ESUT JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

From Post-Colonial Optimism to Developmental Crisis

Ayodeji O ADEDEJI, James Nda JACOB — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:46:31 +0000

Nigeria's post-colonial history depicts a shift from early optimism about economic development to a worsening challenge of governance. Due to systemic governance flaws, endemic corruption, and insufficient accountability systems, early trust in state-led development, which is backed by comparatively strong institutions and purposeful leadership, has slowly decreased. Within the context of political economy, this paper examines the structural and ideological underpinnings of this transition, contending that Nigeria's developmental problems stem from both the deterioration of cohesive developmental principles and institutional fragility. The study interrogates the causative factors that surrounds governance failure as well as development outcomes in Nigeria following the country’s transition to democratic dispensation in 1999 by using qualitative research techniques with the use of Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs) and interviews. This study demonstrates how development has been hindered and public confidence and trust in state institutions has been eroded by elite-driven governance, which is strengthened by ego-driven political maneuvering and low civic involvement. The study also uses Obafemi Awolowo's democratic socialist ideology as a conceptual framework, emphasizing the importance of equitable resource allocation, welfare-oriented governance, and mass education. In order to reverse Nigeria's developmental failure, the study recommends that restructuring governance on social welfare, accountability within public institutions, and citizen-centered public policies is essential.

Scope and Methodology of Industrial Economics

Ishua Eugene Ejim, Ukah Patrick Egbe — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:47:22 +0000

This study examines the scope and methodology of industrial economics through a qualitative review, with particular emphasis on its implications for developing economies such as a Nigeria. Anchored on the Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) paradigm and extended through institutional and behavioural perspectives, the study synthesizes theoretical and empirical literature to provide more context-sensitive understanding of industrial dynamics. The study adopts a qualitative review design, drawing on peer-reviewed journal articles, policy reports and scholarly text, and employs thematic analysis, narrative synthesis, pattern matching and explanation building on analytical techniques. Industrial economics is critical for understanding firm behavior and market structure, yet its application in developing economy like Nigeria often clashes with structural bottlenecks. In Nigeria despite various industrialization policies, the sector remains underdeveloped, heavily reliant on imports and dominated by monopolistic tendencies in key sectors like energy. Industrial economics provides an essential framework for analyzing how market structure, firm behavior, and institutional arrangement shape industrial performance under conditions of imperfect competition. Findings reveal that the traditional SCP framework is inefficient as a linear explanatory model, as industrial outcomes are shaped by dynamic and bidirectional relationships among market structure, firm conduct, and performance. Institutional quality plays a critical moderating role in determining these relationships, particularly in developing economies. In Nigeria, weak institutions, policy inconsistency, infrastructural deficits, and macroeconomic instability distort expected SCP relationships, resulting in persistent industrial under performance; Firm behaviour is also found to be highly adaptive and survival-driven rather than innovation-led. The study concludes that industrial economics most evolved beyond deterministic models to incorporate institutional and context-specific realities. It recommends strengthening institutions, improving competition policy, promoting innovation, stabilizing macroeconomic conditions, and adopting context-sensitive industrial strategies. Strengthen competition and antitrust enforcement institutions, designing industrial policy that complements competition policy, Promoting firm-level R&D and University-industry collaboration, and encouraging firm and industry-level empirical research to guide policy.

Impact of Health Education on Malaria Prevention among Nursing Mothers in Nsugbe Health Centre, Abata, Anambra State

Afam Ndu, Ijeoma Judith Ilo — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:48:10 +0000

This study investigated “Health education and its impact on malaria prevention among nursing mothers in Nsugbe Health Centre.” The objectives of the study were to assess the influence of health education on malaria prevention, to determine the impact of malaria prevention among nursing mothers, and to ascertain the nursing interventions on the preventive measures of malaria among nursing mothers. A systematic random sampling technique was adopted for the study. The study population comprised 250 nursing mothers, while 150 respondents were selected through systematic random sampling. A structured questionnaire served as the main instrument for data collection. The validity and reliability of the instrument were ensured. Data collected were analyzed using frequency distribution tables and charts. The results revealed, among others, that the majority of the respondents had received health education and possessed good knowledge and information regarding malaria prevention. Based on the findings, recommendations were made, including the need to educate nursing mothers on the importance of malaria prevention and its potential benefits, addressing barriers that may hinder nursing mothers from accessing malaria prevention programs, and adopting diverse educational approaches such as pamphlets, lectures, role-play, and video-based learning.

Family Dynamics as Correlate of In-School Adolescents Academic and Social Adjustment

Chijioke Ephraim Ohuakanwa — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:49:02 +0000

The present study investigated the variables in family dynamics, aligning to academic adjustment and social adjustment of in-school adolescents. The title of and purpose of the study is to determine family dynamics as correlate of in-school adolescents academic and social adjustment in Owerri municipal council. The researcher raised two research questions and formulated subsequently two hypotheses. The design of the study is a correlational survey design from a population of 19,575 in-school adolescents across eleven public secondary schools a sample of 387 in-school adolescents using multistage simple random selection process. Two instruments with reliability coefficients of 0.8 for FACEC and 0.74 guided the study. Data collected were duly analyzed in time with statistical applications revealing the magnitude and direction of the relation among family dynamics, academic adjustment and social adjustment. The findings were that there was a strong relationship between family dynamics, academic adjustment and social adjustment. The implication of this findings are that poor parenting may diffuse the cohesion existing in families hence the researcher recommended that parents should support the emotional, academic, social and physical needs of their children to form a strong bond fairly extending to their old age.