British aid to Nigerian libraries: an analytical study of the work of three major British organisations involved in the development of library services in the country

This study arose from my first professional work in 1973 while engaged in the National Youth Service Corps programme. I was then attached to the Rivers State Ministry of Education, Inspectorate Division, as a school librarian. Many foreign organisations and individuals had generously donated large consignments of books and other reading materials to schools and libraries in the area to offset the losses incurred during the Civil War between 1967 and 1970. These consignments were kept unused in a warehouse in Port Harcourt pending the time when the officials from the Ministry of Education would decide on how to distribute them to schools and libraries in the area. In September 1973, a decision was taken to share the books among the various schools and colleges that could 'evacuate' them from the warehouses without further delay. Being the only school librarian in the Ministry, I was given the responsibility to carry out the distribution. The arbitrary and hurried manner in which the distribution was effected was not the way in which the overseas donors would have expected or desired. Consequently, there arose in me a desire to take stock of past foreign aid to libraries in the country at large with a view of determining how they had been utilized. [Continues.

An Analysis of the Role of the National Assembly in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and its possible reform

The legislature is one of the key institutions in the democratic process, to the extent that any attack on its composition or functioning is seen as a blow against democracy. This is premised on the fact that it symbolizes democracy and avails the people the opportunity to participate in governance. However, there have been allegations of misuse of powers and gross misconduct by members of the Nigerian National Assembly which have led to the calls for its scraping or total reformation. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines the utility of the National Assembly in the democratic process in Nigeria. The paper uses two parameters: indispensable functions of the legislature and the institution’s impact in entrenching good governance in the country. Using the descriptive method, the paper examines the role of the National Assembly in Nigeria’s democratic process to determine its indispensability or otherwise. The paper found that though there are numerous issues that need to be resolved, the National Assembly is too weighty to be discarded. As a result of this, it encourages the Nigerian legislators should avoid unnecessary confrontation with the executive arm and improve on legislative-constituency relations to make the institution more effective

Design of Comminution Circuit for Optimum Performance of the Gravity Separation Unit at Itakpe Iron Ore Processing Plant, Nigeria

Designing an efficient and economic mineral processing plant begins with the choice of the best and most economic comminution circuit based on ore properties and concentrate end-user’s specifications. This is because crushing and grinding for preparation of suitable feed for the downstream processes are cost intensive. The Itakpe iron ore processing plant presently produces a taiing material containing up to 22% iron minerals mostly fines produced inevitably during comminution. This article analyzed the existing circuit and ore properties, and presents specific comminution tests that were undertaken in order to recommend an alternate and more effective circuit. Sieve analyses of the various products of the existing circuit were carried out. The results show that fines exist in the circuit as a result of the brittleness of some portions of the ore which leads to crumbling and sloughing of the material during crushing and handling. It is revealed that mechanical stacking and reclamation also contributes to the generation of fines in the circuit. One possibility to a solution is to screen the product of secondary crusher ahead of grinding with a +2mm coarse screen between the reclaimer and the primary autogenous mills to prevent further production of fines during crushing unless the downstream recovery process is entirely designed for flotation. This option however still allows much fine material to the concentration lines. It is therefore recommended that materials less than 2mm be screened off the products of primary and secondary crushers and treated separately in gravity or magnetic unit without grinding. A +2mm screen is also recommended for installation as control for the product of primary autogenous mills which should be treated for concentration in the gravity unit. If flotation is to be employed, a regrind mill will be installed on either or both of the concentration lines or to a blend of the two. Keywords: sloughing, crumbling, user’s specifications, hardness, dropping impact, iron-rich, brittlenes

Design of Comminution Circuit for Optimum Performance of the Gravity Separation Unit at Itakpe Iron Ore Processing Plant, Nigeria

Designing an efficient and economic mineral processing plant begins with the choice of the best and most economic comminution circuit based on ore properties and concentrate end-user’s specifications. This is because crushing and grinding for preparation of suitable feed for the downstream processes are cost intensive. The Itakpe iron ore processing plant presently produces a taiing material containing up to 22% iron minerals mostly fines produced inevitably during comminution. This article analyzed the existing circuit and ore properties, and presents specific comminution tests that were undertaken in order to recommend an alternate and more effective circuit. Sieve analyses of the various products of the existing circuit were carried out. The results show that fines exist in the circuit as a result of the brittleness of some portions of the ore which leads to crumbling and sloughing of the material during crushing and handling. It is revealed that mechanical stacking and reclamation also contributes to the generation of fines in the circuit. One possibility to a solution is to screen the product of secondary crusher ahead of grinding with a +2mm coarse screen between the reclaimer and the primary autogenous mills to prevent further production of fines during crushing unless the downstream recovery process is entirely designed for flotation. This option however still allows much fine material to the concentration lines. It is therefore recommended that materials less than 2mm be screened off the products of primary and secondary crushers and treated separately in gravity or magnetic unit without grinding. A +2mm screen is also recommended for installation as control for the product of primary autogenous mills which should be treated for concentration in the gravity unit. If flotation is to be employed, a regrind mill will be installed on either or both of the concentration lines or to a blend of the two. Keywords: sloughing, crumbling, user’s specifications, hardness, dropping impact, iron-rich, brittlenes

Application of Split Desktop Image Analysis and Kuz-Ram Empirical Model for Evaluation of Blast Fragmentation Efficiency in a Typical Granite Quarry

