“East-West, West-East”: Cultural Transmission and Exchange of Yorùbá Religious Wood-Carvings between Ọ̀yó̩, Sábẹ and Ifè̩-Ana

In the early part of the 18th century, and at the height of its political power, the old Òyọ́ ̩ Empire established its hegemony over Sábẹ, Benin Republic, and new Yorùbá communities were founded in Sábẹ. Yorùbá communities also exist at Ifè̩-Ana in the Atakpame region of Togo. The Ifè̩-Ana Yorùbá were migrants from Ilé-Ifè between the 16 ̩ th and 18th centuries. In these new Yorùbá communities, the people continued with the worship of traditional Yorùbá religion and the use of wood-carvings for this worship. This study employs historical and ethnographic methods to establish the presence of traditional Yorùbá religion in Òyọ́ ̩, Sábẹ and Ifè̩-Ana. It then identifies and classifies extant Yorùbá wood-carving paraphernalia in the worship of Ifá, Ṣàngó, Egúngún, Gẹlẹdẹ, and Ìbejì that were transferred from Ò ́ yọ́ ̩ to Sábẹ and Ifè̩-Ana. The study observes a cultural interrelationship moving from east to west and west to east among the communities.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity Among Intra- and Interspecific Lowland Rice using Morpho-agronomic Traits and SSR Markers

Rice is staple food in many countries of Africa and a major part of the diet in many others. However, Africa’s demand for rice exceeds production with the deficit of 40% being imported. One way to improve Africa’s rice production is through breeding high yielding varieties suitable for the different environment conditions. This study was conducted to assess the genetic variability and stability performance of 48 lowland rice genotypes including 37 interspecific (Oryza glaberrima × Oryza sativa ssp. indica) and 11 intraspecific (O. sativa ssp. indica × O. sativa ssp. indica) in 12 environments in Nigeria, Benin Republic and Togo using Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) and Genotype+ Genotype x Environment (GGE) biplot models. The combined analysis of variance revealed significant differences (P<0.01) among the genotypes, environments, and genotypes x environment interaction. Both the AMMI and GGE models identified NERICA-L8 and NERICA-LI2 as the best genotypes for cultivation across environments. Ouedeme environments in Benin Republic were the most stable and ideal for rice cultivation, while Ibadan sites were the most unstable. TOG 5681 had the least yield and was the most unstable across seasons. Genetic diversity was analyzed using 22 important morpho-agronomic traits and 50 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and the results were subjected to principal components analysis (PCA). The results revealed that the first eight PC axes (PC1–8) accounted for 75.13% of the total variation, while PC1–4 accounted for 50.39% of the total variation among rice genotypes. However, 10 of the 50 SSR markers were polymorphic and generated 49 alleles (average = 4.9 alleles per locus), suggesting moderate to substantial genetic diversity among the rice genotypes. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.24 to 0.65, with an average PIC value of 0.45. Two structured populations were observed which clustered into five heterotic groups and an outgroup, respectively. This suggests that heterosis could be exploited in the next hybridization program by crossing one of the genotypes in any SSR marker-defined cluster, with the rice accession TOG 5681 in cluster I. The results of this study suggest that morpho-agronomic traits should be used to compliment SSR data in rice diversity studies, especially if a few polymorphic SSR markers are to be used.

Assessment of the Temporal and Spatial Variation of the Mercury Content of Lake Nokoué in Southern Benin Republic (West Africa)

Anthropogenic input of mercury into watersheds is becoming increasingly noticeable and is the cause of fishery products contamination. This had led to the Convention of Minamata signed and ratified by the vast majority of the countries in the world. Lake Nokoué in Benin Republic, the most fishery products provider in West Africa, is subject to mercury pollution. The health threat to both the benthic and the consumers of the fishery products from this lake has to be anticipated by precisely determining the dynamics of mercury contamination of the waters and sediments of Lake Nokoué, taking into account the anthropogenic contribution. Water and sediment samples were collected on 23 sites twice a month for four sampling campaigns. Parameters such as pH, salinity, COD, and SS are evaluated in the water. The assessment of total mercury is conducted by cold vapor atomic absorption according to the US EPA 7473 method, using a direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80). On average, the mercury content in Lake Nokoué water is 0.43 ± 0.57 μg/kg. Its variation is linked not only to the seasonal variation but also to that of the suspended matter. South of the lake, the sediments are extremely polluted (5 ≤ Igeo) and present a risk of frequent effects for the benthic species present.

Cross Border Migration and the Spread of Infectious Diseases (HIV & TB): A Comparative Analysis of Nigeria and Benin Republic, 1999-2017

Cross border migration is the movement of people across their national boundaries, it is a phenomenon that cuts across tribes, religions, and status, it is a universal phenomenon, the quest for individuals to meet their basic requirements which will enable them to live a life free from fear and wants, engenders these phenomena. This paper examines the relationship between cross-border migration and the spread of infectious diseases: HIV and Tuberculosis in Nigeria and the Benin Republic. This study utilized a secondary method of data collection. Classical migration theory was the theoretical framework on which the study was anchored. Using descriptive statistics and Pearson Correlation Coefficient, as a method of data analysis, the findings revealed that cross-border migration contributed to HIV transmission among women in Nigeria and the Benin Republic; and Tuberculosis incidence in the Benin Republic. This study concludes that cross-border migration plays an essential role in the spread of HIV in women in Nigeria and Benin Republic respectively; and Tuberculosis in the Benin Republic. Based on the findings the study recommends; that governments of both Nigeria and Benin Republic should establish mechanisms for the screening of migrants and returnees at the point of entry to know their health status and improve health facilities by; providing rapid testing equipment, mobile laboratories, and clinics, formulate policies that will address the rights of migrants, provide health workers with adequate protective machines.