Modern-Day Slavery? The Work-Life Conflict of Domestic Workers in Nigeria

Purpose – The trend of domestic employment thrives almost in every society. It is most common in developing countries, and Nigeria is no exception. This article examines the nature of the role of a domestic worker in Nigeria and the work-life conflict issues involved in such work. Design/Methodology/Approach – This study uses a qualitative research approach to examine the nature of the role of domestic workers and the associated work-life conflict issues. Findings – The findings show that the nature of the jobs of domestic workers in Nigeria gives rise to a situation of modern-day slavery in which an employee works without a formal employment contract, with little or no rights to private time. Long and unstructured working hours, employers’ perceptions about domestic workers, and an enormous workload fuel and exacerbate work-life conflict among domestic workers in Nigeria. Research Limitations/Implications – The extent to which the findings of this research can be generalised is constrained by the limited and selected sample of the research and the research context. Practical Implications – The primacy of the employer over the employee in domestic employment means that both time and work-based conflicts continue to buffer work-life conflict if domestic workers’ working hours remain unscheduled and their employers’ perceptions about them remain unchanged. This invariably has a negative impact on the domestic workers’ health and productivity. Therefore, domestic employment should be regulated by law, and domestic workers should be treated like other formal employees. Originality/Value – This research contributes to the debates on work-life conflict by highlighting the nature of the role of domestic workers in a non-western context, Nigeria, and provides a nuanced insight into the work-life conflict issues involved in such work. The findings add conceptual thought and empirical evidence to the debate on work-life conflict

Declining job security level and workers’ perfomance in selected banks, South Western Nigeria

The study assessed bank workers’ level of job security and also investigated the relationship between job security level and job performance among employees of the banks. The study adopted cross-sectional research design where primary and secondary data were sourced. Primary data were obtained through both quantitative and qualitative techniques of data collection while Secondary data were extracted from Annual Reports of the selected Banks. The sample consisted of 210 bank workers selected for questionnaire administration and 15 workers for In-depth Interviews (IDIs) especially those that have been working with the bank for the past three years. These comprised both permanent and contract workers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The result showed that majority (58.7%) considered the level of their job security to be low while (41.3%) considered the level of their job security as high across the selected banks. However, bank by bank evaluations of low level of job security did not show any major differences as Stanbic-IBTC Bank reported (51.4%), Wema Bank (70%), and First Bank (51.4%). The findings also showed that workers, regardless of their perception and feelings of job loss reported increase in their performance. Hence, there existed no significant relationship between job security level and performance (χ2 = 0.75; p> 0.05). The paper concluded that declining job security level is inevitable in the banking industry because of reforms in the Nigeria banking sector. However, this did not lower workers’ performance, otherwise performance were enhanced. It then recommended the need for Nigerian banks to employ the required number of workers they are capable of providing for and put an enabling environment for workers to perform.Key Words: Job Security Level, Workers’ Performance, Bank Reforms, Bank Categorization.RésuméL’étude a évalué le niveau de sécurité d’emploi des employés de banque de et également examiné la relation entre le niveau de sécurité d’emploi et le rendement au travail des employés des banques . L’étude a adopté la conception de la recherche transversale où les données primaires et secondaires ont été puisées . Les données primaires ont été obtenues par les deux techniques quantitatives et qualitatives de collecte de données tandis que les données secondaires ont été extraites des rapports annuels des banques sélectionnées . L’échantillon se composait de 210 employés de banque sélectionnés pour l’administration du questionnaire et 15 travailleurs pour des entrevues en profondeur ( IDIS ), en particulier ceux qui ont travaillé avec la banque pour les trois dernières années . Ces travailleurs permanents et contractuels compris . Données quantitatives ont été analysées à l’aide de statistiques descriptives et inférentielles alors que les données qualitatives ont été analysées par analyse de contenu. Le résultat a montré que la majorité ( 58,7% ) a examiné le niveau de sécurité de leur emploi devrait être faible alors que ( 41,3% ) considère le niveau de leur sécurité d’emploi élevé dans les banques sélectionnées . Cependant , la banque d’évaluations bancaires de faible niveau de sécurité d’emploi n’a pas montré de différences majeures que Stanbic - IBTC Banque rapportés ( 51,4 % ) , Wema Bank ( 70 % ) , et First Bank ( 51,4 % ) . Les résultats montrent également que les travailleurs , indépendamment de leur perception et le sentiment de perte d’emploi signalé augmentation de leur performance. Par conséquent, il n’existait pas de relation significative entre le niveau et la performance de la sécurité d’emploi ( χ2 = 0,75 , p > 0,05 ) . Le document conclut que la baisse de niveau de sécurité de l’emploi est inévitable dans le secteur bancaire en raison des réformes dans le secteur bancaire au Nigeria . Cependant , ce fait le rendement des travailleurs non inférieurs , sinon les performances ont été améliorées . Il a ensuite recommandé la nécessité pour les banques nigérianes à employer le nombre de travailleurs qu’ils sont capables de prévoir et mettre un environnement favorable pour les travailleurs à effectuer.Mots clés: emploi niveau de sécurité , la performance des travailleurs, réformes de la Banque , la Banque catégorisation

