Faculty and Staff Publications

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://irepository.aua.ac.ke/handle/123456789/464

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Pastors’ Level of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Sub Sahara Africa
(International journal of research and scientific innovation (IJRSI), 2025-10-23) Nyongesa, Mahlon Juma
The study investigated the Pastors’ level of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) using a descriptive design on a sample of 304 pastors in the East-Central Africa (ECD), West-Central Africa (WAD), and Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Divisions (SID) of the Adventist Church. Data from the self-constructed questionnaire was analyzed using SPSS 27 and SmartPLS 4.0 for statistical treatment. The pastors in the three Divisions (ECD, WAD, SID) exhibited a low level of ACEs. It is a sigh of relief that pastors in Sub-Sahara Africa have low levels of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Eight out of ten pastors are being disturbed by those who attempted or committed suicide of a close of kin. Two out of five are being disturbed by parental bereavement before 18 years. Four out of 10 pastors still nurse the effects of physical abuse from caretakers. Fifteen percent suffer from earlier lack of parental care while 24% nurse scars from battering. Forty percent still nurture the bereavement of nearest of kin. There is no significant difference in the levels of ACEs when age is considered. Future research would study the level of ACEs among ministerial spouses and children
Root causes of men backsliding from church membership
(Journal of Philosophy and Religion, 2025-05) Aricha, Peter Omundi; Nyongesa, Mahlon Juma; Ponyatovskiy, Feliks
The purpose of this study is to understand the reasons and root causes of men’s backsliding from weekly Sabbath attendance and worship services in the Mochenwa and Rigena districts. The phenomenon of backsliding and church non-attendance among men is one of the emerging tendencies in the postmodern religious worldviews. The gradual backsliding of men from regular church attendance and participation, as observed in Nyamira West Field Seventh-day Adventist churches, is a worrying trend. This research design applied a quantitative method for data collection. The quantitative design utilised a questionnaire with structured closed-ended questions on a four-point Likert scale of measurement and collected respondents' attitudes and opinions, which factored the backslidden members in this study. The design provided the blueprint for this research. Data was analysed electronically using the Statistics Package for Social Science (SPSS) software for descriptive data analysis to capture the percentage. Based on the findings, the reasons for backsliding that stood out include but are not limited to loss of faith, loss of interest, involvement in drinking alcohol, criticism from fellow church members, lack of frequent visitation, and discrimination. Therefore, the study recommends that each church member be actively involved in weekly church activities so that the backsliders can be reclaimed, retained, and nurtured spiritually. The church should implement the following programs: small group ministry, prayer ministry, visitation program, and leadership training to curb this worrying trend of backsliding.
Pre-warning signs of backsliding in church members: patterns and interpretations
(Journal of Pastoral and Practical Theology, 2025-05) Aricha, Peter Omundi; Nyongesa, Mahlon Juma; Ponyatovskiy, Feliks
This study aims to determine pre-warning signs of backsliding exhibited by church members in Kisii, County. The phenomenon of backsliding and church non-attendance among men is one of the emerging tendencies in the postmodern religious worldviews. This research applied a quantitative method for data collection. The quantitative design utilised a questionnaire with structured closed-ended questions on a four-point Likert scale of measurement and collected respondents’ attitudes and opinions, which factored the backslidden members in this study. The design provided the blueprint for this research. Data was analysed electronically using the Statistics Package for Social Science (SPSS) software for descriptive data analysis to capture the percentage. Based on the findings, the warning signs for backsliding that stood out include but are not limited to, the following categories: churchoriented, personal, sociological, or external signs. Therefore, the study recommends that each church member be actively involved in weekly church activities so that the backsliders can be reclaimed, retained, and nurtured spiritually. The church should implement the following programmes: small group ministry, prayer ministry, visitation programme, and leadership training to curb this worrying trend of backsliding.
