Familial drinking habit, emotional stability and alcohol use in a sample of male and female adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria

This study examined demographic variables, familial drinking habit and emotional stability as predictors of alcohol use among adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria. This is across sectional study that used ex-post facto research design. Data were collected from 220 (118 males & 102 females) adolescents using structured questionnaires comprising of demographic characteristics and scales measuring variables of interest in the study. Three-stage hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used in the study. Parents’ SES (β = .13; p<.05) and parents’ educational level (β = .16; p<.05) independently predicted alcohol use; and along with age, they accounted for 7% of the explained variance in alcohol use. Inclusion of familial drinking habit along with other variables accounted for 40% of the explained variance in alcohol use. Male reported more alcohol use than female adolescents. Findings were discussed in accordance with previous studies. The relevance of the influence of familial drinking habits was emphasized in alcohol reduction intervention programmes for adolescents.Keywords: Alcohol use, familial drinking habits, emotional stability, adolescents, Nigeri

Language, Gender and Power in Chinua Achebe’s—There Was a Country and Chimamanda Adiche’s—Half of a Yellow Sun

The interconectivity of language in the analysis of ideological schemas of gender and power is remarkable. In every piece of texts, language is employed as an expression of ideology. Hence, there is no linguistic expression that is ideologically empty. Language is inspirable from the gender and power preoccupations of Chinua Achebe’s There Was a Country and Chimamanda Adiche’s Half of a Yellow Sun. In this paper, it is made succinct that both Achebe and Adichie deploy their English linguistic prowess with their traditional Igbo language colorations as an expression of power and gender discourses. Indeed, while it is deduced that Achebe, through the use of rhetorical and proverbial expressions, pursued a somewhat patriarchal gender and power ideological inclination in his memoir; Adichie, in her use of sublime language, exhibited her feminine gender belief in a rather subtle manner. Evidently, the two authors’ use of the English language with a heavy Igbo language influence is an index to the fact that language, apart from being a powerful means of expression of a writer’s ideological idiosyncrasy, is a source of power on its own; an instrument which both Achebe and Adichie deployed to show their different gender inclinations and power discourses in the selected texts

Nigerian English Syntax and Usage: Between Deviance and Deviation

This study tries to distinguish the term "deviance" from the term "deviation" in Nigerian English. The two terms, which are comparatively different, are discussed within a socio–linguistic framework of M.A.K. Halliday's systemic grammar, which later developed into Functional Linguistics that places emphasis on the issue of meaning in grammatical theory. Typical Nigerian English innovations are related to the local socio – cultural and linguistic contexts of Nigerian culture and society. The paper touches on Nigerian English syntax and partly on lexico–semantic variation in Nigerian English to bring to the fore the distinction between the terms in focus-deviance and deviation. The work also discusses and attempts to show how some Nigerian English expressions erroneously made can be corrected and be made to move near the native English so as not to encumber intelligibility and create misinterpretation for the native speakers and other Nigerian users of English who are adept to the native speakers' usage. The implication of deviance and deviation in Nigerian English is therefore discussed with reference to international intelligibility and communicative strategies. The source of the data collected is from the day-to-day English use by some Nigerian English users. Keywords: Deviance, Deviation, Nigerian English Syntax, Usage, Functional Linguistics

Effects of Gallic Acid (Isolated from Grape Rind) on Serum Biochemistry, Histology and Haematology of Aspergillus flavus Challenged Broilers

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Determination of the level of some heavy metals in water collected from two pollution - prone irrigation areas around Kano Metropolis

Industrial effluents discharged into the environment pose a serious threat to our agricultural products and health. In view of this, levels of some heavy metals, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Ag, Fe and Mn were determined in water samples collected from two pollution prone areas around Kano (Sharada and Bompai industrial estates) and control site (Thomas Dam, Dambatta). The levels of the heavy metals were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The results obtained show that the mean values of all heavy metals (with the exception of Zn) in water samples from the polluted areas studied were significantly higher than in the control site (P < 0.05). These mean values have also exceeded the acceptable limits. Key words: Heavy metals, Pollution, Kano, Environmen

Hepatotoxicity studies of sub-chronic administration of aqueous stem bark of khaya senegalensis in albino rats

The effect of oral daily administration for twenty eight (28) days of stem bark aqueous extract of Khaya senegalensis on alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotranferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities and on the level of serum total bilirubin and total protein were investigated using Albino rats in three dose levels (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg body weight) plus a group serving as control. The result obtained indicated significant (

A Comparative Study on Removal of Toxic Mercury and Chromium Using Synthesized Inorganic Complex (WOx-EDA) and Compound (AA) Through a Batch Adsorption Process

Toxic metals ions are well known undesirable pollutant in drinking water. Since they are barely biodegradable and can be accumulated in human body through the food chain to induce a severe threat to human health; it is of great importance to develop low cost, safe and highly effective adsorbents for the adsorptive removal of those toxic metals. Synthesis and Characterization of Inorganic–organic hybrid Tungsten oxide-ethylenediamine (WOx–EDA) nanowires have been carried out by a simple, low-cost and high-yield solvo-thermal method. Activated Alumina was also synthesized using direct method. Both Tungsten Oxide ethylenediamine and Activated Alumina (AA) were characterized using, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The synthesized inorganic adsorbents adsorption capacities for removing mercury and chromium were investigated using batch adsorption process. The equilibrium data were applied to various sorption kinectic models. The adsorbents adsorptive capabilities were compared. The adsorbents displayed exceptional adsorptive properties; however, WOx-EDA proved to be better adsorbent than activated alumina in terms of removal efficiency. This could be linked to hybrid structure integrated in the functionality of ethylenediamine with the stability of the WOx frameworks. The nanowire morphology and abundant functional amino groups possibly endowed the complex with versatile abilities and highly adsorptive properties. Keywords: Adsorption, Toxic, alumina, Tungsten Oxide Ethylenediamine, Kinetic. DOI: 10.7176/CMR/11-5-03 Publication date:May 31st 201

Developmental Diplomacy in a Globalised World: The Imperatives of Soft Power in Nigeria’s External Relations under the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan

The intricate link between the domestic context and Nigerian foreign policy making was central to the analyses made in this work. From the soft power perspective it was observed that the Transformation Agenda, of the present administration, could dramatically bolster Nigeria’s status in this era of Globalisation. Using a descriptive analysis and an eclectic framework, the study revealed that, if the growing rate of foreign investment is sustained, the foreign policy strategy of the government will effectively transform the country for good. In the end, it was recommended that the problems of insecurity and poor infrastructural facilities should be decisively tackled, to enhance the foreign policy capability of the country. Keywords: Globalisation, Development-Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, Soft-Power, and Transformation Agenda

The Congruence Effect of Leadership and Governance at the Grassroots. A Nigerian Perspective.

The effective administration of any society depends largely on the capacity of the leader. Every society must as a matter of fact have a leader either elected or appointed to pilot its affairs. In Nigeria, the grassroots are important as significant percentage of population still reside in local areas. This level is regarded as the closest government to the people, which also understand their peculiar needs and problems. It is therefore expected that leadership at this level should provide good governance to improve living standard of the local people. However, leadership performance in the rural areas has fallen short of expectation, thereby making good governance a tall dream. Based on this, the paper examined the leadership crisis and the crisis of governance at the grassroots with focus on the congruence effect of the former on the latter. The paper relied on content analysis method for its data. It was noted in the paper that poor leadership at the grassroots was responsible for governance crisis. The paper concluded that availability of good and transformational leaders at the grassroots will assist in entrenching good governance at the local government level