Bidirectional Synchronization of Two Identical Jerk Oscillators with Memristor

In this paper, the case of introducing memristor as a coupling component when synchronizing two identical simple chaotic oscillator (3-D Jerk equations) were observed. Also, the numerical simulation of the phase portraits are in good agreement with the MultiSIM and experimental simulations. Due to the complex chaotic dynamics of this oscillator, the realization of the electronic circuit involving two identical Jerk oscillator with memristor as coupling component were synchronized via bidirectional coupling and further applied to secure communication

Odontogenic tumours: a review of 266 cases

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the relative frequency of odontogenic tumours at a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, as well as to study the various histologic types based on WHO 2005 classification and to compare results from this study with those of previous studies. Study design: The records of the Oral Pathology Department of University College Hospital were reviewed. Lesions diagnosed as odontogenic tumours were categorized into four groups based on WHO 2005 classification and were analyzed for age, sex and site using SPSS for Window (version 18.0; SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL) and frequency tables were generated. Results: Two hundred and sixty six (41.7%) cases of odontogenic tumours were seen. The mean age of occurrence was 32.6 (±15.815) years (range3-82 years) and peak age was in the third decade of life. Eleven (4.1%) malignant odontogenic tumours were seen. Ameloblastoma with 65.4% of cases was the most common odontogenic tumour followed by fibromyxoma (14.7%), no case of odontoma was seen in this series. Conclusion: The findings were mostly similar to those of African and Asian series and showed variations from reports from the Americas. The reason for the disparity in African and American series needs further investigations

Hemangiomatous ameloblastoma: report of a case

Hemangiomatous ameloblastoma is a rare variant of ameloblastoma with only a few cases reported in the English literature. This is a report of a 42 year old man with a recurrent mandibular neoplasm who had r epeated surgical interventions. Clinical and radiographic examinations were not significantly different from other regular variants of ameloblastoma. Microscopic examination however revealed islands of cuboidal and columnar cells arranged in a pallisaded pattern with a central area of squamous metaplasia and stellate reticulum-like cells. There were multiple vascular channels containing red blood cells within the stellate reticulum-like areas. Surgical resection of the mandibular mass was done with immediate reconstruction. It may be concluded that repeated surgical interventions may be a possible etiology for the development of hemangiomatous ameleblastoma

Concurrent Cemento-Osseous Dysplasia and Osteogenic Sarcoma: Report of Two Cases

Aim. Cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD) represents a rare group of benign fibroosseous disorders, while osteogenic sarcoma (OS) on the hand, is a malignant tumour of ominous prognosis. A combination of COD and OS is rare and sparsely reported in literature. There are only four reported cases known to the authors. The aim of this paper is to report additional cases of COD occurring concurrently with OS. Materials and Methods. The clinicoradiologic findings and histological analysis of mandibular lesions in two patients who reported at the Dental Centre of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, are presented. Results. The two patients were diagnosed of mandible osteosarcoma occurring concurrently with bilateral mandibular focal cemento-osseous dysplasia. Conclusion. The simultaneous occurrence of osteosarcoma and cemento-osseous dysplasia raises the question of whether COD has transformed into OS or a collision tumour has occurred and their simultaneous occurrence is just a coincidence

ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TOWARDS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OTA,OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Vocational education is a vital tool for economic development. The Federal Government, in 2011, launched the Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC) which requires that all senior secondary school students be trained in one vocational subject. This study examines the attitudes of students and teachers towards vocational education in secondary schools in Ado-Odo Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. It aims to highlight the factors that affect and influence the attitudes of students and teachers towards vocational training as well as identify ways through which these attitudes can be improved. The study employs the use of questionnaires distributed to 200 students and 60 teachers in four secondary schools in Adodo-Ota LGA. The results show that students and teachers recognize the importance of vocational education. The study recommends that students be provided with modern day equipment to encourage students’ engagement in vocational subjects. The curriculum for the teaching of vocational subjects should be comprehensive, standardized and enforced in all secondary schools to ensure that students acquire all the skills they need to practice the vocation(s). These will improve vocational education and the attainment of its goals in secondary schools

ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TOWARDS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Vocational education is a vital tool for economic development. The Federal Government, in 2011,launched the Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC) which requires that all senior secondary school students be trained in one vocational subject. This study examines the attitudes of students and teachers towards vocational education in secondary schools in Ado-Odo Local Government,Ogun State, Nigeria. It aims to highlight the factors that affect and influence the attitudes of students and teachers towards vocational training as well as identify ways through which these attitudes can be improved. The study employs the use of questionnaires distributed to 200 students and 60 teachers in four secondary schools in Adodo-Ota LGA. The results show that students and teachers recognize the importance of vocational education. The study recommends that students be provided with modern day equipment to encourage students’ engagement in vocational subjects. The curriculum for the teaching of vocational subjects should be comprehensive, standardized and enforced in all secondary schools to ensure that students acquire all the skills they need to practice the vocation(s). These will improve vocational education and the attainment of its goals in secondary schools

Appraisal of jaw swellings in a Nigerian tertiary healthcare facility

Introduction: The mandible and maxilla can be the site of myriads of lesions that may be categorized as neoplastic, cystic, reactive and infective or inflammatory. Literature reviewing jaw swellings in an amalgamated fashion are uncommon, probably because aetiologies for these swellings are varied. However, to appreciate their relative relationship, it is essential to evaluate the clinico-pathologic profile of jaw swellings. The aim of this appraisal is to describe the array of jaw swellings seen at our hospital from 1990 to 2011, to serve as a reference database. Methodology: Biopsy records of all histologically diagnosed cases of jaw swellings seen at the department of Oral Pathology, University College Hospital between January 1990 and December 2011 were retrieved, coded and inputted into SPSS version 20. Data on prevalence, age, sex, site and histological diagnosis were analysed descriptively for each category of jaw swellings. All patients below 16 years were regarded as children. Results: A total of 638 jaw swellings were recorded in the 22-year study period. The Non Odontogenic Tumours (NOT) were the commonest, accounting for 46.2% of all jaw swellings. Odontogenic Tumours (OT) formed 45% of all adult jaw swelling while it formed 25.2% in children and adolescents. Ameloblastoma was the commonest while the most common NOT was ossifying fibroma (OF). Chronic osteomyelitis of the jaws was about 6 times commoner in adult females than males and mostly involved the mandible. The most common malignant jaw swelling was Burkitts' lymphoma (BL) that was about 7 times more in children than adults. Osteogenic sarcoma was the most common malignancy in adults. Conclusion: Jaw swellings are extensively varied in types and pattern of occurrence. This study has categorized jaw swellings in a simple but comprehensive fashion to allow for easy referencing in local and international data acquisition and epidemiological comparison

Application of GIS in Water Management of Eleyele Catchment, South-Western Nigeria

Eleyele dam has drastically reduced in capacity since its inception in 1942. There are frequent flood incidences within the dam catchment area- noteworthy of them is the August, 2011 flood incidence. This research studies the hydrological condition of Eleyele catchment through the use of Geographic Information System. The topographical maps, digital elevation measurement maps (DEM) and hydrological maps of the Eleyele catchment were produced through GIS watershed delineation process for the year 1967 and year 2014.The results show that there is an average lowering of elevation of about 14.63m within the catchment which has greatly affected the hydrological pattern of the catchment. The Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) of the catchment was used to produce flood risk map. The map showed that 25.24% of the catchment is prone to flooding. The study showed that there is a change in topography of Eleyele Catchment within the period studied. This is due to the urbanization of the area. Keywords: Eleyele Dam, Flood Incidences, Hydrological Condition, GIS, Watershed Delineation Process, Triangulated Irregular Networ