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Unveiling Racial Disparities in America’s Housing Crisis Post-Pandemic

The housing crisis has been an ongoing issue in America since 2007. It has become painfully noticeable due to the COVID-19 pandemic and how the crisis affects people. Research has been done to understand the housing issues before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies show that racial and ethnic minorities seem to have more of a struggle with the inequality effects in housing than other communities. Though the housing crisis may not be racially motivated, it doesn’t shy away from the fact that racial and ethnic minorities have a burden from this issue.

Image displays homeownership rates by age group and race/ethnicity.  Other includes people who are Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, or any other race.
Source: Treasury calculations using data from the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a growth in America’s unemployment rate: it increased from 3.5% to 14.7% according to Yung Chun in his research. As a result, racial and ethnic minorities are burdened with economic effects such as housing hardships. Black and Hispanic households are more likely to experience these hardships, which can manifest in eviction as well as delays in mortgage, rent, and bill payments. Due to these struggles caused by the increase in the crisis, especially with poor housing stock, and lack of access to education and jobs, minority-dominant neighborhood residents were 66% more frequently evicted than other neighborhoods due to racial inequity. Those neighborhoods tend to have poor housing stock and lack access to quality education and job opportunities; they also often live in racially/ethnically segregated neighborhoods.

Not only do the racial and ethnic inequalities affect housing, but they also reflect in other areas, such as access to liquid assets (checking accounts, money market accounts, savings, cash, and/or pre-paid cards) and stable, high-quality jobs. Due to these circumstances, members of these groups are limited from building wealth, transferring money, and maintaining other assets across generations. Worries about financial shock, then, add to the hardships these households have to worry about.

Financial shock, an unexpected disturbance that originates from the financial sector and has a significant effect on an economy, tends to increase housing hardships, especially for financially vulnerable households. Households with lower levels of savings and wealth may encounter increased risks of mortgage delinquency and foreclosure during economic shocks—this creates compound financial hardships. These communities are then vulnerable to economic instability through having less wealth, overrepresented low wages, less secure, and precarious jobs, which means the communities are exposed to spiraling unemployment rates.

Yung Chun, research assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis and the lead of Social Policy Institute, did five studies which were done on White, Asian, Black, and Hispanic U.S. residents where they took a survey on their housing hardships, income, liquid assets amount within the last 3 months, and employment shock during the pandemic. 71,800 adults entered the survey; however, due to failing to meet quota or failed quality checks, 22,939 were analyzed from all communities. This was done by a large online-panel provider distributed to all respondents.

These five studies showed that in August of 2020, 6.3% of respondents were forced to move by a landlord or bank, 11.1% were having difficulty keeping up with their mortgage/rent payments, and 14.4% skipped paying a utility bill or paying a bill late in the 3 months. Though these percentages decreased in 2021, the levels for each respondent were still higher than before the pandemic. The foreclosure upon homeowners was 0.4% in 2019 and the mortgage or rent delinquency rate in 2019 was 4.5%.

Racial/ethnic identity and income were still in play with the housing-related hardships during the pandemic. Families of minority groups were more vulnerable to housing-related hardship in the earlier stages of the pandemic than white families. Black respondents were 1.7 times likely to be forced to move, 1.9 times to be delinquent on housing payments, and 1.8 times to be delinquent on utility bill payments compared to white respondents in August 2020. Hispanic respondents were twice as likely to have had an eviction/foreclosure risk, and to have missed a housing payment, as well as 1.6 times to have missed paying a utility bill. Asian/other groups experienced fewer housing hardships than white respondents throughout the pandemic.

The second wave of surveys—taken in June of 2020—shows the gap between white and Black/Hispanic respondents widened and remained significant. 15.3% of white respondents experienced housing-related hardship between June and August of 2020 while 22.6% of Black and 21.9% of Hispanic respondents experienced housing instability. After June and August of 2020, housing inequality decreased. The decline was due to increased housing stability for Black and Hispanic households. However, white respondents’ experience with housing hardships increased insignificantly. The increase was larger than the relative decrease among Black and Hispanic households.

In the third wave—taken from November to December of 2020—the white respondents who experienced housing hardships increased by 4.0% while housing hardship decreased in Black and Asian/other respondents by 2.3-2.8%. However, Hispanic respondents slightly increased by 0.6%.

The fourth wave—taken from February to March of 2021—white respondent housing instability decreased by 4.3%. However, the housing instability gap narrowed in the final survey—taken in May of 2021. The proportion of Black and Hispanic respondents with housing hardships decreased by 4.9%.

The results show that respondents of color were immediately affected by the pandemic shock and recovered slowly. Hispanic respondents exhibited both a slow response to the pandemic shock and a slow recovery. While White respondents experienced lower rates and, though their housing hardships increased later, they recovered more quickly after their hardship rates peaked. Asians had a steady decline in hardships throughout the study period after their peak in the first wave.

The idea of this study is not to mean that the pandemic created inequalities in housing instability among minority groups. Inequalities have been present before the pandemic. Lack of access to government services may be a reason for their disproportionate hardship experiences; also, a lack of adequate information due to language barriers and discrimination at both institutional and individual levels. The study suggests that these mechanisms are contributing to housing instability during the pandemic varied between Black and Hispanic groups.

Though there are some recurring issues, the CARES Act has begun addressing the economic shocks and will be essential to helping these families.

This study highlighted potential long-lasting implications for inequality in the housing market during the pandemic. These communities have been struggling for years prior to the pandemic and have seen slight progress in the crisis; however, the Hispanic community is both slow to respond to the shock and recover after the pandemic. Racial and ethnic inequalities during the pandemic were interrogated while also exploring individual sets of association. Other findings are how important stable and adequate housing is, especially during a pandemic to maintain public health. Stay-at-home orders are a core component to the public health response to COVID-19 pandemic, but without housing, individuals/families cannot shelter in a place to prevent the spread of disease. To understand and combat housing hardship among vulnerable populations, it is, therefore, essential to a sound public response.

