THE HERO, BARACK OBAMA, AND HIS UNIQUENESS: A STUDY OF THE AUDACITY OF HOPE

The essay establishes that Barack Obama’s uniqueness and admiration lies in his manner of approach to the people and the enthusiasm with which he discharges his political responsibilities. The theories of heroism and racism are employed in the analysis of the text, The Audacity of Hope. The essay notes Obama’s endearing commitment to the well-being of the masses: he identifies with the masses, brings himself to their level, visits both the urban rich and the rural poor, holds meetings with them, identifies their problems and tries to solve them to the best of his ability. His political career does not interfere with his emotional attachment to his wife and children. His sagacity, boldness and political acumen win him the American presidency. His victories in politics help to break racism to a reasonable extent and restore the hope, confidence and pride of the black race. Obama is a black hero and a model character. The method of research is qualitative – critical reading and interpretation of the primary text and using the library and internet sources to support or refute the arguments raised in the essay.  Key words: Heroism, unique, actions, masses, racism, black, white and America

Ozo title in Igboland as a negation of justice and history: An analysis of Amechi Akwanya's Ormili

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Retributive Justice in Fiction: An Analysis of May Nwoye's Endless Search

The essay explores the painful life of the protagonist, Nkoli, from the United States of America to her home country, Nigeria. In the course of the study, Nkoli’s naivety and lack of foresight, her husband’s gross selfishness and heartlessness and the country’s attitudes towards women are projected as the major causes of her hardship. Even when she becomes aware of her problems and their sources, she lacks that will-power to fight for her freedom to liberate herself from the culture that is set in the interest of men’s chauvinism. There is a reversal of fortune which eventually liberates the protagonist and subjects the evil perpetrators to shame thereby making justice to prevail at the end.Key words: Retributive, justice, punishment, selfishness, and freedom

Relationship between Principals’ Distributive Justice and Teachers’ Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Anambra State

This study determined the relationship between principals’ distributive justice and teachers’ job performance in public secondary schools in Anambra state. The study adopted a correlational research design. One research question guided the study and one null hypothesis was tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The population for the study was 7027 teachers in the 266 public secondary schools in the State. The sample consisted of 1405 teachers from the six educational zones in the State. The sample was drawn using a multi-stage sampling procedure which included proportionate stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Two structured questionnaires developed by the researchers titled: “Distributive Justice Questionnaire” (DJQ) and Teachers’ Performance Questionnaire (TPQ) were validated by three experts and used for data collection. Cronbach’s Alpha method was used to determine the internal consistency of the items in the instruments and this yielded coefficient values of 0.75 and 0.72 for DJQ and TPQ respectively. The researcher with the aid of 12 research assistants administered a total of 1405 copies of the questionnaires to the respondents. At the end of the exercise, 1324 copies representing 94% were successfully completed, retrieved, and used for data analysis. Data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The result of the finding indicated that there is a very high positive relationship between principals’ distributive justice and teachers’ job performance in secondary schools in Anambra State. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Principals should at all times treat teachers with respect and sensitivity and explain the rationale for decisions to teachers thoroughly. By doing this, principals will dismiss any wrong perceptions teachers may have regarding their decisions and this will help create a positive climate that will induce improved teacher performance

ANALYSIS OF PRINCIPALS’ MANAGERIAL EFFECTIVENESS FOR TEACHERS’ JOB COMMITMENT IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

The study analyzed principals’ managerial effectiveness for teachers’ job commitment in public and private secondary schools in Anambra State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 8,989 respondents (263 principals and 5,286 teachers) of public and (686 principals and 2,754 teachers) of private secondary schools in Anambra State. The sample for this study consisted of 899 respondents (26 principals and 528 teachers) of public and (69 principals and 276 teachers) of private secondary schools drawn from 8,989 respondents (263 principals and 5,286 teachers) of public and (686 principals and 2,754 teachers) of private secondary schools using proportionate stratified sampling technique. A researcher-developed questionnaire titled ‘‘Principals’ Managerial Effectiveness for Teachers’ Job Commitment Scale (PMETJCS)’’ was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts, two from the Department of Educational Management and Policy, and one from the Department of Educational Foundations, NnamdiAzikiwe University. Cronbach alpha was used for a test of internal consistency of the instrument which yielded coefficients of 0.81, 0.79 and 0.76 for clusters B1-B3 with an overall coefficient of 0.79 obtained from single administration of 30 copies of the questionnaire to principals and teachers of public and private secondary schools in Enugu State. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and t-test was used to test the hypotheses at .05 alpha level. The findings of the study revealed among others that principals’ effectiveness on motivation, communication and discipline for teachers’ job commitment in public and private secondary schools in Anambra State were to a high extent. Also, there is no significant difference in the mean ratings of all dimensions of principals’ managerial effectiveness for teachers’ job commitment in public and private secondary schools in Anambra State. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Anambra State Chapter of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) should organize seminars on disciplinary issues for principals to exchange ideas and upgrade their skills of handling misconduct of teachers in secondary schools

