In traditional African societies, children were seen as a resource to the family and the community at large. This made the process of child upbringing and socialization an important traditional African value owed to children by parents and the community. However, new cultures and socioeconomic changes have destroyed values placed on upbringing of the African child leading to child abandonment and abuse resulting in large number of street children in Africa and the bias and prejudice they suffer. The general objective of this study is to examine why people are unwilling to help street children and to show how critical thinking can help reduce bias and prejudice against them. Contact hypothesis using carnival is used to boost togetherness, encourage teamwork, reduce prejudice and bias against street children and restructure people’s thinking towards them.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global search for solution revealed the poverty of critical thinking in Nigeria and the problem of neo-colonialism as a clog in the wheel of the development and promotion of African Traditional Medicine (ATM) as an alternative remedy for the pandemic. The study examined how neo-colonialism hampered the development of ATM and it projected its future in Nigeria. Gathering data from unstructured interview, observation, and secondary sources, the paper adopted the historical and descriptive approaches. Findings revealed that neo-colonialism created a psychological hatred for ATM in the mind of some Nigerians notwithstanding that some Nigerians irrespective of religious affiliation were patronising traditional medical practitioners. It was discovered that President Muhammadu Buhari was Eurocentric rather than Afro-centric in the search for the solution to the pandemic. Madagascar tried its Covid Organics; rather than such scientific effort being supported and improved upon, it was condemned. Although NAFDAC had reportedly approved the production of ABUAD Herbal Virucidine Liquid as an immune booster and antioxidant for Coronavirus and other viral infections, ATM needs more investments from Nigerian government because it has many prospects in Nigeria. The study concluded that Africans needed to put an end to self-hate and embrace their heritage in order to contribute to global goods and services.

The first quarter of the year 2020 saw Nigeria grappling with covid-19, a deadly virus that broke out in the Wuhan city of China during the last quarter of 2019. This virus spread like wild fire to almost all parts of the world and heralded shut down of national and global economies. Prior to the period when the virus got to Nigeria, some Nigerian pastors had declared that distance was not a barrier and spiritually travelled to China to destroy the corona virus but became handicapped when the virus finally got to Nigeria. This paper, on the main, focuses on Churches in Nigeria. Based on both observer and participant point of view, this paper reveals that the economic hardship caused by prevalence of the virus made the Nigerian Church leaders to engage in different sides of critical thinking in order to survive. The paper reveals further that Pastors fall within the category of those that depend on daily income for survival who constitute the worst hit by covid-19 pandemic and its attendant lockdown. Drawing from both primary and secondary sources, the paper concludes that covid-19 exposed the spiritual and economic inadequacies of Nigerian pastors whose greatest problem during the covid-19 lockdown just like every other group was hunger, and adopted different strategies to survive as ban was placed on religious gathering.

The COVID-19 (and its variants) and the various measures put in place to contain its spread has introduced a new attitude in the way people interact with each other and relate to the world. On one hand, established values and norms are being unpacked and transformed. Ordinary expressions such as hugging, handshake are being replaced with social distancing, face masks and digital communication. On the other hand, confusion and contradictions have followed its emergence. Even though medical experts have been able to account for its spread, no satisfactory explanation has been given for its actual cause, the effectiveness of the many vaccines so far produced for its cure, and whether humanity will ever be free of its scourge. These separately and together are causing a lot of fear and anxiety especially in Africa due to her reliance on the West for both interpretation of the virus and its vaccine. How best can Africa meet the challenge imposed by COVID-19? How can she confront her fears and even use this as an opportunity to reposition itself in the global community and push for a better arrangement in world affairs? What measures should Africa take to manage the many contradictions trailing the pandemic? How can Africa harness her resources to join in the search for an effective cure for the virus? How can African countries forge a common solidarity that will enable their voices to count in matters of global concern? To resolve these issues among others, the study employs critical thinking as the analytic tool. Critical thinking involves subjecting ideas and experiences to impartial and rational assessment so as to distil from them the right response that fits a particular situation and apply it to that situation. In employing critical thinking to investigate an issue of serious existential concern, the study makes a case for the continued relevance of philosophy in contributing to the resolution of practical matters that affect humanity.

