FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Family violence ensues in various forms of which domestic violence is one among other forms of abuse and aggression that produce crises in the family. Drawing from crisis theorists, Lindeman families have various kinds of crises such as abuse and violent behavior (DV), infidelity, economic distress, illness and disability, death and grief. Here, we will discuss family violence with domestic violence undertone. When abuse and violent behavior happens within the family circle, it is termed as family violence or domestic violence. It ranges from couple, intimate partner abuse (DV) to child (physical assault, neglect, emotional abuse), and elderly abuse. Abuse is any harm done to a person which can be physical, psychological, or sexual in nature.

The rapid growth of social media use among young people has raised concerns about its potential impact on mental health. This study examined the effects of social media usage on the mental health of undergraduate students at the University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the frequency and patterns of social media use, the relationship between social media engagement and mental health outcomes, students’ awareness of the psychological risks associated with excessive use, and strategies for promoting healthier digital engagement. The study was guided by Social Comparison Theory, which explains how individuals evaluate themselves through comparisons with others, particularly in digital environments. A survey research design was adopted. Data were collected from 490 undergraduate students drawn from different faculties of the University of Benin using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyze patterns of social media usage and mental health experiences, while inferential statistical techniques including Pearson Product–Moment Correlation, independent-samples t-test, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that social media usage is highly prevalent among undergraduate students, with platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, and X being the most frequently used. Many students reported spending several hours daily on these platforms, often during evening and late-night hours. The results further indicated that frequent and prolonged social media use is significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms among students. The study also found that greater awareness of the psychological risks associated with excessive social media use is linked to better mental health outcomes. The study concludes that while social media provides important opportunities for communication and social interaction, excessive engagement may expose students to psychological challenges. It therefore recommends the promotion of digital mental health literacy programs, strengthened counseling services, and institutional strategies that encourage
balanced and responsible social media use among students

This research assesses the impact of information and communication technology on organizational performance in Federal Inland revenue services, Edo State. The study explored four objectives to drive the research. The objectives include: examination of how availability of ICT affect infrastructure affect organizational performance in Federal Inland Revenue Service, Benin City; examine how ICT capacity of staff affect organizational performance in Federal Inland Revenue Service, Benin City; investigate how corporate taxpayer’s utilization of ICT affect organisational performance in Federal Inland Revenue Service, Benin City; and ascertain the challenges facing FIRS in relation to ICT adoption for effective organizational performance. The study was anchored on Technology Acceptance Model as a framework of analysis for the study and adopted quantitative research analysis where data generated from primary and secondary sources via questionnaires and interview were analyzed in interpreted using Statistical Package for social Sciences (SPSS), and findings discussed. The study revealed the following findinds: ICT has the capability for digital processing and utilization of information by the use of electronic computers; the study reveals that the staff were staff decided they were comfortable with deploying ICT in the dispensing of their duties they were however undecided if the availability of ICT infrastructure would boost the organizational performance at FIRS and it can be linked with the fact that staff also were undecided as to the regularity of trainings schedule organized. The study concludes amongst others that, there exist a relationship between technology and organizational performance in FIRS. The study also concludes that the ICT capability of staff also has an existing relationship with organizational performance. It also concludes that the ICT has reduced bottlenecks for taxpayers and improved the utilization of FIRS services by corporate taxpayers and recommends amongnst others that, ICT should be made more readily available for staffs to employ in deploying their duties. Fundings for ICT should be given priority by management at FIRS. ICT capacity building and trainings should be regularly organized in FIRS, Benin City

Local governments in Nigeria are to provide services aimed at improving the welfare of
people living within their jurisdictions. In this research work, the researcher intended to
have a general discussion with local government as my background. But lack of space
may not allow me for detailed discussion and analysis. However, all essential parts of the role of local government administration in economic and social development of rural areas in Nigeria are discussed. In chapter one, I discussed the background of the
problem of study, the scope, some research questions and research hypothesis, significant and some definition of terms. Chapter two contains review of related literature, local government, social and economic development process, characteristics of rural area and the history of local government. Furthermore, chapter three contains research design, area of study, population and sample size, instrument for data collection, validation of instrument, reliability of instrument, method of data collection and method of data analysis. Chapter four contains presentation and analysis of data, testing of hypothesis and summary of result. Finally, chapter five contains discussion of result findings, conclusion, and implication of the research findings, recommendation, limitation and suggestion for further research.

