Refocusing the Focus, Metafocus and Profocus: Mopping Urban Violence in Developing Cities

In most developing countries, urbanization is often relegated to the major population centres, leaving secondary cities and rural communities neglected. Such acts of neglect have caused occurrence of certain forms of violence in large cities. In order to reduce and mop up the resultant menace of urban violence, policy makers should initiate refocusing processes from larger cities to secondary cities. This will reveal an enormous potential growth and developments within the secondary cities and the country. This paper uses the principles of metafocus and profocus to proffer how the refocusing on secondary cities can be actualised and benefit the development of the state. The relative deprivation theory is utilized to analyse how the deprivation and neglect leads to urban violence. The adopted methodology analyses the economic conditions and the achieved satisfactory level of urban violence management that ensues from the demographic delimitations in the selected three African countries of Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Conclusions are based on the premise that the economic conditions will improve and become balanced if the Pleuri-Potent Mega-City Stem Cell (PPMC-SC) of the metafocus principles and the defensive internal curative packages (M-DICP) of the profocus principles are applied in the countries’ secondary and larger cities

Gang Mores in Nigeria: The Prospect and Challenges

Indeed, gang culture had become an issue which gives the government, parents and other policy makers a huge concern. Of every ten boys’, six belong to a gang or being affected by gang operations. The purpose of this study is to present an analytical view of the nature, trend and dynamism of gang culture in Nigeria using the city of Lagos as a case study. The choice of the case study is due to the fact that Lagos is a mega city which will best capture the issues related to gangs and at the same time ably represents all other parts of the country and indeed cities across the world. The methodology used in this work is an exploratory case study approach of group theory. Focus groups and archival data are used to explore different perspectives on the phenomena of gang culture. The findings show the trend of gang culture growth from joblessness to aggrieved youths and to armed groups. Also that a great treat is poised on the peace and security of the society if a concrete solution is not meted out. The study suggests a need for a working collaboration of the government, the parents and other social reformative agencies or organizations so as to rally round the youths in other to reduce the menace of gangs on the life of the society. Conclusion is however drawn on the fact that there is a rapid proliferation of gang culture in Nigeria, most among the youths of less than twenty years of age and the next generations might witness serious growth of terrorist attacks than what is being witness at present if this menace is not curbed effectively. Key Words: Gangs, Gang Culture, Hoodlums, Violence and Lagos

Gang And Urban Violence Prevalence On Democratic Sustenance

Violence is a phenomenon that occurs everywhere. It has severe consequences on thegrowth and development of any country. Gang syndicates in different urban and rural areasacross the world are the major suppliers of violence in the world. The rate of growth of gangmemberships across the rural and urban regions of the world is a challenge that all governments must proffer solutions to. In a democratic regime, the rate of growth of violence reduces the chances of good governance and democratic sustenance. This means that the more there is violence, the lesser democratic development and sustenance. The theoretical framework of tyre burning is used to explain the phenomenon of violence processes. This usually begins with a peaceful protest that degenerates into violence. The paper concludes on the premise that engaging the youths in productive activities will reduce gang membership and urban violence

Efficacy of Graded Activity with and without Daily-Monitored- Walking on Pain and Back Endurance among Patients with Concomitant Low-Back Pain and Type-2 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND: There is evidence supporting the efficacy of Graded Activity (GA) in managing clinical attributes of patients with Low-Back Pain (LBP) in the general population. However, it is unknown whether GA alone is efficacious in managing these clinical attributes in patients with concomitant LBP and Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) or additional daily-monitored walking will be required.METHODS: A single-blind controlled trial involving 58 patients (mean age: 48.3±9.4 years, 64.7% females) with concomitant LBP and T2D who received treatment twice weekly for twelve weeks was conducted. Participants were randomized into GA or GA with daily-monitored-walking (GAMW) groups. Pain Intensity (PI), Static Back Extensors Endurance (SBEE), Static Abdominal Muscular Endurance (SAME) and Glycaemic Control (GC) were assessed using Visual Analogue Scale, Biering-Sorensen test, flexor endurance test, and in2itTM device respectively at baseline, 4th, 8th and 12th week. Data were analysed using repeatedmeasures ANOVA and Unpaired t-tests at α = 0.05.RESULTS: There were significant differences in PI, SAME and SBEE among participants in each of GA and GAMW groups respectively (p<0.05). Within-group difference on GC was significant for GAMW (6.3±0.9%, 5.7±0.7%) but not GA (6.3±0.9%, 6.3±0.9%). There was significant difference (p<0.05) between GA and GAMW group participants for SBEE (7.2±0.1 sec, 7.3±0.1 sec) at week 8 of the study and GC (-0.5±0.2%, -0.6±0.5%) at the end of the study. No differences were found between GA and GAMW groups for PI and SAME.CONCLUSION: Graded activity with daily-monitored-walking produced positive effects on GC and yielded a better improvement on SAME and SBEE

