Comparative Analysis of Pre and Post-migration Livelihood Outcomes of Households with Absentee Heads in Osun State, Nigeria

Migration is often linked with a deleterious impact on rural area production and development. Although, the change of location for better opportunities also affect the lives and livelihoods of the migrant households’ in the rural communities. The study was a comparative analysis of the pre and post-migration living outcomes of absentee households’ heads in Osun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure involving the simple random sampling was used to select 120 absentee household heads. Data collected with interview schedule was subjected to descriptive statistics, t-test and correlation analyses. Findings showed that more men (76.7%) migrated, leaving women to become the interim household heads. It was found that migrants have a higher average monthly income level (₦44,400). Prior to migration, most families were in the lower financial well-being category (83.3%), while only 55% remained in that category after migration. This follows the result of the t-test which revealed that a significant difference (t=0.00; p<0.05) exists between the well-being of migrant’s household before and after migration. Thus, it was concluded that unless the rural push factors are removed, rural-urban migration will continue at an increasing rate because benefits and opportunities acquired in the process influence the well-being of the rural households. The study recommends that enabling environment, facilities and opportunities should be created in the rural communities to transform livelihoods and improve the wellbeing of the people via interventions by national and international agencies

SPG20 Protein Spartin Associates with Cardiolipin via Its Plant-Related Senescence Domain and Regulates Mitochondrial Ca2+ Homeostasis

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a group of neurological disorders characterized clinically by spasticity of lower limbs and pathologically by degeneration of the corticospinal tract. Troyer syndrome is an autosomal recessive HSP caused by a frameshift mutation in the spartin (SPG20) gene. Previously, we established that this mutation results in a lack of expression of the truncated mutant spartin protein. Spartin is involved in many cellular processes and associates with several intracellular organelles, including mitochondria. Spartin contains a conserved plant-related senescence domain at its C-terminus. However, neither the function of this domain nor the roles of spartin in mitochondrial physiology are currently known. In this study, we determined that the plant-related senescence domain of spartin interacts with cardiolipin but not with two other major mitochondrial phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. We also found that knockdown of spartin by small interfering RNA in a human neuroblastoma cell line resulted in depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. In addition, depletion of spartin resulted in a significant decrease in both mitochondrial calcium uptake and mitochondrial membrane potential in cells treated with thapsigargin. Our results suggest that impairment of mitochondrial calcium uptake might contribute to the neurodegeneration of long corticospinal axons and the pathophysiology of Troyer syndrome

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

Farmers and Extension Personnel View of Constraints to Effective Agricultural Extension Services Delivery in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study examined farmers’ and extension personnel's View of constraints to effectiveness of agricultural extension services in Oyo State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 100 farmers and 20 extension personnel. Data subjected to descriptive and correlation analyses were collected using questionnaire and interview schedule. Findings reveal that constraints to effectiveness of extension service include inadequate extension equipment/facilities (χ= 3.73), insufficient extension personnel (χ= 3.44) and poor planning of extension programme (χ= 2.8). About 54% of farmers perceived that extension service is ineffective while about 46% of extension personnel perceived it to be effective. Results show a weak correlation between personal characteristics of farmers and their perception towards the effectiveness of agricultural extension services (r = 0.081, p< 0.05). It is concluded that constraints to effective extension service might not significantly affect the peoples’ view of extension effectiveness, however, the less the constraints to extension services the better the perception of extension services.Keywords: Extension, Effectiveness, Constraints, Perception and Agricultur

Farmers’ and Extension Personnel's View of Constraints to Effective Agricultural Extension Services Delivery in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study examined farmers’ and extension personnel's View of constraints to effectiveness of agricultural extension services in Oyo State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 100 farmers and 20 extension personnel. Data subjected to descriptive and correlation analyses were collected using questionnaire and interview schedule. Findings reveal that constraints to effectiveness of extension service include inadequate extension equipment ( = 3.73), insufficient extension personnel ( = 3.44) and poor planning of extension programme (= 2.8). About 54% of farmers perceived that extension service is ineffective while about 46% of extension personnel perceived it to be effective. Results show a weak correlation between personal characteristics of farmers and their perception towards the effectiveness of agricultural extension services (r = 0.081, p< 0.05). It is concluded that constraints to effective extension service might not significantly affect the peoples’ view of extension effectiveness, however, the less the constraints to extension services the better the perception of extension services

Farmers’ and Extension Personnel's View of Constraints to Effective Agricultural Extension Services Delivery in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study examined farmers’ and extension personnel's View of constraints to effectiveness of agricultural extension services in Oyo State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 100 farmers and 20 extension personnel. Data subjected to descriptive and correlation analyses were collected using questionnaire and interview schedule. Findings reveal that constraints to effectiveness of extension service include inadequate extension equipment ( = 3.73), insufficient extension personnel ( = 3.44) and poor planning of extension programme (= 2.8). About 54% of farmers perceived that extension service is ineffective while about 46% of extension personnel perceived it to be effective. Results show a weak correlation between personal characteristics of farmers and their perception towards the effectiveness of agricultural extension services (r = 0.081, p< 0.05). It is concluded that constraints to effective extension service might not significantly affect the peoples’ view of extension effectiveness, however, the less the constraints to extension services the better the perception of extension services