Psychological Wellbeing of Pastors in the Three Adventist Divisions in Sub-Sahara Africa
(Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Science (JAHSS), 2025) Nyongesa, Mahlon Juma
The study investigated the Pastor’s Psychological Well-being (PWB) using a quantitative descriptive design on a sample of 304 pastors in the East-Central Africa (ECD), West-Central Africa (WAD), and Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Divisions (SID) of the Adventist Church. Data from the self-constructed questionnaire was analyzed using SPSS 27 and SmartPLS 4.0 for statistical treatment. The self-constructed PWB scale demonstrated poor internal consistency and reliability, as indicated by its low Cronbach's alpha of .543, which falls below the commonly accepted minimum threshold of .70 to .80 for a reliable scale, making it an unreliable inference about PWB. The pastors in the three Divisions (ECD, WAD, SID) exhibited a high level of psychological wellbeing. Regardless of age, territory, and current workstation, pastors exhibited a high level of optimum psychological functioning in ministry. The pastors have a high level of positive relations with others, a high level of autonomy, a high level of self-acceptance, and a high level of personal growth. The pastors in Sub-Saharan Africa have healthy optimum psychological functioning and take ministry as an opportunity to develop their potential. Despite the workload, pastors can have optimum psychological functioning. However, they have a low level of environmental mastery. The study confirmed the applicability of the new tools of PWB in the ministry. Future research would study the level of PWB among ministerial spouses.
Pastors’ Awareness of Clinical Pastoral Education in the Three Adventist Divisions in Sub Sahara Africa
(International journal of research and innovation in social science (IJRISS), 2025-10) Nyongesa, Mahlon Juma
The study investigated the level of Clinical Pastoral Education using a sample of 304 pastors in the East-Central Africa (ECD), West-Central Africa (WAD), and Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Divisions (SID) of the Adventist Church. Data from the self-constructed questionnaire was analyzed using SPSS 27 and SmartPLS 4.0 for statistical treatment. The pastors in the three Divisions exhibited a high level of CPE awareness with WAD having a higher level followed by SID and ECD. They affirm that CPE is essential for enhancing pastoral ministry, improves the management of emotions, and enhances intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. This phenomenon could be explained by the fact that there’s an ongoing emphasis on Clinical Pastoral Orientation training on the continent as well as the presence of CPE training at AUA and Babcock. Concerning CPE training, ECD has 2.84%, WAD has 6.4% while SID has 3.91% of pastors that have taken at least a unit of CPE as of February 2025. In general, out of 7,585 pastors on the continent of Africa, only 302 representing 3.98% have at least one Unit of CPE as of February 2025. There is no significant difference in the level of CPE awareness when age is considered. The Adventist University of Africa (AUA) and other theological institutions to embrace the establishment of the CPE center as a continental training hub for graduate students in the theological seminary and integrate CPE into standard ministerial curricula. CPE be a must-do training for all seminarians. AUA-CPE center to source ministry partners to offer scholarships or donations to sponsor CPE participants. The 3 Adventist Divisions on the continent of Africa to examine denominational policies and collaboration with government agencies to strengthen the structural implementation of CPE. For future research, a moderated mediation study on the functionality status of chaplaincy facets and CPE across Africa would be interesting. A comparative study with other continents could highlight global best practices and provide a roadmap for scaling up CPE training across African divisions.
Faculty Artificial Intelligence Readiness in Adventist Higher Institutions of Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa
(Pan-African Journal of Education and Social Sciences (PAJES), 2025) Nyongesa, Mahlon Juma
This study investigated AI readiness using a quantitative descriptive design with a sample of 130 faculty members. Data from a self-constructed questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS 27 and SmartPLS 4.0 for statistical treatment. Anchored on grit theory, the results show that the faculty members have a high level of AI readiness in terms of wellbeing and mental health, changing skill requirements, job automation and displacement, and low level of privacy issues. The independent samples t-test conducted to compare the AI readiness of faculty members aged 18 – 44 years and 45 – 64 years showed that younger faculty members were more ready for AI technologies than older faculty members. The Mann-Whitney U-test results and Cohen’s effect size revealed a significant difference in AI readiness for Protestants and non-Protestants, with Protestants having a higher level of readiness than their counterparts. On gender, the females had a higher level of AI readiness than the males. In terms of educational levels, postgraduate degree faculty members had a higher level of AI readiness than those with up to bachelor’s degrees.
