SOCIO-CULTURAL CHALLENGES OF CHILD ADOPTION IN EASTERN NIGERIA IN WEST AFRICA

The importance of child adoption to infertile couples seeking for children, and children in need of parents cannot be over emphasized. In Eastern Nigeria, child adoption faces socio-cultural challenges due to cultural norms and beliefs, social expectations and values. This study investigated the socio-cultural challenges of child adoption in Eastern Nigeria.To achieve this, two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was the entire couples in Eastern Nigeria. Disproportionate stratified random sampling was used to select 800 couples. Among these, 400 couples are childless, while the other 400 couples have biological children. A descriptive survey was used, while questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. The result was analyzed using mean scores, standard deviations and t-test. The findings revealed poverty, bastard syndrome, and denial of inheritance among others as some of the challenges of child adoption. The data also showed that childlessness, and gender selection among others is some of the reasons for adoption.The data also revealed that there is no significant difference between the mean scores of the males and females in what constitute the socio-cultural challenges of child adoption in Eastern Nigeria. There is a significant difference between the mean scores of childless couples and couples with biological children in the reasons for adoption. The summary of the findings was that child adoption is very difficult to practice in Eastern Nigeria. The study also made some recommendations and implications

Impact of social media language on writings of the undergraduates of university of Nigeria, Nsukka

This paper investigated the impact of social media language on writings of the undergraduates of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The aim of this paper was to identify the extent to which SMS language has influenced the writings of undergraduates. Also, to confirm or refute the arguments and counteraugments that had raised dust in the academics over the presupposed negative effects of this form of media discourse on students’ academic writings. This study draws insights from Corder’s Error Analysis. The corpus of this study was gotten from an eight-item-questionnaire and confirmatory essay test administered to forty students selected at random. Data elicited from the questionnaires were  analyzed quantitatively using the simple percentage and represented in bar charts and lines respectively; while the students’ essays were scanned for linguistic features of SMS. The findings revealed that students’ use of SMS is pervasive but it does not significantly impact writings negatively. The researchers, therefore, concluded that SMS language does not pose major threats to students’ formal writings. Thus, they suggested that users of SMS should try as much as they could to always check their works carefully in order to avoid committing errors in formal writings.Keywords: Error Analysis, impact, linguistic features, social media language, and writin

Improvisation of electric fan using rubber bottle in the teaching of basic technology in selected secondary schools in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State

This study was designed to determine the importance of improvisation of instructional materials in the teaching of Basic technology in selected secondary schools in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State. The study examined the effects of improvised materials on secondary school students’ retention and academic achievements in Basic technology concepts. Three purposes, three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study; the study adopted a survey research design. Population of the study comprises of one hundred and seventy five respondents comprising 150 students and 25 teachers drawn from the selected secondary schools. The population was manageable, hence, the entire population was used for the study, and there was no sampling. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analyzed using mean score average to determine the upper and lower limit boundaries for either accepting or rejecting a decision. The study discovered inadequacy of instructional materials for teaching of Basic technology in secondary schools in ONELGA. The study also discovered a low level of exposure of teachers’ and students’ to improvisation of instructional materials in teaching and learning of Basic technology. Based on the findings, the study recommended amongst others that government and school administrators should ensure the provision of facilities and instructional materials for teaching Basic technology in their various schools to enhance effective teaching and learning process

AGRONOMIC EVALUATION OF SOME RICE GENOTYPES IN NSUKKA

ABSTRACT The performance of eleven rice genotypes obtained from National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi, Nigeria and a local check were evaluated in Nsukka for two cropping seasons. Statistical analyses were performed on the agronomic and yield related traits and biotic stresses measured on the rice genotypes. Combined analysis of variance was estimated using mixed models of random years and fixed treatment on the genotypes' traits measured. There was significant (p = 0.05) genotypic differences in all the traits and biotic stresses measured in both years. The genotype ITA 324 gave the highest yield of 3.9 t/ha in both years. There was significant genotype by year interaction (G x Y) with most of the traits indicating differential genotypic expressions. The highly significant differences in the agronomic characters and biotic stresses measured gives room for further selection. Thus, genotypes that showed higher resistance to the stresses and had higher yields will be favoured in selection

Study of the Structural and Mechanical Properties of Recycled High Density Polyethylene/Palm Kernel Shell Ash Bio-Composite

