LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Social media has become a force in democratic ideals around the world, drastically changing how people communicate politically and engage in public discourse around the world. Scientific analysis has focused on the exponential rise in social media users over the years. There were 5.24 billion social media users globally at the start of the year 2025, with annualized growth of 4.1 per cent of new users. In July 2024, for instance, about 123 Nigerians (more than half of the population) are registered internet users, with about 84 per cent of internet traffic generated through mobile devices. Among the users, the youth dominate the demographic population of internet users. This study attempted to examine the impact of social media on youths’ political participation in the 2023 presidential election in the Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. Participation in politics remains pivotal in the sustenance of a nation’s democracy. The study utilized a structured questionnaire to draw data from a random sample of 400 respondents. A theory of Uses and Gratification was deployed to assess youths' motivation for social media use during the election. The findings showed that different forms of social media technologies were used by the youth to participate in the 2023 presidential elections in the Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, such as WhatsApp, TikTok. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Secondly, the findings showed that social media use facilitated the youth’s dissemination of political information in the 2023 presidential election in the Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State by enabling them to get and send information, campaign for their preferred candidate and debate with their social media users. The third finding showed that social media use influenced the youth’s choice of candidate in the 2023 presidential election in the Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State by helping them to choose their right candidate in the 2023 presidential election in the Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. The last finding revealed that different challenges were encountered by the youths while using the social media platforms. These include the government’s unnecessary social media censorship, high data tariff, persistent network glitches, epileptic power supply, fake news and cyber stalking and bullying. The study recommends a need for increased advocacy on the use of social media during elections; a need to address the menace of fake news, cyberbullying and stalking and false information using social media platforms; and a need for the Nigerian government to ensure that the youths’ fundamental rights of free speech and association are preserved.

Teenage pregnancy remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, contributing to school dropout, maternal and infant morbidity, and socio-economic challenges. This study aimed to assess the awareness and contributing factors of teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in a local government area of Edo State. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design
was employed. Simple random sampling was used to select 271 participants from two secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area. A structured questionnaire was distributed, and 266 were properly filled and valid for analysis, yielding a response rate of 98.1%. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Descriptive statistics summarized socio-demographic characteristics, prevalence, awareness, and contributing factors of teenage pregnancy. Chi-square tests were conducted to assess the relationship between the level of awareness of sex education and the prevalence of teenage pregnancy. The study revealed a self-reported teenage pregnancy prevalence of 6.8%, with higher rates among older adolescents (17–19 years). Approximately 70% of students demonstrated good awareness of sex education and reproductive health, though gaps and misconceptions persisted regarding contraception and reproductive health
components. Multiple factors were identified as contributing to teenage pregnancy, including poverty, peer influence, lack of parental care, broken homes, low self-confidence, early marriage, social media exposure, and cultural or religious restrictions. A significant association was found between awareness of sex education and teenage pregnancy awareness (χ² = 6.765, p = 0.01). Teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in the study area is influenced by a combination of socio-demographic, familial, economic, psychological, and cultural factors, while adequate awareness of sex education serves as a protective factor. Comprehensive sex education programs, parental and community engagement, targeted interventions for vulnerable adolescents, and accessible youth-friendly reproductive health services are recommended to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy and promote adolescent well-being.

This study investigated the effectiveness of the leadership style of the principal on the performance of secondary school teachers in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo state. To guide the study four research questions were raised and answered directly. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of five hundred and thirty-nine (539) teachers from the 14 public secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo state. a sample of one hundred (100) teachers from 5 public secondary schools was randomly selected for the study. The research instrument used to gather data for the study was a Questionnaire titled Principal’s Leadership Styles and Teachers’ Performance Questionnaire (PLSTPQ). Data collected were analyzed using the descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation). The findings revealed that the most commonly used leadership style in public secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State is the Democratic leadership style. The study also revealed that the level of effectiveness of principal’s leadership styles and teachers’ level of performance in secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State is high. It was concluded that the effectiveness of principal’s leadership style positively affects teachers’ performance in public secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.