By: Rosie Bagay

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Are the Kids Alright? Post-Covid Schooling and the Great Teacher Resignation

Educators across America have been taking to the internet to express concern over the future of post-pandemic learning and the increasingly disruptive behavior of their students.

It was three and a half years ago when schools shut down due to the pandemic, and, since the resumption of in-person learning, teachers have noticed a concerning trend. Many students are not only significantly behind where they should be according to their grade level, but they are also showing a greater unwillingness to learn. Concurrently, educators have been resigning at an unprecedented rate in a phenomenon termed the Great Teacher Resignation.

Teacher Response to the Reading Crisis

On September 19th of 2023, TikTok creator and middle school teacher Marquis Bryant (@qbthedon) posted a video expressing concern over the reading level of his seventh-grade students. In the viral video, Bryant said that many of his students are reading at the fourth-grade level, three whole school years behind where they should be. The video begs the question: Who has been letting these kids advance to the next grade despite not having mastered the necessary skills? Many teachers responded to the video, agreeing with the initial creator and adding their own experiences to the conversation.

One educator who responded to Bryant’s video was creator Mel Belle (@melllbellle4), a high school English teacher. Belle attributed the widespread phenomenon outlined in Bryant’s post to the leniency of Covid grading policies. In 2020 and 2021, schools and educators understandably felt the need to accommodate the disruption and unpredictability of the pandemic by slackening students’ grading criteria. However, Belle argues that this lenient grading has persisted for longer than it should have and is no longer serving the students in the way that it was initially intended to. Belle added that she has noticed, upon returning to the classroom, a greater pushback from her students when tasked with simple assignments, which raises the question of the long-term effects of both remote learning and Covid grading on children and teenagers.

The Behavioral Effects of Covid and Remote Learning on Young Children

This behavioral shift is not restricted to middle and high school students. Studies indicate the effects of remote learning may be more far-reaching in toddlers and young children. Research conducted by Harvard Professor Stephanie Jones and Harvard Lecturer Emily Hanno on early learning suggests a significant shift in child development during the pandemic years. Initiated before the onset of the pandemic, Jones and Hanno continued their research through the lockdown and found a measurable shift in the socio-emotional development of the children as the pandemic unfolded, especially amongst 6–7-year-olds.

The research spearheaded by Jones and Hanno suggests a link between Covid and socio-emotional development that typically manifests itself in behavioral changes. According to Jones, “When kids are struggling and they’re frustrated, their behavior shifts. It can look more negative, more dysregulated, they fall apart more often.” Jones and Hanno clarified in an interview with the Harvard Graduate School of Education that the correlation between behavioral issues in younger children and the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown cannot, at least solely, be attributed to the amount of time spent on screens. While this may be a contributing factor, the primary takeaway from their research is in the uncertainty and instability of Covid, which tended to create tense household environments. Children undoubtedly felt the stress of exhausted parents juggling work and increased parental responsibilities, and, upon returning to or starting in-person schooling, this stress was carried into the classroom. 

Covid and Teacher Fatigue

Even before in-person learning was shut down in March 2020, many, if not most, educators felt undervalued and underpaid. However, since the pandemic, educators have been experiencing a new level of burnout. According to a 2022 National Education Association survey, 55 percent of educators reported that they were considering leaving the teaching profession. Teachers cited stresses such as reworking curriculums according to remote standards, hybrid standards, and then the new in-person standards. In addition to the structural accommodations, teachers have also pointed to political issues that have made their way into post-pandemic classrooms and have contributed to the increasingly tense classroom environment: Covid politics (issues of mask-wearing and vaccination), book bans targeting the teaching of LGBTQ+ history and critical race theory, and the lack of gun control progress.

Moving Forward

Parents, educators, and lawmakers across the country have been scrambling to find potential solutions to this widespread problem. According to a 2023 national study, the average student requires the equivalent of an extra four months of schooling to catch up to the reading level of the average pre-pandemic student. While many solutions have been proposed to bridge this staggering learning gap, here are some of the most viable options: implementing high-dosage tutoring, extending the school calendar (perhaps through existing summer school programs), and providing an optional fifth year of high school. All of these solutions are expensive, and none are particularly desirable, but the alternative is bleak. Learning institutions have received billions in federal Covid relief funds, but it is not doing enough. Greater structural changes, such as integrating social and emotional learning in every classroom and raising teacher pay, must take place to preserve the education of our future generations.

By: Luce Miyar-Mullan

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Driverless Cars in San Francisco: Are They Ready to Take Passengers?

This fall, Waymo opened their driverless-car doors to the San Francisco public a year after removing human safety drivers from behind the wheel, prompting both civilians and city officials to think critically about the safety of these vehicles.

Initially under the name of the Google Self-Driving Car Project, the quest for uninterrupted autonomous mileage was born in 2009. Eight years later, Waymo first took to the streets, beginning in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 2017, San Franciscans have watched as these strange, bulky vehicles were introduced to the city streets, gradually becoming a daily sighting. Steadily, Bay Area residents grew accustomed to their presence, however foreign and dystopian the new vehicles appeared. For many years, there had been a human safety driver at the wheel who quelled anxieties surrounding an increasingly automated world. That changed in the summer of 2022 when Waymo started testing the vehicles without their human safety drivers.

It was a strange site. Drivers and pedestrians alike looked through Waymo windows and into an empty vehicle—the steering wheel spinning, but without hands to direct it. During this adjustment period, San Franciscans found themselves channeling their road rage at nobody at all, and there was plenty of cause for the overwhelming frustration.

The vehicles have been known to sneak up on anxious parallel parkers, blocking parking spots, and standing their ground until the detected “obstacle” has moved. Pedestrians could be seen dancing on and off curbs, tangoing with the robot’s sensors, and visibly considering whether they are about to get hit by a robotaxi. Its introduction to the city was a rocky start, to say the least. These inconveniences have raised questions about whether these cars are really ready to be on the road and have the ability to respond to the nuances of city driving. Now, with paying passengers in the back seat, the question of safety looms even larger.

