Scientific Director & Chief Editor
Komla M. Avono (Ph.D.)
ISSN 2710-4699 Online
3 issues per year
The Economic Model of Senegalese Community Radio Stations: Viability in Question
Abstract
Drawing on a socio-economic approach to media and field-based research, this study investigates the funding mechanisms of community radio stations in Senegal to evaluate their long-term viability. The fundings indicate that these stations operate within a legal and economic framework that is largely unfavorable, placing them in a state of persistent vulnerability. Consequently, many adopt a « catch-all » approach to ensure their survival. This study thus examines the economic viability of a radio model that relies heavily on external funding.
Keywords: Senegal, Community Radio, Economic Model, External Funding, Viability
Restoring Black Women’s Political Power in Octavia Butler’s Kindred and Wild Seed
Abstract
Drawing on a socio-economic approach to media and field-based research, this study investigates the funding mechanisms of community radio stations in Senegal to evaluate their long-term viability. The fundings indicate that these stations operate within a legal and economic framework that is largely unfavorable, placing them in a state of persistent vulnerability. Consequently, many adopt a « catch-all » approach to ensure their survival. This study thus examines the economic viability of a radio model that relies heavily on external funding.
Keywords: Senegal, Community Radio, Economic Model, External Funding, Viability
Globalizing Locals: African Migrants and the Politics of Cultural Dialogue in Amma Darko’s Between Two Worlds
Abstract
The Eurocentric view of the world has led marginalized peoples, especially from the Third World to a quest for self-affirmation following counter ideological discourses. Amma Darko’s Between Two Worlds uses interracial marriage to foreground asymmetrical cultural dialogue under globalization. The narrative portrays a love affair between black Jofri from Ghana and white Ursula from Germany. This article demonstrates how African migrants influence western cultural fabrics. The novel puts forth instances in which cultures from African countries mingle with the German living conditions. This analysis is achieved on the basis of postcolonial theory with a specific emphasis on Homi K. Bhabha’s reflection. At the end of the study, it comes out that, on one hand, globalization is a perpetuation of colonization. On the other hand, this paper establishes that imitating the host society’s lifestyle is nothing but a cultural transfer technique for migrants.
Keywords: Culture, cultural dialogue, globalization, heritage, migration, postcolonial discourse
Globalizing Locals: African Migrants and the Politics of Cultural Dialogue in Amma Darko’s Between Two Worlds
Abstract
This article reinterprets Life is a Dream through the lens of exile and spaces of refuge (tower, forest, dream), and their effects on identity and power. We argue that Segismundo’s captivity, Rosaura’s grievance and cross-dressing, and Clarín’s marginality activate both physical and symbolic strategies of refuge that challenge absolutism and the ruler’s responsibility. We combine textual analysis with a historical framework from the Spanish Golden Age. We distinguish between individual exile and collective diaspora, proposing the latter as an allegorical reading. We conclude that refuge in Calderón is transitory but productive: it enables self-reflection and ethical deliberation.
Keywords: Diaspora, Refuge, Exile, Homeland, Fleeing
Ideologies of Entrepreneurial Disinterest among Students at Bondoukou University and Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Côte d’Ivoire
Abstract
The article aims to understand the ideologies that legitimize the lack of interest among university graduates in entrepreneurship in Côte d’Ivoire. The study focuses on graduates from the Universities of Bondoukou and Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan. It is based on field data and adopts a qualitative approach, using data collection tools consistent with this methodology, such as semi-structured interviews and life stories. The findings reveal that the disinterest in entrepreneurship is socially constructed. It is expressed through representations of entrepreneurship as a “disguised failure” and through the belief in the superiority of salaried employment over entrepreneurial activity. Furthermore, this disinterest is structured around dominant ideologies such as the patriarchal and gendered ideology, the “diploma-as-king” ideology, and the “mystical entrepreneurship” ideology. The identified social imaginaries generate symbolic pressures that contribute to identity crises among young graduates.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Lack of Interest, Students, Ideologies
The AES Exit from ECOWAS and Brexit: A Comparative Reading Through Hirschman’s Exit–Voice–Loyalty Framework
Abstract
This article examines two withdrawal processes: Britain’s exit from the European Union (Brexit) and the Alliance of Sahel States’ (AES) exit from ECOWAS. The study explores the extent to which the AES departure resembles Brexit. It begins by providing context for both events before analysing their similarities, differences, and implications. Data were gathered from primary and secondary sources and analysed using Hirschman’s Exit, Voice, and Loyalty framework. The findings show that common factors, such as concerns over national sovereignty and ambitions for economic, political, and geopolitical independence, motivated both exits. However, they unfolded differently: Brexit occurred through negotiated agreements to manage post-Brexit relations, whereas the AES departure occurred suddenly, without negotiations or prior arrangements. While each exit may be questionable, both indicate a desire for political self-determination.
