Election Gifting and the Ordeal of Democracy in Nigeria

Over-time, researchers have failed to show how citizens share, if not all, a part of the blame in Nigeria's failing democracy. Through election gifting, the community of voters in Nigeria have been selling their commonwealth to politicians who should not be anywhere close to power. Using secondary sources of data and relying on Robert Dahl’s theory of democracy, the paper argues that since the people are the custodians of the political mandate in any democracy, they should be held accountable when there is a problem. The paper further identifies the history, effect, scope, and predisposing factors of election gifting in Nigeria. This paper focuses on the fact that the non-evaluative and clientelist approach to democracy are the reason for the sad realities in Nigeria and concludes that only the engagement in a civil society can revive Nigeria’s failing democracy

Livelihood Diversification and Settlement Patterns among Agro-Pastoralists in Ibadan/Ibarapa Agricultural Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria

This study assessed livelihood diversification and settlement patterns among agro-pastoralists in Ibadan/Ibarapa Agricultural Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 106 agro-pastoralists, while data were collected with the aid of pre-tested and validated interview guide. Data were subjected to descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean) and inferential (chi-square) statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results revealed that the mean age of respondent was 43 years, and that 60.4% of the respondents were sole owner of their cattle. The major livelihood activities were sale of cattle, crop farming and sale of milk/milk products. Findings also showed that many of the agro-pastoralists practiced either the transhumance (25.5%) or semi-transhumance (55.7%) settlement patterns. It was further revealed that the respondents benefited from equitable access to land, expansion of business trade and market integration. Some of the challenges faced by the agro-pastoralists include; cattle defecating on streams and roads (78.3%), extensive sedentarization (80.2%), farmland invasion by cattle (85.8%), and overgrazing on fallow lands (80.2%). Chi-square analysis revealed that there were significant associations between settlement patterns and livelihood diversification; selling of milk and milk product (χ2 = 12.248, p≤0.01), cultivation of crops (χ2 = 15.362, p≤0.01), petty trading (χ2 = 7.957, p≤0.05) and commercial selling of livestock (χ2 = 9.456, p≤0.05). It was concluded that the transhumance or semi-transhumance settlement patterns adopted by the agro-pastoralists had positive influence on their livelihood diversification into different activities.  It is therefore recommended that agro-pastoralists should diversify into more income generating livelihood activities

Anthropometric characteristics of roadside auto-mechanics: a case study

The study evaluated the relevant/corresponding anthropometric characteristics of the people involved in engine-repair activities. The study was carried out on the selected roadside auto-engine repairers along Lagos-Ibadan express way, in Nigeria. This was with a view to providing ergonomic design data for optimal working condition among this set of workforce and redesigning the mechanics inspection-pit. Material and methods: The static and the functional anthropometric characteristics of the mechanics were measured. The data obtained from 110 auto-mechanics, randomly selected, were employed to evaluate efficient design parameter for roadside workstations. Results: The results indicated that inspection-pit is about 1626 mm deep; seat height ranges between 375 mm and 405 mm; optimal work posture sitting is between 483 mm and 622 mm. Conclusions: Adopting the data presented in this paper in optimizing the auto-mechanics working conditions for effective workplace comfort and productivity among the roadside auto-mechanics in Nigeria will be of immense advantage

Preparation of TiO2-activated kaolinite composite for photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B dye

ABSTRACT. Rhodamine B (RhB) is one of the prominent dyes discovered to be carcinogenic and mutagenic substance present in the ecosystem. Alteration of the characteristics of TiO2 through modification with clay influences the behavior of some organic molecules at its surface, and thus its photocatalytic properties. This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of RhB using TiO2-activated kaolinite composite (TiO2-AKC). TiO2-AKC was prepared in absolute ethanol and characterized using SEM, EDX, TEM, BET and FTIR. The photodegradation of RhB using TiO2-AKC at room temperature under visible-light was studied at various time intervals and the concentration of RhB was monitored using Ultraviolet-Visible spectrophotometer. Characterisation of TiO2-AKC revealed an adequate distribution of TiO2 over the AKC surface, with an enhanced surface area (TiO2-AKC 808 m2g-1, TiO2 50.0 m2g-1, AKC 20.6 m2g-1) necessary for effective degradation. The degradation was efficient in TiO2-AKC than in sole TiO2 resulting in 99.51% and 88.35%, respectively. The experimental data was analysed using zeroth and first order kinetics, parabolic diffusion, and modified Freundlich model. The degradation kinetics conforms to first order kinetics in TiO2-AKC and sole TiO2. The mechanism of the degradation using TiO2-AKC fit into modified Freundlich model and parabolic diffusion model while sole TiO2 was best described by parabolic diffusion model.                 KEY WORDS: Kaolin, Kinetics, Organic dyes, Photodegradation, Pollutants, Titanium(IV) oxide Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(1), 13-24.                                                                    DOI:   https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i1.2                                     &nbsp

Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle for the Adsorptive Remediation of Petrochemical Effluents

