Research Articles (University of Pretoria)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/121

This collection offers open access to the full text of research articles published by staff, students and affiliates of the University of Pretoria. These items are identical in content to their published counterparts. It is linked to the Research Information System and complements the Annual Research Report.

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Nurse educators’ views on online clinical teaching : insights from South Africa’s public nursing colleges
Mabitja, Moeta; Mavis, Mulaudzi Fhumulani (Elsevier, 2025-10-15)
INTRODUCTION : Nursing education institutions have an obligation to create learning platforms to ensure that students are exposed to learning experiences enhancing their confidence and skill as qualified professionals. Challenges negatively influencing the education and training of nursing students include inadequate resources, nurse educator-student ratio, clinical placement, and occurrence of uncommon medical conditions. Online-based activities provide an alternative platform to lessen the challenges in clinical teaching. METHODS : A qualitative, explorative, and descriptive design was adopted. Data was collected through three focus group interviews from fifteen (n = 15) nurse educators and analyzed using thematic content analysis. FINDINGS : The analysis revealed two main themes: (a) Teaching convenience associated with the use of online activities and (b) Availability of capital resources. The findings revealed that online clinical activities provided substantial teaching convenience by enhancing flexibility and efficiency in clinical instruction. However, the implementation of these activities was hindered by critical challenges, particularly the limited availability of capital resources such as reliable internet connectivity and appropriate technological tools. DISCUSSION : Views of nurse educators sought to assist nursing education institutions to plan on measures for preventing challenges that can negatively affect effective use of online platform for clinical teaching. Nurse educators considered online activities as an innovative platform that can enhance clinical teaching and contribute positively to clinical learning experiences, although careful consideration must be given to the nature of the nursing discipline. CONCLUSION : While online clinical activities enhance teaching convenience in clinical education, addressing resource limitations is essential for their successful integration in public nursing colleges.
The under-representation of the global South on editorial boards in criminology
Breetzke, Gregory Dennis (International Journal of Crime Justice and Social Democracy, 2025-12)
Less than 5% of editorial board members across all 69 journals listed under the Criminology and Penology category of Clarivate’s Web of Science database have affiliations with institutions in the Global South. Moreover, editorial board members from the Global South are significantly more likely to sit on lower “quality” journals than their Global North counterparts. The extreme skewness in regional representation of editorial board membership is symptomatic of a broader marginalization of the Global South in academia in general, and criminology specifically. The study’s findings should be of importance (and concern) to all criminologists who believe that a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive representation of scholars across all phases of the academic publishing process is key to better understanding the context of crime: a global problem. A number of recommendations are outlined that can be used to increase the regional representativeness of editorial boards.
Organic acid supplementation in worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) : impacts on glandular physiology and colony resilience
Bezabih, Gebreamlak; Atsbha, Tesfay; Altaye, Solomon Zewdu; Zhou, Qingsong; Li, Jianke; Pirk, Christian Walter Werner; Zhu, Chaodong; Fang, Yu (MDPI, 2025-11-26)
Honeybees require diverse nutrients for larval growth, adult development, and colony health. Pollen quality significantly impacts reproduction, productivity, and growth. Bioactive substances from honeybee glands enhance colony health, with recent studies showing that optimal citric acid intake extends lifespan, boosts pollen consumption, accelerates mandibular gland development, and improves royal jelly quality. This review examines organic acid feeding's effects on gland development and overall health, offering insights for beekeeping and supplementary food development to support sustainable apiculture. Research gaps in organic acid supplementation, gland development, and health benefits are identified. The impact of varying organic acid concentrations on 10-HDA biosynthesis in mandibular glands and key regulatory proteins influencing 10-HDA expression is summarized. Findings highlight the benefits of organic acid supplements for worker bee gland development and health, guiding future research and practical applications in beekeeping.
