Appropriate Technology for Cassava Processing in Nigeria: User’s Point of View

This study examined appropriate agricultural extension technological needs of users in cassava processing activities in Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting 160 participating and non-participating users making a total of 320 users in Oyo state. Data was collected with Interview Schedule and analysed using chi-square and t-test. (58%) of women (users) use traditional processing equipments in cassava processing. Improved processing technologies used include vibrating sieve, abrasive peeler, motorised grater, drum drier, and screw-jack. Processed cassava products include “gari,” “lafun,” starch, and “fufu.” Significant relationships exist between the use of improved technologies for processing and age (X2 = 6.15, p= 0.05), educational Status (X2= 5.80, p= 0.05), religion (X2= 12.20, p= 0.05) and type of technology utilized. Significant difference exists between mean adoption scores of participating and nonparticipating users (t= 6.53, p= 0.05). Problems encountered by the users include high cost of processing equipment, transportation difficulties, poor infrastructural facilities, shortage of labour, poor access to market, lack of fund and poor shortage facilities. Time-saving and simpler prototype processing equipment should be introduced to the users of cassava processing technologies during extension training

Feminist Development Economics : An Institutional Approach to Household Analysis

__Abstract__ In this chapter, we argue that an institutional approach to feminist development economics provides deeper understandings to how gender inequalities function in economic processes in developing countries. We do this in three ways. First, we distinguish between symmetric and asymmetric gender institutions. Second, we distinguish gendered institutions between formal (laws and regulations) and informal ones (social norms and cultural practices). Third, we develop an empowerment model in which both resources and gendered institutions affect women’s wellbeing achievements, allowing for situations in which the positive effect of women’s access to resources is overruled by the negative effect of gendered laws or social norms. We illustrate our argument with a case study on the livelihoods of Yoruba women in Nigeria. The case study shows how gender norms result in an asymmetric institutional setting for women and men, even when norms about women’s labor force participation, individual control over income, and partners’ contribution to the household budget are symmetric. The combination of our theoretical contribution and our case study findings and test of the empowerment model in previous research have an important implication for a particular approach in feminist development economics, namely the household bargaining approach. This approach is widely used as an explanatory framework for women’s disadvantaged economic position in developing countries. We elaborate this approach with an institutional perspective and show how this helps to explain the economic position of women who find themselves in the paradoxical situation of strong economic independence in a highly unequal legal, social, and cultural context

Factors affecting changing livelihood strategies of artisanal fisherfolks in inland fishing communities in Delta State

This study examined the factors affecting changing livelihood strategies of artisanal fisherfolks in inland fishing communities in Delta State, Nigeria. The sample size of 169 respondents was selected through a simple random sampling from a total of 935 fisherfolks in two selected Local Government Areas. Instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive and non parametric statistic. The result showed that majority (44%) of the respondents is between the ages of 41 and 60 years. There were no significant relationships between marital status, educational level, family size, income of fisherfolks and changing livelihood strategies (r= - 0.118, P = 0.05; r = -0.102, P = 0.05; r= -0.107, p 0.05; r = -0.107, P = 0.05) respectively. Correlation co-efficient analysis revealed that there was insignificant relationship between reasons for diversification of livelihood and changing livelihood strategies of the artisanal fisherfolks (r = 0.103, P = 0.184). In conclusion, the factors affecting livelihood strategies of artisanal fisherfolks include coping with insufficiency, income, obnoxious fishing method, government policy, resource depletion through sand bank, respondents ethnicity, age and sex. It is therefore recommended that greater emphasis should be directed towards provision of credit facilities. Fishing nets should also be subsidised by the government

Vulnerability of Teenage Girls to Pregnancy in Ibarapa Central Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

The study examined the vulnerability of teenage girls to pregnancy in Ibarapa Central local government area of Oyo state, Nigeria. Simple random sampling was used to select 140 teenage girls for the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were used to elicit information from the respondents. While Interview Schedule was used to collect quantitative data, Focus Group Discussion Guide and In-depth Interview was used to gather qualitative data. Data were analysed using a descriptive method of analysis. Analysis of the data obtained showed that the average age of teenage girls in the study area was 15 years; the majority were Yoruba ethnic group (96.7%), lived with their relatives (77.5%) reside in multi-unit flats (62.2%) and had a primary education (76.1%). Results obtained from Focus Group Discussion and In-depth Interviews revealed causes of teenage pregnancy in the study area as: poor parental care, poverty, single parenting, peer-group, disciplinary actions from parents, the advent of technology and civilization. The study, therefore, recommends the need for enlightenment programmes on sex education by government agencies and non-governmental organizations for teenagers, parents as well as the general community