Upon opening the Waymo app, Waymo One, you are greeted with the slogan: “The world’s most experienced driver”. However, the robotaxi has garnered quite a bit of media attention that would suggest the opposite. In June of 2023, there was a mass shooting in San Francisco’s Mission District in which seven people were injured. While emergency vehicles rushed to the scene, a Waymo taxi, having detected unusual activity, parked in the middle of the road and blocked EMT access to the scene. Just in August, a Waymo vehicle collided with a firetruck, further raising concerns about how these self-driving vehicles interact with first responders. A San Francisco supervisor, Aaron Peskin commented on the situation: “They should take a time-out and a pause until they’ve perfected this technology in a way where people don’t end up burning to death or getting injured.”

Waymo’s website outlines the specific measures taken to ensure passenger and pedestrian safety. The vehicles work through a combination of high-tech sensors and cameras, which means each robotaxi costs roughly $200,000. If a vehicle does encounter a problem, there is a roadside assistance team ready to be deployed from a Waymo site.

While there is a palpable air of concern surrounding the new taxi service, San Franciscans can’t help but be intrigued by this new technology. The app seems to have taken off, despite the city’s reservations. If you are looking to take a trip in a Waymo taxi, expect to be on the waitlist for a couple of months. With fare prices rivaling that of Uber and Lyft, are driverless cars the future of travel?


By: Luce Miyar-Mullan

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OPINION | Unmasking Halloween sadism: the war on drugs and candy

Fall is in full swing, and Halloween is on the horizon, along with the urban legends that surround it. One particular legend or myth that often circulates is that children’s Halloween candy needs to be checked because addicts will allegedly hand out drugs disguised as candy to naive trick-or-treaters. Apparently, this is a tactic to get the child addicted or sent to the hospital. This is, of course, wildly inaccurate, and not based in reality in any sense of the word. However, if that’s the case, where did this story come from?

The answer is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the war on drugs. Conceptualized and launched by the Nixon administration, it quickly became a global effort that sought to discourage the creation, distribution, and consumption of illegal drugs. While it sounds harmless, the tactics and darker motivations of this war were devastating for hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Instead of offering support systems for those suffering from drug addictions or considering the legalization of relatively harmless substances like marijuana, the Nixon administration opted for harsher punishments for those caught with illegal substances. The war on drugs, as a result, inspired mass incarceration of offenders and longer prison sentences. Specific areas and populations, such as those living in lower-income communities, were mercilessly targeted by the resident police force. This targeting especially was a crippling force for those of lower socioeconomic standing, whose family members and friends were jailed for an exuberant amount of time for allegedly having a small amount of a controlled substance on them. The long-term destruction of families was one inevitable result of this war on drugs. Not only that, but with these long sentences came spots on their record that could hinder employment opportunities and increase the possibility of a longer sentence should they have any future offenses.

Today, over 350,000 people are incarcerated for drug possession and drug-related convictions. That is 1 out of every 5 people incarcerated. As such, this war wasn’t on drugs, but on drug addicts. Jail time was chosen over rehabilitation, the federal prison system was swamped with hundreds of thousands of more people.

This war was not even waged with good intentions, as we will see. John Ehrlichman, who worked closely with Nixon, said that Nixon utilized the war on drugs to inadvertently criminalize black and hippie communities. Ehrlichman is famous for saying, “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities.” Perhaps the most important thing is that the war on drugs did not work. The Leadership Conference Educational Fund said that the war was a failure and should be replaced by decriminalization strategies grounded in science, health, security, and human rights.

 Back when the war on drugs was popular, however, and was believed to be a more positive influence, the idea of contaminated being handed out to children during Halloween evolved. Termed Halloween sadism, this phenomenon has been studied in-depth since the mid 1970s. Joel Best, a professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware, searched for incidents relating to contaminated Halloween treats and was unable to find a report of “a child being killed or seriously injured by a contaminated treat picked up in the course of trick-or-treating.” Out of the few stories about a contaminated treat he has been able to find, it was either a hoax or the treat was found before the child had consumed it, avoiding any physical harm. Best calls Halloween sadism a contemporary legend, which means that it is told as true even if there is no/little evidence that the story actually happened.

Fears of contaminated Halloween candy, like any contemporary legend, spring from social conditions. For example, if the general public feels unsafe after a national incident, such as the terrorist attack of 9/11, they will want to express their feelings of unsafety and unrest in a tangentially related anxiety, such as through Halloween candy. If the general public feels unsafe, they will start looking for ways to express their anxieties in other ways. Halloween candy just became an unlikely victim of these societal anxieties.

Though Nixon himself did not perpetuate this myth, his contribution to the cultural circumstances that birthed this idea should not be discounted. The heightened public awareness of drugs that Nixon created was one of the conditions that allowed Halloween sadism to take such a deep root in the American consciousness. As a result, the myth lends itself to the ultimate goal of the Nixon administration: to vilify drug addicts and treat them as a threat to the innocent children of America.

Fortified by every national incident and security matter, the myth lives on today as evidenced by a 2011 Harris Interactive poll. It found that, of parents of children 12 and under, 24% had concerns about poisoned treats. However, now that we have explored the origins and cultural context surrounding the creation of this myth, we know that contaminated treats are only a boogeyman just like all the other ones walking around on All Hallows’ Eve. So this Halloween, feel free to eat your candy in peace.

By: Lucian Van Fleet

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Biden’s SAVE plan: A step towards student debt relief

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s rejection of President Biden’s debt cancellation proposal in June of this year, the Biden administration has introduced a new student loan repayment plan called SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education), which officially became open for enrollment on August 22.

Background

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, student loan repayments have been temporarily paused. However, this fall, this pause is coming to an end, with interest beginning to accrue in September, followed by the resumption of monthly payments in October. In June 2023, the Biden administration had proposed a debt cancellation plan aiming to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debts for borrowers. Despite protests outside the Supreme Court advocating for debt forgiveness, the Supreme Court blocked this initiative on June 30th, arguing that it constituted a reworking of the law without congressional support rather than a modification of an existing program. As a result, SAVE, a revision of REPAYE (Revised Pay as You Earn), has been introduced as an alternative.

