Disclaimer: AFEA Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) that has been peer-reviewed and forthcoming in scientific outlets. There is a tacit acknowledgement of anonymous referees for constructive suggestions and critiques that have helped improve the content and rigour of the study. Each research stands on its merit and the views expressed in AFEA Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the AFEA, its Executive Board, or AFEA management.

Belief in the existence of witchcraft has remained a social phenomenon in Igbo society, especially with aged women who are often labeled witches. This study is exploratory and explains the implication of labeling an aged woman a witch and social relations in Igbo society in South-Eastern Nigeria. Twenty interviews were conducted with aged women who are victims of the witchcraft label and their relatives using qualitative methods of data collection, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews. Data collected were analyzed using ethnographic content analysis. Findings reveal different social views attached to witchcraft and how it relates to aged women.

This paper examines the relationship between female access to land, rights to such land, and engagement in non-farm entrepreneurship in rural Africa. We used data from the four countries (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Malawi) that were featured in the Living Standards Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys in Agriculture dataset for the period 2013-15. To estimate the relationship, we compute the marginal effect from the logistic regression, while controlling for other important covariates that explain non-farm activities at the individual/household level. We find that overall, women's access to land and rights to such land significantly explain their likelihood to engage in non-farm enterprises. However, this relationship is not seen across the sampled countries. In Nigeria, for instance, we find that though the relationship is positive, it was not significant. While for Ethiopia, Tanzania and Malawi, we find a positive and significant relationship. We explain our result based on two important perspectives. The policy implications of our result are included in the paper.

Protests are an essential element of democratisation process and a significant factor in the social struggle and commitment to a cause. Protests are staged in different forms, either, with placards or songs to portray socio-political grievance. This study explains the symbolism of Biafra protest songs in South-Eastern Nigeria. Protest songs are symbols that contextualise intent of a social struggle. The protest songs depict cultural and group ideology which fosters the Igbo identity cohesion in the Biafra struggle. These protest songs indicate shared patterns of behaviour and interaction, cognitive constructs and understanding that create unique symbolism of Biafra among the Igbo people in Nigeria. This paper argues that Biafra protest songs are a non-material culture that contextualises the meanings attached to Biafra in achieving identity capital, identity-cohesion, struggle sustenance and commitment during protests.

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