Traditional Method of Checking Corruption in the Pre-Colonial Igbo Society

Corruption is possibly as old as the human society. Infact. It can be traced to the biblical story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. According to this story these first man and woman while in the garden fell to temptation and thus became evil in nature.2 This affirms that corruption is perhaps inherent in human beings. A psychologist, J.T. U Nwala has observed that the level of corruption or moral values of any society is a function of the level and character of its social development3. On the other hand, the social development of a society very much depends on the occupational skills and the way and manner the society produces, distributes and exchanges its wealth4. These basic components of any economy are indeed the fertile grounds for corrupt practices. For instance the cancerous disease nicknamed corruption can be found among all the religions of the world, government officials, private and public organizations, politicians, businessmen and academics. A corrupt trader would sell inferior items in place of superior ones and pocket the money. A corrupt contractor would supply inferior items to companies and governments as superior items and clain the money. In the academic circle, corruption include plagiarism, sale of hand-outs to students, examination leakage, fake result, corrupt marking and collection of money from students for favour (extortion). Even corrupt farmers would devise ways of confiscating people’s land for farming without adequate compensation.  The list is inexhaustible.  These vices take place in our society today because of a relatively high level of social development without a corresponding level of moral backing in the society. In this essay the pre-colonial Igbo society is the focus.  Efforts will be made to discuss the nature of corrupt practices prevalent at the time and the traditional method of checking or controlling the social vices.  To do this, the pre-colonial Igbo society has been split into two-the period before the Trans-Atlantic trade and the period of Trans-Atlantic trade between 1600 and 1900.  This split into two broad eras will enable us perceive and understand the nature of corruption at these periods, how they were controlled as well as the obstacles involved in the control of the social monster

Inorganic Fertilzer, Vermicompost and Water Quality Effect on Vegetable Farming Along The River Banks.

Inorganic fertilizer , vermicompost and water are a  usual application on vegetable  farming  along river banks in order to boost its  production , issues however arising of interest from these three are highlighted in this work on river Benue river bank vegetable farming . Vermicompost a  heterogeneous mixture of decomposing  materials in a dust bin ( vegetables , Tea  bags , grains , bread, crackers ,  cereals  , eggshells , Leaves and grass clippings )   composting using various worms developed within it from flies  showed  that in 30 days at 20% concentration of vermicompost plot of Red pepper  (Capsicum annuum)   a  plant height of average 16.6cm was recorded  while that of chemical fertilizer showed the same  plant a height of 14.8cm . Control plot (without any application)  showed 10.9cm height . At 60 days the inorganic fertilizer applied  at 20% dose showed  29.2cm plant height and in vermicompost applied plots at the same concentration dose, 33.4cm of plant height, was the result.  Applying these products on vegetable farms using water  along the river banks of River Benue directly and indirectly  brings to attention the uncontrollable habit of settlers along river  banks especially in the refuse discharge and defeacation  which compromises the water and  the quality of products of  the farms .  Work carried out  in Delhi University in 2009 showed that the amount of fecal matter in river water  increased exponentially  as  Central Pollution Control Board CPCB  came out with its findings. The amount of Fecal coliform (FC) – bacteria (anaerobic , nonsporulating, rod-shaped bacteria that produce acid and gas from the fermentation of lactose sugar: e.g., Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Klebsiella pneumoniae ) available in human and animal feaces – has grown by as much as 30 times as compared to CPCB values. Vegetables grown on Yamuna bed in east and south Delhi are already known to have high FC . The work done on river Benue at intake in the greater water works  project showed the value of coliform bacteria as high as 1800  Beetseh and Adulugba (2013) .  Many millions of microorganisms ( though most are harmless  in the human intestinal tract)  are likely to carry pathogenic microbes. Coliforms are used as indicators of sewage pollution; a high coliform count usually indicates recent sewage pollution. implicating the vegetable production on the river bank  which on consumption  can bring one down with severe intestinal problems like  blood infections, stomach upsets and kidney dysfunction .The application of modern farming system innovations in the study area by the farmers will be difficult since majority of them are illiterates  Dam, P. D. ( 2012  ) especially in the use of proper toilet systems . According to the same Delhi University 2009 report mentioned earlier the probable partial solution is to allow for the growth of   water hyacinth, which  absorbs contaminants and vegetables to be repeatedly washed and  cooked. Raw vegetables on these river banks should be avoided . Keywords Vegetables , Fertilizer , River bank Vermicompost and Farming