Retributive Justice in Fiction: An Analysis of May Nwoye’s ENDLESS SEARCH

The essay explores the painful life of the protagonist, Nkoli, from the United States of America to her home country, Nigeria. In the course of the study, Nkoli’s naivety and lack of foresight, her husband’s gross selfishness and heartlessness and the country’s attitudes towards women are projected as the major causes of her hardship. Even when she becomes aware of her problems and their sources, she lacks that will-power to fight for her freedom to liberate herself from the culture that is set in the interest of men’s chauvinism. There is a reversal of fortune which eventually liberates the protagonist and subjects the evil perpetrators to shame thereby making justice to prevail at the end

Effect of Trichoderma sp. on microbial rot of yam-tubers

The effect of Trichoderma sp. on the rot of yam tuber by B theobromae, A niger and P oxalicum was investigated by inoculating Trichoderma sp. with the individual pathogens either simultaneously or with advanced inoculation of a pathogen using white yams (Discorea rotundata) obtained from Ondo State or Edo State. The result shows that inoculation of Trichoderma sp. simultaneously or not more than one day after prior inoculation of a pathogen, decreased rot incited by B theobromae, A niger or P oxalicum. However, whereas the reduction of rot caused by A niger or B theobromae in Ondo yam was statistically insignificant (p 0.05), that caused by P oxalicum in Edo yam (55.7 mm, control; 25.7 mm simultaneously; 26.3 mm, one day later) was statistically significant (p 0.05). EdoState yam were rotted faster (51.5 mm) than the Ondo State yams (25.0 mm) suggesting the cultivars of white yams varying level of susceptibility to rot pathogen. A Trichoderma sp. isolated from yam tuber surface inhibited mycelia extention growth of B theobromae (52.5 %), A niger (17.8 %) and P oxalicum (42.5 %) in vitro indicating its potentials as a biocontrol agent of post harvest rot of yams.Keywords:  Trichoderma sp., Yam-tubers, Pathogen, Mycelia, Antagonis

Assessment of Administrators Adoption of Funding Strategies for Resource Improvement in South-South Universities

ABSTRACTThis study examined administrators’ adoption of funding strategies for resource improvement in South-South Universities. Evaluative survey was adopted for the study. A total of 670 instruments (Federal Universities 366; state universities 304) were successfully returned. These formed the final sample size. Three research questions were answered while five hypotheses were tested in the study at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled: Assessment of Administrators Adoption of Funding Strategies for Resource Improvement Questionnaire. Mean was used to answer the research questions, the aggregate mean for each cluster were computed separately for federal and state universities respondents on each research question. Research questions were answered using mean scores while hypothesis where tested using  statistical package for social sciences to compare the variability of scores among respondents. The decision rule was to reject a null hypothesis where the significant value was greater than or equal to the alpha value and where the alpha value was less than the significant value, the null hypothesis was not rejected. Some of these endowment strategies include establishment of investment policies specially for endowment fund, create written spending policy etc. Among the recommendations made were; both administrators in federal and state universities should simplify the available endowments income provided to prospective donors and administrators in the universities, the state Universities most especially should employ the available commercial sources, as a way of funding the universities without the students really involved in the cost.KEYWORDS: Evaluative  Aggregate  Investment  Endowment  Cos

Occurrence of Fusarium Oxysporum and Ralstonia (Pseudomonas ) Solanacearum on Root-Surface of Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill)

The microflora associated with the root-surface of five tomato cultivars commonly cultivated in Edo State Nigeria, was investigated by inoculating serially washed 5 mm tomato root segments on potato dextrose agar (PDA) incubated at room temperature (28-30oC). Fusarium oxysporum and Ralstonia (pseudomonas) solanacearum together with Botryodiplodia theobromae, Trichoderma koningii and Aspergillus niger were frequently isolated from virtually all the five tomato cultivers . F. oxysporum and R. solanacearum which were by far the most frequent in occurrence in all the variety of tomato, appeared early on the root and persisted strongly throughout the sampling period with peak frequency of occurrence in the 6 to 8 week and 8 to 10 week old plants, respectively. The population build-up of the two microorganisms on the root system was found to have played an important role in relation to the pattern of occurrence of pathological wilting among tomato plants in the field. (Af. J. of Science and Technology: 2002 3(1): 18-21