13 research outputs found
Nigerian Social Formation and Separatist Agitations: Scoping the Inextricable Nexus
In the last two decades or so, there has been a surge in violent separatist agitations in Nigeria. There isthe Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-east, the Yoruba Nation Movement in the South-west, agitation for resource control in the South-south, the Boko Haram insurgency in the north, and a plethora of other violent criminal activities across the country. The paper examined the nature of the Nigerian social formation and how it has driven violent separatist agitations in the polity, in the last two decades. Data for the study was generated from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was derived from interviews, while secondary data was got from extensive library search. The Structural Conflict Theory was used as the framework of analysis, and information generated was analysed descriptively in line with the objectives of the study. The analysis established there is an inextricable nexus among the multi-ethnic nature of the Nigerian social formation; the multi-religious composition of the country; the rentier state system being operated in Nigeria, and the rise in violent agitations in the country. 
Multinational Corporations' Oil Exploration, Poverty and Environmental Degradation in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
In recent years, there has been much discussion and attention on the amount of poverty and environmental damage in Nigeria's Niger Delta area as a result of oil drilling by International oil firms. There is little doubt that the actions of International oil firms have caused significant harm to this region's oil producing areas. The ecological damage caused by oil exploration has rendered farming and fishing, which are the primary professions of this region's rural population, obsolete. Several years of oil exploration by major International oil firms, as well as the risks of spills and gas flaring that accompany it, have destroyed the region's ecosystem and left the town barren. As a result, this research investigates the effects of oil exploration on the inhabitants of the Niger Delta region. It also investigates the region's level of environmental deterioration and deplorable poverty. The study will also address the interconnectivity dynamics that exist between environmental degradation and poverty in Nigeria's Niger Delta area. In other words, the research investigates the extent to which oil exploration and environmental degradation are responsible for abject poverty and underdevelopment in Nigeria's Niger Delta area
EVALUATION OF GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND SOME HAEMATOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WEANED RABBITS FED PAWPAW PEEL MEAL BASED DIETS IN CROSS RIVER RAIN FOREST ZONE
ABSTRACT A study to evaluate the growth performance and some haematological characteristics of weaned rabbits fed pawpaw peel meal based diets was undertaken. Twenty four (24) cross bred rabbits of mixed sexes between 5-6 weeks old; weighing 516.67 -583.33g were randomly assigned to four (4) experimental diets after weight equalization, with six (6) rabbits per dietary treatment. The feeding trial lasted nine (9) weeks after two initial weeks of acclimatization and the rabbits were given diets with crude protein levels ranging from 17 -18% and energy levels ranged from approximately 2400 -2700Kcal/Kg ME. The four dietary treatments were designated T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 with 0%, 15%, 30% and 45% levels of pawpaw peel meal (PPM) respectively. Results obtained from the study showed that all growth parameters recorded no significant difference (p > 0.05) between dietary treatments. Average daily feed intake (ADF) fluctuated with increasing levels of PPM, with T 4 (45%) recording the highest value of 55.36g and T 2 (15%) the least value of 45.72g. The average daily weight gain (ADG) also recorded a fluctuating trend. Treatment T 3 (30%) PPM was the best utilized diet as it recorded the least FCR (4.28) compared to other treatment groups. Apart from the white blood cell counts (WBC), all other hematological parameters recorded no significant difference (p > 0.05) between treatments. The packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) increased marginally as the levels of PPM increased in the diets. All the haematological parameters were within the normal ranges for rabbits. Therefore, findings from this study suggest that feeding PPM up to 45% may not adversely influence the growth performance and haematological characteristics of rabbits