The study investigated the challenges of implementing e-government initiatives at the local government level in Edo State: A case study of Oredo Local Government Area. The core objective was to identify the major infrastructural, human capital, institutional, and financial barriers hindering the effective adoption and sustainability of digital governance at the grassroots. The research adopted a Descriptive Survey Design and sampled a total of ninety (90) respondents, comprising both local government staff and residents who interact with the council's services. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using frequency counts and simple percentages. The study revealed a significant implementation gap, driven primarily by three key factors: weak infrastructural support (unstable power supply and poor internet access), low human capacity (lack of regular staff training and digital literacy), and inadequate institutional commitment (insufficient budgetary allocation for ICT and weak political will). These factors result in the continued dominance of manual processes, which limit service efficiency and citizen engagement. It was concluded that the successful transition to e-government in Oredo Local Government Area is critically dependent on addressing these foundational structural and behavioral deficiencies. The study recommended, among others, that: the Local Government should prioritize significant and consistent budgetary allocation for ICT infrastructure and maintenance; regular and mandatory ICT training should be organized for all staff; and political leadership must demonstrate sustained commitment to digital initiatives to ensure their success and sustainability.

This study examines the impact of urbanization on economic growth in Nigeria over the period 1981 to 2024 using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) modeling approach. Gross domestic product (GDP) was used as the dependent variable, while urbanization (URB), population (POP), foreign direct investment (FDI), and inflation (INF) served as explanatory variables. The study employed unit root tests to determine the stationarity of the variables, followed by ARDL bounds testing to investigate the existence of a long-run co-integration relationship among the variables.

Short-run ARDL estimates showed that past values of GDP, urbanization, population, and FDI significantly affect current economic growth, while inflation has a marginally negative impact. Long-run estimates revealed that urbanization and FDI positively influence GDP, whereas population growth and inflation negatively affect economic performance. The error correction term was negative and statistically significant, demonstrating the model’s ability to correct deviations from long-run equilibrium.

Diagnostic tests confirmed the robustness of the model, with no evidence of heteroskedasticity or serial correlation, and the R-squared and F-statistic values indicated strong explanatory power. Based on these findings, the study concludes that
urbanization and stable FDI inflows are critical drivers of economic growth, while population growth and inflation require careful management. Policy recommendations include planned urban development, promotion of sustainable foreign investment, population management, and macroeconomic stability to ensure that urbanization contributes positively to Nigeria’s economic development.

This study was carried out to critically evaluate “Police brutality and the issue of Endsars Protest. The case of Edo State. pecifically, the study investigated the issues and various events that led to the Endsars protest and how the Endsars protest started and ended. Also, the study carefully looked at both the positive and negative effects of the Protest, how youth from various parts of Edo state came out to pour out how they felt about the situation which later was hijacked by thugs. The study employed the survey research design. Questionnaire was used for data collection which was raised against five scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Undecided (U), Strongly Disagree (SD), Disagree (D), and was analyzed using the frequency tables and simple percentage method. A total of 130 respondents were conveniently selected as sample size comprising of Students in the University of Benin, drivers and youth outside of the great University of Benin also. Out of the 130 respondents, 100 responses were received and validated from the survey, because some of the respondents did not submit the questionnaire. The survey adopted the Uses and gratification theory (UGT). From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that the Endsars Protest really occurred in Edo State, it’s massive effects on citizens of Edo state and effects also on businesses within the State. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between police brutality and endsars protest. Demands were made by the protesters, popularly referred to as the big five demands. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended that in order to prevent another Endsars rotest, increment in salaries, discipline and fight against corruption were the recommendations to prevent another Endsars rotest in Edo state and Nigeria as a whole.

