S-I-S COMPARTMENTAL MODELING AND PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS OF EBOLA OUTBREAK IN CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA.

In this work, Ebola epidemic outbreak cases and deaths were modeled using compartmental model of epidemic mathematics and kinetics. Data were obtained from credible internet sources like Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) which were used to validate our model, and the results show that it was almost a perfect model for some countries of West Africa but just good enough for Central Africa as the R2 shows. The goodness of fit terms of coefficient of correlation (R2) of the developed model on test data gives excellent validation. For Guinea, R2 is 0.9997 for both cases and deaths test data. For Liberia, R2 is 0.9977 for both cases and deaths test data. For Sierra Leone, R2 is 0.9997 (for cases) and 0.9995 (for deaths data). For Nigeria, R2 is 0.9914 (for cases data) and 0.9979 (for deaths data). For Central Africa, R2 is 0.9343 (for cases data) and 0.9304 (for deaths data). The response plot of the cumulative cases and deaths as well as the monthly cases and deaths between the three worst-hit countries, namely (Liberia, Guinea. Sierra Leone) show very serious interaction since the EVD is spread by bats, gorillas, herbivorous animals that live in the bush and thick forest. We should reduce the rate of contact with the animals and stop eating them especially their carcasses found in the bushes and thickets. These findings can be used in studying future ebola epidemic and pandemic outbreaks by World Health Organization (WHO), Pan American Health Organization (Pan-AHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), etc

IMPACT OF ECLECTICISM ON NIGERIAN ESL LEARNERS’ COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

This study adopted three practical teaching strategies intended to positively affect learners’ writing skill while neutralising negative factors affecting their writing competence. To achieve the study objective which aimed at the assessment of the best teaching strategy to enhance learners’ writing proficiency, a comparative study of three teaching methods (namely communicative, eclectic and task-based methods) was used over a 6-week period as a treatment on three experimental groups A, B, C respectively and a control group (D) was taught using the conventional method. A pre-test was administered on two hundred (200) freshmen/subjects purposively selected from different Departments at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO). A post-test was used to ascertain the outcome of the six weeks period of treatment on their essay writing. Results varied according to groups but, most importantly, Group B showed very significant improvement and control group D showed no significant improvement at all in the post-test assessment while groups A and C’s writing ability improved just marginally at best post-test. Our findings suggest the need to pay attention to eclectic teaching techniques as a crucial element in enhancing writing proficiency among learners. The implications and limitations of this research in addition to guidelines for future research are discussed.  Article visualizations

Malaria Care-Seeking Behaviour Among HIV-Infected Patients Receiving Antiretroviral Treatment in South-Eastern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study assesses malaria prevention and treatment behaviour among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Owerri, South Eastern Nigeria. Although Nigeria bears one of the world\u27s largest burdens of both malaria and HIV, there is almost no research studying how co-infected patients manage their care. We systematically sampled 398 PLWHA receiving care at Imo State Specialist Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri to complete a structured, pre-tested questionnaire on malaria care-seeking behaviour. Descriptive statistics were reported and chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regressions were also used. The majority of HIV-infected patients (78.9%) reported having had an episode of suspected malaria quarterly or more often. There was a large variation in care-seeking patterns: on suspicion of malaria, 29.1% of participants engaged in self-medication; 39.2% went to drug shops, and only 22.6% visited HIV/AIDS care centres. Almost 40% waited more than 24 hours before initiating treatment. Most (60.3%), reported taking recommended artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACT) but a significant minority took only paracetamol (25.6%) or herbal remedies (3.5%). Most (80%) finished their chosen course of treatment; and completion of treatment was significantly associated with the frequency of suspected malaria occurrence (p = 0.03). Most (62.8%) did not take anti-malaria medication while taking antiretroviral treatment (ART) and almost all (87.6%) reported taking an ACT regimen that could potentially interact with Nigeria\u27s first-line ART regimen. Our findings suggest the need to pay more attention to malaria prevention and control as a crucial element in HIV/AIDS management in this part of Nigeria and other areas where malaria and HIV/AIDS are co-endemic. Also, more research on ART-ACT interactions, better outreach to community-level drug shops and other private sector stakeholders, and clearer guidelines for clinicians and patients on preventing and managing co-infection may be needed. This will require improved collaboration between programmes for both diseases

Historical Missionary Activity, Schooling, and the Reversal of Fortunes: Evidence from Nigeria

This paper shows that historical missionary activity has had a persistent effect on schooling outcomes, and contributed to a reversal of fortunes wherein historically richer ethnic groups are poorer today. Combining contemporary individual-level data with a newly constructed dataset on mission stations in Nigeria, we find that individuals whose ancestors were exposed to greater missionary activity have higher levels of schooling. This effect is robust to omitted heterogeneity, ethnicity fixed effects, and reverse causation. We find inter-generational factors and the persistence of early advantages in educational infrastructure to be key channels through which the effect has persisted. Consistent with theory, the effect of missions on current schooling is larger for population subgroups that have historically suffered disadvantages in access to education

Apology and Linguistic Politeness Strategies in English among Igbo Native Speakers in Nigeria: an Inter-language Study