An optimized block hybrid spectral simple iteration methods for solving nonlinear evolution equations
Ahmedai, Salma; Sibanda, Precious; Motsa, Sandile; Goqo, Sicelo; Noreldin, Osman A.I. (Wiley, 2025-12)
This study presents a new optimized block hybrid method and spectral simple iteration method (OBHM-SSIM) for solving nonlinear evolution equations. In this method, we employed a combination of the spectral collocation method in space and the optimized block hybrid method in time, along with a simple iteration scheme to linearize the equations. The performance of OBHM-SSIM is compared with other established numerical methods for various nonlinear evolution equations, including the Stokes' second problem equation, Burgers─Fisher equation, Burgers─Huxley equation, the FitzHugh─Nagumo equation with time-dependent coefficients, and coupled Burgers' equations. Furthermore, the proposed OBHM-SSIM is implemented to solve -dimensional problems, specifically the nonlinear Burgers' equation and the cubic Klein─Gordon equation, demonstrating its capability to solve nonlinear systems efficiently. The extension to two-dimensional cases further validates the flexibility and accuracy of the OBHM-SSIM method, achieved with a notably reduced computational cost. Unlike conventional spectral methods, the proposed OBHM-SSIM achieves high-order accuracy with fewer grid points by optimizing intra-step points and maintaining A-stability for large time domains. We demonstrate that the OBHM-SSIM method gives highly accurate solutions with fewer grid points. This results in enhanced computational efficiency and reduced complexity, particularly for large time domains of nonlinear evolution equations. The findings of this study offer a new approach for the application of the spectral block hybrid method, ultimately improving the accuracy and efficiency of computational solutions for nonlinear evolution equations.
Psychosocial factors influencing the sexual risk behaviour of adolescents living with and affected by HIV who reside in HIV-affected homes in Uganda
Kiirya, Stephen Kisembe; Visser, Maret; Masenge, Andries (Springer, 2026)
We examined the psychosocial factors that predict sexual risk behaviour of adolescents who reside in HIV affected homes in Uganda, to provide evidence for developing suitable interventions. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data about these adolescents’ psychosocial and sexual experiences. The scales and data were verified for precision and reliability using factor analyses, while the predictors of sexual risk behaviour were examined using general linear models. Results showed that having been female, in the younger adolescence stage and a Muganda or Lango, living with one caregiver, being a recipient of HIV/psychosocial care and vulnerable to negative peer influence, personal threats, interpersonal problems, psychosocial distresses (e.g. psychosis and delinquency) and coping by deflecting problems, significantly enabled sexual risk behaviour in these adolescents. However, attending school, religious conviction, experiencing orphanhood especially of the mother, living with two caregivers, and experiencing poverty, judgmental HIV stigma, distress (e.g. inattention and depression), self-control and social support significantly deterred it. These results highlight the centrality of gender, age, HIV care, family situations, sociocultural and peer norms, community stressors, psychosocial distresses, and negative coping methods in influencing sexual risk behaviour of adolescents who reside in HIV affected homes. Interventions by families, schools and agencies are needed to prevent or mitigate these risk factors.
Psychosocial experiences and sexual risk behaviour of the adolescents living with and affected by HIV who reside in HIV affected homes in Uganda
Kiirya, Stephen Kisembe; Visser, Maretha; Masenge, Andries (Taylor and Francis, 2026)
We compared the levels of psychosocial and sexual experiences of adolescents aged 10–19 years who were living with (ALHIV) and affected by HIV who resided in HIV-affected homes of Uganda. Data were collected using a questionnaire that was validated using factor analysis. The levels of psychosocial and sexual experiences of these adolescents were compared using variance and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results showed that whereas these adolescents were exposed to each observed factor, the ALHIV were significantly more vulnerable to lower education levels, living with sick people, death of both parents, changing homes, living with caregivers who were relatives or alcohol users, negative peer influence, poverty, personal and interpersonal problems, distress, sexual risk behaviour, and negative coping methods, compared to those not living with HIV or unaware of their HIV status. Hence, despite the higher primary education achievement and access to HIV services, ALHIV face a lesser sense of belonging, a higher burden of caring for their family members’ sicknesses, higher vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases, and poorer coping abilities compared to the other adolescents in the same home. Interventions are needed from families, schools and agencies to address the risk and protective factors among these adolescents.
