Youth Development and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria: Assessment and Intervention Strategies

This article explores youth development, social conflicts and unrest that often degenerates into violence and threaten Nigeria’s sociopolitical stability, economic growth and development. In spite of the promises by the successive political leaders and policymakers that youth development will be given priority attention Nigeria has an army of unskilled, jobless and poverty-stricken youth who are prone to anti-social behavior and violence because many of them appear to lack home and community supports as well as economic opportunities. This article argues that investment in positive youth development programs is the key to empowering them with the skills and knowledge to grow into productive and responsible adults; it also helps to improve their living conditions, take care of others as well as to resolve social conflicts effectively. Drawing from available pertinent literature this article will, through descriptive design and in-depth analysis, recommend strategies to assess the efficacy of youth development programs and manage, control or resolve conflicts in Nigeria

Poverty and Brain Development in Children: Implications for Learning

Debates on the effect of poverty on brain development in children and its implications for learning have been raging for decades. Research suggests that poverty affects brain development in children and that the implications for learning are more compelling today given the attention the issue has attracted. For instance, studies in the fields of cognitive neuroscience, educational neuroscience, and developmental psychology have shown that living in poverty may indeed change how the brain grows and develops and may have implications for learning through adulthood and professional opportunities. This paper argues that living in poverty may put pre-school and school-aged children at health risks and behavioral problems in the classroom as it upsets brain development. Drawing from available pertinent literature, this paper will through descriptive design and in-depth analysis identify areas of the brain affected by poverty, implications for learning, and recommend possible ways teachers can apply their knowledge of the brain in the classroom to ameliorate the challenges faced by children living in poverty

Leadership and Management in the 21st Century Organizations: A Practical Approach

This article explores the place of leadership and management in the 21st century businesses and organizations, the role of leaders and managers, leadership styles as well as their levels of efficacy. It also investigates the attributes of an effective leader and manager, differentiates the concepts of leadership and management, leadership and management decision-making and problem-solving processes, and strategies for effective delegation of authorities to followers. This article argues that to function effectively and efficiently in today’s new economy, every organization needs effective leaders and managers as well as competent and reliable followers. It also posits that the place of leadership and management in today’s organizations are changing because, among other forces, the extreme competition among businesses in the new global economy, the emerging technologies, and globalization spurred by the Internet. The seemingly uncertainty in today’s organizations are putting undue pressures on leaders and managers to adopt practical approach to leadership and management to motivate their followers to enhance their performance, share the visions and missions of the organizations so as to realize their set objectives. This article argues that what makes effective leadership and management in the rapidly changing 21st century organizations include their personality and style of leadership, passion and values, decision-making and problem-solving process as well as their expectations and levels of relationship with their followers. Leaders and managers require a practical approach to leadership and management to substantially influence and motivate their followers to enhance their performance to achieve set organizational objectives

Reflections on the CLIVAR Early Career Scientists Symposium 2016

We present a summary report of the CLIVAR Early Career Scientists Symposium, a three-day event associated with the CLIVAR Open Science Conference held in Qingdao, China during September 2016. The Symposium aimed to capture the ideas of early career researchers on pressing science priorities, imminent challenges, and emerging opportunities to help guide the future evolution of CLIVAR. We identified the need for improving process-based understanding and predictability of regional climate variability and change, moving toward seamless predictions, and improving and expanding global observations. We emphasize the need for increasingly open science, including universal access to data, code, and publications as well as opportunities for international cooperation and exchange. As the next generation of climate scientists, we are dedicated to overcome the challenges outlined in this summary and are looking forward to advancing CLIVAR???s mission and activities

Effectiveness and tolerability of Perindopril plus Amlodipine single pill combination in Nigeria: The 13 City Hypertension Study

Background: There is no large-scale study that has shown the efficacy of single pill combination (SPC) antihypertensive medications in black African population. We therefore evaluated the blood pressure (BP) lowering efficacy and the tolerability of Perindopril plus Amlodipine SPC in black African patients. Methods: It was a multi-centre, prospective, observational programme among hypertensive patients using different doses of Perindopril and Amlodipine. Primary endpoint was assessed as the change in mean sitting systolic and diastolic BPs from baseline to 3 months. Results: 937 patients (55.7% female) were analysed, and the mean age was 56.4 ± 12.7 years. Systolic and diastolic BPs were significantly reduced by 17.3/ 9.4mmHg, 21.1/10.8mmHg mmHg and 24.6/12.7mmHg at 4, 8 and 12 weeks respectively compared to baseline value (p<0.0001). Dry cough was seen in 0.64% and angioedema 0.1% of the patients. Conclusions: Perindopril plus Amlodipine SPC provided clinically meaningful BP reductions and is well tolerated in a black African population. SAHeart 2022;19:6-1

