Afro-European Relations: A Thorough Appraisal of the Activities of the Europeans in Africa from Pre-Colonial to Colonial Era

This paper starts with the assertion that the international system is a home to great and small, powerful and weak, developed and underdeveloped states/entities. It supports the notion that interaction or interrelationship is a major characteristic of the system due to the gregarious nature of states. The principal aim of the paper is to examine the nature and pattern of the intercontinental relations of Africa and Europe in pre-colonial and colonial times. In an attempt to realise the aim, the study employed historical-chronological research method, with data generated mainly from relevant textbooks, journals and online sources. The data used in the study were both qualitative and qualitative. Marxist as well as dependency theory was used in explaining the complex, but interesting subject of African-European relations. The paper concludes that the activities of the Europeans in Africa in the periods under consideration benefited the former more than it did to the latter; thus, the relations were never a partnership of equals, it was lopsided and parasitic

Afro-European Relations: A Thorough Appraisal of the Activities of the Europeans in Africa from Pre-Colonial to Colonial Era

This paper starts with the assertion that the international system is a home to great and small, powerful and weak, developed and underdeveloped states/entities. It supports the notion that interaction or interrelationship is a major characteristic of the system due to the gregarious nature of states. The principal aim of the paper is to examine the nature and pattern of the intercontinental relations of Africa and Europe in pre-colonial and colonial times. In an attempt to realise the aim, the study employed historical-chronological research method, with data generated mainly from relevant textbooks, journals and online sources. The data used in the study were both qualitative and qualitative. Marxist as well as dependency theory was used in explaining the complex, but interesting subject of African-European relations. The paper concludes that the activities of the Europeans in Africa in the periods under consideration benefited the former more than it did to the latter; thus, the relations were never a partnership of equals, it was lopsided and parasitic

The Performance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the Fight against Corruption in Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal

This very article is essentially geared towards evaluating the performance of the EFCC as an anti-graft agency in Nigeria. The benchmark for this evaluation is a few selected functions of the agency as enumerated in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 (section 6). Based on the sensitivity of the topic, secondary analysis is strictly used. The data generated for the study are both quantitative and quantitative. The study revealed, with pictorial evidence as well as names of culprits and properties confiscated, that the EFCC is actually carrying out its functions as mandated by the parliamentary Act of its establishment. However contrariwise, the findings revealed that the commission is yet to be fully independent in the discharge of its assignment. It is also yet to effectively reduce crime rate in the country. The study recommended among other things that the independence of the Commission should not be compromised; that is, it should not be used by any government in power as a ridiculing, incapacitating machine against the opposition

Gender Imbalance in Nigeria’s Legislature: A Peep into the 7th and 8th Assemblies

Marginalization of women in politics is very apparent most especially in Africa, where women are deemed by many as having no business with politics. In Nigeria, the above statement is also a fact when one considers the number of female parliamentarians in the country’s National Assembly. Ever since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, there have not been a substantial number of women in the legislature when compared to the number of their male counterparts. In the 7th and the 8th assemblies the problem still persisted. Howbeit, there are several factors responsible for this issue and these factors are what this study tries to look at. But before that, this paper looks briefly at the 7th and the 8th assemblies. To achieve the above however, secondary data is purely used

PUBLIC FAMILY SPENDING, LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY, INCOME INEQUALITY AND POVERTY GAP IN THE GROUP OF SEVEN COUNTRIES: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM PANEL DATA

Purpose. Comparable data on distribution of family income provide reference point for determining economic performance of any country, opportunity to assess effects of income inequality and poverty drivers that are either country- or region-specific. This study analysed the effectiveness of composite indices of public spending on family benefits, labour productivity, macroeconomic performance indicators and moderating factors in reducing income inequality and poverty gap in the Group of Seven (G7) countries from 1980 to 2019. Methodology. The study employed fixed effects Least Squares regression model in panel environment within the framework of empirical econometric methodologies. The composite indices comprised public spending on family benefits in cash and kind, unemployment allowance payments, tax on personal income, labour productivity, harmonised unemployment rate, consumer price index, real GDP growth rate, GDP per capita and per hour worked, fertility rate and trade. After graphical analysis of the data, order of integration was via unit root tests. Hausman test was carried out to choose between fixed and random effects models. Subsequently, parameters of the models were estimated and evaluated for significance at the 0.05 critical level. Findings. The results showed that percentage changes in income inequality and poverty gap indices differed for same percentage change in components of the composite indices. Some variable-specific percentage changes in income inequality and poverty gap were statistically significant, while others were not. However, the overall percentage changes was statistically significant. The paper concluded that while some specific effectiveness of the explanatory variables in reducing income inequality and poverty gap was not significant, their joint effectiveness significantly reduced poverty. Therefore, it is pertinent that family-oriented fiscal policy thrusts should be strengthened and sustained so as to continually reduce income inequality and, ultimately, narrow poverty gap in the countries. Limitations. The study considered the G7 countries for a period of 40 years. The limitations were that the variables considered to influence income inequality and poverty gap in the countries were both exhaustive. Also, the results were conditioned to the method used, and different methods can alternatively be used by other researchers and the results compared with this. Originality. The study is original research paper. It has neither been published in any other peer-reviewed journal not under consideration for publication by any other journal

Combined Spermacoce radiata and Hypselodelphys poggeana Extract (CESH) Protect against Oxidative Stress and Enhances Haematological Parameters in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia-induced Rats

This study investigated the therapeutic effect of a combined extract of Spermacoce radiata and Hypselodelphys poggeana (CESH) on oxidative markers and haematological parameters in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) induced rats. The study adopted five groups containing equal numbers of rats (n = 6), including normal control, BPH control, Finasteride control, BPH-induced rats treated with 200 mg/kg CESH, and BPH-induced rats treated with 600 mg/kg CESH. The rats were induced BPH by the subcutaneous administration of a 5 mg/kg testosterone propionate injection. At the same time, treatment finasteride and CESH to the respective groups were given orally 60 minutes after the BPH induction for 28 uninterrupted days. The induction of BPH with testosterone propionate injection caused a significant reduction in the serum levels of haematological parameters, including haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBC), and platelet counts of the BPH control compared with normal control. The glutathione (GSH) concentration, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase, and catalase activities decreased significantly in the BPH control relative to the normal control. The BPH control had elevated white blood cell (WBC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations contrary to the high WBC and MDA in the normal control and CESH treated BPH induced rats, respectively. Conversely, the Hb, PCV, platelet count, GPx, SOD, catalase, GST, and GSH increased significantly in the finasteride and CESH-treated BPH-induced rats, respectively, compared to the BPH control. These findings show that CESH attenuates adverse effects of BPH on antioxidant parameters and oxidative markers, which may prevent BPH progression

The Performance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the Fight against Corruption in Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal

This very article is essentially geared towards evaluating the performance of the EFCC as an anti-graft agency in Nigeria. The benchmark for this evaluation is a few selected functions of the agency as enumerated in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 (section 6). Based on the sensitivity of the topic, secondary analysis is strictly used. The data generated for the study are both quantitative and quantitative. The study revealed, with pictorial evidence as well as names of culprits and properties confiscated, that the EFCC is actually carrying out its functions as mandated by the parliamentary Act of its establishment. However contrariwise, the findings revealed that the commission is yet to be fully independent in the discharge of its assignment. It is also yet to effectively reduce crime rate in the country. The study recommended among other things that the independence of the Commission should not be compromised; that is, it should not be used by any government in power as a ridiculing, incapacitating machine against the opposition