This study examined the structure and mechanical properties of recycled high density polyethylene(RHDPE)/palm kernel shell ash (PKSA) bio-composite. The reinforcement was added to the polymer matrix in concentrations of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25wt% and particle sizes of 100, 150, 200, 250, 300µm. The composite samples were produced using injection moulding technique and subjected to mechanical and tribological property tests for percentage elongation, ultimate tensile strength, and hardness. The structure of the composite samples was analyzed using an optical metallurgical microscope. Results of the structural analysis revealed that the reinforcement of small particle size (100µm) formed a better interfacial bond with the polymer matrix compared with that of other particles sizes. The structural analysis also revealed uniform distribution of hard and brittle particles of the reinforcement in the polymer matrix. Mechanical test results showed that addition of palm kernel shell ash to the polymer matrix decreased its percentage elongation and impact strength by 24.5% and 22% respectively but significantly increased the tensile strength and hardness by 107.9% and 72% respectively. The ultimate tensile strength, and hardness of the developed composite increased with decrease in reinforcement particle size. Maximum ultimate tensile strength of 131MPa was obtained by the RHDP containing 10wt% PKSA of 100µm particle size while maximum hardness value of 86BHN was obtained at 25wt% palm kernel shell ash of 100µm particle size addition. Palm kernel shell ash reinforced recycled high density polyethylene bio-composite of improved mechanical properties that can be applied in production of engineering components. Keywords: Palm kernel shell ash, RHDPE, Percentage elongation, Ultimate tensile strength, Hardness. DOI: 10.7176/CPER/62-05 Publication date: January 31st 202

Assessing Problem Areas in Senior Secondary Students’ Use of the English Concord

This research succinctly explicates the areas of problem in Senior Secondary Students’ use of the English Concord in written texts. Language is a social property and has rules that determine how words should be matched to achieve effective communication. Concord in English deals with those rules that govern the co-occurrence of words in sentences. This work is a practical classroom experience and it x–rays the students’ performance in the grammatical, notional and proximity concords respectively. The findings are clearly presented in statistical tables and each of the tables shows the students’ performance in each of the areas. The result shows that the students performed fairly well in notional and proximity concords. The total results, however, led to the conclusion that the students are yet to attain competence in the English concord for good communication

Statistical Modelling of Drying Characteristics of Unripe Plantain (Musa Paradisiaca) Slices

This work is designed to carry out the statistical modelling of the drying characteristics of unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca) slices and to study the effect of drying temperature and slice thickness on drying characteristics. The test samples were dried in a laboratory scale oven dryer at varying temperatures of 700C, 800C and 900C, and different slice thicknesses of 2mm, 3mm and 4mm.The result obtained indicated that drying temperature and slice thickness had significant effect on drying rate and hence moisture profile. The moisture ratio – drying time data obtained were fitted to ten thin layer drying models. The fit quality obtained with each model was evaluated using statistical tests namely; coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), reduced chi-square (X2), and standard error of estimate (SEE). Although most of the models fitted quite well to the experimental data, Page and Modified Page models showed the highest average R2 and the lowest average RMSE, X2 and SEE values. Page and modified Page models were selected and found suitable to represent the drying characteristics of unripe plantain slices and predict drying times

GENETIC VARIATION OF SEED PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIA ACCESSIONS IN RELATION TO THEIR SEEDLING PERFORMANCE

ABSTRACT Genetic variation in physico-chemical properties of different accessions of Gongronema latifolia and contributions of such traits to seed emergence were investigated for two years in Nsukka. The study showed significant differences in the studied traits of the G. latifolia accessions. The accession, AC-05 had larger seeds as well as higher seed breadth and cotyledon thickness but lower level of abscisic acid (ABA) in both years. The seedling emergence capacity of the accessions in both years showed that the seedlings emerged earlier and more vigorous in the second year with reduced moisture content and ABA. Higher level of genotypic and phenotypic variance among the accessions on the measured traits occurred on the phenol content. Heritability estimates were higher in the chemical traits of the seeds than the physical traits with the exception of seed weight. Furthermore, the correlation coefficients suggest that accessions with larger seeds also have lower ABA and significantly higher vigorous emergence suggesting the impact of genetic factors in determining the performance of accessions. It was concluded that different accessions showed genetic differences in the seed traits which directly influenced emergence rate and vigour of seedlings over the two years

ESTIMATION OF GLOBAL SOLAR RADIATION AT CALABAR USING TWO MODELS

In this study, the estimation of global solar radiation with Meteorological parameters at Calabar- Nigeria latitude 40N and longitude 80 E were carried out. The daily mean temperature and relative humidity for seventeen years (1991 to 2007) from Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Oshodi, Lagos were used. The global solar radiation data were collected courtesy of Renewable Energy for Rural Industrialization and Development in Nigeria. Two models (multiple regression and artificial neural network) were used for the estimation. Comparing the graphs of correlation equation 4 and 5, and equation 6 and 7 of the first model, it is obvious that the first order correlation has better estimation power. Looking at the overview of all the Figures (1 -5A), is it is clear that the two models used in this study has estimation capacity, but Figure 5A shows better correlation with the measured values, which indicates that artificial neural network model is a better model for estimation. Therefore has been recommended for global solar radiation estimation at Calabar and its environs with similar weather condition. Alternatively, first order regression should be use for estimation in the absent of artificial neural network. Keywords: artificial neural network, regression, model, global solar radiatio