Keywords: AES Exit, Brexit, Hirschman, Regional Integration, Sovereignty, Withdrawal
For Sociolinguistic Surveys in the Context of Burkina Faso: Researchers Facing Field Challenges
Abstract
Fieldwork is a real difficulty for any researcher because of what is at stake. It is well known that the success of research, its scientific nature, depend to a large extent on the ability of the researcher in appropriating the space and the techniques of data collection. This study is focused on sociolinguistic surveys in the multilingual and multicultural context of Burkina Faso. The aim is to identify the major challenges faced by sociolinguistic researchers in their daily quest for information. To do this, we use two approaches in the field. On the one hand, the study relies in documentary research based essentially on the field experiences of Burkinabe researchers. Secondly, a survey questionnaire was submitted to researchers and postgraduate students at University Joseph KI-ZERBO working in the field of sociolinguistics. The study came to the conclusion that the fieldwork difficulties encountered by the field investigators are not only institutional in nature, but also result from the complexity of accessing information from the respondents.
Keywords: Burkinabe Researcher, Field Challenges, Sociolinguistics, Surveys
Reappropriations of the Coming-of-Age Novel in Afiwoa Koudri: Trajectories of the African Woman in the Quest for Freedom
Abstract
This article analyzes how the Togolese writer, Afiwoa Koudri, reappropriates the coming-of-age novel in her Au-delà de l’espoir to represent African women’s trajectories towards freedom. Drawing on Georg Lukács’s (1920) theory of the novel and Gérard Genette’s (1972; 1982) narratology, and the theories of African feminism developed by Molara Ogundipe-Leslie (1994), Obioma Nnaemeka (2004), and Amina Mama (1995; 2002), the article offers a narratological-textual and feminist reading of the of the coming-of-age novel. It examines the aspectual reconfigurations of initiation, the representation of initiation in the novel as a process leading to the empowerment of African women, and the novel as a site of scriptural initiation enabling the expression of women’s freedom. In this regard, Afiwoa Koudri recasts the coming-of-age novel as a deritualized genre, reshaped to foreground the initiatory journey of the African woman.
Keywords: (Re)Appropriations, Coming-Of-Age Novel, Narratology, Eritualization, African Feminism
Conflict Prevention and Economic Development in the ECOWAS Area From 1978 to 2005
Abstract
Established in 1975, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of its founding treaty, aims to promote cooperation and development in all areas of economic activity, in order to strengthen relations between member states and contribute to the progress and development of the African continent. To successfully implement this economic project, the heads of state recognized early on that peace was the foundation of all development. The objective of this study is to present and analyze the first conflict prevention instruments adopted by ECOWAS and their impact on the various development programs initiated by West African leaders. The study is based on a documentary approach, drawing on scholarly publications on the history of ECOWAS as well as official and electronic sources. This documentation revealed that the period from 1978 to 2005 was marked by the adoption of peace instruments that created a political and legal framework conducive to the implementation of several community development programs.