Lease Arrangements and Financial Performance of Breweries in Nigeria

This study investigates the relationship between lease arrangements and the financial performance of breweries listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Using an ex-post facto research design, and a study period of ten years (2008 – 2017), the study analysed data on earnings per share and net assets per share of four breweries in Nigeria. A comparison of the performance of selected firms based on the nature of lease arrangements and the intensity of involvement in leasing transactions, using t-statistics, showed that firms that engaged in diversified lease arrangements performed better than those that implemented only one form of lease arrangement; and firms that were more actively involved in lease arrangements were better in both earnings per share and net assets per share than firms that were less active in lease transactions. Accordingly, it is recommended that listed breweries should consider the benefits available in lease financing and should more actively engage in beneficial lease arrangements. Keywords: operating lease, finance lease, lease arrangements, earnings per share, net assets per share, brewerie

The Anti-Nutritional and Proximate Composition of Rain Tree (Samanea saman) Pod Samples

The anti-nutritional and proximate composition of pods of Samanea saman were determined. About 600g of wholesome, cleaned and dried pods were divided into two portions: one portion was ground as whole pod meal while the other portion was deseeded and ground as seedless meal. The removed seeds were ground separately as a sample to obtain three samples namely: whole pod, pulp and seed samples. Triplicate data obtained were subjected to One-Way ANOVA using SPSS software of version 21. Mean values and Fisher’s least significant difference (LSD) were determined for the separation of the means at (p≤0.05). The whole pod had 1.49mg/100g oxalate, 1.97mg/100g hydrogen cyanide, 0.71mg/100g tannins, 27.07mg/100g saponins, 0.51mg/100g flavonoids and 1.71mg/100g alkaloids, which were significantly(p≤0.05) different from that of pulp (1.89mg/100g oxalate, 1.51mg/100g hydrogen cyanide, 0.86mg/100g tannins, 28.46mg/100g saponins, 1.00mg/100g flavonoids and 1.41mg/100g alkaloids) and seed samples (1.39mg/100g oxalate, 1.61mg100g hydrogen cyanide, 0.56mg/100g tannins, 26.51mg/100g saponins, 0.49mg/100g flavonoids and 1.86mg/100g alkaloids). The moisture contents were pulp (19.30%), whole pod (15.50%) and seed (9.20%). Ash content were whole pod (4.70%), pulp (2.90%) and seed (2.60%); Ether extract of whole pod, pulp and seed were 3.31%, 2.52% and 2.66% respectively. The crude proteins were whole pod (13.21%), pulp (10.98%) and seed (21.55%); crude fibre of the plant were whole pod (15.95%), pulp (6.77%) and seed (8.47%). The whole pod had 47.33% carbohydrate which was significantly (p≤0.05) lower than the carbohydrate of pulp (57.53%) and seed (55.52%). The utilization of the pods of S. samana is a significant source of bioactive that if harnessed in the formulation of nutraceutical beverage could offer a whole lot of health benefit to the users

Folate levels in children with sickle cell anaemia on folic acid supplementation in steady state and crises at a tertiary hospital in Enugu, Nigeria: a prospective, comparative study

IntroductionFolic acid supplementation is an integral aspect of the management of children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) especially in Africa. In spite of this, there have been concerns about lower folate levels, especially during crisis. AimTo determine red cell folate levels of children with sickle cell anaemia in steady state and during crisis and compare with those with haemoglobin AA genotype. MethodThis study was prospective, hospital based, and comparative. Fifty children with sickle cell anaemia were recruited during crises and followed up until they met the criteria for attaining steady state. The controls were fifty children matched with those with SCA for age and gender and had haemoglobin AA genotype. Red cell folate estimation was done with the Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) method using the automated Roche Cobas e411 equipment. ResultsThe median (IQR) red cell folate level in children during sickle cell crisis was 265.95 (134.50) ng/ml, which was significantly lower than the median (IQR) of 376.30 (206.85) ng/ml obtained during steady state. Most children with SCA (41 out of 50) had significantly higher folate levels during steady state (T=1081, Z-score= -4.660, p < 0.001). Median level of red cell folate was lower during anaemic crisis compared to vaso-occlusive crisis, though not significantly so (N(50), U = 214.00, Z-score= -1.077, p = 0.305). The median red cell folate level of normal controls was 343.55 (92.90) ng/ml, which was significantly lower than the 376.30 (206.85) ng/ml obtained during steady state (N(50), U= 209.00, Z-score= -7.177, p <0.001). Conclusion Median red cell folate levels of the study participants were within normal limits, though most children with SCA had significantly higher levels during steady state compared to crisis. Normal controls had significantly lower red cell folate levels than the children with SCA during steady state

Histological staining properties of Khaya senegalensis wood dust extracts: a preliminary study

