveals that scholars have not paid much attention to the group’s funding, recruitment, and major attacks in combination for better apprehension when reading. In cases where such has been analysed, it has been individually analysed and most of these studies are five-ten years old. Hence, such information needs an update to remain relevant in cases where they are still poised to be relevant. Therefore, this article’s central objective is to analyse the three identified themes using a decolonial perspective. It argues that Boko Haram’s ongoing campaign of terror is inextricably linked to the funding it continues to receive and strong recruitment tactics

The Puzzling Paradox Presented within the African Supranational Judicial Institutions: The ECOWAS Court of Justice

The judgments of the ECOWAS Court, which are final and immediately binding, are vital for the realisation of ECOWAS aims and objectives. The enforcement of its judgments is particularly important in the case of individuals whose enjoyment of fundamental human rights, as guaranteed under the ECOWAS Community laws, is dependent on effective enforcement. Yet, an existential puzzling paradox emanates through a poor record in the implementation of the ECOWAS Court's judgments. This problem, which is not limited to the West African region deserves scrutiny and concrete proposals. Legal and political considerations surface in assessing the existence of this paradox, and despite the lack of a consistent political will, to implement the decisions of ECOWAS Court relevant judicial actors have roles to play. National courts could take a bolder approach in complementing the work of the ECOWAS Court. The ECOWAS Court itself could put in place concrete mechanisms and adopt certain practices to address this poor record of non-implementation. It is yet to be seen how substantive mechanisms would work in practice.