Evaluation of fragmentation efficiency is an integral aspect of blasting operation. This study therefore assesses the efficiency of fragmentation size at Eminent granite quarry, Ibadan, Nigeria using Split Desktop software and Kuz-Ram empirical model. Five muckpiles of blasted rocks with the same blast design were analysed. The muckpile images were captured using smart high precision digital camera and uploaded into computer for Split Desktop analysis. The results of the fragment size distribution obtained from Kuz-Ram vary slightly with that of the Split Desktop but follow similar trend. The average values of F80 and F90 from the Split Desktop image analysis were 90.96 cm and 98.24 cm respectively. The Kuz-Ram model values for F80 and F90 were 88.52 cm and 92.95 cm respectively. The results of the Split Desktop were compared to the results obtained from the Kuz-Ram experiential model. The findings showed that the results obtained from Kuz-Ram empirical model were in conformity with the results from the Split Desktop software based on empirical relationship. Hence, the model is good for preliminary evaluation of blast design.   Keywords: Blasting, Particle Size Distribution, Split Desktop Software, Muckpile, Fragmentation Indicato

Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in computer Application to Painting: An Art Historical Perspective

Art historical analysis of data collected from field trips have usually been through a qualitative method of analysis. The interpretations of results would often time take judgmental or subjective dimensions. Such analysis and interpretations could allow the reader of such a result to be tempted to suggest their own meanings or interpretations that may subjectively take a fresh perspective. With interdisciplinary researches and collaborations across disciplines, the possibility of benefiting from analytical methods of data analysis is making inroads into Art History. This makes it possible for the quantitative methods of using the Chi square test to arrive at positions and conclusions. The focus of this research was to investigate the application of computer to Painting among painters in Nigeria. Saliu (1994:78) states how the religious and cultural life of the Ebira have been affected, as a result of the coming of Christianity and Islam, and how the influence of Western education changed the socio-political life of the Ebira. In the same vein, Western influence has continued unabated even with the computer. Change in the way artists work is also evident as well as its attendant influence on the painter. This research therefore, embarked on an investigative approach to arrive at the stated objectives. Data was collected from field trips using questionnaires, interviews, observation of painters at work with the computer, art galleries, books, magazines, newspapers, internet, and interviews via email with artists. Research equipment such as digital camera; video camera/recorder were used. In an attempt to study the paintings, a grouping of the works was made and critically analyzed, by considering the formalistic elements, programmes used and characteristics of the programmes. Research design, according to Olaofe (2010:90) is a “blue print for the measurement of variables, collection and analysis of data”. The author goes further to list types of research designs like experimental, action-research, survey, longitudinal, analytical, correlation, descriptive and qualitative. The methodology employed for this investigation was based on art history paradigms which are essentially qualitative. This includes the survey method, descriptive method, and comparative analysis. These methods were adopted by previous researchers including Jari (2007), Wrong (2009), Adogbo and Ojo (2003), Trowel (1994) and Babalola (1981) in Saliu (1994), Evans (1965) and Lewis (2014). Quantitative values in the objectives necessitated the use of questionnaire as an exploratory tool which was statistically analysed

Irreducible Hamiltonian BRST symmetry for reducible first-class systems

An irreducible Hamiltonian BRST quantization method for reducible first-class systems is proposed. The general theory is illustrated on a two-stage reducible model, the link with the standard reducible BRST treatment being also emphasized.Comment: Latex 2.09, 23 pages, to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Irreducible Hamiltonian approach to the Freedman-Townsend model

The irreducible BRST symmetry for the Freedman-Townsend model is derived. The comparison with the standard reducible approach is also addressed.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX 2.0

Development and Performance Evaluation of a Rubber and Canvas Strip Fingers Defeathering Machine

Human labour requirement in poultry products processing has continued to increase and more demanding, especially defeathering which is faced with faced challenges such as lacerations and hygiene in handling. To solve these challenges, mechanical defeathering proffered a solution, which further posed a problem of equipment cost and efficiency of operation. This paper investigated a developed a low-cost axial-loading (horizontal) defeathering with dual fingers for small and medium-scale poultry processors. This study reported the development of a defeathering machine which comprises of an axial defeathering drum with strip fingers, which flaps on the carcass to pluck off feathers in motion. The machine is electrically powered with a defeathering power requirement of 0.304 kW and at a power rating of 0.269 kW. The performance evaluation carried out with a broiler, cockerel and layer birds at a soaking temperature of 80 degree Celsius for an average time of 1 minutes showed that the efficiency and the effectiveness of the machine varies with respect to the quality of cleaned carcass produced. It was also observed that it takes the machine about 60 seconds to completely defeather a broiler of 2.4 kg weight, 70 seconds to defeather an old layer breed of bird of about 1.2 kg weight and 105 seconds to defeather a 1.3 kg weight of local chicken. However, test carried out on local birds showed that the machine was less effective defeathering local chicken at low temperature, because of the toughness of the skin. Comparatively, canvass (leather) fingers have the highest defeathering efficiency while rubber strip fingers produced the least defeathering efficiency. Therefore, canvas (leather) strip finger performed better than rubber strip fingers

Digitization of Library Collection in Nigerian University Libraries: University of Ilorin Library Experience

The aim of this paper is to discuss the difficulties that the University of Ilorin library encountered in its digitization project and how these difficulties were handled to ensure a robust digitization outfit. The idea is to alert Nigerian Libraries which are yet to embark on digitization on some of the problems or challenges that they are likely to encounter in planning and implementing a digitization project. Admittedly, some of the problems may be unique to University of Ilorin Library but it can be said with a fair degree of accuracy that some of the problems the University of Ilorin Library encountered are general at the planning and the implementation stages. In this paper, the conception, the planning and the implementation stages of the project will be discussed. Problems will be highlighted and suggestions will be made for an effective and efficient digital service delivery