The study sought to explore the conversational English politeness strategies used by Igbo learners of English in Nigeria. Through a purposive sampling process, a total of 3000 copies of questionnaire in the form of Discourse Completion Task (DCT) consisting of 10 different apology discourse situations positing extent of familiarity, hierarchy and degree of infraction were distributed to undergraduates of Igbo extraction at seven universities systematically selected from the South-East and South-South zones in Nigeria. In all, 2748 copies of questionnaire representing 92 percent were duly completed, returned, coded and analysed using the quantitative tool for analysis of production data. Findings demonstrated that the samples used politeness strategies very significantly in apology discourse. Also, the study revealed that apologies are conversational habits of Igbo bilinguals as the offenders willingly made an apology regardless of social differences and context which were also reflected in their choice of strategies as there was obvious transfer of the nuances of the first/native language/mother tongue to their target language production. The study established that apology realisation in an interlanguage context i.e. Igbo speaking learners of English necessarily bears the burden of native language transfer into target language. In conclusion, this study showed that because of the Igbo understanding that in human interactions, there are possibilities of instances of affront or outrage Igbo bilinguals adopted mainly the positive and negative forms of politeness strategies in apology discourse as the case may be to accomplish a conversational demand. The study found evidence to further dispute the universality of politeness and argued that politeness is culture-specific

Emerging Trends in English among Youths in Nigeria – An Exploratory Study

The study explored the potential impact of emerging trends in the formal written English language of youths which hitherto is uninvestigated in South-east Nigeria. Through a random sampling process, 2000 copies of pretested and validated questionnaire written in English were administered to undergraduates at five federal universities in south-east Nigeria. In addition, print-out of a couple of group conversations on Facebook and WhatsApp and Key Person Interview (KPI) was used to supplement the questionnaire data. In all, 1940 copies of questionnaire representing 97.00% were completed and returned for analysis. Results showed that emerging trends in written English conversation as social media convention is common among students in tertiary institutions. Findings revealed that 98.87% of participants used emerging trends during classes which indicates a massive infiltration of formal written English with social media trivialities while a statistically significant 34.54% have had to use these emerging trends though unconsciously during exams which reflects their deep and deliberate learning of these most potentially contentious tools of informal written conversation. Ultimately, the study confirmed that activities on social media was taking its toll on the students’ performance in written English as they can no longer tell the appropriateness of one variety or another. In conclusion, the study established that emerging trends have profound negative impact on written English and recommends that teachers/instructors must make purposeful efforts to unteach that which has been wrongly learned by insisting that students begin to imbibe the culture of standard and formal writing regardless of the purpose of the writing

The English Language and the Second Language Learners’ Perception in a Multicultural Nigeria: An Appraisal

The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of English as language of formal learning using some schools from the three senatorial zones in Imo State as well as teachers’ challenges in the use of this target language as a pedagogical tool. Through a random sampling process, 1200 copies of pretested and validated questionnaire written in English were administered to selected students from these regions. Key Persons Interview was also used to supplement the questionnaire data. 895 copies of questionnaire representing 74.6% were duly completed and returned for analysis. Studies showed that students’ perception of English as a language of education is one in which they feel compelled and have rather come to terms with its usage as a result of its imposition by the British colonialists, acceptance by the Nigerian government and general implementation as an official language. Findings revealed that 68.5% feel the need to fall back on their local language for clarification of some sort while 14.5% of the respondents have little or no need to use the mother tongue but 17% have occasional inkling to resort to their mother tongue for proper understanding. This interference is expected in a multilingual nation like Nigeria which has instituted bilingualism and multilingualism to her citizenry. The study established that the use of English accounts for some of the challenges in academic performance of students and therefore recommends that teachers, parents and government must strive to reiterate the need to inculcate and acculturate this official language as an ineluctable tool for academic success and societal integration

The English Language and the Second Language Learners’ Perception in a Multicultural Nigeria: An Appraisal

The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of English as language of formal learning using some schools from the three senatorial zones in Imo State as well as teachers’ challenges in the use of this target language as a pedagogical tool. Through a random sampling process, 1200 copies of pretested and validated questionnaire written in English were administered to selected students from these regions. Key Persons Interview was also used to supplement the questionnaire data. 895 copies of questionnaire representing 74.6% were duly completed and returned for analysis. Studies showed that students’ perception of English as a language of education is one in which they feel compelled and have rather come to terms with its usage as a result of its imposition by the British colonialists, acceptance by the Nigerian government and general implementation as an official language. Findings revealed that 68.5% feel the need to fall back on their local language for clarification of some sort while 14.5% of the respondents have little or no need to use the mother tongue but 17% have occasional inkling to resort to their mother tongue for proper understanding. This interference is expected in a multilingual nation like Nigeria which has instituted bilingualism and multilingualism to her citizenry. The study established that the use of English accounts for some of the challenges in academic performance of students and therefore recommends that teachers, parents and government must strive to reiterate the need to inculcate and acculturate this official language as an ineluctable tool for academic success and societal integration

COVID-19 Learning Losses, Parental Investments, and Recovery: Evidence from Low-Cost Private Schools in Nigeria

Using data from a random sample of schools, this paper studies the extent of learning losses and recovery from COVID-19 pandemic in Africa's most populous country, Nigeria, and provides some evidence that a full recovery is possible through a program designed to slow down the curriculum and cover what was missed during school closures