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Education and the arts offer multiple, mutually clarifying lenses through which to examine and understand issues of poverty and empowerment. Here, both are combined in a fascinating look at how these two often overlooked elements promote social equality and cultivate personal agency across Africa´s diverse political-economic landscapes.

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PART I: EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT: ENFORCING RIGHTS AND BUILDING COMMUNITIES 1. Advancing the Anti-Poverty Crusade through the Enforcement of the Fundamental Right to Education under Nigerian Law; Eteete Michael Adam 2. Social-Economic Inequality and Progress towards Achieving Education for All by 2015 in Nigeria; Roselyn Jumai Musa and Nathaniel Umukoro 3. Women and Poverty Eradication Efforts in Uganda: Why Is Ending Gendered Poverty Still Far-Fetched?; Sarah Hasaba 4. Empowering the Poor in Nigeria through Adult and Community Education: Implications for Educational Policy Reform; Joshua Olusola Akande and Adeola Bosede Ogunrin 5. Combating the Scourge of Poverty in Nigeria through Rural Community Education; Bolanle Clara Simeon-Fayomi and Joshua Olusola Akande PART II: LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, AND EMPOWERMENT 6. Poverty, Endangered Languages, and Creoles: Two Case Studies from Southern Africa and the Greater Caribbean; Ann Albuyeh 7. Poverty Eradication for Sustainable Growth in Africa: Insights from Ben Okri´s In Arcadia; Ezinwanyi E. Adam 8. Between the Sublime and the Subliminal: Economic Modernity, Desire and Political Fictions in Cameroon; Olivier J. Tchouaffe PART III: ART AND EMPOWERMENT 9. Arts Management as a Strategy for Rapid Development of the Arts in Nigeria; Bojor Enamhe 10. The Changing Images and Representations of Adire Technology in Nigerian Politics; Omotayo I. Owoeye PART IV: MUSIC AND EMPOWERMENT 11. ´Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow´: Fela´s Prophetic Lyrics in the Light of 21st Century Realities; Albert Oikelome 12. Deconstructing African Poverty against the Backdrop of a ´Rich´ Musical Heritage; David Akombo 13. From the Street to Stardom: The Socio-Economic Empowerment of Nigerian Youth through Music; Stephen O. Olusoji 14. Popular Music as an Economic Tool for Nigerian Youth; Sunday O. Babalola

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Ezinwanyi E. Adam, Babcock University, Nigeria Eteete Michael Adam, Babcock University, Nigeria Ann Albuyeh, University of Puerto Rico, USA Joshua Olusola Akande, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria David O. Akombo, Jackson State University, USA Sunday Oludele Babalola, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Bojor Enamhe, Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria Sarah Hasaba, United Nations University, Japan Roselyn Jummai Musa, University of Benin, Nigeria Adeola Bosede Ogunrin, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria Albert Oikelome, University of Lagos, Nigeria Stephen Olusoji, University of Ibadan Lagos, Nigeria Omotayo Idowu Owoeye, University of Pretoria, South Africa Bolanle Clara Simeon-Fayomi, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria Olivier J. Tchouaffe, Southwestern University, USA Nathaniel Umukoro, Delta State University, Nigeria

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