Advancing research for seamless Earth system prediction

Whether on an urban or planetary scale, covering time scales of a few minutes or a few decades, the societal need for more accurate weather, climate, water, and environmental information has led to a more seamless thinking across disciplines and communities. This challenge, at the intersection of scientific research and society’s need, is among the most important scientific and technological challenges of our time. The “Science Summit on Seamless Research for Weather, Climate, Water, and Environment” organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 2017, has brought together researchers from a variety of institutions for a cross-disciplinary exchange of knowledge and ideas relating to seamless Earth system science. The outcomes of the Science Summit, and the interactions it sparked, highlight the benefit of a seamless Earth system science approach. Such an approach has the potential to break down artificial barriers that may exist due to different observing systems, models, time and space scales, and compartments of the Earth system. In this context, the main future challenges for research infrastructures have been identified. A value cycle approach has been proposed to guide innovation in seamless Earth system prediction. The engagement of researchers, users, and stakeholders will be crucial for the successful development of a seamless Earth system science that meets the needs of society

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): Understanding the Nigerian Experience

The descriptive mixed-methods study explores and describes the challenges and prospects of the growth and development of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) schools and science-based technology education in Nigeria. It is not understood how Nigerians in the United States perceive the impacts of governmental policies on education and the eventual contribution of graduates of TVET schools in Nigeria to the country's economic growth and development. The purpose of this descriptive mixed-methods study was to discover the opinions and perceptions of Nigerians in the United States regarding the consequences stemming from the Nigerian government's limited level of support for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) schools and programs.The questions for the descriptive mixed-methods study enable us to understand how the Nigerian government's limited level of support for TVET relate to the shortage of highly skilled manpower and technological capabilities and the policy interventions that will improve the situation and enhance national development. To provide a practical solution to the problem, my stances and conceptual framework hinged on human-capital development, leadership and governance, and technological capabilities. A triangulation of both quantitative and qualitative methods was utilized for data collection. To collect primary quantitative data for the study, 100 questionnaires were distributed; eight semi-structured interviews and focus-group sessions of six individuals were utilized to capture qualitative data. Quantitative data were scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale and qualitative data from the semi-structured questions were systematically examined, analyzed, coded, and integrated into the main data. Simple descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages were employed to analyze and describe the data. The results were expected to enable the researcher to better understand the topic, reach a valid conclusion, and recommend possible practical solutions to the problem.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201

Leadership and the Nigerian Economy

The Nigerian economy is largely oil-based. Some people would rather say it is a mono-product economy. The economy has been in dire straits over the years, because of a combination of the neglect of education, especially technical and vocational education and science-based technology education, poor leadership and governance, corruption, as well as poor monetary and fiscal policies. All these have made a review of the poor investment in human capital development and infrastructure and institutions that drive the Nigerian economy and national development rather compelling. The political leaders have always raised the people’s hope by painting glowing pictures of their development plans and how they would stimulate the economy and improve the people’s living conditions. Thus, they swore that they would give priority attention to human capital development and national development, and empower the citizens, particularly the poorly educated, unskilled, and unemployed youths, with relevant human skills capital and entrepreneurial skills to enable them to contribute profoundly to national development. Yet the political leaders have, over the years, failed to adequately fund education and strengthen the infrastructure and institutions that would drive the economy and create employment for the teeming population. Both the new-breed politicians, like the old politicians before them, are promising to transform the nation into an industrialized society and the people cannot hold their expectations. The reality though is that Nigeria cannot become an industrialized society without investing abundantly in human capital development (education and health), leadership, and technological capabilities, which means investing in the future development of the nation

Legal Boundaries : Women's Reproductive Self-determination Rights Versus Fetus's Right to Life. – An Analysis on Georgia Fetal Heartbeat Bill. (H.B.481)

Through the fetal heartbeat House-Bill-481, Georgia (U.S) has taken a Pro-life stance on the constitutionally enshrined women's reproductive self-determination rights versus the proposed fetus's right to life by banning abortion after six weeks of gestation. The purpose of this research was to analyze how rights are debated in the media, argued in the bill, and presented in the litigation against the bill using a thematic analysis approach guided by the concept of rights. The findings showed that Pro-choice sees the bill as an infringement of women's rights while Pro-life see it as recognizing the proposed fetus's right to life and personhood