Keywords: ECOWAS, Conflict Prevention, Economic Integration, Telecommunications, Transport, Trade Liberalization
Cultural Heritage and Local Development in Nébiélianayou (Burkina Faso)
Abstract
The cultural heritage of the rural commune of Nébiélianayou in the Centre-West region of Burkina Faso is highly diverse. It includes specific indigenous cultural values, archaeological and ethnographic sites, and a large number of traditional artifacts. However, this heritage is often overlooked in communal development planning. Yet, it forms the basis of the daily lives of local populations and, more broadly, represents a significant body of historical and scientific knowledge that can effectively contribute to the socioeconomic development of the locality and its various communities. It is worth noting, however, that this development, in some ways, contributes to the destruction of these cultural riches. This can occur through the construction of modern infrastructure, such as roads, which sometimes encroaches upon the integrity of certain heritage sites. There is also the importation of new values such as so-called revealed religions due to migrations and cultural mixing which sometimes remain potentially dissonant with ancient local practices. Therefore, it is imperative to integrate cultural resources into the communal plan for the proper development of the community.
Keywords: Cultural Heritage, Local Development, Intangible Heritage, Archaeology, Safeguarding, Community Planning
The Farmer/Herder Conflicts Management and the Stakeholders Involvement in Koumogo in the Southern Chad
Abstract
Conflicts between farmers and herders in southern Chad, particularly in the Moyen-Chari province, have become very frequent in recent years. These conflicts are caused by a lack of natural resources, the deliberate destruction of fields and property, overgrazing, and the uncontrolled settlement of livestock. This situation severely impacts the local community. In Koumogo, several actors are involved in managing these conflicts within this context. It is therefore important to analyze the relevant conflict management mechanisms to understand the involvement of each actor. The research methodology is hypothetico-deductive and relies on a qualitative approach. Data collection is based on observations, informal and semi-structured interviews, documentary research, and a field survey using questionnaires. The analysis of the situation between 2018 and 2023 shows that the involvement of various actors played a significant role in managing farmer-herder conflicts
Keywords: Conflict, Farmers/Herders, Stakeholder Involvement, Koumogo, Rural Area, Southern Chad
Theatre of Breath and Devised Writing: An Ekphrasis of the Performance Isis Antigone, Between Myth, Memory, and Corporeality
Abstract
This article theorizes a dramaturgical concept called the theater of breath, based on research and creation developed from the play “Isis-Antigone or the tragedy of scattered bodies” by Togolese playwright Kossi Efoui. Through experimental staging combining ancient myths (Isis, Antigone), West African rituals, contemporary narratives (exile, disappearance), and performative practices, this theater seeks to bring about absence through stage presence. Breath is conceived as a vital principle, a link between the living and the dead, memory and the power of incarnation. It animates the bodies of the actors, making them bearers of stories, historical wounds, and hidden memories, in a dynamic of transmission, possession (trance), and ritual healing. The theater of breath is described as a device for performative anamnesis that articulates presence/absence through ritual incorporation and scenic intermediality.
Keywords: Ekphrasis, Stage, Breath, Performance, Musical Theater, Myth, Memory
Dystopian Topographies of the Mind and Nature in Edward Bond’s The War Plays
Abstract
This article examines the dialectical interrelation between the human consciousness and the environment in Edward Bond’s The War Plays (1994), a theme that has often been overlooked in Bond studies. It offers an analysis of the aesthetics of physical settings and animal imagery as potent symbols of cultural decline, while also pointing to possibilities of renewal and growth. This study portrays the dystopian vision of The War Plays in relation to Bond’s wider body of work and in contrast with broader trajectories of classical and contemporary theatrical writings.
Keywords: Nature, Culture, Bestiary, Mind, Decadence, Rebirth
Incidence Motivation Among Learners of French as a Foreign Language at Junior High School in Ghana
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence the motivation of learners of French as a foreign language at the Junior High School in Ghana. Observation shows that most Junior High learners do not feel comfortable and demonstrate a lack of willingness to participate in the French class. This lack of willingness is likely to cause concerns that could lead to the failure of French language learning in our schools. It is in this perspective that we sought to know the factors that contribute to the passive attitude of learners in the French class. Through class observation and interviews with learners, teachers and parents, we also administered questionnaires to learners as a data collection tool. Data collected was analyzed through the mixed methods of data analysis. The results revealed multiple factors, among which lack of motivation remained the focal point. The study proposed strategies to stimulate Junior High learners’ engagement in learning French.
