Advancing Online Dispute Resolution in Nigeria: Current Opportunities, Legal Challenges and the Ways Forward

The outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted the Nigerian legal system with the introduction of virtual court hearing. Currently, there is no legislation on virtual court hearings in Nigeria. The foregoing notwithstanding, this article examines the constitutionality of this type of hearing and its practicability under the extant laws. Virtual court had been discouraged because of the concern that it may not pass the test of public trial, which is constitutionally guaranteed. This article analyses the provisions of the Constitution as well as available case laws, which suggest that if certain requirements are met, virtual courts may pass the constitutional test of publicity of trial. It is also submitted that the virtual court will not offend the law on territorial jurisdiction. Nonetheless there are some legitimate concern about the issue of evidence, especially examination of witnesses, which may not be best suited for virtual court. Among these are technological inadequacy necessary for virtual court hearings in Nigeria leading to recommendations arising from practices in other jurisdictions

A steepest descent algorithm for the optimal control of a cascaded hydropower system

Optimal power generation along the cascaded Kainji-Jebba hydroelectric power system had been very difficult to achieve. The reservoirs operating heads are being affected by possible variation in impoundments upstream, stochastic factors that are weather-related, availability of the turbo-alternators and power generated at any time. Proposed in this paper, is an algorithm for solving the optimal release of water on the cascaded hydropower system based on steepest descent method. The uniqueness of this work is the conversion of the infinite dimensional control problem to a finite one, the introduction of clever techniques for choosing the steepest descent step size in each iteration and the nonlinear penalty embedded in the procedure. The control algorithm was implemented in an Excel VBA® environment to solve the ormulated Lagrange problem within an accuracy of 0.03%. It is recommended for use in system studies and control design for the optimal power generation in the cascaded hydropower system

A control model of the operating head dynamics of Jebba hydropower system

Electricity availability in Nigeria has been very poor over the years, underscoring the need for a better approach for managing generating resources. This paper presents the development of a dynamical model of the operating head of Jebba hydroelectric power plants for system studies and control system design. The mathematical model of the plant was developed from flow continuity conditions, some model parameters were obtained from the source while others were estimated from observations and analysis of the measured data. The developed dynamical equation was validated by comparing the response produced with values obtained by measurement. Upon integrating the model equation in Microsoft EXCEL VBA® environment, a deviation of 2% from measured values was observed. Operators can therefore use the model as a decision support system, while control engineers can find the model directly applicable for optimal and robust control system design for the station.Keywords: Control, Dynamical model, Hydropower, Inflow, Operating head

A Case of Dystocia Induced by Misuse of Oxytocin in a Boerboel Bitch

A two year old boerboel bitch with dark greenish vaginal discharge and history of over 24 hours of difficult labor was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital University of Ibadan for clinical examination and treatment. The owner had wrongfully given oxytocin after observation of signs of parturition. Following careful physical and clinical examinations of the bitch by Veterinary doctors, dystocia due to obstruction of maternal birth canal by a dead fetus was diagnosed. Treatment regimen was by digital manipulation which stimulated cervical dilatation and careful delivery of dead fetus via the vagina. Thereafter, oxytocin was administered to augment the bitch’s weak uterine contraction. Four weak puppies were delivered out of which three survived following adequate treatment

Evaluation of acrylamide exposure in pregnant Wistar rats as a risk of developing renal disease in their litters

This study was designed at evaluating the acrylamide (ACR) exposure in pregnant Wistar rats as a risk of developing renal disease in their litters. Four groups of pregnant female rats were used. Group 1 control animals were given 2 ml/kg/day of distilled water. Groups 2, 3, and 4 animals were given oral gavage doses of 2, 5, and 10 mg/kg/day of ACR respectively immediately pregnancy was confirmed. Mother rats were sacrificed 10 weeks after delivery and litters were sacrificed at 13 weeks. Proteinuria was observed in ACR-treated mother rats and their litters. Serum electrolytes, urea, and creatinine values observed in the treated group were deranged for both the mothers and litters respectively. Disruption of nephrogenesis was observed in the litters of ACR-treated mother compared to the control. The results of the effect of ACR on lipid profile indicated a significant elevation in the LDL, cholesterol, and triglyceride compared to the control. There was significant reduction in the SOD, catalase, GSH, and significant elevation in the C-reactive protein and malondialdehyde. Conclusively, exposure to acrylamide during pregnancy is a risk factor for the development of renal disease in the mother rats and their litters