Age Related Pattern And Outcome Of Head Injury In Indigenous Africa

Background: Most studies of patients with head injury managed outside of indigenous Africa have shown poorer outcome with increasing age, but data on this subject is scanty in this part of the world. Aim: To determine age related pattern and outcome of head injury in an indigenous African setting. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics, mechanism of head injury, associated injury, trauma scores and outcome in patients admitted for head injury at the University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria, between 1989 and 1999. Results: The 648 patients comprised of 39 older subjects (= 60 yrs), 357 adults (17-59 yrs) and 252 children (= 16 yrs). They were aged 1 to 105 years (mean = 37years). Road traffic injury was the commonest cause of trauma to the head. Children were most often injured as pedestrians while adults and older patients were more often victims of passenger vehicular accidents. Older patients had the poorest outcome with a mortality rate of 48.7%. They were more prone to severe head injury (41.0%) and multisystem trauma (51.3%), with higher mean injury severity scores and lower probability of survival than younger patients. Outcome was predictable by age and GCS (p=0.0206 & 0.0000) in all age groups put together and in children while GCS was a predictor in adults (p =0.0000), and none of the variables could predict outcome in the older patients. Conclusion: The study reaffirms that outcome of head injury worsens with advancing age and indicates that severity of head injury and higher frequency of multi-system trauma may contribute to worse outcome in older patients. Keywords: Head Injury, Pattern, Outcome, Age Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol. 11 (3) 2008: pp. 265-26

Counselling Needs of Out-Patients in University College Hospital Ibadan (UCH), Nigeria

The inability of health personnel to meet certain needs of patients usually leads to patients’ dissatisfaction. This is actually and in no doubt, calls for proactive actions. This study therefore, investigated the counselling needs of out-patients in UCH Ibadan Nigeria. The study also examined the influence of level of education and religion on respondents’ views. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A total of 900 out-patients in UCH, Ibadan were selected using a three-stage sampling procedure which comprised simple random sampling, purposive and systematic random sampling techniques. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire entitled “Counselling Needs of Patients Questionnaire (CNPQ)’’. The validity of the questionnaire was established by three experts in the Departments of Counsellor Education. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined using split-half method and a correlation co-efficient of 0.86 was obtained. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-test statistical tools were used to analyze the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The findings showed that out-patients in UCH Ibadan needed counselling to handle negative thoughts relating to illness, cope with the state of being ill and disease management. The findings also revealed that there were significant differences in the counselling needs of out-patients in UCH Ibadan based on level of education and religion. The study concluded that health personnel generally should take courses in counselling to further enrich their knowledge and skills on meeting the counselling needs of patients

Comparative Analysis of the Impact of Mathematics Teaching Anxiety on Service and PreService Teacher Teaching Experience

This study examines comparative analysis of the impact of mathematics teaching anxiety on service and pre-service teacher teaching experience. The study made use of simple random sampling For the study, four hundred (400) pre-service teachers were selected from Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo and Emmanuel Alayande College of Education Oyo. Among the pre-service teachers two hundred and seventy-five (275) were males and one hundred and twenty-five (125) were females. Two hundred (200) practice teachers out of which one hundred and seventy (170) were male and thirty (30) were female randomly selected across thirty secondary schools withinOyo metropolis. The instrument used was Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale (MTAS) by Akinsola (2004) with r=0.92.The data were analyzed using t-test, appropriate recommendations were given basedon the findings of the study, it was recommended that mathematics practice and pre-service teachers should employ and adopt Mathematics teaching strategies that can alleviate the persistence mathematics anxiety

Counselling Needs of Patients: A Comparative Study between Nigeria and Canada

This study attempts to compare the expectations of patients between Nigeria and Canada towards healthcare. The descriptive survey was adopted for the study. The sample consisted of Two thousand four hundred respondents who were selected both in Nigeria and Canada using simple random and systematic random techniques. A questionnaire tagged: Counselling Needs of Patients Questionnaire (CNPQ) was used to collect data. Three research questions were constructed and answered. The validity of the instrument was done by experts and the reliability of the instrument was ascertained with an r value of 0.70. The data collected were analyzed using frequency types and percentages. The results showed that there is close similarity in the counselling needs of respondents in Nigeria and Canada. It was concluded that Counsellors should be aware of the needs of patients and they should strive to meet the needs in a professional manner. Counsellors should also be aware of the unique need of patients based on social, spiritual, financial and physical need to provide appropriate and adequate care for patients. Professional counsellors need to engage in continuous training to meet the needs of patients as it may change over time

Outcome of Early Post-traumatic Seizure: An Experience in Nigeria

Purpose: To determine the frequency, causes, risk factors and outcome following early posttraumatic seizure. Methods: A retrospective analysis of age, sex, mechanism of injury, type and onset of unprovoked seizure occurring within one week of injury, admission coma score, and Glasgow outcome score in patients with non-penetrating head injury. Results: Eighty six (10.2%) of 845 head injured patients developed early posttraumatic seizure. They were 55 (64%) children and 31 (36%) older subjects. The seizure was partial in 35% but generalized in 65% of cases. The frequency of seizure increased significantly with decreasing age (p=0.00002) and coma score (p=0.00009) in the seizure group and also in relation to the entire sample (n=845) of head injured patients (p=0.00000). Traffic accident was the leading cause of head injuries (58%), while fall from height (32.5%), domestic injuries (4.2%) and non-penetrating assault (3.5%) were miscellaneous causes. Pedestrian vehicular injury and falls were the commonest mechanisms of injury in children, while older patients were most frequently involved as passengers in auto-crash. Early posttraumatic seizure worsened outcome of head injury, the case mortality rate being 27.9% and 19.2% in patients with and without posttraumatic seizure respectively. Conclusions: The frequency of early posttraumatic seizure in our setting is 10.2%. This varies significantly with patients\' age and initial coma score. Keywords: head injury, early posttraumatic seizure, outcome Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol. 11 (3) 2008: pp. 193-19