Pseudoteratosphaeria supramediana sp. nov. (Teratosphaeriaceae, Mycosphaerellales), a new foliar pathogen on Eucalyptus in Indonesia
Pham, Nam Q.; Marincowitz, Seonju; Wingfield, Brenda D.; Crous, Pedro W.; Santos, Samuel A.; Duran, Alvaro; Tarigan, Marthin; Wingfield, Michael J. (Springer, 2026-02)
The Eucalyptus plantation industry in Indonesia has expanded rapidly during the last few decades. This growth is primarily attributed to the replacement of Acacia mangium, that was severely damaged by diseases. The rapid shift to large-scale monoculture plantations of Eucalyptus has introduced new challenges, particularly the emergence of new disease and pest problems. During routine Eucalyptus disease surveys in Indonesia, symptoms of a new leaf and shoot disease were observed on a single hybrid Eucalyptus grandis × pellita clone in Riau and Kalimantan. Leaf samples were collected, and isolations were made from the disease symptoms. Isolates were identified based on their morphological characteristics and DNA sequence data for seven loci. Phylogenetic analyses of the isolates revealed a novel species of Pseudoteratosphaeria, described here as Pseudoteratosphaeria supramediana sp. nov. A greenhouse pathogenicity test resulted in symptoms similar to those found under field conditions, and the inoculated fungus was consistently reisolated from the resulting lesions. Its appearance in two geographically distinct locations of Indonesia raises the possibility of multiple independent introductions of the pathogen.
Prospects and determinants of willingness to pay for sustainable restoration of rangelands among smallholder cattle producers in North West Province, South Africa
Mapiye, Obvious; Makombe, Godswill; Molotsi, Annelin; Dzama, Kennedy; Mapiye, Cletos (Springer, 2026-02)
The degradation and mismanagement of rangeland ecosystems continue to threaten environmental sustainability and livestock-based livelihoods in arid and semi-arid regions. Market-based environmental conservation instruments, such as payment for ecosystem services (PES) and willingness to pay (WTP), serve as effective mechanisms for promoting sustainable land management. This study investigates the WTP of smallholder cattle producers for rangeland restoration in South Africa’s North West Province, integrating socioeconomic and ecological dimensions to inform policy and practice. A double-bounded contingent valuation method was applied to data from 101 smallholder cattle producers, revealing that over 70% of them were willing to pay a higher bid of USD 11.50 ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, with a mean WTP of USD 17.00 ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Logistic regression analysis revealed that education level (p = 0.012), preferred cattle breed (p = 0.039), farming experience (p = 0.026), goat ownership (p = 0.022), ecoregion (p = 0.079), and cattle-derived income (p = 0.048) were significant predictors of WTP. These findings strongly support rangeland restoration and management within smallholder systems and reflect how socioeconomic and ecological factors shape land-use management choices. This study provides evidence to inform the development of participatory, equity-sensitive conservation frameworks and support the development of incentive-based PES programmes, aligning with sustainable land management policies and resilience-building in pastoral systems.