Key Features of SAVE

SAVE, much like REPAYE, operates as an income-driven repayment plan. These income-driven programs calculate repayment amounts based on the borrower’s income and household size. While it is still early to assess its full impact, SAVE presents some promising elements. One notable feature is “Fresh Start,” a provision that removes borrowers from default and delinquency status, considering them up to date on their payments. This provision also takes into account the years during which repayment was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively counting them towards the 20-25 year limit, at which point any remaining debt is forgiven. Additionally, SAVE offers increased income protection for those earning less than 225 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, surpassing REPAYE’s income protection threshold of 150 percent. Furthermore, undergraduate loan payments under SAVE are reduced to 5 percent of disposable income, while graduate loan payments remain at 10 percent. The plan also accounts for more income designated for basic needs, thereby lowering monthly payments. Lastly, borrowers who cannot cover the entire accrued interest amount will have the remaining portion forgiven by the Department of Education, provided they maintain consistent monthly repayments.

Addressing Rising Tuition Costs

While SAVE represents a more favorable repayment option for most borrowers compared to REPAYE and similar income-driven plans, the question arises: does it go far enough? Tuition fees at American tertiary institutions have steadily risen over several decades. According to the Federal Reserve’s Report on the Economic Well-being of US Households from May 2021 to May 2022, 58 percent of 18-22-year-olds with bachelor’s degrees have accrued student loan debt (both paid and unpaid debt), along with 60 percent of 30-44-year-olds with the same credentials. In contrast, only 47 percent of 45-59-year-olds and 32 percent of those aged 60 and above with bachelor’s degrees have student debt. It is evident that more extensive debt relief programs are necessary, but the underlying issue of escalating tuition costs remains unaddressed.

The impact of rising tuition fees and inadequate government aid disproportionately affects Black and Latinx students. A 2022 survey by the Federal Reserve of St. Louis found that 50 percent of Black adults have student debt, compared to 44 percent of White adults and 37 percent of Latinx adults. Even more concerning, 17 percent of Black borrowers and 18 percent of Latinx borrowers were behind on their student loan payments, in contrast to the 9 percent of White borrowers, as reported in a 2021 Federal Reserve survey.

The Future of Debt Relief

Biden’s SAVE plan represents a significant step forward, but it is clear that more action is needed. Addressing rising tuition costs and the neglect of noncommercial debt is crucial. During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous government efforts have been directed toward commercial debt relief, with some politicians advocating for the forgiveness of large corporate debts, including those in which they have personal interests. However, such generosity has not extended to noncommercial debts. The Biden administration’s acknowledgment of this discrepancy is vital, as it underscores the need for equitable relief: “The hypocrisy is stunning, and the disregard for working-class and middle-class families is outrageous.”

By: Luce Miyar Mullan

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Prioritizing Your Well-being: Scheduling Self-Care Amidst a Demanding Lifestyle

In the midst of America’s fast-paced and demanding work culture, finding time for yourself can be a challenge. Balancing academic responsibilities, work commitments, and maintaining relationships often consumes every available moment, leaving personal time a distant memory. Neglecting self-care while striving to tackle an ever-growing to-do list is all too common.

However, as the saying goes, “Schedule system maintenance, or the system will schedule it for you.” Burnout is a real concern, exacerbated by the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The last thing you want is to sacrifice your personal life for the grind and exhaust yourself. Personal time is not a luxury; it’s a necessity and a crucial element in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Yet, disconnecting from work and truly unwinding at home can be easier said than done. According to a 2019 study by Pawel et al., work addiction is characterized by a compulsion to work and a preoccupation with work activities, resulting in significant harm and distress. While the responsibility for overcoming this addiction ultimately rests with the individual, societal pressures often perpetuate this unhealthy behavior. In a culture that celebrates relentless work ethics and glamorizes workaholism, it can be challenging to switch off or simply relax when the opportunity arises.

One solution is to schedule time for yourself deliberately. When examining your weekly calendar, prioritize your well-being by scheduling personal time first. Instead of viewing the time left after commitments as another opportunity to check off tasks, see it as a chance to recharge and rejuvenate. Write “me” into your schedule during those free moments, so you recognize that this time is exclusively reserved for your mental health. This is especially crucial if your schedule feels overwhelmingly packed. Place your mental well-being at the top of your to-do list if necessary.

As for how you spend your “me” time, it doesn’t have to adhere to a specific agenda. It can involve meditation, catching up with a friend, indulging in a video game, losing yourself in a good book, taking an untimed nap, watching a video without multitasking, engaging in a creative pursuit, or even strolling around your neighborhood. Use this time to do whatever brings relaxation and joy.

However, scheduling this time for yourself is only the first step. The most crucial part is sticking to it. It’s tempting to glance at your scheduled self-care time and consider reallocating it for yet another task you’ve been postponing. Resist this urge. Taking your mental health seriously means allocating adequate time to recharge. Whether it’s half an hour or an entire evening, treat this time with the respect it deserves. If someone requests your availability during your scheduled self-care time, politely inform them that you have a prior commitment. This time belongs to you, and you have every right to enjoy it guilt-free. Remember, you deserve to unwind, and your to-do list will still be there tomorrow. By putting yourself first and prioritizing your well-being, you’ll be better equipped to face the challenges of the world after a moment of self-care. Now, make yourself a cup of tea and take a well-deserved break.

By: Lucian Van Fleet

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The Nexus of Human Trafficking and Technology

In a world where we believed slavery had been relegated to history, it’s alarming to realize that it still thrives, now intertwined with modern technology. Consider this staggering fact: Human trafficking, an industry fueled by cruelty, generates an annual revenue of around 39 billion dollars, as reported by UNICEF. This global issue demands our immediate attention, as it persists and evolves in the shadows of our digital age.

