Modern Trends in Commercial Dispute Resolution through Arbitration in Nigeria: Prospects and Constraints

Given the nature and complexity of commercial activities, it is inevitable that disputes arise especially where transactions involve large amounts of money. Disputes use up valuable resources in terms of money, management time and loss of trade. They may also damage trading reputations and relationships. It is therefore essential, in the interests of justice and the efficient use of economic resources, that machinery be provided for their speedy resolution.[1] Business will normally seek to minimize the potential for conflict by taking steps to prevent disputes arising and establishing procedures for speedily resolving any which do arise. No matter how much care is taken in the drafting of contracts, however, disputes will still inevitably arise, as is shown by the volume of litigation generated by the commodity trades, shipping industry, and the rest of the commercial transactions, despite the widespread use of carefully drafted and well-known standard form contracts. In general, it may be said that disputes are likely to arise where one party seeks to act opportunistically, by taking advantage of a change in circumstances or uncertainty in the agreement or in the law. Even the best drafted contract cannot provide with absolute certainty for every eventuality. There must therefore be mechanisms for resolving those disputes. The simplest, and most beneficial, is for the parties to seek themselves to resolve the dispute by negotiation, and most disputes are infact settled by negotiation, generally without the intervention of lawyers[2]. Failing settlement, however, they may resort to litigation, to formal arbitration or to one of the many developing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms. [1] Robert Bradgate,. Commercial Law London,. Butterworths, Publishers, 2000 P.867. [2] See Beale and Dugdale, “Contracts Between Businessmen” (1975) 2 BJLS 45.cf Deakin, Lane and Wilkinson, “Contract Law, Trust Relations and incentives for co-operation: A Comparative Study” in Deakin and Michie (eds) Contracts, Co-operation and Competition: Studies in Economics and Management (1997), who found a relatively high likelihood that small English firms in their survey would resort to litigation, especially to recover unpaid debts

An archaeological investigation of the Kirfi area, northern Nigeria: craft, identity and landscape

This doctoral research presents the first sustained archaeological investigation of Kirfi, Bauchi state, northern Nigeria. As part of this work, test pits were excavated at three sites and research was carried out into modern craft practices. These yielded good chronological sequence and allowed the development of a pioneering pottery typology. One central question explored is to what degree the Hausa world just to the north-west of the study area impacted on Kirfi in the past 1000 years. It is argued that theories of technological styles and society can be usefully deployed to understand cultural developments and territorial expansion in African societies. Ideas about economic systems, settlement and social factors resulting in population movements and the definition of cultural identities are key to exploring the complex cultural make- up of the last millennium. I also show that oral tradition is valuable to studies of later African societies when carefully critiqued, in view of the dearth of early written and historical scripts. This thesis will also show how external influences were to alter a native system by the integration of Islam into the socio-political development of Kirfi, including it in a world system that shaped the evolution of the Bauchi region, which then became a principal actor in the spread of a political system in the early part of the 19th century after the jihad of Shehu Uthman Fodio. The influence of Islam (as opposed to formerly practiced ritual systems), long distance trading systems and the role of slaves as a commodity, ‘Hausaness’, craft and economic specialisations are all put forward as factors that played out in the settlements under study here. This finally transformed ancient socio-political systems leading to the ways of life of today. It is hoped that the present research, through its collaborative use of archaeological methods and ethnoarchaeological study, will help improve our understanding of an area that has up to now been a virtual terra incognita and make a wider contribution to African archaeology by interpreting the impact of ‘Hausaisation’ on the southern Bauchi area

The Relevance of Entrepreneurial Orientation to Students Entrepreneurial Intention: Evidence from Federal University Dutse (FUD)

