Nurturing lifelong learning in communities through the National University of Lesotho: prospects and challenges

This paper analyses one aspect of a pan-African action research project called ITMUA (Implementing the Third Mission of Universities in Africa). This particular paper draws on the data from that project to explore the National University of Lesotho’s contribution to lifelong learning in its communities. It provides background information on the ITMUA initiative and analyses interview and focus group responses to two case studies in terms of their contribution to lifelong learning. It uses, as its analytical framework, a modified version of Mbigi’s African perspective on the four De Lors’ ‘pillars’, by adding a fifth pillar, courtesy of Torres. The paper argues that community engagement is a two-way process between universities and their wider constituencies with opportunities for mutual lifelong learning. But there are also challenges of understanding and process which must be addressed if the full range of these lifelong learning pillars is to be accommodated within African contexts. The paper provides an introduction to the history of community engagement in Africa as a university mission, followed by a brief discussion of lifelong learning within African perspectives. After describing the particular context of Lesotho, the concept of community service and community engagement in contemporary African contexts introduces the action research project and the case studies. The final part of the paper presents and discusses the research findings

Property Tax Dynamics Reengineering in Nigeria: The Alternative Infrastructure Financing Option for National Development

The availability of resources to either provide new infrastructural facilities, services or to maintain the few obsolete ones has recently become an issue of national concern. States across the country have witnessed and are still witnessing a critical infrastructure deficit. Scholars globally have suggested property tax as a formidable alternative infrastructure financing option. The study examines the need for property tax dynamics reengineering in Nigeria to provide valuable information as an infrastructure financing option for national development through a theoretical research approach. The study established the link between real property investment and property tax dynamics, the nexus between property tax and infrastructure development and Nigeria's need for property tax reengineering. The study found the deteriorating state of critical infrastructure due to overuse and lack of adequate maintenance. Hence, it concluded that the reawakening of the property tax system in the country could help facilitate the transformational agenda of the Local Government Administration in the country. It recommended replicating the robust Lagos state property taxation strategy across the other states in Nigeria

Preliminary studies on pathogenic Leptospira spp. In slaughtered pigs in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

This study was undertaken to investigate the occurrence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. and the associated renal morphological changes in pigs slaughtered in slaughter slabs within Abeokuta metropolis, Nigeria. A total of 42 pigs’ kidney samples were randomly collected for the study. The samples were examined using Ellinghausen McCullough Johnson Harris (EMJH) medium, microscopic agglutination test (MAT), Warthin Starry silver stain (WSss) and immunohistochemistry (IH). Thirty (71.43%) of the 42 kidneys showed visible macroscopic lesions. Interstitial nephritis and tubular nephrosis were the most prominent histopathological changes. Leptospira organisms were isolated from 35 (83.3%) of 42 kidneys. The occurrence of Leptospira species from 23 uncontaminated isolates using MAT was 95.7% (22/23). The reactant serovars and respective detection rate were  Icterohaemorrhagiae (8/23, 34.8%), Pomona (4/23, 17.4%), Gripptotyphosa (3/23, 13%) Hardjo (3/23, 13%), Bratislava (2/23, 8.7%), Canicola (2/23, 8.7%), and 1 undetermined isolate (4.4%). Leptospira organisms were detected in 20 (87%) and 8 (34.8%) of the 23 renal tissues examined using WSss and IH respectively. Comparison of level of agreement among diagnostic methods [using kappa statistics (ki)] showed very low level of agreement between MAT and IH, and between WSss and IH. However, there was significant  P<0.005) measure of agreement between MAT and WSss. The significance of these Leptospira serovars in pig industry and their public health implications were discussed. This is the first investigative study on swine leptospirosis in Nigeria.Keywords: immunohistochemistry, Leptospirosis, microscopic agglutination test, Pigs, renal pathology, Serovars

Physico-Chemical, Microbial and Organoleptic Properties of Yoghurt Fortified with Tomato Juice

The world is currently trending towards the discovery of foods that can also serve as nutraceuticals which are highly beneficial to human health. Fortification of yoghurt with fresh tomato juice has shown to incorporate lycopene into the yoghurt, which in turn, increased the nutritional benefit of the yoghurt. Tomato juice was added as increasing levels of 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 w/w% to plain yoghurt. Ash, carbohydrate, moisture pH, viscosity and lycopene content were all analyzed using standard methods. Results showed that ash and carbohydrate content of the yoghurt improved in direct proportion with fortification. Lycopene content also increased (1.50- 9.24 mg/kg) as enrichment with fresh tomato juice increased. Viscosity reduced drastically as fortification increased, colour and texture of the yoghurt also changed; however, sample B (50% tomato juice) showed the best acceptance in respect to the sensory analysis of all the fortified samples. Hence, findings in this research indicated that enrichment of yoghurt with fresh tomato juice improved the nutritional indices of the yogurt