Keywords: French as a foreign language, learning, learner, motivation
Reading as a Heritage: Nkrumah, Amin, Readers of Marx
Abstract
The question of inheritance in philosophy is often posed in terms of the continuity of thought, generally that of a master, and is understood as transmission. However, based on the numerous and radical differences between interpretations of Marx, this study aims to rethink the meaning of inheritance in relation to the reader involved in this interpretation. Where do we read from? Why and how do we read a work of philosophy? These questions lead us to reflect on the conditions of reception of a work and also to rethink the meaning of heritage and what we do with it when it is bequeathed to another era or continent, as in the case of Marx in relation with Nkrumah and Amin.
Keywords: Reading, heritage, Marx, Nkrumah, Amin
People’s Capabilities and Climate Justice in Africa
Abstract
This work analyses the paradox of climate injustice in Africa, where the continent least responsible for climate change is the most vulnerable to its impacts. We contend that traditional approaches to distributive justice, which are based on simple compensation and resource allocation, are insufficient. By treating Africa as a passive recipient, these approaches risk perpetuating neo-colonial patterns of dependence. Our analysis proposes moving beyond this framework through a capabilities approach, inspired by the works of Sen and Nussbaum. This perspective shifts the focus from the distribution of goods to the strengthening of the real freedoms of individuals and communities. It champions the agency of African peoples, recognising their capacity to act and to be the architects of their own destiny. The reinforcement of fundamental capabilities (such as access to education, health, and political participation, etc.,) constitutes the foundation for a proactive and transformative resilience. This vision does not simply aim to help Africa’ get back on its feet’ after a disaster, but to build more just and equitable societies by drawing upon endogenous resources and local knowledge. By concentrating on agency, we therefore demonstrate that climate justice and social justice are inseparable and that the fight against environmental impacts is an opportunity for endogenous development. In short, climate justice in Africa cannot be conceived of as a handout, but as the outcome of a process of emancipation and the recognition of the self-determination of African peoples.
Keywords: Climate justice, capabilities, agency, resilience, self-determination
Urbanization and Its Impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) From 1988 to 2021 in N’djamena, Chad
Abstract
Urbanization is a major driver of changes in biodiversity, ecosystem processes, and regional climate. Like other Chadian agglomerations, the city of N’Djamena has experienced rapid, unplanned urban expansion, leading to significant spatial and environmental transformations. This study aims to analyze the evolution of urbanization and its impact on temperature in N’Djamena over the period 1988–2021, using Landsat satellite imagery. A supervised classification via the Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) method was applied to detect land‐cover changes. The methodological approach also integrates multi‐buffer ring analysis, zonal statistics, and multiple linear regression to evaluate the effect of urbanization on LST. Results reveal accelerated urban growth, an increase of 5,142.38 ha between 1988 and 202, occurring at the expense of agricultural lands and forested areas. This spatial expansion was accompanied by a marked rise in surface temperatures, indicating the formation of an urban heat island. The study underscores the direct link between land artificialization and intensified urban temperatures, highlighting the need for sustainable urban planning strategies to mitigate these impacts.
Keywords: Urbanization, remote sensing, GIS, temperature, urban heat island, N’Djamena
Psychological effects of nursing and midwifery students’ first encounters with traumatic clinical scenes: the case of INMeS students in Benin
Abstract
Introduction: Early clinical placements are a critical phase in nursing and midwifery education. This study explores the psychological impact of first-year INMeS students’ initial exposure to traumatic clinical scenes (TCS) through the lens of Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional model of stress and coping.
Objective: Explore the psychological impact of the first confrontations of first-year INMeS students with SCTs experienced during hospital placements, and propose avenues for support and prevention.