Transformational Leadership and Educational Development in Seventh-Day Adventist Schools of The Central Malagasy Conference, Madagascar
(UKR Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (UKRJAHSS), 2025) ANDRIAMPANIRY RATSIMBA Oliva Colombe; Angela Ewhonne Nwaomah, Ph.D
Despite increased research interest in leadership of educational quality among developing countries, there are few documented studies on the transformational dynamics of religious school leadership in Africa, especially resource-constrained learning environments like Madagascar. This study examines the impact of transformational leadership on school educational development in Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) secondary schools in the Central Malagasy Conference of Madagascar. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative surveys (n=28) and qualitative interviews (n=34) assessed leadership style, teacher motivation, student performance, and adherence to Adventist educational philosophy. Quantitative findings showed a strong correlation between transformational leadership and academic achievement, with teacher motivation the strongest predictor (r = .658, β = .412, p = .016). The highest transformational leadership schools experienced 21% to 28% improvement across various indicators. Qualitative findings revealed four main themes: a shared inspiring vision, individualized support, shared governance, and addressing contextual challenges, including limited resources. Findings indicate that transformational leadership rooted in Malagasy values of service and cultural values improves teacher motivation, student achievement, and institutional growth, even if hampered by material constraints. However, the leadership effect is moderated by resource constraints, explaining 47.6% of unexplained variance. The study extends transformational leadership theory by demonstrating that changes are required in faith-based, communal, and resource-poor contexts. Practical recommendations are leadership development programs that embed transformational competencies in Adventist philosophy, institutional support mechanisms that reduce administrative workload, and policy systems that ensure leadership succession. This research contributes to the application of leadership theories from across the globe to African faith-based educational settings and provides evidence-based guidance for SDA educational leadership development.
Exploring Crisis Leadership Among Humanitarian Field Workers: A Case Study of the Private Relief Agency in Rwanda
(UKR Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (UKRJAHSS), 2025) Nzayikorera, Christophe Gapira; Nwaomah, Angela Ewhonne
Crises are unpredictable in human life. At the global level, natural disasters, health issues, famine, wars, disastrous winds, landslides, and heavy rain always make the news. Rwanda as a country of a thousand hills become a prone zone of disasters. The current research focused on the role of crisis leadership management among humanitarian workers with a case study of the Private Relief Agency. As qualitative research, a face-to-face interview was conducted for data collection. Three participants were selected based on their duties and responsibilities, positions, and firsthand experience in managing crises. Research investigated the way workers behave in critical situations and related decision-making, and how team spirit and morale were enhanced and boosted during crisis times. Findings indicated that good leadership in crisis management focused on effective risk management, resource allocation, decision-making, effective communication, past acquired experiences during crisis times, and the emotional intelligence of the workers during crisis times. The findings proved to be essential for equipping leaders and strengthening workers with the required tools to achieve humanitarian goals. The research found that crisis leadership management is paramount to increasing the performance of the humanitarian workers in Rwanda. The research revealed that the leaders should be good at crisis leadership management and have skills on hand to counteract potential crises.
Developing AI Literacy as a Core Competency for Future Leaders
(INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS), 2025-08) Prof. Musa Nyakora; Monda, Dickson
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping how decisions are made, problems are solved, and strategies are executed across sectors. As such, developing AI literacy has become a critical core competency for future leaders. This paper explores the concept of AI literacy beyond technical understanding, emphasizing the strategic, ethical, and human-centric dimensions leaders must grasp to thrive in AI-integrated environments. It argues that AI-literate leadership entails the ability to interpret, evaluate, and responsibly integrate AI tools in ways that enhance decision-making, foster innovation, and promote inclusive growth. Drawing from interdisciplinary literature, real-world case studies, and emerging frameworks, the study proposes a holistic model for embedding AI literacy into leadership development programs. The findings underscore the urgency of equipping leaders not only with digital fluency but with a critical mindset capable of navigating the opportunities and challenges posed by AI. Ultimately, cultivating AI literacy is not optional — it is essential for leaders aiming to remain relevant, responsible, and resilient in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The Moderating Role of servant leadership in the Relationship between occupational Stressors and well being among Humanitarian Workers in Gedo Region, Somalia
(INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI), 2025-11-06) Ndebele, Simanga B; Mthombeni, Martina; Angela Nwaomah, Ph.D
Humanitarian work is typically situated in challenging operational contexts defined by volatility and scarcity. Such a harsh environment generates occupational pressures for humanitarian staff that could negatively impact their well-being. Servant leadership is a valuable way of mitigating employee stress; however, its applicability is limited to stable, less volatile settings, unlike humanitarian contexts. Against this background, this study assessed the moderating effect of servant leadership on the relationship between occupational stressors and well-being among humanitarian workers in Gedo Region, Somalia. The study utilized a quantitative cross-sectional survey design to draw a sample of 75 personnel employed by humanitarian organizations in Gedo through simple random sampling. The data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed through frequencies, percentages, and multiple linear regression analysis. The results revealed that occupational stressors had a statistically significant effect on well-being (B= 0.137, p = 0.013) as well as the interaction between occupational stressors and servant leadership (B = 0.582, p < 0.001). Therefore, it was concluded that servant leadership moderates the effect of occupational stress on employee well-being as the p-value was statistically significant at the threshold of 0.05%. These findings suggest that humanitarian agencies should invest in servant-leadership development as a strategy for sustaining workforce resilience.