The Persistence of Human Trafficking

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) defines human trafficking as involving the coercion, movement, and exploitation of individuals, often through threats, force, or deception. Despite societal progress, this malevolent practice remains pervasive and covert, even within developed countries. UNICEF USA highlights the unsettling reality that human trafficking is prevalent in all fifty states of the United States. This grave issue knows no bounds of race, gender, or nationality.

Child trafficking, a particularly harrowing form of modern slavery, exemplifies the extent of the problem. Though commonly associated with developing nations, it’s a myth that this crime is confined to such regions. Disturbingly, even the United States harbors a significant human trafficking issue, particularly involving children. Our world, it seems, is facing an ethical dilemma: Where were we when our children were being traded like commodities?

The Root Causes of Trafficking

The underlying cause of much of this exploitation is poverty, an affliction that roots individuals and families in desperation. Struggling to meet basic needs, parents from impoverished communities often find themselves tragically selling their own children in hopes of securing survival. Human traffickers prey upon these dire circumstances, exploiting the vulnerable with deceitful promises of better lives. This summarizes the words of the Borgen Project, which states, “Poverty is a compelling factor in the human trafficking industry.” Traffickers seek out those living in poverty, those in desperate situations, those without legitimate job options, those without educational opportunities, and those seeking an escape from violence.

Additionally, conflict and displacement caused by war provide fertile ground for traffickers to exploit refugees and stranded individuals. Regrettably, some African governments have underestimated these catalysts, leading to the rampant occurrence of human trafficking in the region. This underscores that vulnerability is the breeding ground for human trafficking, irrespective of geographical borders.

In essence, human traffickers target individuals living in impoverished conditions, those experiencing desperation, those lacking legitimate employment prospects, those deprived of educational opportunities, and those seeking an escape from violence.

The Role of Technology in Human Trafficking

As times have evolved, so have the methods of human trafficking. The advent of technology has brought about unprecedented opportunities for traffickers to exploit the vulnerable. In a disturbing trend highlighted by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC Africa), pedophiles are now utilizing AI to create and circulate lifelike child sexual abuse content. This reprehensible practice capitalizes on social media platforms like Instagram, where children unwittingly encounter these advertisements.

According to an expert, Ms. Gelber, in an annual meeting of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons, “Technology is also being used to commit ‘virtual child sex trafficking,’ which takes place when an offender in the United States sends a digital payment to a trafficker in another country. The trafficker will then sexually abuse a child in front of a web camera, while the offender in the United States watches a livestream of the abuse.”

The internet has made it easier for traffickers to exploit victims and connect with buyers from across the world. Traffickers either use classified ad sites for sex services, review sites for sex services, or dating sites that include commercial arrangements.

Based on information from the U.S. Government Accountability Office in an online publication, Congress enacted legislation aimed at making online platform providers responsible for addressing issues related to prostitution and trafficking on their platforms in 2018. However, federal prosecutors reported that they had only utilized this law on a single occasion because the law is new, and they have achieved successful prosecutions using existing laws in the past.

Shockingly, there exist inadequate regulations to shield users, especially children, from such harmful content. However, it’s important to note that technology can also be used as a tool to detect or identify traffickers and support police investigations. Nevertheless, entering the digital world can expose the location and personal information of victims.

Our Responsibility Against Chains

This convergence of technology and human trafficking is a global crisis, as emphasized by Nelson Mandela, who rightly stated that we owe our children a life free from violence and fear. As a society, we find ourselves at a crossroads, where our children’s safety hangs in the balance. The issues we disregard are the very ones tarnishing the fabric of our society. Technology companies should make it a point to include strict frameworks around easy access to personal information to protect the human rights of privacy. It seems as though, with the use of technology, we are beginning to trade our safety for the invasion of privacy.

So What Now?

In conclusion, the intertwining of human trafficking and technology is a grim reminder that the fight against modern slavery is far from over. It is imperative that we collectively raise our voices, advocate for stricter regulations, and work tirelessly to ensure the safety and freedom of our most vulnerable citizens—our children.

By: Victoria Oyebande

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Perception: Managing Difficult People

According to Vanessa Van Edwards’ article, four categories of people are defined as difficult: the downers, better than, passives, and tanks. The RCCG directorates of Sunday School also include additional types such as “Snipers,” “Blame gamers,” “Yes people,” “No people,” “Dictators,” “Grenade person,” and Perfectionist.” However, it is essential to consider that being passive, a “yes/no person,” or a perfectionist should not define difficultness. Using such individual personality traits as a measure would mean that almost everyone falls under the category of difficult people, as we all possess different traits and behaviors.

Similarly, being an expert, gifted, talented, technically skilled, or professional in any field should not automatically label someone as difficult. It would be unfair to consider all professionals, experts, and skilled individuals as difficult people, although there may be instances where some professionals act in difficult ways. It is important to note that being difficult is not synonymous with being technically skilled, professional, or disciplined. Rather, difficultness is characterized by deliberate, intentional, attitudinal, and temperamental behaviors.

Perceptions play a significant role in defining difficultness. It is natural for us to perceive people who are better, stronger, wealthier, more knowledgeable, skilled, insightful, powerful, or influential as difficult. However, this perception is subjective and often arises from a lack of understanding or feeling threatened by unfamiliarity. For example, the perception of difficulty may differ when it comes to subjects like mathematics, physics, or languages. What may be difficult for one person could be straightforward for another. Therefore, difficultness is largely a matter of perception.

Managing human resources and harnessing strengths are crucial for progress. We must not view the expertise and strengths of others as defining difficultness, but rather as opportunities for collaboration and growth. Each person has their own areas of strength and weakness, and recognizing and utilizing these differences is key to achieving collective goals. Unless skilled individuals use their competence against you, they should not be considered difficult.

Identifying difficult people is relatively straightforward. They exhibit characteristics such as insatiableness, being unteachable, incorrigibility, obstinacy, rigidity, a winner mentality, inconsideration, psychological/emotional instability, and irritability. These traits are indicators of difficultness.