Political Economy of Crony Capitalism: The Prospect and the Bane

Abstract. The world over, capitalism had encroach the economy of nations turning governments against the people, employers against the workers all in the name of surplus values and profiteering motives. Although capitalism had made economies of nations to boom without much stress due to the fluid faces of its operations, nevertheless, it has more havocs than good. The review of most government policies has shifted to accommodate the growing bane of cronies of capitalism. This research shows the tactics employed by bourgeoisies in colliding with the government. What are the implications of these profiteering motives on the economy? The methodology adopted is the survey analysis of institutional data base. The theoretical framework of deprivation theory coupled with Marxian theory were used to x-tray the prospect and the bane of crony capitalism in the economy of polities.Keywords. Capitalism, Crony capitalism, Poverty, Masses and public policy.JEL. P00, P10, P16, P40, P50

APPRAISING INDIA’S ROLE IN UNITED NATIONS PEACE KEEPING OPERATION IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF SOUTH SUDAN

India has long invested in promoting goodwill among African states by participating in United Nations Peacekeeping operations. India is the third-largest contributor of personnel to UN peacekeeping operations and has contributed to various missions across the world including in Somalia, Mozambique, Angola, Sierra Leone, and more recently, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. As part of a broader push to build stronger ties to African countries, India has redoubled its commitment to peacekeeping efforts over the past decade, and in the views of many in the UN peacekeeping system, the capacity of Indian peacekeepers makes them essential to any peacekeeping effort on the continent. India also possesses the capacity to provide well-trained troops who are accustomed to operating in a diverse array of terrain. In addition, the paper will assess India’s strategy of using peacekeeping as a tool of foreign policy. This paper will assess the role of India in the South Sudan Crisis. The paper’s source of data will be essentially secondary involving books, journals; articles on the subject matter under review

Food and feeding habits of Clarias gariepinus (burchell 1822) in Egbe Reservoir, Ekiti State, Nigeria

The food and feeding habit of the catfish Clarias gariepinus in Egbe Reservoir in Ekiti State, Nigeria was studied using 450 Clarias samples collected between January 2010 and November, 2010. Analysis of the stomach contents was done using numerical, frequency of occurrence and volumetric methods. The fish fed mostly on phytoplankton (Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae) constituting 97.10% by numerical method. Other food items found in the stomach include insects, zooplankton, arthropod parts, detritus and crustaceans which were of secondary importance. Clarias gariepinus in Egbe Reservoir is an omnivore and females had more empty stomachs (55.60%) than the males (44.40%). This gender bias could be due to intra-specific competition for the available food in the habitat. The information gathered from this present study serves as a guideline for further research on the reservoir.Keywords: Food and feeding habits, Clarias gariepinus, Stomach contents, Omnivore, Insects, Egbe Reservoir, Nigeri

Impact of Palm Oil Mill Effluent on Physico-chemical Parameters of a Southwestern River, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

The physico-chemical parameters of water and palm oil mill effluent (POME) samples of Ayanyan River was investigated between August 2009 and July 2010 to assess the impact of the POME on the water quality. The parameters tested were pH, temperature, alkalinity, total suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate, phosphate, potassium, magnesium, lead, oil and grease. Standard methods of water and waste water analysis were used and compared with WHO permissible limit. The results showed that all the samples had values above the WHO standards which makes the river water unsafe to both human and aquatic life. As there is rising concern globally regarding POME as one of the sources of greenhouse gases, legislative measures are necessary to enforce laws and rules on land-use and waste regulation to control the location and management of palm oil mills, especially when cited near water bodies close to residential areas. Keywords: Physico-chemical parameters, POME, Ayanyan River, Pollution, Remediation

Perceived barriers to physical activity among Nigerian stroke survivors

Introduction: Benefits of physical activity in the prevention and management of stroke are well documented in the literature. There is increasing evidence that stroke survivors in South-West Nigeria are physically inactive. Data on barriers to the achievement of the recommended physical activity levels including its differences along socio-demographic characteristics among stroke survivors in South-West Nigeria are needed. Methods: The Exercise Benefits and Barrier Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were administered on 121 stroke survivors to determine their perceived barriers to physical activity and physical activity levels respectively. Information on socio-demographic data and clinical variables were also collected. Results: The sample included 70.2% males, with majority of the participants reporting low physical activity levels (80.2%) and high perceived barriers (Mean=48.13, SD=7.88). The four most reported common barriers among stroke survivors were access to exercise facilities (95.0 %), being embarrassed to exercise (94.2%), economic cost demands of exercise (94.2 %) and notion that people in exercise clothes look funny (94.2%) respectively. There were no significant differences found in barriers to physical activity between gender (U= 1471.00, P= 0.74) and across each of: occupational status (H= 4.37, P=0.22), age group (H= 0.82, P= 0.84) and educational levels (H= 4.56, P= 0.33). Significant difference however existed in perceived barriers across marital status categories (H=12.87, P= 0.05). Conclusion: Stroke survivors indicated high perceived barriers to physical activity and these barriers were associated with marital status.Pan African Medical Journal 2015; 2

Fractal Geometry and Porosity

A fractal is an object or a structure that is self-similar in all length scales. Fractal geometry is an excellent mathematical tool used in the study of irregular geometric objects. The concept of the fractal dimension, D, as a measure of complexity is defined. The concept of fractal geometry is closely linked to scale invariance, and it provides a framework for the analysis of natural phenomena in various scientific and engineering domains. The relevance of the power law scaling relationships is discussed. Fractal characteristics of porous media and the characteristic method of the porous media are also discussed. Different methods of analysis on the permeability of porous media are discussed in this chapter