Methodology: A mixed-method cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 182 first-year students using an online Google Forms questionnaire. Data collected between April and June 2025 were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.
Results: Results showed that 91.21% of participants were exposed to at least one TCS, mainly infected wounds, open fractures, and patient deaths. The most common reactions included intense stress, flashbacks, dizziness, guilt, and loss of motivation. More than three-quarters (75.9%) reported receiving no institutional psychological support and relied primarily on peer discussions. Qualitative findings revealed latent psychological distress and a perceived lack of structured support.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the urgent need to incorporate systematic psychological preparation, simulation, and debriefing into nursing and midwifery training curricula to enhance students’ resilience and prevent both short- and long-term adverse effects
Keywords:
Nothing Poems Can Stay: Ephemerality as Postmodern Poetics from Frost to John Ashbery
Abstract
This study theorizes ephemerality as a postmodern poetics logic, instead of simply a theme of loss or nostalgia. It traces a genealogy of transience from Robert Frost and Wallce Stevens, on impermanence, and Sigman Freud’s reflections on value, and lastly, Wendy hui Kyong Chun’s “enduring ephemeral”. The study places ephemerality into a context that positions meaning as temporally contingent and fundamentally unstable. Therefore, the article argues that John Ashbery radicalizes ephemerality as he translates it into poetic form. With syntactic disjunction, temporal drift, indirection, and resistance to closure, Ashbery performs impermanence rather than representing it in his poetry. Meaning, therefore, becomes provisional and distributive, which engages the reader in a continual process of interpretation. In this way, ephemerality functions as both an aesthetic style and epistemological condition of the postmodern poetry.
Keywords: Ephemerality, John Ashbery, postmodern poetry, change, transience
Land Occupation and Utilization Dynamics in the Sirarou and Gbégourou Districts of Benin
Abstract
This study analyzes the dynamics of land cover and land use in the districts of Sirarou and Gbégourou (N’Dali municipality, Benin) using Sentinel-2B images from 2015 and 2025. A supervised classification based on the maximum likelihood algorithm was applied to map land-use changes over the study period, while the MOLUSCE model implemented in QGIS was used to simulate land cover patterns for the 2035 horizon. The results reveal a marked regression of natural formations between 2015 and 2025, to the benefit of anthropogenic formations. Open forests and wooded savannas lost 68% of their area over ten years, corresponding to an annual regression rate of 11.29%, with 82.37% of their area converted into other land-use classes. Tree and shrub savannas declined by 48%, representing an annual expansion rate of −6.60%, with 68.08% of their area converted into other units. Regarding anthropogenic formations, plantations experienced an overall increase of +99.90%, corresponding to an annual expansion rate of 6.93%, with 9.29% of their area converted into other units. Cropland–fallow mosaics recorded the highest expansion, with a 159.17% increase in area, corresponding to an annual expansion rate of 9.52%, compared to only 1.10% of their area converted into other units. Built-up areas also increased significantly, with a growth of 131.7%, corresponding to an annual expansion rate of 8.40%. Projections for the 2035 horizon confirm the continuation of these trends, albeit at a relatively slower pace. Thus, open forests and wooded savannas are expected to decline by 63.71% of their total area, while tree and shrub savannas will be reduced by 32%. At the same time, an expansion of built-up areas (+41.40%), plantations (+39%), and cropland–fallow mosaics (+2.42%) is projected. These results highlight the need to integrate these dynamics into local land-use planning policies in order to reconcile agricultural expansion, the preservation of ecosystem services, and biodiversity conservation
Keywords: Land cover, spatio-temporal dynamics, remote sensing, MOLUSCE modeling, N’Dali
A Semantic Analysis of Verbal Expressions Involving the Verb ‘dó’ in Hwegbe
Abstract
This study focuses on the semantic variation of the verb “dó” in Hwegbe, an Aja variant. This semantic variation is primarily due to the combination of this monosyllabic and homonymous verb with other lexemes, and will be highlighted through the various lexemes with which “dó” combines to form verbal expressions. The combination formed with this verb and other lexemes helps address in Hwegbe, the problem of semantic analysis of words, phrases, and even sentences posed by certain homonymous monosyllabic verbs, including “dó.” Theoretically, we adhere to the approach to the problem of verbal expressions from the perspective of lexicalization, a process by which a linguistic form becomes an autonomous, relatively fixed, idiosyncratic, and non-productive lexical unit, as opposed to grammaticalization, proposed by Lehmann (1995). According to him, by forming a verbal idiom on a categorical basis [Verb + nominal predicate], one obtains a complex formula categorized as a complex verb.