In conclusion:

  1. Difficultness is a matter of perception, arising from a lack of understanding or knowledge on how to handle certain situations.
  2. Difficultness is an illusion created in our minds and can be overcome with the acquisition of knowledge.
  3. Difficultness is always against, not for. It arises when individuals use their advantages or control against you.
  4. Professionalism, skillfulness, and expertise are not inherently difficult; it is the way they are used that determines their impact.
  5. Difficultness is intentional, deliberate, and temperamental. It is exhibited when individuals purposefully choose to ignore, disobey, or cause harm.
  6. Difficultness is not a personality trait and cannot be measured solely by individual traits.
  7. In extreme cases, difficultness can be associated with a mental disorder.

By: Pastor John Alabi

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THIS LOVE THING – GETTING IT RIGHT

The impact of relationships cannot be overemphasized. Too many people minimize the impact relationships have on their lives. Almost all our sorrows in life can be traced to relationships with the wrong people, our joys can also be traced to relationships with the right people. John C. Maxwell has a formula for relationships:  R + R – R = R + R. That means rules and regulations minus relationships = rebellion and resentment.

Some relationships add value to you, they make you a better person, and they energize, inspire, and validate you. Such type of relationship lifts you and gives you joy. On the other hand, some relationships can devalue you, bring you down, and makes you feel worthless.

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN THE WRONG RELATIONSHIP?

Any relationship that drains your positive energy emotionally, spiritually, or financially is a relationship you should run away from.  For example, If you feel anxious unnecessarily when a call comes in from the person you are in a relationship with, then you should run away from such a relationship.  Any relationship that takes more from you than you get in return is wrong for you.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP?

According to Helen Keller in her book, the treasure of a friend, she said: “my friends have made the story of my life.” A positive relationship that adds to you will do amongst others the following: Believe in your dreams, share in your joys, dry your tears, give you hope, comfort you when you are hurt, listen to and laugh with you, tell you the truth, and encourage you. Your relationships must add to you and not take away from you.

For those of you who are ready to take the next step in marriage, let us consider these three key points to finding the right person for you.

1. Beauty is vain
According to Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.” The attractiveness of a man or the beauty of a woman should not be the only basis for one’s choice. That individual must have the fear of the Lord in them. We are encouraged in the scriptures not to have any relationship with darkness. Any choice you make outside the sphere of the children of God is choosing from the dead. As a child of light, who has been called out of darkness, you cannot be unequally yoked with darkness. Anyone who is not born again whether handsome or beautiful is not meant for you.

2. It all starts and ends with God:
According to Isaiah 30: 1 & 21 “Woe to the rebellious children says the Lord who take counsel but not of Me, and who devise plans but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin. Your ears will hear a word behind you saying this is the way to walk in it.  Whenever you turn to the right or whenever you turn to the left.” For us to know the will of God, we must take counsel from God. We must not lean on our understanding. Whenever it comes to the choice of a life partner, we must take counsel from the Lord and do what is right in His sight. The Bible says the end of a way that seems right in your sight might lead to destruction. Proverbs 3:5 – 7 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil.

3. All our preferences in a man or a woman must align with the will and purpose of God for our lives.
AccordingtoColossians 1:16, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

God knows the end from the beginning, and he knows the right person for us. We must build positive relationships and align our preferences to be at the center of God’s will for our lives. So many theories today tell us about compatibility and togetherness, but we must remember that any theory outside of God’s will is destruction waiting to happen.

Your talents and skills are not enough in choosing a life partner. Let God lead you to the right person for your life!

Written by Gbenga Adigun

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OPINION: Did Nigeria decide in the 2023 Presidential Election?

Lagos, Nigeria (M-Lifestyle) – Silence… This was exactly what Nigerians experienced when Bola Ahmed Tinubu was announced the president-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) around 4:00 am (WAT) on March 3, 2023. Elections are generally crucial, particularly the presidential elections in Nigeria considering Nigeria’s posture in the continent of Africa. According to the Time Magazine, “a fair and trustworthy election process would set Nigeria as a global democratic leader and uphold Africa’s position as a source of democratic momentum.” Nigeria is widely regarded as the giant of Africa owing to its population, its vast amount of crude oil production as well as its emerging power in international affairs among other reasons.

The 2023 presidential election was a stiff and very unpredictable competition amongst the forerunners. It was not the usual two-man race. There were about a hundred candidates who vied for the office of the president in this year’s election. However, the forerunners included Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who served as the governor of Lagos state between the years 1999 to 2007. There was also Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the presidential race who served between 1999 to 2007 as the Vice President of Nigeria. The former Governor of Kano state Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), who served his state twice from 1999 to 2003 and 2011 to 2015 was in the race, as well as Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), who served as the governor of Anambra state from March to November 2006 and February 2007 to March 2014.  

Usually, religion and ethnicity are determining factors in Nigerian elections. In essence, if the presidential candidate was a Muslim from the north, the vice-presidential candidate would be a Christian from the south, all things being equal. This has been a pattern for the dominant political parties each election year. For instance, the current president in the name of President Muhammad Buhari is a Muslim from the north while the Vice president in the name of Professor Yemi Osibanjo is a Christian from the south. The next candidates ought to follow the rotation of having the presidential candidate as a Christian from the south and the vice president as a Muslim from the north. However, the 2023 presidential election defied this pattern as the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate produced a Muslim-Muslim ticket, with Tinubu being a Southern Muslim and his Vice Presidential candidate being a Muslim from the North. Aside from this irregularity, a large number of people, particularly young people did not support the person of Tinubu for a variety of reasons. Some citizens believed that Jagaban, as he is popularly called, is too old and frail for the workload of being the president of a nation with complex issues such as Nigeria. Several citizens were also worried about the claims of drug trafficking, thuggery, violence, godfatherism, and untraceable wealth alleged against this one man. On the other hand, one of the opposition parties (PDP) presidential candidate, Waziri Atiku Abubakar is a Northern Muslim who is very wealthy, yet many people were skeptical of his ambition. These people believed Atiku was only pursuing his selfish interest in power, especially because he lives and spends most of his time outside of the country that he hopes to run. The argument for this was that Atiku wanted to run the country like he runs his business.