Predictive modeling of stress intensity factors in composite-repaired cracked aluminum plates : a finite element-based computational framework
Zouambi, Leila; Fekirini, Hamida; Bouafia, Farida; Khodja, Malika (Taylor and Francis, 2026-03-11)
The utilization of bonded composite patches for repairing fatigue-related damage in metallic structures has been acknowledged as an efficient and cost-effective approach, especially within the aerospace sector. However, accurate prediction of stress intensity factors (SIFs) in such repairs remains challenging for structural engineers. This work examines the mechanical behavior of a cracked AA2024T3 plate repaired with a carbon/epoxy composite patch under Mode I loading using finite element analysis (FEA). The study incorporates numerical results to develop a new computational model for precisely determining the repaired plate’s SIF. The developed predictive model, derived directly from FEA data analysis, demonstrates high accuracy with deviations ranging from 0.0006 to 0.0037 when compared to the finite element results. The model successfully predicts repair effectiveness and quantifies the patch’s influence on stress concentration near the crack tip. This computational framework offers a reliable method for forecasting repair efficacy and serves as a practical tool for structural engineers in the analysis and optimization of composite patch repairs. The high-precision model enables improved design decisions for structural repair applications.
A two-level hierarchical optimization framework for grid-connected photovoltaic-wind-battery systems in greenhouse energy management
Ren, Zhiling; Xu, Meng; Zhao, Zilong; Wang, Xinran; Guo, Jia; Dong, Yun (Elsevier, 2026-06)
Greenhouse operations are energy-intensive and face increasing pressure from high operational costs, carbon emissions, and grid reliability constraints. This study develops a grid-connected photovoltaic-wind-battery hybrid energy system and proposes a two-level hierarchical optimization framework for greenhouse energy management. At the upper level, greenhouse operations are optimized using two alternative strategies: energy demand minimization, which aims to reduce heating, cooling, and ventilation loads, and energy expense minimization, which focuses on minimizing energy costs under time-of-use electricity tariffs. At the lower level, energy system scheduling is addressed through renewable energy utilization maximization and comprehensive cost minimization strategies, the latter accounting for electricity purchases, battery degradation, and carbon emissions. Simulation results demonstrate that the comprehensive cost minimization strategy achieves the best overall balance between economic performance and environmental benefits, reducing total operational costs by 45.30% and carbon emissions by 69.25% compared with the baseline. Sensitivity analysis further reveals that the battery unit cost is the most influential factor affecting the economic performance of the system. The proposed framework provides practical guidance for designing cost-effective and low-carbon greenhouse energy systems, supporting reliable and sustainable energy networks.
Promoted bubble dynamics by S-site-induced Cu nucleating agent on the NiFe-based array electrode for efficient oxygen evolution process
Jiang, Runlai; Wang, Hanxiao; Wang, Zheng; Jiang, Yuanye; Gunasekaran, Sundaram; Wang, Xuyun; Liu, Jian; Song, Hongbing; Ren, Jianwei; Wang, Rongfang (American Chemical Society, 2026-03-09)
Please read abstract in the article.
Nurse leaders’ perceptions of existing followership practices : a descriptive qualitative study
Mamba, Welile Magnificent; Fourie, Willem; Heyns, Tanya (Elsevier, 2025)
INTRODUCTION : The success of healthcare organizations depends on partnerships between leaders and followers. Nurses need to be competent in both leader and follower roles because leader–follower relationships in nursing are interdependent rather than linear. However, nursing followership has been understudied. AIM : To explore nurse leaders’ perceptions of existing followership practices. MATERIALS AND METHODS : This descriptive qualitative study purposively selected 10 nurse leaders (top and middle management). Face-to-face, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were used to collect data. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s method. FINDINGS : Participants perceived followership as a hierarchical role but were able to describe the characteristics of the “ideal” follower. Participants described the presence of leadership and follower support while functioning in the follower role. However, lack of leadership supervision and poor teamwork were reported to negatively influence the follower role. There was no formal followership training for participants to become effective followers. Moreover, nurse leaders lacked leadership knowledge and skills as they did not receive formal training while still followers. CONCLUSIONS : Followership education can dismantle the hierarchical view of the follower role. Leadership and follower support enhances follower role performance. Future research should explore followership development needs for nurses in hospital settings. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT : Lack of understanding the follower role is a limitation in healthcare teams. Nurse managers need to understand followership as a complimentary role to leadership and provide support to followers.