Crime remains a major social problem that negatively affects individuals and society through economic, psychological, and health-related consequences. In response to the increasing rate of crime, the police as a formal institution of social control are charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. However, traditional policing methods have often proven inadequate in addressing modern security challenges. This led to the emergence of community policing, which emphasizes partnership and collaboration between the police and members of the community in crime prevention and control. Community policing encourages proactive policing strategies, problem-solving, and public participation in maintaining peace and security. In Nigeria, the adoption of community policing in 2004 marked a significant step toward police reform aimed at improving public trust, professionalism, and effective service delivery. This approach seeks to transform citizens into co-producers of justice and security by strengthening police-community relations. The study therefore examines the role of community policing in crime prevention and control, highlighting its importance as a proactive strategy for ensuring the protection of lives and property in society.

This study examined the “Social Work Intervention Strategies for Victims of Truancy and Juvenile Delinquency in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria.” Truancy and juvenile delinquency have become pressing social and educational challenges, threatening academic achievement, school discipline, and the broader social development of young people. These behaviours are influenced by multiple socio-cultural, economic, and family-related factors, which often leave affected students vulnerable to further academic and social failure. Social work intervention provides a professional framework to address these challenges by offering preventive, remedial, and rehabilitative support for students at risk. The objectives of the study were to: identify the causes of truancy and juvenile delinquency in selected public secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area, examine the social, economic, and cultural factors influencing these behaviours, explore the effectiveness of social work intervention strategies in addressing truancy and juvenile delinquency, assess the roles of schools, families, and communities in supporting victims, and investigate the challenges facing social workers in implementing interventions. The study adopted Social Learning Theory and Ecological Systems Theory as its theoretical framework. A quantitative approach was adopted, using survey research design. The study population comprised secondary school students, teachers, parents, and social workers in Ovia North East LGA. A sample size of 400 respondents was selected through multi-stage sampling
using systematic techniques. Data collection instruments included a structured questionnaire, validated by experts in social work. Reliability was ensured through testretest procedures. The findings revealed that peer pressure, poor parental supervision,
poverty, broken homes, negative school environments, and socio-cultural influences were major causes of truancy and juvenile delinquency. The study further showed that while social workers play an important role in counseling, advocacy, and school–community mediation, their involvement in secondary schools remains limited due to institutional, financial, and policy-related challenges. The study recommended, among others, that the government should integrate professional social workers into school systems to provide counseling and rehabilitation services; families and communities should be sensitized to their roles in curbing truancy and delinquency; and targeted economic and educational support should be provided for vulnerable students. Strengthening collaboration between schools, families, and community stakeholders was also emphasized as a key strategy to
reduce the menace

This study examine the Anti-corruption crusade under Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari administration: A comparative study, The specific objectives are to determine the extent to which the public are aware of the anti-corruption crusade of both administration, to ascertain the level of public knowledge about the anti- corruption campaign, to identify the source of public knowledge about the anti- corruption crusade, to examine the perception of the people about the anti- corruption crusade method of data analysis data collected were presented quantitatively using simple frequency tables, percentages and numbers. The findings of the study, it is safe to conclude that the awareness on the anti- corruption crusade of Mr. President Goodluck Jonathan has gained grounds in South-South, Nigeria. This, no doubt, is the reason for the impressive 60% knowledge of the crusade among the people. For which 55.5% of the respondents are not satisfied with the corruption drive so far. This raises a big question on the drive itself and the way it is being approached. The Recommendations of the public need to predispose themselves to the acquisition of knowledge on the anticorruption drive of President Buhari. This is because 60% knowledge might not be enough to appreciate the effort of this administration in fighting corruption. On the aspect of the sources of information, it is recommended that people should use their new media gadgets to source for more information regarding the anti-corruption drive. This will no doubt improve the knowledge of the people on the approach and strategies taken to curb corruption in the country.