Visual arts exhibitions are displays of artist products for networking and economic gains. Some schools of thought sees it as a seed sewing venture with delayed gratification while others juxtapose aesthetics with functionality as a means of targeting patronage. The paper seek answers on the following questions; is visual arts exhibition an agent for economic stability to the artist? Are there issues intrinsically impeding the process of stabilizing the artist economy through visual arts exhibition? How can collaborative effort with art institutions enhance economic stability for the artist? What is the way forward? The method used was historical, interviews, unstructured questionnaire and participant observation method. Findings reveal that visual arts exhibition is a seed sowing, personal networking venture that will eventually mature for harvesting. The use visual arts exhibition to solve aesthetics and utilitarian purpose expands patronage beyond art collectors. The necessity for arts institutions to play their role of protecting the material interest of the artist was also established.

Overwhelming empirical experiences point to social environment as, perhaps, the most important factor that determines the extent a person can go in life. In situations where the social environment is conducive and geared towards the upliftment of peoples’ lives, individuals can maximise their physical and mental development. On the other hand, a poor social environment dwarfs peoples’ development and frustrates their ability to acquire skills, develop their talents and maximise their potentials. As such, living condition leaves a significant imprint in the making of an individual. Living in a society where an individual’s physical and mental development are given all the necessary incentives to survive and flourish have become cardinal to how social environment is conceptualised and understood. Yet, understanding the social environment demands a nuanced and complicated approach that can only be handled by disciplines that can articulate and interrogate every factor that controls and shapes peoples’ lives. Literature (here understood as imaginative literature) has its being, meaning and existence in the forces that operate and shape peoples’ lives – how human society is organised, the quality of life, the physical and mental development. That is, literature is both a reflection and a reflector of the social environment. However, in view of literature’s fictional character, there is need for a more serious supervision of its ideas. Philosophy, as a conscious critical reflection on issues can validate literary ideas by exposing them to philosophical evaluation – critical analysis, exposition and reconstruction. The study’s preoccupation is to show how exploring social environment through African literature on the one hand, and the introduction of philosophy to that exploration on the other, can be of immense benefit. The paper’s main interest is on a poem, “Shanty Town”, by an anonymous South African poet. In all, by utilising the advantage of the united effort of literature and philosophy, the study will contribute to a better understanding of social environment in Africa: the problems it creates, the best solutions to the problems and the agenda for future action.

Art generally has a universal language that could be understood no matter where such an individual life and comes from around the world. Language is a discrete unit of coded information of various sort, rules and principles with which meaningful information is sent to a particular individual or group for decoding through a prior universal agreement. When language is mentioned, majority of people think about encoded sound decoded by a hearer. However, it has been noticed that media such as visual and film arts do a universal communication in which encoded information is deciphered by so many people who do not speak the language of the artist or artiste. This means therefore that language spoken through art forms is universal than language emanating from the culture of the people, that is semiotism. This paper is looking at understanding the language in view of communication endowed to emanate from visual and film artists. The paper considers the theories of many scholars in establishing the thematic content of this discuss. It gives credence to the argument on how to understand various codes and signs in visual and film arts. The paper concludes with some suggestion on how to engage with the art total social development.

Before the renaissance, the humanities were practiced rather than studied. As a matter of fact, in ancient Greece, the study of humanities was introduced as a basis of a broad education for citizens as it was the source of morals for the ordinary citizen. But in the modern era, students are given the impression that these subjects matter less. How invaluable is the study of the humanities? What connection does the study of the humanities have with the social environment? This paper aims to explore how the study of the humanities can impact or influence the dynamics of the social environment. The paper argues that the relationship between the scholar and the social environment can be antagonistic or transformative. The two influence each other in a dialectical tension.

Art with specific reference to literature is a saw-toothed weapon for the passing of social commentaries consequently; the place of art in the holding up to ridicule and correction of societal foibles cannot be disremembered in our global existence. This paper makes a literary incursion into how social behaviour affects political views and vice versa by using Aburiria as a metaphor for the economic and socio-political hypocrisies that constitute the ailing realities of African leadership and its modernity. Using the content-based methodology for gathering relevant data; this paper adopts the Marxist literary criticism to interrogate Ngugi wa Thiongo’s Wizard of the Crow. It is adopted as a theoretical framework to examine the revolutionary aesthetics in Ngugi’s novel under study with a view to reveal the place of the collective will of the common people in the struggle against existing bourgeoisie-induced forces that exploit their persons, labour and society. Our finding reveals that the solution to Africa’s problem is in Africa and not in the hands of governments of other nationalities as African leadership thinks. And this is the ideological thrust which constitutes Ngugi’s vision in his fictional art under study. This paper concludes that the African youth is essentially a force of hope for a better Africa.

