Eguria

                  WOMEN IN AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT            In Africa, women represent 51 per cent of the population and can be found in all professions and branches of activity. Although their contributions may not be officially recognized, it is undeniable that their role is critical to the economic development of their respective countries. Between 60 and 80 per cent of all agricultural labour in Africa is undertaken by women, who are found all along the food chain. The Africa woman sows, reaps, transports, processes and sells the food. At least 50 per cent of food production is provided by women. Women start working from childhood and contribute until the day when they are too tired to do so. In the rural areas women work even when they are pregnant, up until the time of birth, because it is they who must satisfy the basic needs of their families....

                           WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT           Africa is in the grip of a quiet but profound transformation. The Africa woman, whose contribution to society have frequently been overlooked, is suddenly finding herself liberated from many of the constraints placed upon her in the past. Balancing her newly discovered political and economic power with her customary role as family provider and nurturer; she is seeking her way in a continuously changing social landscape. How does she reconcile the needs of her family with her own personal goals? On the threshold of new era, she remains suspended between traditions and modernity. The United Nations Decade for Women that was inaugurated in 1975 and concluded at the U.N. World Conference on Women held in Nairobi in 1985 fostered recognition of the contribution being made by Africa Women to the cause of nation building. Among other ...

               MAKING A GOOD WRITE-UP                                                                    BY EGURIASE S. M. OKAKA Since man has learnt how to read and write, at least, have the ability to put something down, in black and write, in the form of information dissemination or giving instruction to others, we can say that he has attained a level of civilization. For civilization is a mark to judge a people’s progress. As I said before in one of my articles: ‘The Art of Writing, where we looked at the writer and his writings and understand why he writes. Here, we shall consider some important steps to making a good write-up: ·         Choose a subject that...

                           THE ART OF WRITING                      BY EGURIASE S. M. OKAKA Writing is the art and science of putting words together to make a complete sense. The art and science include the use of words and grammatical applications to communicates ideals or the delivery of a message for our benefits. It also involves the ability to design and construct words into edifices which will stand the test of time. So we can say of a Writer, as any person who have   the ability, that is, the art and science of putting words to together to make a complete sense and use his or her writings to idealized a situation or pass an ideology or conveys a message to his immediate community and beyond. Conveying a message across can be noticed in our everyday conversation. Every day, we talk to someone; ma...

BERNARD SHAW: ARMS and the MAN   SUMMARY OF THE ACTS   ACT I This has its setting in Raina’s room during a moon-lit night.   Catherine, Raina’s   mother, comes in to break the news of the triumphant success of Sergius.   Raina’s fiancé in the war front.   Catherine tries to make her believe the story, but Raina pretends as if she is not interested.   Louka enters to request that all the windows be firmly shut as there is shooting in the streets.   Catherine and Louka soon go out, leaving Raina in the room.   Raina then starts to adore Sergius’ portrait and prepares to read herself to sleep.   Just suddenly, gun shots are heard very close by.   Then a fleeting soldier climbs the water pipe and gains entry into Raina’s room.   He threatens to shoot if Raina should raise an alarm.   Raina is scared initially, but soon realizes that the soldier is harmless, he is only looking for refuge.   She takes pity on...

                 Bernard Shaw: Arms and the Man   AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND             George Bernard Shaw, an Irish playwright, was born on July 26, 1856.   His father, George Carr Shaw, was a low income earner, a drunkard who was incapable of supporting his family – wife and three children.   Bernard’s mother left Dublin for London because of the poverty of her husband, and became a music teacher.   Bernard could not follow his mother then, because he was in school.   It is this family background that pushed him to the search for true independence.   At fifteen, he worked as a clerk and cashier in a land agent’s office.   After doing four years on this job, he moved to London to join his mother.   His mother gave singing lessons while Lucy, his sister, was a singer who had several notable operas to her cre...