Crude aqueous and methanol extracts of Khaya senegalensis wood dust were employed as histological stains for the demonstration of general tissue architecture. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts was conducted. Mixtures of the extracts of K. senegalensis in acidic, alkaline and neutral solutions were used to stain tissue sections. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that K. senegalensis extracts contains flavonoids, saponins, tannins, glycosides and reducing sugars. Optimum staining time was 15 minutes for both extracts and they stained the tissues in different shades of red and brown in the various media used. The best and worst stain uptake of tissues was observed with both extracts in alkaline and neutral media respectively. Mordant preparation of the extracts produced no significant staining difference from the non-mordant preparations. Staining solutions of the extracts have better affinity for the cellular cytoplasm and hence gave a good contrast when compared with Hematoxylin and Eosin control sections. In conclusion, Khaya senegalensis wood extract is a promising histological stain for the demonstration of general tissue architecture.Keywords: Khaya senegalensis, wood dust, stain, histology, mordan

Generalized lymphadenopathy: an unusual presentation of burkitt lymphoma in a Nigerian child: a case report

Intoduction: Burkitt Lymphoma is the fastest growing tumor in human and the commonest of the childhood malignancies. Generalized lymphadenopathy is a common feature of immunodeficiency associated Burkitt lymphoma but an uncommon presentation of the endemic type in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) negative children. Case presentation: The authors report a 6 year old HIV negative boy who presented with generalized lymphadenopathy, cough, weight loss, fever and drenching night sweat and had received native medication as well as treatment in private hospitals. His examination revealed hepatosplenomegaly, bull neck with generalized significant massive lymphadenopathy. Diagnosis was missed initially until a lymphnode biopsy for histology confirmed Burkitt lymphoma. He was managed on combination chemotherapy with complete resolution and now on follow up. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented report of its kind of endemic Burkitt lymphoma involving lymphnodes generally as the primary site. High index of suspicion and early biopsy are the key in this uncommon presentation

Taking up the cudgels against gay rights? Trends and trajectories in African Christian theologies on homosexuality

Against the background of the HIV epidemic and the intense public controversy on homosexuality in African societies, this article investigates the discourses of academic African Christian theologians on homosexuality. Distinguishing some major strands in African theology, that is, inculturation, liberation, women’s and reconstruction theology, the article examines how the central concepts of culture, liberation, justice, and human rights function in these discourses. On the basis of a qualitative analysis of a large number of publications, the article shows that stances of African theologians are varying from silence and rejection to acceptance. Although many African theologians have taken up the cudgels against gay rights, some “dissident voices” break the taboo and develop more inclusive concepts of African identity and African Christianity

Baseline and follow-up assessment of regional left ventricular volume using 3-dimensional echocardiography: comparison with cardiac magnetic resonance

The assessment of regional volumes is an option for analysis of the response of LV segments to interventions such as revascularization or cell therapy. We sought to compare regional volumes from 3D-echocardiography (3DE) with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) over follow-up

Semi-automated quantification of left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent studies have shown that real-time three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography (RT3DE) gives more accurate and reproducible left ventricular (LV) volume and ejection fraction (EF) measurements than traditional two-dimensional methods. A new semi-automated tool (4DLVQ) for volume measurements in RT3DE has been developed. We sought to evaluate the accuracy and repeatability of this method compared to a 3D echo standard.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>LV end-diastolic volumes (EDV), end-systolic volumes (ESV), and EF measured using 4DLVQ were compared with a commercially available semi-automated analysis tool (TomTec 4D LV-Analysis ver. 2.2) in 35 patients. Repeated measurements were performed to investigate inter- and intra-observer variability.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Average analysis time of the new tool was 141s, significantly shorter than 261s using TomTec (<it>p </it>< 0.001). Bland Altman analysis revealed high agreement of measured EDV, ESV, and EF compared to TomTec (<it>p </it>= <it>NS</it>), with bias and 95% limits of agreement of 2.1 ± 21 ml, -0.88 ± 17 ml, and 1.6 ± 11% for EDV, ESV, and EF respectively. Intra-observer variability of 4DLVQ vs. TomTec was 7.5 ± 6.2 ml vs. 7.7 ± 7.3 ml for EDV, 5.5 ± 5.6 ml vs. 5.0 ± 5.9 ml for ESV, and 3.0 ± 2.7% vs. 2.1 ± 2.0% for EF (<it>p </it>= <it>NS</it>). The inter-observer variability of 4DLVQ vs. TomTec was 9.0 ± 5.9 ml vs. 17 ± 6.3 ml for EDV (<it>p </it>< 0.05), 5.0 ± 3.6 ml vs. 12 ± 7.7 ml for ESV (<it>p </it>< 0.05), and 2.7 ± 2.8% vs. 3.0 ± 2.1% for EF (<it>p </it>= <it>NS</it>).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, the new analysis tool gives rapid and reproducible measurements of LV volumes and EF, with good agreement compared to another RT3DE volume quantification tool.</p