Exploring the Awareness, Readiness and Challenges of Utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools for Library Users with Visual and Hearing Impairment in Nigerian Universities
(Ghana Library Journal, 2025-06-05) Nwaomah, Angela Ewhonne , Ph.D.; Omeluzor, Saturday U. , Ph.D.
This study explores the awareness, readiness and challenges of utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) tools among information providers for library users with visual and hearing impairment in Nigerian universities. The research employed a descriptive survey design with a sample population consisting of university librarians known as information providers at the federal, state and private universities across all the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Due to the larger number of universities (170) across Nigeria, a convenience sampling method was used to select ten universities from each of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and one from the Federal Capital Territory, giving a total of 61 universities. The finding showed that a higher percentage above 50% of the respondents was aware of AI tools. The result indicated the readiness of the respondents to adopt AI in delivering library and information services to users with visual and hearing impairment. The significant number of enthusiastic respondents indicated an inspiring future of AI adoption and utilization in academic libraries in Nigeria. Despite their awareness and readiness, there were certain challenges facing the utilization of AI for people with visual and hearing impairment in Nigeria university libraries. However, respondents were optimistic and resilient about AI’s utilization for users with disabilities.
Unified admission policies in private universities: Panacea for quality assurance in the Nigerian educational system
(Babcock University Press, 2012) Nwosu, Jonathan C.; Nwaomah, Angela E.
Managing organizational change in the private sector: lessons from Babcock university management information system
(Babcock journal of management and social sciences, 2012-01) Nwaomah, Angela E.
Change, it is commonly said, is inevitable and so it is constant part of life. But organizational changes are not easily welcome by employees, despite the good intentions that may have caused them. This paper therefore studies on organizational changes, the University management information system (UMIS), introduced in the recent times for more efficient student records management. The paper shows that employees received these changes differently. It concludes by suggesting ways Babcock University leadership can successfully introduce and implement changes.
Combating examination malpractice in Nigerian Higher Institutions: a challengbe to religious educationists
(Insight: journal of religious studies, 2009-06) Nwosa, Jonathan C.; Nwaomah, Angela E; Nwogwugwu, Ngozi A.
Charitable giving
(Steward Ministries, 2022-06) Prof. Sampson M. Nwaomah
Charitable giving may be defined as the willingness and decision to give money and other resources directly or doing so through organizations for worthy causes. Charitable giving is the kind act of making donations for the benefit of the underprivileged or for other worthy causes. Generally, charitable giving be could be secular or religious on nature. Secular charitable giving may include giving for the benefit of persons or causes without religious motivations. In some parts of the world, there are registered foundations/organizations which either give or receive money and other resources for this kind of purposes Religious charitable giving may be considered as the commitment to cheerfully give money or other resources beyond the regular tithes and offerings for a religious or other worthy cause(s). This kind of giving could be considered as part of a Christian’s response of gratitude to the unsurpassed sacrifice of God to save humanity by supporting worthy causes through his/her resources.
An Evaluation of Machine Learning Techniques for Crop Detection from Garden Images
(IEEE Xplore, 2023) Samson O. Ooko; Grace Kwagalakwe; Lossan Bonde
Agriculture is a major driver for different economies across the globe. With the continued advancement in technology, there is a move towards precision agriculture. A major area of research interest is the detection of crops by use of computer vision. Such can help in controlling pests and diseases and thus increase yields. However, given the wide range of techniques applied, there is a need to evaluate them to recommend the most suitable for the detection of different crops. This study was thus aimed at evaluating both traditional Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques for the detection of banana and cassava crops from a set of garden images. First, a crop classification model was built using the traditional machine learning model with feature extraction algorithms being applied before training using K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Naïve Bayes. Another crop classification model was also built using deep learning (CNN) on an annotated dataset. The performance of both models was evaluated with deep learning giving the best result. Deep learning is thus recommended as the best model for crop detection.
Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) Based Self Diagnostic Kit for Respiratory Diseases
(IEEE Xplore, 2023) Samson O. Ooko; Jimmy Nsenga
The World Health Organization (WHO) 2022 statistics show that over 3 million deaths globally result from chronic respiratory diseases yearly. Interestingly 90% of these deaths are reported from middle- and low-income countries. This may be attributed to the poor health care systems with few medical experts to enable early diagnosis and treatment of the diseases. There is therefore a need for cheap and accessible solutions to help solve the problems. The use of the latest technologies of Machine Learning (ML) and Internet of Things (IoT) provide capabilities that can enable cheap and convenient detection and monitoring of respiratory diseases. However, existing solutions are cloud-based and thus depend on the availability of internet connectivity to function. This poses privacy, security, and even connectivity challenges, especially in Africa. The concept of using an emerging ML technique for inferencing on resource-constrained devices known as Tiny ML was used as a solution enabling the development of a self diagnostic kit. The system captures breath Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) the collected data will be processed on the device and a Tiny ML algorithm used to detect if the sample is infected or not. The designed prototype was used to collect from healthy and unhealthy volunteers. The collected data was then used to train the prediction model. The ML model predicts respiratory diseases with an accuracy of 95.4% using less than 20% of the device resources. The proposed solution will reduce the dependency on medical experts and healthcare facilities and enable early detection of respiratory diseases.
Use of Machine Learning for Realtime Water Quality Prediction
(IEEE Xplore, 2023) Samson Otieno Ooko; Elaine Kansiime Pamela; Grace Kwagalakwe
Water is an essential resource that is a foundation not only for people’s lives but also for economic development. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021, over 2 billion people across the globe use water from contaminated sources leading to life-threatening diseases with over 485,000 deaths as a result of waterborne diseases being reported annually. There is therefore a need for tools and techniques that can be used to ensure water quality. Traditional water quality index calculations consume time and are often prone to errors. In the recent past use of Machine Learning (ML) in predicting water quality has generated interest among researchers as a real-time solution. From the reviewed literature, existing models only consider a few chemical properties of water while ignoring others. In addition, there is a need to compare the performance of different models. This study thus presents a supervised learning model for predicting water quality. Our hypotheses were that (i) most of such parameters are all important and none can be ignored and (ii) with supervised learning one can predict water quality based on its physio-chemical properties. Open data sets are explored as inputs with different models being evaluated. The results show that the Random Forest algorithm gives the best results with a 79 percent accuracy. The use of this model will go a long way towards ensuring water quality and thus reducing related diseases and fatalities.
The Significance of Τοῦτο in Act 2:16 to the Eschatology of Acts
(Pan-African Journal of Theology, 2024-07-12) Odhiambo David Odhiambo
The demonstrative pronoun “τοῦτό” in Acts 2:16 carries pragmatic weight, suggesting markedness and emphasizing the eschaton (v. 17). Despite scholarly oversight, verse 16’s syntactical placement within the main clause underscores its significance. This article seeks to rectify this neglect by examining Acts 2:16’s theological and syntactical importance, particularly the usage of “Τοῦτο” and its implications for understanding Acts’ eschatological framework. Through linguistic analysis, theological exploration, and intertextual connections, this study aims to reveal the profound implications of Acts 2:16 for the eschatological discourse in Luke’s narrative.
Biblical Foundations of Giving Insights Through the Seven WH Questions
(Steward Ministries magazine, 2024) Melak Alemayehu Tsegaw, PhD
Giving is a fundamental aspect of God’s kingdom, rooted deeply in the foundation of love. As the saying goes, “You can give without love, but you cannot love without giving.” This principle is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating how God designed His kingdom to operate on the principle of receiving in order to give. Understanding and embracing the concept of giving is crucial for anyone who desires to be part of His kingdom. This article explores the biblical foundation of giving, structured around seven key questions: What?, Why?, Who?, To Whom?, Which?, When?, and Where? From a biblical perspective, we will uncover the importance of giving in the Christian faith and how it should be practiced according to biblical principles.

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