SOCIO-CULTURAL EFFECTS

This study examined the socio-cultural factors influencing traditional festivals in Benin City, with particular emphasis on the Igue Festival. The Igue Festival, one of the most significant cultural heritages of the Benin people, embodies the spiritual, social, and cultural identity of the community. However, modernization, urbanization, and changing value systems have introduced new dynamics that influence the perception, practice, and sustainability of the festival. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 100 respondents through structured questionnaires. The study focused on four key objectives: to identify the socio-cultural importance of the Igue Festival; to assess how modernization and social change affect its practice; to examine the perception of different social groups towards the festival; and to explore strategies for preserving its relevance in contemporary society. Findings revealed that while the Igue Festival continues to play a vital role in cultural identity, unity, and spiritual renewal, factors such as Western influence, religious conversion, generational differences, and economic challenges have affected its observance. The study concludes that deliberate efforts are needed to balance cultural preservation with modern realities. It recommends sensitization programs, integration of cultural education into school curricula, and stronger community involvement to ensure the sustainability of the Igue Festival for future generations.

This study examined the socio-economic effects of artificial intelligence in Agricultural by farmers and extension agents in Edo state, Nigeria. A stratified sampling procedure was used to select 131 farmers and 82 extension agents that were used for this study. The specific objectives were analyzed using descriptive statistics ( frequency, percentage and mean rating ) why regression analysis was used to analyze the hypothesis. Findings revealed that the majority of farmers (62.4%) and extension agents (61.7%) were male, and most fell within the economically active age range of 31–50 years. Awareness level of AI technologies was high, 74.4% and 91.7% of farmers and extension agents respectively, satellite imagery (64.0% of farmers; 75.0% of extension agents), and climate precision models (60.0% of farmers; 81.7% of extension agents). However, advanced technologies such as remote sensing recorded low adoption (8.0% of farmers; 1.7% of extension agents). Adoption levels of Artificial intelligence(AI) varied and showed mixed sociocultural reactions towards AI technologies. The regression analysis shows that most socio-economic characteristics, sex (β = 0.162; p = 0.020), association membership (β = 0.258; p < 0.01), awareness of AI (β = 0.585; p < 0.01), and location (p = 0.058) of respondents have significant influence on awareness ( β = 0.585; p < 0.01 ) and adoption (Adjusted R² = 0.523 ) of AI technologies with some sociocul tural effects. The study concludes that while awareness and partial adoption of AI technologies are increasing, full integration into agricultural practice is hindered by sociocultural beliefs, limited infrastructure, and gaps in technical capacity