Socio-Economic Benefits of Iroko Trees (Milicia excelsa Welw C.C. Berg) in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria

A complete survey of Iroko trees in Ibadan metropolis was carried out with the view to determining their distribution and status. The entire of Ibadan City was considered for the study. The city was divided into sections and a reconnaissance survey was conducted to confirm existence of the tree species within each of the section. Direct observation of the already identified Iroko trees was then carried out during the actual data collection stage of the study. Permissions were sought before data collection was carried out on the identified trees. A total of 62 Iroko trees were surveyed; out of these, 33 (53.2%) stands were accessible while the remaining 29 stands (46.8%) were inaccessible. Many of the trees that could not be accessed were a result of restriction into the location where they exist. The most frequently observed benefit obtained trees are shade from direct sunlight and cool breeze it creates. Other uses of trees include peeling of the tree bark and used in preparation of local medicine, fetish activities on and around the tree, and use of the fallen branches as firewood. There is urgent need for appropriate protection strategies of these remaining indigenous tree species where they exist. Keywords: Milicia excelsa, endangered species, urban forest, bark slashing, medicines, restriction, Ibada

VOLUME PREDICTION FOR MILICIA EXCELSA (WELW C.C. BERG.) TREES IN SELECTED INSTITUTIONS IN IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

The study develops equations for the prediction of stem volume of Milicia excelsa  (Welw C.C. Berg.) in some selected institutions in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Sequel to the relationship between stem volume (sv), diameter at base (db) and  at breast height (dbh) from enumeration of 61 trees in selected institutions, equations were developed for estimating tree volumes of M. excelsa. Of all the equations developed, logarithmic for volume was the best fit equation containing the db and dbh as the predictors. The equation is lnSV = 1.5924 + 1.4915lndb + 0.8600lndbh with coefficient of determination (R2) and standard error of estimate being 0.9011 and SEE = 0.3485 respectively. Residual analysis revealed that the assumption of independence of residuals is valid, and there is no evidence of an outlier. Validation of the equation was done by testing for significant difference between the predicted stem volume (PSV) and observed stem volume (OSV). The study showed that stem volume of M. excelsa can be predicted from db and dbh by using this equation with reasonable precision. The prediction equation developed in this work would be very useful and applicable where tree dimensions such as diameter at middle and top as well as the height of M. excelsa is difficult to assess and there is need to reduce the cost of inventory of such species.Â

Challenges encountered when doing research back home: Perspectives from African conservation scientists in the diaspora

African conservation scientists in the diaspora are still a largely untapped resource for conservation efforts in Africa. Institutions that harbor diaspora scientists from Africa should view their presence, motivation, and skills as an excellent opportunity to build strong bridges with the continent and undercut parachute science. Yet, parachute science is still the prominent way of doing conservation science in Africa and it can be difficult to escape, even for Africans working abroad and conducting research in their home countries. Espousing an alternative model to parachute science is possible, but it requires conscious effort and systemic changes at all scales (individual, departmental, universities). In this perspective, we describe six situations that help illuminate the layers of factors that diaspora African researchers must navigate while building cross-continental collaborations in the absence of adequate institutional support. They include the questioning of our “local-ness,” accusations of nepotism, over-explaining our intentions and dealing with the demand for “ground-breaking and globally relevant research.” We propose actions and best practices for harnessing the potential of diaspora faculty to build meaningful, equitable and long-term research collaborations with partners in Africa

HERBS USED BY THE URHOBO PEOPLE IN DELTA STATE NIGERIA FOR THE TREATMENT OF TYPHOID FEVER

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Typhoid fever is a common disease that very many people across the globe suffer from over time. There has been little investigation into the local medicinal herbs used for the treatment of this disease. Herbal plants used in the treatment of typhoid fever by the Urhobo people in Delta State were investigated in this study. A well structured questionnaire were administered to the focus group, which comprises of traditional healer, School Teachers and people that were adjudged by the locals to be knowledgeable in the use of medicinal herbs. It was found that beside the use of orthodox medicine, herbal plants were also used for the treatment of the ailment. The survey shows that majority of the herbs used by these people to treat the disease were used in combination with other herbs. Agronomy crops form buck part of the plants used to treat the disease. It was observed during the survey that the medicament containing unripe pawpaw, unripe pineapple, grape fruit and lime were more frequently used among the people in different places of the study area. The study showed that 23 plants belonging to 19 families were frequently used than other plants by the Urhobo people of Delta state Nigeria in the treatment of typhoid fever.