The zinc oxide nanoparticle was synthesized via precipitation method. It was characterized using SEM-EDX, FTIR and TEM for morphology, elemental, functional groups and internal structure respectively. The physicochemical behaviour of a refinery effluent was assessed. The untreated raw refinery effluent from the point of discharge contained very high concentrations of pollutants for all the parameters, ranging between, pH (6.52-6.82), Turbidity (10-12 NTU), conductivity (266-289μs/cm), COD (116-138 mg/l), BOD (14-18.5 mg/l), DO (7.5-15.6 mg/l), TDS (436-486 mg/l), TSS (127-133 mg/l), Oil and grease (14.8-16.3 mg/l), sulphate (113-125 mg/l) and chloride (240-280 mg/l). The effluent was treated with ZnO nanoparticle and reduced the pollutants to the normal permissible limit set by WHO, FEPA and NESREA standard for portable water. The treated effluent sample showed values ranging between, pH (6.55-6.6), Turbidity (4.2-4.5 NTU), conductivity (245-246 μs/cm), COD (39-40 mg/l), BOD (10 mg/l), DO (5.6-10.4 mg/l), TDS (151-183 mg/l), TSS (24-28 mg/l), Oil and grease (7.3-9.5 mg/l), sulphate (100 mg/l) and chloride (200 mg/l). The heavy metals profile that was investigated are Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr of which were found above the WHO and FEPA permissible limit, however, on the contact with the adsorbent therefore reduced the metals to the permissible limit. It can be ascertain that ZnO nanoparticle can be used as an effective adsorbent for the treatment of petrochemical effluent

Antibacterial Activity of Vanillic Acid against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Proteus mirabilis

Aim. This study investigated the efficacy of vanillic acid against selected pathogenic bacteria obtained from clinical samples. Method. The antibacterial efficacy of vanillic acid against selected pathogenic bacteria collected from clinical samples was studied using a broth macrodilution method. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by treating each isolate with increasing amounts of vanillic acid ranging from 150 to 2000 µg/ml. Results. The lowest inhibitory concentrations found were 600 µg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Salmonella Typhi, and the time-kill susceptibility test also demonstrated a significant reduction in viable cells of the bacterial isolates investigated in this study. The findings of this study confirmed the antimicrobial effect of vanillic acid on bacterial growth and its activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Salmonella Typhi. Conclusion. Vanillic acid may provide a solution for alternate therapeutic choices for diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Salmonella Typhi

Quantitative Leaching of a Spent Cell Phone Printed Circuit Board by Hydrochloric acid

This paper presents a kinetic data on the hydrometallurgical recovery of some metal ions from a printed circuit board (PCB) of a spent cell phone by hydrochloric acid leaching. The effects of acid concentration, temperature and particle diameter on the dissolution efficiency at various leaching time intervals were examined. The results of the leaching investigations showed that the powdered cell phone dissolution increases with increasing acid concentration, system temperature with decreasing particle diameter at 360 rpm. With 2M HCl solution, about 88.49% of the sample was dissolved within 120 minutes using 0.075-0.112 mm particle diameter at 800 C. The results of the study indicated that the dissolution reaction could be represented by a shrinking core model with surface chemical reaction. A value of 0.61, 60.67 kJ/mol and 12.9s-1 were calculated as reaction order, activation energy and frequency factor, respectively for the dissolution process.http://dx.doi.org/10.5937/metmateng1402119

AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE STATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA CAPITAL CITIES: EXAMINING CORE INDICATORS OF AN ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY CITY

It has been observed that daily interactions of millions of Nigeria population estimated at 186.5 million by PRB (2016) with their immediate environment have serious implications on her landscape, environmental aesthetics and atmospheric well-being. Urban decadence, proliferation of slums, deforestation, congestion and all forms of pollution are some of the resultant effects of man’s interaction with his environment which is having adverse effects on Nigerian major cities. Increased industrial activities have engendered more carbon emission in the country and it is estimated at 26.1 million tons per annum, the fourth highest in Africa (PRB, 2016). This paper examines the state of environmental management in the state capital cities of Nigeria in the light of five research-proven indicators of environment-friendly cities. The paper applies qualitative method using the indicators to examine which state capitals are really environment-friendly out of the 37, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in the country. Results show that only five state capitals out of 37 can be referred to as environment-friendly cities in Nigeria. Recommendations that can spur others to follow in their footsteps by adopting global best practices that makes a settlement environment-friendly were given

PHYTOTHERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR COVID-19

The current Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has reportedly posed a significant threat to the global public health institution systems. The treatment has been supportive and not effective. Coupled with the lack of vaccine interventions, the search for effective therapeutic alternatives is still on. Herbal supplements have been used in the treatment of viral diseases for years and could serve as an alternative for COVID-19 therapy if the combinations are known and tested. Recent studies have proved that certain herbal supplements have exhibited antiviral activity against similar coronaviruses. Besides, molecular docking studies further proved the efficacy of the antiviral activity of the herbal supplements against SARS-CoV-2. However, there is still a need for in-vitro and in-vivo studies of the antiviral activity of these herbal supplements against SARS-CoV-2. Nevertheless, these herbal supplements have a high therapeutic potential for COVID-19 therapy. This study reveals the chemical composition of herbal supplements to come up with findings that can redefine research and development, risk analysis, and containment of the novel coronavirus disease