The present study is an analysis of attitude signification in selected SMS discourses on COVID19 by the NCDC, with the aim of revealing how language resources are deployed for the construal of attitudes and stances. The study adopted a participant-observation method of data collection. Data were collected from the mobile phones of research participants. Data collection period spanned from July to December, 2020 – the period in which the Federal Government relaxed the protracted nationwide lockdowns in Nigeria. Only coronavirusrelated SMS discourses were purposively collected from research participants. Twenty (20) unsolicited SMS were thus purposively selected for the present study. This study is undergirded by the attitude system of Appraisal theory to unpack government’s stance towards the COVID19 pandemic in Nigeria. From the data analysis, it is discovered that affect resources and judgement resources frequent preponderantly. The text-messages sent by the NCDC are strategically constructed using prominently negative affect resources and negative judgement resources, and surprisingly, there is no evidence of appreciation resources in the data. It is therefore argued that the explicit deployment of negative language resources is intended to foreground a sense of insecurity regarding public health matters during COVID-19, and the need for Nigerians to comply with the recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions against the deadly viral infection. The paper therefore concludes that the tactful deployment of language in the SMSs by the NCDC foregrounds that the Nigerian governments seek continuing cooperation and sustained solidarity, believing that, with such ‘attitude’, the current difficulties posed by the ravaging pandemic can be overcome.

The sudden outbreak of the corona virus in the early 2020 led to the declaration of an emergency in the health sector worldwide. It paralyzed the economic, social, educational and religious activities. The origin was traced to Wuhan in China and gradually spreads its tentacles to the entire world; not exempting race or class. The nature of the virus rages like wild fire in dry bush. Research shows that it attacks the human lungs and entire respiratory system. It has also been shown that the survival rate is low, especially in the western part of the world, but the African /blacks have not recorded the death rate as compared to their white counterparts. According to Pramath Kakodka (2020), there are many parameters of the clinical and management of the Covid-19 that need optimization. He explained that a hindrance to this development is the vast amount of misinformation. This paper sets out to discuss the role of the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Nigerian traditional values amidst absurd reality. This is achieved using the absurdist theoretical frame work. The theory as propounded by Albert Camus (1913 -1960) expresses what happens when human existence lacks meaning or purpose, and there is a communication breakdown. The paper also articulates a ‘disconnect’ of the African man from his traditional values vis-a-vis the danger inherent. The result shows that the futuristic implication is a continuous degradation /deterioration of African traditional values and morals. It is pertinent therefore to have a reconsideration of strategies to redeem the African traditional values and morals by incorporating such into curriculum of both lower and higher schools.

Christianity has been misconstrued by some as a religion of prophecy and miracle alone; however, this study holds that Christianity is most importantly a religion of salvation. There are Christians at various government agencies that believe in prophecy and miracle but exercise their duties at the expense of morality and salvation. The experience of Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria serves as an eye opener to this reality. This research suggests that for a renaissance to take place, an insight must be drawn from the Christian morality which holds that man is both preternatural and supernatural and, must give account of his stewardship here and in the hereafter. Religious practices must at all times synchronize with morality. Whenever religious practices and morality disintegrate in handling human affairs the people are left in the hands of corrupt tyrants who maximally use propaganda, falsehood, intimidation, and religion as escape routes from their corrupt and ungodly practices geared towards amassing wealth meant for common good at the expense of the populace. This work employs the method of critical analysis and calls for sophia-religio-moral-consciousness as a necessary condition in seeing that Christians at all times work towards salvation, which is the heart of true Christian calling.

Playwrights are regarded as different parts in one (an ensemble). They can be regarded as artists, philosophers, prophets or foretellers; in whatever way the playwrights are looked at, it is justifiable by their work(s). Theodora Adimora is not left out as her work Hands that Crush Stones foretells of a social vice during the pandemic era, where many women were left to do ‘riskier’ and ‘harder’ jobs to keep their families going. This was because some of their men and husbands refused to do ‘menial’ jobs when they were laid off of their ’prestigious’ jobs due to the pandemic while others battered their wives and other women for no justifiable reason(s). However, this study seeks to see to what extent the ‘prophecies’ of the playwright came to pass; and to what level did gender inequality thrive in the pandemic. The theories adopted here are the Marxist theory and Humanist Feminist theory. Furthermore, this study used the descriptive survey and textual analysis which helped the researcher in understanding the sociological perspectives of the text and subject matter. The findings showed that gender inequality became a pandemic itself during the Covid era while as an ideology it is not accepted by many enlightened individuals in the society and at the same time fulfilling the prophecies of the playwright in the pandemic era.