Violent protest actions during COVID-19 in South Africa : a practical theological response
Buqa, Wonke (AOSIS, 2025-06-05)
South Africa is rated as one of the highest in violent crimes that result in murder, standing at number four in the world. In 2023, there were 27 000 people reported murdered, which amounts to 45 people per 100 000. Violent protest actions are also a contributor to the number of deaths. One particular protest in July 2021 claimed more than 300 lives during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been met with strikes, violence, and protests despite policies against such crowd gatherings. The study argues that violent protests are a result of the corruption system, mismanagement, and poor service delivery in the post-apartheid government. The study seeks to investigate the phenomenon of violent protest action during the intense COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the study argues that political instability, social injustices, economic stress, societal uncertainty, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing toxic social norms and inequalities in South Africa. Therefore, this study affirms that violent protest is a forceful demonstration of an underprivileged group protesting for 'salvation' and 'liberation' from economic struggles. Furthermore, this study proceeds to a transversal interdisciplinary approach where practical theology and psychology as sciences can share their critical concern and voices through a literature review. In this situation, contextually, practical theology must contribute constructively to listening to people's needs and respond to violence cautiously by presenting hope and reconciliation to the devastated communities. CONTRIBUTION : This study contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse of theology and psychology on violence among the underprivileged of South Africa, who through their protest action, demonstrate that indlala nomsindo zinamanyala [hunger and anger are obscene], and they know no boundaries. This study is relevant for practical theology and psychology because both disciplines are concerned with the social welfare and well-being of the people.
Text, theory and methodology : ruminations from the horizon of a reader from the south
Makalima, Otto (AOSIS, 2025-11-14)
This article marks the tenth year of Welile Mazamisa's passing, as a proverbial burning down of a library. It contains a recollection of lessons gleaned from memory of his own ruminations as he lived and mused from his horizon as a reader from the south. In his own dialectic fashion, a reflection on the text, theory and methodology is discussed as a possible lesson and perhaps, also a quo vadis question to the contemporary biblical scholar and theologian in South Africa, concerning these categories of scholarship. It seems fair to say that among lessons to still be learned from Mazamisa, is this lesson: a critical reader is to be mindful of the centrality of the text, the urgency of theory and the necessity of methodology in the process of reading and appropriating the reading of the text. In conclusion, an application is made to the decolonisation project and the credibility of theology as an academic discipline in South Africa (SA). CONTRIBUTION : This article contributes to the discourse of hermeneutics and decolonisation and also to the discourse of hermeneutics and the question of the credibility of theology as an academic discipline in South Africa
Revisiting the Kairos document after 40 years : a challenge to the churches in South Africa
Van der Merwe, J.M. (Johan Matthys) (AOSIS, 2025-08-14)
It has been 40 years since the publication of the important Kairos document in 1985. Although much has changed in South Africa, many things have also remained the same. Millions of people are still suffering, and this has once again brought the country to the brink of disaster. That is what this article is about. It provides a short overview of the context and key content of the Kairos document, followed by an examination of the various aspects of the current crisis in the country. It then affirms the fact that the Church is an important agent of change before moving to an important meeting that took place between the South African Council of Churches and Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa. This meeting, which took place within the National Dialogue Initiative, serves as an important indicator, that the government also recognises the important role that the Church can play in bringing change to the country. In the last part of the article, the Rustenburg Church conference of 1990 is used as an example for a Lekgotla of Christian churches and Christian organisations. The article concludes by emphasising that the best way to celebrate the Kairos document, is for Christians to rise as one to save the country from disaster. CONTRIBUTION : This article revisits the Kairos document of 1985 as an example of how the churches in South Africa can answer to the current challenges in South Africa
Kutanda botso [self-shaming] : a suffering-related therapeutic ritual in Shona society
Museka, Godfrey; Manyonganise, Molly (AOSIS, 2025-10-15)
