Minimum wage has been a very controversial issue in most countries of the world which has generated series of negative industrial action due to the inability of workers to satisfy their basic necessities of life. In recent times, Nigeria is engulfed with the crisis of the N30,000 minimum wage issue. This study therefore investigated the phenomenon through a qualitative research approach and found out that the new minimum wage is desirable but may not be adequate due to lack of adequate monetary and fiscal policy measures, factors of socio cultural and economic setting, prevalence's of institutional corruption, and above all, the absence of political will. As such the study recommends that the government should look beyond the 30,000 minimum wage and come up will effective monetary and fiscal policies that will stabilise interest rate, price, taxes, exchange rate fluctuations and employment opportunities. The study also suggests stringent actions on corruptions and institutional reforms amongst the three ties of government especially in the local government with a view to stimulate the rural economy.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of metatalk activity on Iranian Advanced EFL Learners' knowledge of passive tenses. 60 advanced level institute learners, who participated in this study, were randomly selected via a language proficiency test (TOEFL). Those who got ±1SD in the test were chosen. They were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups with 20 participants in every group. An English grammar test related to the usage of passive tenses was administered to both groups in the pre and post-tests. Treatment sessions lasted for 8 sessions but with different methodologies. Teacher in both groups explained about different passive tenses in every treatment sessions. However, learners in the experimental group were treated with metatalk activity and they tried to complete exercises collaboratively with their peers and teachers. They have to complete a dictogloss task with the help of their peers due to focus on learning passive verb tenses. While the control group did not received dictogloss as a metatalk activity and completed the exercises at home and the next session checked the answers. A posttest of grammar was then administered to both groups. The data of the study were analyzed using the independent samples t-test to compare the means of grammar knowledge in both groups. The results revealed that Iranian EFL learners in the experimental group received higher score in the grammar test after being treated with metatalk activity for 8 sessions. It can be conclude that metatalk is an effective method for teaching grammatical knowledge and teachers can use it in their classes.

My study aims to understand the distressed state of Colonial Muslim Women as doubly marginalised, scrutinizing the space of the obscure women writers as a site of analysis. The proposal intends to delve into the “Islamic feminism” through the life and works of Ashraf Bibi, Sultan Jahan Begum, Rashid Jahan, Iqbalunnisa Hussain, Begum Shaista Ikramulla as tools to show how the practices in the name of religion, the misguided interpretation of prophetic teachings and the old customs was the main cause for the backward position of Muslim women and not Islam which came as a reformation religion in the age of ignorance (Jahiliyyah).

Language is an indispensable tool for literature; without it, there can never be literature. Language and literature are inseparable as no story can be possible without language. Even in pantomime, language is still a major tool as the characters use sign language as they demonstrate. However, language of art, to a great extent, differs from ordinary language of speech. That being the case, good writers cum story tellers, are meticulous about their choice of language in their individual creative writings. A good writer first determines the genre he or she wants to write before selecting his or her language because the language apt in a particular genre may not be appropriate in another genre. An author's work is adjudged good or bad depending to a great extent on his or her language hence language makes a work interesting and otherwise. A particular author’s work is either appreciated or loathed depending on his or her language. An author may have a very wonderful story to tell but if he or she fails to be mindful of his or her language, he or she would end up writing the kind of literature that would never be appreciated. In this paper therefore, the researcher’s aim is to determine the languages apt for certain aspects of art with particular reference to tales. This, he believes, will help potential writers whose interests are in traditional tales to be able to use the appropriate language in their writings.

The study examined the state of primary education in Nigeria considering various indices directly related to education at this level. The study looked into the advent of primary education in Nigeria, its purpose as well as the various subjects through which knowledge and cultural values are to be passed unto the younger ones. The study examined the contributions of parents, funding, government, curriculum, supervision, quality of primary school teacher, classroom size, poverty, ICT, text and exams, the political system, infrastructural facilities among others, to the present state of primary education in the country. The study further examined the challenges emanating from the different indicators relating to primary education and finally proffers solutions to salvage the situation.

The stated purpose of this study was to know the competency profile of the ideal EFL teachers as viewed by preservice EFL teachers through the identification and description of the qualities that these preservice students attribute to excellent teachers. In this view, the biographical-narrative approach was adopted. 120 preservice EFL teacher students from the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Porto-Novo were onsidered with an effective participation rate of 88, 33%. The findings indicated that personal qualities are fundamental in the definition of the profile of the competent teacher. Therefore, it is expected that these profiles be taken into account to design training curricula that favor the wholistic development of teachers.

Post colonial writers attempted to portray the social and political milieu in their works. They depict the nonconventional themes which have broken the pre-occupied age- old tradition established by the writers since Vedic period. Writers started writing on East-West encounter, urban middle class mores, changing patterns of human relationships and slowly their concerns widened. The post- independent era hoists the flag of women’s writings with the flavor of real incidents of their life which were often hidden from others. They become the voice of society through the medium of literature. Their accents are loud enough to be heard in the field of Indian English writings as voices of women who could write of experiences of living confined lives. Jhumpa Lahiri herself being an Indian-American, born to Bengali immigrant parents, is able to fictionalize the live and real experiences of immigrant Indians in America. As an eye-witness ‘Bengali-American’ writer of Indian ancestry, Lahiri is crowned as an International writer among the Commonwealth Writers and has a universal appeal. She explores her character’s dilemma, struggles, anxieties and biases to express details of immigrant psychology and behavior. Her characters swing between their native culture and the culture of the host country resulting in their cultural hybridist. The first and second generations play the role of cultural mediators between the adopted culture and the culture of motherland. This paper explores Lahiri’s depiction of Bengali culture in The Namesake ranging from the food habits, dress, festivals, rituals, customs, religious ceremonies, music as well as the behavior of the first generation immigrants in America who eagerly strive to transmit them to the second generation individuals.