Plays are created from and exist within the society. Therefore, a playwright does not operate in a vacuum, thus reflecting on the needs of the society in his dramatic writings. A playwright in this milieu is ganged by how he sees the society and points the way forward for possible change. This study is anchored on Marxist Sociological Theory and adopted Political Theatre approach as framework to connect with representation in society. To this regard, this article evaluates the dramatic exploration of Athol Fugard’s Sizwe Bansi is Dead in the citizens’ quest for better living condition in a society bedeviled with economic recession, discriminating legislation, social injustice and political instability. The study employed qualitative methodology to explore resourceful materials. Therefore, the method of this research is based on content analysis and library research as well as critical analysis of texts for insightful purpose This work recommends more encouragement to scholar-artists, most especially the playwrights, to mirror, depict and replicate the ailing state of the society in order to stimulate actions in an effort to chart a course for the restoration of economic balance, political suffrage, human’s dignity, equal rights and justice. However, the reason for the selection of this play is because its contents reflect the present global human struggles for survival in a failing and ailing economy. This work also recommends the use of plays by playwrights as an instrument of addressing political and socio-economic issues in the society.

The contemporary Nigerian social environment exhibits a high level of tension, disunity, animosity, suspicion and intrigues among individuals and the various ethnic groupings constituting the federation. In such a situation, no meaningful development can take place as the fissiparous groups and ethnic stocks will continue to fight and safeguard their individualistic, group and nationalistic interests separately instead of working together harmoniously. This has been a major challenge stifling nation-building in Nigeria after the attainment of independence. Indeed, the seed of discord had been sown during the British colonial government as this was not the case in the indigenous or pre-colonial Nigerian societies. The relegation of the Arts and Humanities, History inclusive, in our various levels of education has had debilitating effects on the Nigerian society as the citizens regard those from other cliques or groups, ethnic groupings aside theirs, as strangers. Hence, there is the need to acquaint the generality of Nigerians with the essence of revisiting History in bringing into existence a well-reconstructed social environment central to unity, fraternity and development. This discourse therefore briefly examines the utilitarian value of history in human society, nature of Nigerian societies and intergroup relations among pre-colonial Nigerian peoples and how they helped to create mutual understanding. Thereafter, the centrifugal policies introduced by the British colonial rulers are examined before advancing advocacy to borrow from the past for a better understanding among the citizenry needed for evolving a better and progressive nation.

The analyzes the role of Public Relations as a tool for sustainable development to host communities where government and governmental agencies embark on lofty community development programmes aimed at enhancing a better life for the people. Since public relations is about relationship building and management, this synergy often produces a higher level of personal, group or societal advancement. Projects generated by State employment and expenditure for result (SEEFOR) should capture priorities of community interest with mutual understanding on the parties for optimal accomplishment. The survey methodology was adopted for the study, with the development media theory as the theoretical framework. Findings shows that the host communities be incorporate in initiating a development project that will be of interest to them through public relations, with recommendations that such projects can only be sustained when the public relations department plays a vital role in the process.

This paper examines Nietzsche’s intellectual integrity and Africa’s indigenous knowledge system, with a view to showing how intellectual integrity can help improve epistemic openness in Africa’s knowledge systems. Nietzsche’s intellectual integrity represents his unique style of questioning, which designates his critical method of analysis and which is grounded in epistemic transparency, while Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems refer to certain aspects of African knowledge like rain-making, traditional orthopedic medicine etc. Attempts are made to highlight the dynamics of Nietzsche’s intellectual integrity and to articulate the essential ingredients of Africa’s Knowledge systems. These two will be critically examined to see how they play out regarding epistemic openness in Africa. The paper employs the method of historical hermeneutics and textual analysis/exposition.