The concept of human suffering forms an integral part of almost all world religions. In the African Indigenous Religion, the focus of this article, suffering is considered an unordinary mundane experience. As such, the sufferer and his or her significant others often ask: Why this suffering? Why is it happening to me? What or who caused it? What should I do to alleviate it? These questions point to the idea that in the African Indigenous Religion, suffering has a cause and an antidote. This article, therefore, seeks to add voice to discourses on religio-cultural approaches to suffering, a subject matter that has so far been scantly addressed in African Indigenous Religion related literature. We explore one of the most dreaded forms of spiritualised suffering, kutanda botso [self-shaming], its perceived causes, manifestations and remedies. The argument advanced in this article is that when suffering is moralised and spiritualised, it tends to be perceived as unusual; hence, actions that require appeasement and/or redressive therapeutic rituals are brought to the fore. CONTRIBUTION : This study adds voice to the existing body of literature on the nexus between African Indigenous Religion and suffering. In particular, it explores kutanda botso-related suffering as one of the most feared extreme forms of suffering among the Shona followers of the indigenous religion in Zimbabwe. The ritualisation of suffering and the grounding of kutanda botso as a therapeutic ritual are knowledge insights that the article seeks to add to the extant literature.
Joining the Spirit : missio Dei and artificial intelligence in digital missional praxis
Niemandt, Cornelius Johannes Petrus (Nelus); Niemandt, Doret (AOSIS, 2025-05-31)
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the digital landscape, can we discern the movement of the Spirit within this transformation? This research argues that AI developments, often seen as alien to spiritual mission, fall within the Triune God's realm and align with the missio Dei. By tracing the Gospel's historical adoption of evolving technologies - from the Incarnate Word to the Written, Proclaimed and now Digital Word - we propose AI as the latest iteration in God's unfolding mission. The study first examines the compatibility between missio Dei and AI, asserting that AI, as part of creation, invites missional engagement rather than retreat. Using Heyns' framework of various expressions of God's Word - creation, sustenance, redemption, incarnation, Scripture, proclamation and now the Digital Word - the research shows that AI is a natural extension of God's revelatory presence through innovation, and presents a way to participate in the mission of the Spirit. Next, the article explores AI's role in a rapidly globalising digital culture. This paradigm shift transforms self-perception and communication, creating opportunities and challenges for contextualised missions. The Gospel must be incarnated in ways that resonate with digital cultures, reflecting theology's ongoing adaptation to cultural shifts. Attention is given to Digital Ecclesiology, investigating how AI is reshaping church practices, virtual communities and online worship. The study also examines AI's intersection with mission and creativity, arguing that AI should serve rather than replace human creativity, fostering deep connection, beauty and truth. Artificial intelligence's potential as a tool for discipleship and formation is explored, assessing its role in personalised theological education, virtual fellowship and global outreach. CONTRIBUTION : The concept of mission from the margins provides a critical lens, calling for humility and attention to often overlooked voices. Those on society's edges offer insights into exclusionary structures, challenging AI's potential centralising tendencies.
From ritual to renewal : religious festivals as catalysts for national unity in Nigeria
Onuorah, Chioma Patricia (AOSIS, 2025-09-18)
Religious festivals and ceremonies are more than spiritual expressions; they are vital cultural activities that reflect shared beliefs, foster identity and promote unity among adherents. In Nigeria, where religious and ethnic diversity is profound, these festivals often serve as powerful tools for community bonding and cultural continuity. However, despite their unifying potential, religious interactions are frequently marred by intolerance, conflict and political manipulation, which threaten the peace and development of the nation. This article explores the intersection of religious festivals, social harmony and sustainable development, focusing on how these communal celebrations can be harnessed to foster peace and coexistence among Nigeria’s major religious groups: Christianity, Islam and traditional African religion. Employing a qualitative research approach that includes interviews, document analysis and participant observation, the study investigates the cultural and social significance of religious festivals. Findings reveal that when inclusively celebrated, these festivals create spaces for interfaith dialogue, cultural education and mutual respect. They help reduce prejudices, heal divisions and provide opportunities for collaborative community development. The article argues that policy frameworks and religious leadership should recognise and support these festivals as tools for peacebuilding and national integration. The article concludes that, when properly harnessed, religious festivals have the potential to harmonise communities, mitigate conflicts and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development agenda. CONTRIBUTION : This study significantly contributes to understanding religious festivals in Nigeria as instruments of peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue and national development. It offers original insights into their ability to enhance social cohesion, mitigate religious tensions and support sustainable progress, thereby enriching both scholarly discourse and policy formulation.