Pandemic is a situation in which healthy living becomes risky through unprecedented spread of diseases. After the effect of flu pandemic of first world war in 1949, despite the acclaimed scientific breakthrough, in 2019 the breakout and ravaging of COVID-19 in the 4th quarter became noticeable to the extent that it affected the entire system of humanity and overturned the whole universe adversely till date. It later came with different variants that seemed more deadly than the original pandemic. From the outset, the after effect of the pandemic has affected many art productions. Those in performing and visual arts panicked to come together to shoot film or make any art product because of fear of the way the spread of COVID-19 was heralded in the media. Adire is an aspect of textile under visual art and this has become the stable profession of practice in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The art has been thriving for decades, has served as mean for international exchange and means to empower many people economically in the state. It has been observed that the advent of COVID-19 has become a challenge thereby slowed down the thriving trend in Adire production and patronage enjoyed over the time in the trade. This paper is therefore looking at prospect, challenges of production and merchandise of Adire since the breakout of COVID-19 in 2019 and now. The article employed Elena Aguilar’s Theory of Action in which hypothesis about what will happen when a set of strategy is implemented through a critical judgement to resolve an extant problem. It concludes with suggestion to improve the production and merchandise of Adire in Abeokuta.

The Covid-19 pandemic originated in China in 2019 and spread to various parts of the world in 2020. The disease affected every aspect of human life including the religious. The focus of this study is on the Church, an aspect of man’s religious life in Nigeria. These effects include both the desirable and undesirable ones. On one hand, the pandemic stimulated fear and strong desire for survival in many church goers, which made them to seek for spiritual solutions in their churches. On the other hand, the pandemic also affected the church, by reducing the attendance during the lockdown period, limiting the participation of members, and lowered the income of churches. Still in the same vein, the ban on religious gatherings and the violation of this by some churches had a negative impact on their image. The paper also suggests ways in which the church could handle the covid-19 pandemic in the future. This includes proper and regular education and counselling of members on preventive measures such as maintenance of hygiene, hand washing, use of nose masks, maintenance of social distancing and proper nutrition.

The concept of literacy has been changed from an individual transformation of learning how to read and write, to the social transformation of becoming a media-literate audience. Especially in an era, when the convergence of media is shaping a new form of meaning-making process, media literacy skills are essential. Convergence of media is leading to need of facilitating multi-literacy in media education for creating a collaborative teaching-learning environment and a more responsible usage of media. This paper clarifies the concept of media literacy from the etymological foundations and theories that shape the perspective of the concept. It adopts a critical discourse approach and argues that though media literacy has been defined differently in different ages according to peculiarities of the times, it can no longer be defined as such in this era of convergence due to the presence of digital technologies, hence, acquiring critical media literacy skills helps the media producers and consumers in achieving autonomy in understanding and creating the meaning of experiences, accommodating differences in ideas and opinions in the age of convergence. The paper also emphasized the need for a multimodal curriculum of media education for developing critical media literacy in Nigeria.

Stage lighting exits where there is stage performance. It makes the performers and the entire setting to be visible to the audience, reveals the true forms of both the performers and the set props. It also creates mood and enhance theatrical composition. With the challenge posed by covid-19 pandemic, which had crippled almost all sphere of human endeavour especially in the year 2020, theatre productions were ban alongside other forms of public gathering. Consequently, both performers and Lighting Designers were challenged in their traditional sources of income. The need to surmount the covid-19 challenge has resulted in solo theatrical performances via the social media. This work looks at the efficacy of theatrical performances through Tik-Tok and Instagram as a panacea to the challenge of government’s band on public gathering faced by performers and Lighting Designers in the era of covid-19 lock down. Through experimentation and observation it was discovered that the Tik Tok and Instagram social media have created much impact in the staging of theatrical performances with very few (solo, two or three) performers which is in line with COVID 19 protocol and it is recommended that these two social media channels should be used to stage more theatrical performances.

Ethics is conceived by most people as “the set of values or principles held by individuals or groups. Using those principles as yardsticks, each ethical cleavage evaluates human actions into classifications of “right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable, worthy or unworthy.” The first terms of the dualism’s express approval of certain human actions, while the second set express condemnation of other sets of actions. Those terms that express moral praise are acclaimed as promotive of ethics. Conversely, those that express moral blame promote unethicality, vitiate or violate ethics. However, there is no universally agreed standard for determining ethicality or unethicality; thus, the phenomena of prolonged conflicts between ethical groups, for example, between deontology and consequentialism. This was witnessed during the covid-19 pandemic when governments’ regulatory interventionist measures allegedly promoting deontological ethics were challenged by protesters upholding consequentialist ethics. The problem this paper seeks to resolve is to determine if the covid-19 interventionism promotes ethics. Rather than evaluate the praxis of the interventionist measures from the standpoint of consequentialism, this paper scrutinizes the measures vis-à-vis the norms of deontology to determine if there exist internal contradictions between theory and praxis. Adopting the expository, analytical and critical tools of research, the paper discovers sufficient internal contradictions between theory and praxis, which leads it to the inevitable conclusion that the covid-19 interventionism ultimately violates (the principles of its own purported deontological) ethics.