This paper examined the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation and its relevance to student’s entrepreneurial intention among Federal University Dutse final year students as at 2017­­/2018 academic session. The study adopts cross-sectional research design using quantitative questionnaire approach to collect the data. To validate the model, data from 282 final year students were analysed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Overall, the study revealed that dimensions of innovativeness, pro-activeness and risk-taking are significantly and positively relevance to student entrepreneurial intention. The study used Human Capital Theory (HCT) as a theoretical foundation of the study. This study served as one of the pioneering study with regard to HCT in testing relationship of this nature. This study recommended that other researchers should use this theory to include other dimension of entrepreneurial orientation for further validation. This study also contributes to the current literatures by extending the used of entrepreneurial orientation which is still rare in student entrepreneurial intention literatures. As suggestion to policy, the government should guarantee not only inspiring students with entrepreneurship education but also inculcate the spirit of innovativeness proactiveness, and risk-taking among  youths as it has relevance in explaining students entrepreneurial intention

Fungating scrotal mass with facial nerve palsy in an advanced testicular embryonal germ cell tumour: unusual occurrence.

Fungating scrotal mass and lower motor neuron facial nerve palsy (LMN-FNP) are unusual traits of testicular cancer. A 49-year-old farmer with recurrent right hemi-scrotal swelling that expeditiously grew to involve the whole scrotum. He had a nick on the swelling and the resultant ulcer extended rapidly over the mass and right groin. There were associated peniledeformity and right lower leg swelling. The angle of his mouth became inclined to the left side with inability to close the right eye. He had right orchidectomy five years earlier for righttesticular mass throughthe scrotal approach but no histology was done. On examination, he had a huge fungating scrotal mass that extends to the right groin with saxophone penile deformity. There were multiple left inguinal lymphadenopathies with right pedal oedema. There was grade III right LMN-FNP, tympanometry showed an absent acoustic reflex and pure tone audiometry revealed right sensorineural hearing loss. His α-fetal protein was elevated and the tissue biopsy confirmed embryonal testicular germ cell tumor. The Computerized tomography (CT) scan of the abdominopelvic and temporomastoid regions showed metastatic deposits in the retroperitoneal group of lymph nodes and fallopian canal respectively. The patient was optimized and commenced on cytotoxic chemotherapy but five days after completing the first course he developed sudden inability to swallow, lapsed into unconsciousness and ceased breathing despite resuscitation effort. Conclusion: Fungating scrotal mass and facial nerve palsy from an advanced testicular germ cell tumour are unusual. Therefore, a high index of suspicion is essential for the diagnosis testicular tumour secondaries as the cause of facial nerves palsy and the tumour invasion the cause of the fungating mass. It has a negative impact on patient's body image plus the quality of life and probably presagedpoor outcome

Impact of Intellectual Capital on Financial Performance of Listed Oil and Gas Firms in Nigeria

This paper examines the impact of intellectual capital on financial performance of listed firms in Nigeria. To achieve this objective; quantitative research design was employed. Data were generated from the annual reports and accounts of the sampled listed oil and gas companies from 2016-2020. The period is chosen and believes to be adequate in providing insight on the inflationary trends which the industry experienced. Similarly, the period of five years selected is in line with the studies of Muhammad and Rashid, 2015 as well as Iyande, 2018.  Intellectual Capital as independent variable was measured by its components (HCE, SCE and CEE) while financial performance being the dependent variable was measured by NPM and ROE. Regression technique was used as tools of data analysis and the findings establish that the independent variables (HCE, SCE and CEE) have significant positive impact on the oil and gas companies’ Financial Performance proxies by NPM and ROE. The regression results show R-square of 86.1% and 59.4% for NPM and ROE models respectively. This implies that the model is fit and the explanatory variables are properly selected and account for the substantial value of the corporate profitability. Hence, the paper recommends that listed oil and gas companies in Nigeria should improve their efforts to boost the value of their intellectual capital for its crucial impact on NPM and ROE. This can be achieved through maximization of market value created, intellectual capital return and more investment in intellectual capital components, particularly human, structural and relational/customer capital

PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF THE MANDIBLE OF THREE BREEDS OF SHEEP: A GROSS STUDY

This study aims to evaluate and compare the development of the mandible and gross anatomy in three breeds of sheep. A total of 180 and 720 prenatal and postnatal samples were used respectively, their skulls were macerated and mandibles detached. In prenatal life, the mental and mandibular foramina were rudimentary in the late 1st trimester and 2nd trimester and developed in the 3rd trimester. The alveolus and mandibular canal differentiated in the 3rd trimesters respectively. In the postnatal life, the ventral border was convexed in Uda but flat in Balami and Yankasa breeds. The angular part of the ramus was thin in Uda and thick in Balami and Yankasa. The mandibular tuberosity was absent in Balami and Yankasa but present in Uda. There was a small accessory foramen caudal to the mental foramen just below the first premolar teeth in the Uda and Yankasa. The labial surface was wide and rough in Balami and Uda but smooth in Yankasa. The medial surface was flat in the young postnatal and convexed in the adult postnatal. It was brought to a conclusion that the mandible in the Nigerian breeds undergoes various morphological changes from prenatal and postnatal ages with peculiar differentiating features

Studies toward the synthesis of stemodinone

Stemodinone 1, the principal target of the work in this thesis, is a naturally occurring tetracyclic diterpene isolated from the leaves of Stemodia maritima L. (Schrophulariaceae) and used for the treatment of venereal disease. The reported medicinal properties of stemodinone and its analogous compounds such as aphidicolin 2 attracted the attention of organic chemists to the investigation of the complex structure of the compound. The recently described trigoheterone A 3 (Figure 1) has shown significant inhibitory effect towards five cancer cell lines (SW480, HL-60, A549, SMMC-7721 and MCF-7) with IC50 values similar to the cisplatin. From a synthetic viewpoint, preparing the quaternary spiro centre at C9 is complicated by it being adjacent to a second quaternary carbon: a very hindered environment (Figure 1): carbons 9 and 10, highlighted in red). The present work is part of a programme to develop a synthesis of stemodinone 1 that is based upon an intramolecular alkene-arene meta-photocycloaddition. The most advanced example of this type being the conversion of 4 into synthetic intermediate 5. In particular, the adjacent quaternary centres in 5 (highlighted in red) have been formed by the cycloaddition of sp2 hybridised carbon atoms, one component of which is a benzene ring excited to its first singlet excited state (S1). Previous work by Boyd and Chappell established a synthetic route for the preparation of the photocycloaddition precursor 4, beginning from the commercially available starting material dimedone, which has the gem-dimethyl group present on the A-ring of stemodinone 1. However, the synthesis of 4 contains a conjugate addition of an aryl cuprate that proceeds in, at best, 15% yield. Described in the present work is an effort to address an improved synthesis of 4 utilising a Schultz heteroatom-directed photoarylation e.g. 6 to 7 (Scheme 2). Specifically, with the aim of improving the preparation of the quaternary centre in 4 adjacent to the aromatic ring. The general value of generating highly hindered quaternary carbons by the combination of sp2 carbons via their -faces has been illustrated above. Schultz has demonstrated that this class of photoarylation is able to facilitate the synthesis of quaternary centres in the lycoramine and morphine skeletons. iii Set out below is a disconnection of stemodinone 1 that uses both the arene-alkene metaphotocycloaddition and a Schultz heteroatom-directed photoarylation, leading back to dimedone (Scheme 3). In this thesis, an examination of the Schultz cyclisation toward stemodinone is reported, with both sulfur and oxygen linking atoms. The potential value of flow photochemistry methods, as compared to batch photolysis, is also examined

IMPACT ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON FINANCE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA (2001 – 2011)

The study analyses an impact relationship of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on Bank Performance and Economic Growth in Nigeria. The study obtained an annual data of selected commercial banks in Nigeria for an 11 years period i.e. 2001 – 2011. The data comprises of net profit, total assets, total equity, ATM machines including e-banking services of the stated banks. The ordinary least squares (OLS), among the commonly used models in analysing panel data were used. Results of the study reveals that the use of ICT, from random effects model, does not improve bank performance in the Nigerian commercial banks. However, increased profitability, total equity showed significant relationships between bank performance and hence economic growth in the country. Similarly, a positive influence on bank performance is also revealed but is not statistically significant. The conclusion draws is that improved investment in ICT equipment does not improve bank performance. Rather relevant policies which could boost bank performance in term of profitability, capitalisation and consolidation should be pursued which are also the main determinants of economic growth