Moreso, many Nigerians are sick and tired of recycling the leading political parties APC and PDP. Unfortunately, these two parties had been rotating the presidential seat for a while with no substantial development to the nation. Although, some citizens opined that the older the candidate, the more experienced he or she was and the more value he or she could bring to the county while others countered this opinion because, in the last eight years, experience has been of no help to the economic and security sector that strong handedly challenged the nation.

About eight months before the voting for the presidential election, Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra state had shortly become many people’s favorite, especially among the young people. He cross-carpeted to the Labour Party following some internal rifts in the People’s Democratic Party that he was in. Although Peter Obi is wealthy, many youths considered him to be in the best position to serve as the president of Nigeria because of his traceable clean track record in politics, his approachable demeanor, integrity, calm, and vision for the country. Labour Party fulfilled the rotational pattern of the presidential candidacy as it presented Obi, a southerner who is a Christian, and Datti Baba-Ahmed, a northerner who is a Muslim.

This indeed might have been an unpredictable competition yet Nigerians went to their various polling units to cast their votes which in essence, was supposed to be a fair and free election. Unfortunately, Nigerians arrived at their polling units on Saturday 25 February 2023 and what was supposed to be a free and just exercise, turned upside down in several polling units which in turn tainted the results of those polling units. There were reports from citizens in certain polling units where voters were intimidated to vote for APC, the incumbent political party. There were centers where the officials and the materials arrived later than the time stipulated for their arrival. Additionally, there were issues of no ink in the ink pad, challenges with the upload of the election results to the INEC server, and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Machine (BVAS) machine which was to be used for voters accreditation and transmission of results. During the process of collation, officials were coerced into manipulating results in some collation centers. For an election conducted every four years, one is forced to ask what was done in the span of 4 years by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alleviate voters’ fear and mistrust of the process.  

Nigerians are fed up with being served crumbs. The people are not asking for a messiah. They are simply pleading for a government that has the best interests of the people at heart, a country that is safe, where justice is truly served, and where their rights are neither sabotaged nor their needs disregarded. The happenings in this election reiterate the screaming situation of the average Nigerian. Was the outcome of this election a decision of INEC? Or did Nigeria decide?

Written by: Victoria Oyebande


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Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan: What you need to know so far

On Monday, 17th October 2022, the Biden Administration’s application for student debt relief was formally launched. This was days after the Education Department published a beta version, hereby beginning the process of providing student debt relief to about 40 million borrowers. Borrowers can now apply for up to $20,000 in student loan relief anytime before 31st December next year. However, the 8 million borrowers who already applied during the beta program do not need to reapply to be considered.

Legal Challenge

On October 21, 2022, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked President Joe Biden’s plan to cancel billions of dollars in college student debt, just one day after a judge dismissed a Republican-led lawsuit by six states challenging the loan-forgiveness program. However, the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre in response, said the temporary order does not prevent borrowers from applying for student debt relief or bar the Biden administration from reviewing applications and preparing them for transmission to loan servicers.

Although, the debt-forgiveness program faces several legal challenges, including lawsuits from a conservative legal organization and Republican-led states, President Biden acknowledged the lawsuits in his remarks on Monday while stating that he doesn’t expect them to get in the way of the relief.  

Do I qualify for the loan forgiveness?

Individuals who made less than $125,000 or couples who made less than $250,000 in 2020 and 2021 are qualified for as much as $10,000 dollars in loan forgiveness. Borrowers who meet those same income demands as well as attended college with Pell Grants, designed to assist low-income students, are qualified for up to $20,000 in debt relief.

The income demand is based on a person’s adjusted gross income, which is usually lower than their total income. A person’s adjusted gross income can be found on line 11 of the IRS Form 1040 in their federal income tax filings from 2020 or 2021.

What Information is needed for the student loan forgiveness application?

The first section of the brief application inquires borrowers of their name, social security number, date of birth and contact information. The second part includes a sworn payment of the borrowers to certify under penalty of perjury that they meet the eligibility demands for the loan relief program. The Education Department could request proof of income later.

When should borrowers expect to see the relief?

Miguel Cardona, the secretary of education previously stated that borrowers could expect to see relief four to six weeks after completing the application, and he encouraged them to fill out the application by latest 15th November to receive relief before the pandemic-related pause on student loan repayment ends.

“This is a game-changer for millions of Americans,” Biden said in his remarks on Monday, with reference to the application launch as a step toward “making education a ticket to the middle class that folks can actually afford.”

Written by: Victoria Oyebande

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OPINION: Should We Mourn the Death of Queen Elizabeth II?

The passing of the longest reigning British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II was announced on Thursday 8th September 2022. She died at the age of 96, after a reign of 70 years. The queen was well known for her strict adherence to the customs of the state. She, began her reign in 1952 at the age of 25, after the death of her father. At that age, she became the queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Canada, Australia, and Sri Lanka. She also became the Head of the Commonwealth at the beginning of her reign.

Commonwealth Countries

While the queen is known for her many achievements and contributions, there have been controversial posts about the tyrannical power of the deceased queen. Countries that were colonized by the British have questioned whether they should mourn the late queen, seeing as these countries are still struggling with the aftermath of the colonization.

A few days ago, a tweet by a Nigerian-born American professor, Dr. Uju Anya, associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, sparked a wide range of reactions on social media. She tweeted “If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star”.

This viral tweet caused debates across the world. On one other hand, realistically, countries like Nigeria have remained almost the same since colonization. While some of the colonized states claim to be independent, their thoughts, values, actions, and structure are wired to please people in power and perhaps, the queen which aligns with Dr. Anya’s assertion that the throne of the monarch very much stood for enslavement and colonialism. In contrast to Dr. Anya’s assertion, some are of the notion that either way, the British monarch, and the colonization exposed people to the gains of liberty as an independent nation. They argue that not much can be changed when a country is colonized and that it is only unrealistic to assume that the now independent state will not submit to those who gave her freedom.