The discovery of oil in Nigeria has paradoxically brought fortune and destruction to its people. Communities in the Niger-Delta region of the country have been suffering the negative impacts of oil exploration and exploitation in their areas. This study examines the relationship between literature and the environment with the purpose of exposing the negative impacts of man’s activities on his environment. This study looks at environmental degradation by investigating how the activities of man invariably affect nature in the most negative way. The data for this work was collected from primary and secondary sources. The theoretical framework adopted for this study is Ecocriticism, which is the study of representation of nature in literary works and of the relationship between literature and the environment. The findings show that these authors exposed environmental degradation, oil spillage, poor waste management, deforestation, pollution, exploitation, unemployment, as some of the direct consequences of oil exploration in the Niger Delta region of the country. The study shows clearly that the Niger Delta is steadily and painfully devalued and devastated by the activities of expatriate oil companies and their Nigerian collaborators.

This paper set out to discover the effects of Religion and Cultural belief system play in national development in Nigeria Society: to find the existing gap for a detailed historical research to be conducted and to ascertain what could be done to encourage continuity; reviewing what other scholars have done with the aim of unveiling what area of need to be researched upon to again broader insights of the issues underlying Cultural and Religious belief system. This research is basically quantitative from historical perspective with an exploration research methods, data collections are from secondary sources basically through the review journal articles, books and conference paper and like.

Terrorism is a global phenomenon that has led to enormous loss of lives and properties. In Nigeria, the terrorist activities of the Boko Haram sect have greatly affected the economy of the North-East and the people, and it is having a ripple effect on Nigeria as a country. The media, being the eyes through which people view the society, have been reporting these terrorist acts; are these reports in any way helping to counter terrorism? This paper, therefore, gauged the perception of newspapers` readers in Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria, with the objectives to determine if the reportage has helped the government to defeat Boko Haram, to inquire if respondents perceived newspapers to be involved in counter-terrorism with their reportage, and maybe it has helped to create awareness and educate the populace about terrorism. This paper, anchored on the Social Responsibility Theory, adopted the survey method of research. The study found that the Boko Haram sect still carries out attacks, and that government is yet to completely defeat the sect. The study concluded that newspapers have significant role to play in counter terrorism, and recommended that newspapers should be more cautious in reporting terrorism stories so that the reports won`t be cheap publicity for the terrorists. It further recommended that government and the armed forces should work in synergy with newspapers in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents.

Pentecostalism is a brand of Christianity that has not been substantially systematized in comparison with Catholicism. Its preoccupation with demons, witches, glossolalia, visions, dreams, tithes, miracles, vigorous vocal prayers, prosperity, literal biblical interpretation, and prophecy among its religious expressions and the lack of a centralized control authority has contributed to its proliferation such that its commercialisation has become a moral burden on Christianity in Nigeria. Therefore, Pentecostalism needs an appropriate logical response. The purpose of this study is to explore an avenue through which the Catholic Church can offer such a logical response to Pentecostalism. Gathering data through participant observations and interviews, it was discovered that Pentecostalism has been attractive to some Catholics for several reasons. The study found out that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal group that exhibits Pentecostal religious expressions exists in the Catholic Church, but not all Catholics have embraced it. It was suggested that the incorporation of Pentecostalism and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal into the curriculum of the Catholic priestly training would serve to equip the scholar as a change agent in Nigerian social environment. The paper invites the Catholic Clergy to lead a religious reorientation in Nigeria.

The problem of corruption in Nigeria has reached an unprecedented level that all hands need to be on deck to fight it. This phenomenon is posing a danger to the corporate existence of Nigeria. The political scenario is endemic with politics of bitterness, ethnicity, the rigging of elections, obstructions of political processes, thuggery, snatching of ballot boxes, falsification of election results, vote-buying and godfatherism. These challenges by political corruption, therefore, demand serious attention. Hence, the need for Christian moral principles. This research adopts the qualitative method in gathering data; using literary materials for content analysis. The theoretical framework for this paper is viewed from the lenses of structural functionalism and conflict theories. From the research finding, the number of election-related cases at all levels of the courts in Nigeria shows the level of problems that exist in our body politic and cannot be considered free, fair and credible. This work, therefore, recommends the adoption of Christian moral principles such as mutual love for one another, peace, and the sanctity of life, servant leadership, tolerance and respect for individual’s opinion. These virtues should adequately be taught in schools and inculcated in the minds of children and youth, to encourage a suitable political environment in Nigeria.