Keywords: Semantic variation, verb expression, lexicalization, monosyllabic, homonymous
Setting and Resources in ESP Programme Delivery: A Context-Input Evaluation at Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo
Abstract
English for Specific Purposes (ESP), as a universal teaching approach, is essential to African higher educational institutions in enabling students’ academic and future professional achievements. This paper attempts to evaluate both Context and Input of seven ESP programmes at Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (UJKZ). The context dimension enquires about the institutional policy, programme’s goal, and learner need, whereas Input investigates the characteristics of the human resources and instructional materials available. The study was based on Stufflebeam’s (1971) CIPP evaluation model and used a mixed-method approach, i.e. quantitative and qualitative. Findings showed that programme context and input at UJKZ, on a whole, were adequate in some respects but insufficient in others, particularly regarding teacher training and authentic materials. It was therefore recommended that the latter be improved by providing ESP teacher with adequate training and developing sufficient and up-dated authentic aids and materials which meet learners’ needs.
Keywords: ESP Programme, Context-Input evaluation, Curriculum Development, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkinabe Faso
Abstract
This study falls within the field of stylistics and pragmatic linguistics, examining the discursive and narrative value of intonation in rhetorical questions across three major nineteenth- century novels: in Germinal by Zola, in The Red and the Black by Stendhal, and Dangerous Liaisons by Laclos. Although these works differ in aesthetic form and historical context, they offer a fertile ground for analyzing how vocal modulation, implicitly conveyed through literary language, contributes as a tool of persuasion and dramatization, revealing emotions, power relations, and psychological tensions among characters. The methodology adopted relies on a qualitative and comparative analysis, combining the stylistic study of interrogative structures, the pragmatic interpretation of meaning effects, and the examination of prosodic cues embedded within both narrative and dialogic discourse. The findings show that the descending or emphatic intonation of rhetorical questions lends them an assertive, ironic, or polemical value depending on the enunciative context. In Germinal, it conveys collective anger and revolt, in The Red the Black, it expresses the hero’s irony and disillusionment, and in Dangerous Liaisons, it becomes a manipulative weapon serving the epistolary strategy. Thus, intonation emerges as a crucial component of the expressive and narrative power of literary discourse, shaping not only the tone but also the ideological and emotional dynamics of the text.
Keywords: Intonation, Rhetorical Question, Prosody, Pragmatics, Narration, Irony
African Public Television Broadcasters Télé-Congo and Gabon 1ère: Status, Programming, and News Offerings
Abstract
This article examines public television in Africa, with a particular focus on the legal status, programming structures, and informational offerings of two Central African public television channels: Télé-Congo and Gabon 1ère. The study adopts a quantitative methodology. The corpus consists of regulatory and legal texts, television programming schedules (from 1 to 7 September 2025, totaling one hundred and sixty-eight hours per channel), and ten (10) television news bulletins (five (05) per channel). The findings reveal a deliberate maintenance of strong state control at Télé-Congo and weak state control at Gabon 1ère. Consequently, the programming structure displays an imbalance among different types of programs, as well as the dominance of informational content centered exclusively on the political field on both public television channels examined. Such practices hinder the alignment of Télé-Congo and Gabon 1ère with the core ideals of public service broadcasting. This article paves the way for further research focusing on the analysis of political informational content on Télé-Congo and Gabon 1ère.
Keywords: Public television, legal status, programming, informational content, Congo, Gabon