Double negatives in New Testament Greek texts and their translations in the Dangme Bible
Kuwornu-Adjaottor, Jonathan E.T.; Quaye, Ebenezer (MDPI, 2025-08-13)
The Greek negatives, μὴ and οὐk (which also appear as οὐ,and οὐx depending on the type of beginning alphabet of the word that it precedes), are variedly used in the Greek New Testament and at various instances. With all the relevance of the use of these negatives in New Testament Studies, of special attention is the appearance of the double negative as the combination of οὐ μὴ. Although the double negatives are not translated to stand on their own, their combination in English denotes not at all, in no wise or by no means. Further, this combination has both exegetical and theological significance and implications. This article, therefore, opines that as the double negative places stronger emphasis and vehement force or augments negation or prohibition, it must reflect in the Dangme Bible, Ngmami Klͻuklͻu ͻ (Holy writing), because the force is somehow silent in some of the texts used in the Greek text. It is, therefore, appropriate for biblical exegetes as well as translators to provide the needed attention to this in their attempts to bring the text alive to contemporary audience readers, practitioners and students of the biblical texts. CONTRIBUTION : This article, therefore, attempted to analyse the translation of the double negative combination in Dangme Bible, Ngmami Klͻuklͻuͻ reflecting on the implications of its usage.
A study of Proverbs 10:12–15 and family unity in the Nsukka local government area
Eze, Virginus U.; Ncheke, Nduka A. (AOSIS, 2025-06-10)
Amid colossal family disunity among the Nsukka people, this article sufficed to interrogate reasons for family disunity among the Nsukka people and advance solutions using insights from the book of Proverbs 10:12-15. Scholars agree that the book of Proverbs contains wisdom collections that could help to form a united family. Proverb 10 is apt for this study because it includes the major collections of 375 Solomonic proverbs, which propose love, forgiveness, an understanding mind, and wisdom as a panacea for family disunity. The article adopted the rhetorical approach of exegesis in nuancing the text of Proverbs 10:12-15. Also, the article used the snowball referral method of sampling techniques to recruit 30 participants for the study and used a semi-structured method of interview to gather data from various agencies such as the Administrative Judge, Nsukka High Court, Enugu State, Nigeria; Nsukka Social Welfare; Area Command Headquarters, Nsukka; and Nsukka Urban Divisional Police Headquarters, Enugu State. The study revealed that there are many cases of family disunity in Nsukka. Among the factors responsible for these cleavages are the quest for resource control, unguided speech, divorce, diversity in beliefs, and failure to write a will. The article recommends the inclusion of Proverbs 10:12-15 in marriage course modules and secondary school schemes of work. Also, seminars and symposiums are recommended periodically by church leaders and policymakers to teach family unity using insights from Proverbs 10:12-15. CONTRIBUTION : This article is a contribution to theology and ethics. It nuanced the meaning of Proverbs 10:12-15 and uses its hermeneutical implications to advance solutions for family disunity among the Nsukka people. Therefore, it provides an interdisciplinary edge by cutting knowledge from the Old Testament literature of Proverbs and using it to solve societal problems of family dissension

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