With a critical analysis of both sides, the latter group of people seems to be hypocritical in their opinions. They seem to be riding on their emotions and piety. Truly, the advent of the British widened the horizons of the colonized in some areas such as religion which is almost becoming the death of us, governance, and education, to name a few but in retrospect, the colonialization has also inflicted direct harm to our culture and humanity.

Do you offer praises to someone who spearheaded the government that picked up the tab for a massacre, even when such a person may have given you bread to eat in the past?

Opinion by: Victoria Oyebande

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Nigeria’s Educational System Is on the Decline

“What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to a human soul”- Joseph Addison. If the government of a country is falling apart, what do you expect of every sector of the economy? Education cuts through all the corners of a nation and this is the case of Nigeria at the moment.  Students in federal universities have been at home for the past four months with no sense of urgency from the federal government. It does not matter if the president has four eyes, if his eyes are shut to practically everything he is in control of, it is likely to fall apart. The decline of the standard of education in Nigeria has been going on for a decade and it is as a result of a number of factors.

THE PROPOSED ALLOCATION OF FUNDS

According to the Human Development Index, a metric system compiled by the United Nations to gauge a country’s progress, Nigeria ranked 161st of 181 countries on youth education and employment as of 2020.   This is no surprise considering how much of the budget is allocated to education.  The Education 2030 Framework for Action as recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proposed two benchmarks as essential reference points: (1) To allocate at least 4% to 6% of the country’s GDP to education (2) To allocate at least 15 to 20% of public expenditure to education.  In 2021, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a closed meeting with the UNESCO board, pledged to increase the percentage allocation of education in Nigeria by 50 percent within the next two years. But has that really been the case?

THE ACTUAL ALLOCATION OF FUNDS

According to an article published by The Premium Times newspaper, the proposed 2022 budget allocation to education reviewed by the president, revealed that out of 16.39 trillion naira proposed, only 1.29 trillion naira which is proportionate to 7.9% was allocated to education. In 2021, out of 13.08 trillion budget, 742.5 billion which is proportionate to 5.68% was allocated to education. (Onyeji, 2021). In 2016, of the N6.06 trillion total budget, N369.6 billion or 6.7 per cent was allocated to public education in the country. In 2017, N550 billion or 7.38 per cent was allocated to education out of N7.29 trillion budget, while in 2018; N605.8 billion or 7.04 per cent was given to education out of N9.2 trillion budget. In 2019, N620 billion or 7.05 per cent was allocated to education out of N8.92 trillion, while in 2020, N671.07billion, or 6.7 per cent was given to education out of N10.33 trillion. (Nigeria, 2016) The highest the education sector has received is 10.7% in 2015 which was proposed by the then president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2014.

THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT NEGLIGENCE

The Nigerian government have failed in following through on a lasting solution to Nigeria’s Education dwindling system. In a report published by the Premium Times, the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reached an agreement in 2009 which included details such as the breakdown of lecturers’ salary structure, staff loans, pension, overtime, and moderation of examinations. (Emmanuel, 2013) The agreement also dwelt on funding of universities where both parties agreed that each federal university should get at least N1.5 trillion between 2009 and 2011 while state universities, within the same period, should receive N3.6 million per student. The agreement asked the re-negotiation committee to ensure that at least 26 percent of Nigeria’s annual budget was allocated to education, and half of that allocation to universities. From the recent strike actions, it has been gathered that the Federal government is yet to fulfill her own part of the bargain. Many in the political system are more concerned about power and pockets, not necessarily progress until the elections are near. At first, each of their campaign includes education in the top issues they aim to solve but once they get in, they lose track of their goals. This neglect cuts across every arm of the government. It is a deep-rooted system such that one cannot exactly pinpoint the source. It is unfortunate even, that no matter the number of strike actions by ASUU, the government does not count it worthy to incorporate systems that will help improve the lives of the future generation. Isn’t it strange that these people in government had free and less of a hassle education but are taking away that from the next generation? They make no room for the leaders of tomorrow because they, the leaders of yesterday are still holding on to power without major improvements.

ECONOMIC HARDSHIP IN THE COUNTRY

A country that does not invest in the education of its citizens cannot have a sustainable economic growth. One of the reasons the standard of education in Nigeria continues to fall can be attributed to the downward spiral of Nigeria’s economy. For example, teaching has become a last resort for survival. In pursuit of survival, some people take on teaching jobs with no formal training or skill acquired. Sadly, this has caused a strain in the quality of education. Education has become majorly a business outfit. Some people are starting up schools to make money, thus, feeding off the tuition fees, hostel fees, excursion and the likes. In another report by The Guardian, it was reported that “Nigeria’s vast, rapidly growing population of 200 million people has a median age of just 18. Many of its young people have seen their prospects quickly diminish in recent years. The economic challenges are stark and affect people across the age spectrum, but the rise of youth unemployment has been among the most troubling factors” (Akinwotu, 2021)

Things have fallen apart. Let us begin with restoring the education of the leaders of tomorrow.

By Victoria Oyebande


Sources:

Akinwotu, E. (2021, June 14). Young, qualified and barely scraping by – inside Nigeria’s economic crisis. Nigeria | The Guardian. https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/14/young-qualified-and-barely-scraping-by-inside-nigerias-economic-crisis

Emmanuel, O. (2013, December 12). Download: ASUU-Federal Government 2009 Agreement. Premium Times Nigeria – Premium Times – Nigeria’s Leading Online Newspaper, Delivering Breaking News and Deep Investigative Reports from Nigeria. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/resources/146763-download-asuu-federal-government-2009-agreement.html

Nigeria, G. (2016, May 7). Inside the 2016 N6.06 trillion ‘budget of change.’ The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. https://guardian.ng/news/inside-the-2016-n6-06-trillion-budget-of-change/

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