Hannah’s prayer for a male child: Interpreting 1 Samuel 1:11 in the Nigerian context

Studies have shown that a preference for male children is prevalent in many parts of the world, including Africa. In Nigeria, with its patriarchal family structure, a preference for sons has become an institutionalised way of life. Hence, the Hannah narrative in 1 Samuel 1 is of high relevance in Nigeria. The story of Hannah’s barrenness has often been employed to encourage childless Christians to have faith in God for children, but not many have paid attention to her request specifically for a male child in verse 11. To this end, Hannah’s prayer for a male child is examined in this article against the context of the strong desire for male children in Nigeria. The article employed the historical-critical and descriptive methods. Apart from the exegesis of 1 Samuel 1:11, using the descriptive approach, the author interacted with and utilised relevant material on preference for male children in Nigeria. The research found that Hannah’s request for a son is consistent with the pattern of the narratives of barren mothers in the Old Testament in which all asked for male children. Hannah’s specific request for a male child is therefore a reflection of the preference for sons in ancient Israel, which derived principally from the fact that, in that society, male children were greatly desired for the purpose of the perpetuation of the husband’s lineage, as well as for land inheritance. Understanding Hannah’s prayer for a son in this way, makes 1 Samuel 1:11 relevant in Nigeria where people prefer male children for similar reasons. In view of the fact that the preference for sons has a fatal effect on female children, as well as their mothers, it amounts to women abuse, which makes it an issue of pastoral significance in Nigeria. 1 Samuel 1:11 is thus relevant in the context of marital conflicts among Nigerian Christian couples arising from male child preference. To this end, teaching to illuminate this preference for sons should form an integral part of the marriage theology of the church in Nigeria.Contribution: The article is a contribution in the field of marriage theology, in that it identifies the preference for male children as a possible factor for marital disharmony among Nigerian Christian couples.

CONTEXTUALISATION OF WOMEN ABUSE IN AFRICA: BIBLICAL AND AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES

The Women related abuses such oppressions and inequalities have been dominant in the man –woman relationship throughout out human history. Narrations in biblical discourses to anthropological records in Africa have reviewed this phenomenon. Contextuality and plurality of women abuse can be seen in famine/poverty, female infertility and woman beauty. Patriarchal culture and biblical interpretations have been regarded as channels of gender inequality and abuse of women. The tendency of women to wait upon Gods vindication in their abuse has not been feeble contributor to women marginalization. Women abuse takes place also in modern society. African societies have notoriously headlined in the inequality, oppression of women’s rights and abuse of other forms. At the center of this phenomenon in is its cultures that tend to favour men to women and patriarchal in nature. The African scenario and biblical discourses of women tend to meet in culture.

Advocating for the Protection of Rights of Children and Women in Nigeria: An Appraisal

The protection of children and women in Nigeria is very critical because their integration in every sphere is a precedent to the growth and development of nations. However, they face diverse discrimination and violence because they are very vulnerable. The object of this study is to examine the rights of children and women by x-raying the various legal and institutional frameworks that provide for their rights, as well as dangers posed by taking their rights for granted. The work analyses factors that inhibit their protection and proffers a viable solution. In this paper, we adopt the doctrinal and empirical methods of legal research. The study discovers that despite a legion of legislation, children and women are exposed to many factors such as legal, social, economic, and obnoxious cultural practices. Further, the work reveals that inherent lapses are visible in our legal framework particularly the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Child‘s Rights Act and other relevant legislation. Accordingly, the work recommends for the eradication of factors that promote child and women abuse and review of relevant laws. The work further recommends for a serious synergy between the government and non-governmental organizations for the protection of children and women.

Indigenous Epistemologies, Worldviews and Theories of Power

The purpose of the study is to understand Indigenous epistemologies of power from the standpoint of Indigenous participants who are originally from or currently living in the Sudbury and Manitoulin Island areas of Ontario, Canada. Indigenous research methods are privileged throughout, and key aspects of grounded theory are woven in to add support. Comparisons between the Indigenous epistemological concept of power and the Western theories of power of mainstream academia are made, as are relevant criticisms of Western epistemology. Fifteen Indigenous participants were interviewed. The central category that arose from the data is, relationships. This central category ties the other main categories together which are: language, sacred sources of power, Indigenous women, abuse of power, and knowledge. The findings indicate that there are many forms and manifestations of power which are related to each other. The source of power is in the interrelatedness of everyone to everything else that is known and unknown. Humility, harmony and balanced relationships produce the healthiest and most magnificent manifestations of power. The paper argues that understanding more about epistemologies of power will help illuminate a pathway by which Indigenous peoples and Canadians of settler ancestry can better understand one another, creating the shift in these relationships that is required in order to gather large-scale support for reconciliation and for ethical distribution of power resources in Canada.

When Women Abuse Men: What We Now Know About Female Intimate Partner Violence

The abuse of men by women has historically been attributed exclusively as a function of the primary problem of men's abuse and domination of women. Decades of research and clinical observations have informed us that is only sometimes true, and that many women who abuse men are actually motivated by many of the same factors as the men who abuse women. Social agencies, the legal system, and treatment providers need to recognize the different typologies of female intimate partner violence (including primary aggressors, violent retaliation, bidirectional violence, and self-defense). Treatment programs for female abusers need to include special emphasis on trauma history, attachment disorders, emotional self-regulation, and personal empowerment. A female abuser treatment program is presented with clinical guidelines specifically designed for this population.

Women Abuse Screening Tool: A Validation Study on Nigerian Pregnant Women

Domestic violence is identified across the globe as a menace as it poses a threat to the mental health of its victims, the significant others of the victim and the security of a nation at large. In some cases, the victim of domestic violence is a pregnant woman and harm is caused not only to a woman but her fetus also and this calls for urgent psychological assessment and intervention. Although there is no doubt that psychological tests are effective in the assessment of domestic violence, using the psychometric properties obtained from a different population may produce generate inaccurate findings. This paper therefore attempts the validation study of Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) using a sample of 379 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the State Specialist Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. The study derived a Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability of 0.758, p <.05 and a Guttman split-half coefficient of 0.683, p <.05. Furthermore, concurrent validity of Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and Ongoing Abuse Screen (OAS) was established as 0.29, p<.05. The norms of the instrument were given as 2.38 for tolerable level of domestic violence and 5.79 for severe and pathological level of domestic violence. Authors conclude that Women Abuse Screening Tool has acceptable psychometric properties to justify its usage for the assessment of level of domestic violence among pregnant women in Nigeria and other nations with similar socio-cultural backgrounds.

A Study of 2 Samuel 13:1–22 as a Solution to Intimate Partner Violence in Nigeria

With particular reference to women abuse, this article examines how the Tamar rape narrative can be employed as a solution to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Nigeria. Applying the text in this way, Tamar’s action of mentioning her experience encourages victims of sexual abuse to voice their ordeal as this would expose their assailants and serve as a deterrent to intending abusers. The role of David as a parent and family head reminds every father to aspire to be a good example to his sons as regards attitude to women; it also points to the need to re-awaken those African virtues of old which restricted sex to marriage. In the Nigerian context, the role of David as the custodian of the law relates to the fact that the relevant IPV laws should be updated and adequately applied. A proper investigation of Amnon might reveal that, apart from his family background which might influence his behaviour, he might also be under the influence of certain situational and individual factors.