An Overview of the Labour Input of Female Administrative Staff in Nigerian Public Universities

Although there is an increase in female participation in the labour force, there remains a significant gender gap in the administrative positions in Nigerian academia. This study therefore assessed the labout input of female administrative staff in terms of their contributions to the various job schedules in Nigerian Public Universities. With the aid of the Gender – Organization-System model, the study explored the complex variables that affect the labour input and career progression of female administrative staff. The study adopted the survey research design and utilized data from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was generated through the administration of questionnaires on 675 purposively selected female administrative staff from three randomly selected Public Universities from Southern western Nigeria. The questionnaires were distributed across the middle and senior administrative staff category in the six universities. The retrieved questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of percentages. The study revealed that majority (55.5%) of the female administrative staff did not chair committees; rather they acted as secretaries (46.6%). Most of them (42.6%) performed routine clerical assignments, while 33.3% attended mainly to files. Also, it was found that a number of societal values and norms combined with some organizational and individual attributes of females provided explanations for the trends in the labour input of female administrative staff in Nigerian Public Universities. The study concluded that concerted effort is required by universities to rid themselves of the vestiges of gender imbalance in the labour force. Keywords: Labour Input, Female, Administrative Staff, Public Universities, Nigeria

Modes Of Funding Nigerian Universities And The Implications On Performance

This paper examined the modes of funding Nigerian universities with a view to assessing their adequacy and effectiveness. The implications of the mechanisms of funding on university performance were investigated. The history of university funding in Nigeria was explored in order to determine the causes of shift in financing the system since 1948 when the first university was established. The paper revealed that the costs of financing universities including: costs of teaching, research and administration, cost of accommodating increased enrollments, expenses of student maintenance, payment of staff entitlement/salaries and maintenance of facilities are increasing in excess of the corresponding rates of available revenues. The divergence in the trajectories of total university educational cost, the total available revenue and government subvention has led to capacity constraints of universities. This is evident in poor quality of teaching and research, poor conditions of work and insufficient attention to staff development, amongst others. The study found that the changing patterns in funding of universities are responses to the social and economic depression of the country, globalization, country’s desire to be integrated into the modern knowledge economy and increased enrollment without adequate planning. Consequently, the African political economy model was used in explaining the financial state of Nigerian universities, while the theory of human capital was used to support the arguments in favour of multiple forms of cost-sharing. These include private support from parents/students and donors since education is both a government and private investment. The study concluded that part of the solutions to cost-revenue squeeze in Nigerian universities is the development of proactive mechanisms that facilitate both the identification of multiple sources of funding as well as their optimal utilization in order to maintain financial balance and enhance performance. The Resource-Based Model for sustaining financing of universities was thus recommended

Gender Inequality In Academia: Evidences From Nigeria

Universities and other institutions of higher education in Nigeria see themselves as liberal and open-minded. They support social movements that encourage principles of democracy and social justice, yet their mode of governance is male dominated and patriarchal. This study, therefore, identified the causes of gender inequality in academia and the implications on the academic development of females in the university system. This study was considered necessary because of the observed anomaly in the composition of academic staff in Nigerian universities. Data for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained through the in-depth interview of sixty (60) purposively selected male and female academic staff occupying key positions in three (3) Federal universities located in southwestern Nigeria. The study revealed that the recruitment and selection practices in the universities neither stressed male ideology nor discriminated against women; rather merit was the yardstick for acceptance into the profession. It was found that lack of mentoring, poor remuneration, women’s lack of interest in academia, family responsibilities, the lengthy period of training, and the ideology that women should have low career aspirations due to traditional roles ascribed to them, accounted for the observed disparity in academia. The implication of this disparity on the academic development of women is the general reduction in their research output and the perpetuation of their low status in academia. The study concluded that appropriate institutional adjustments and affirmation action programmes are necessary to meet women’s demands of equality and improve retention

An Evaluation of Outsourcing Process in a Nigerian University: Benefits and Challenges

This study examined the outsourcing procedures in a Nigerian University as well as the benefits and challenges involved. Data were derived from primary sources through the administration of questionnaires on 52 purposively selected university administrative staff (20) from the departments responsible for the outsourcing process as well as (32) from the companies that provide the outsourced services. In depth interviews were conducted with 8 purposively selected university administrative staff involved in the outsourcing process. The retrieved questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, while the interviews were reported using the ZY index table. The results revealed that strategizing on the services to be outsourced and weighing the outsourcing options before choosing and screening the vendors were the major steps embarked upon in the outsourcing procedure. The reasons for outsourcing included the quest to reduce and control cost as well as the need to improve the quality of services delivered. The results further revealed that the process of outsourcing improved the quality of services provided (75%), reduced cost (76.9%), increased efficiency and enabled the university to focus on more core activities (71.1%). The major challenges identified in outsourcing included the insecurity which it creates among university staff (96.1%), and poor motivation and competence of the outsourced staff (84.6%). The study concluded that the university management should carefully plan and evaluate the outsourcing process to ensure its success in cutting cost and in providing efficient service in line with the university goals. Keywords: - Outsourcing, benefits, challenges, Nigeria, University

Leadership Styles of Heads of Departments: Evidences from Nigerian Federal Universities

This study assessed the leadership styles adopted by academic heads of departments in administering their departments in selected federal universities in Nigeria. It also identified the factors that influence their choice of leadership styles. Primary data were generated through the administration of the multifactor leadership questionnaire on 11 randomly selected heads of departments from 5 faculties in 2 purposively selected federal universities in North Central Nigeria. The retrieved data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of percentages and means. The results revealed that the democratic (x̄=3.25), transformational (x̄=2.87), transactional (x̄=2.75), and charismatic (x̄=2.46), leadership styles were more prominently utilized by the heads of departments. The factors that influenced their choice of leadership styles were found to be: set goals to be attained (x̄=3.73) availability of working facilities (x̄=3.36), cultural environment (x̄=3.45), attitudes of subordinates (x̄=3.27), job stress (x̄=3.09), leadership pattern of colleagues (x̄=3.09), past leadership experiences (x̄=3.09), and personal temperament (x̄=2.91). Gender and religion were found not to influence them. The study concluded that since the university operates a dynamic system, heads of departments must understand the complex phenomenon of leadership, learn new leadership skills and practice diverse mix of leadership styles that fit each context. Keywords: Leadership styles, heads of departments, federal universities, Nigeria

Rapid survey of Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Kribi forest and Campo Ma'am national Park, Southern Cameroon

A five day survey was carried out to assess the odonate fauna associated with the riverine sections of two forests (Kribi Forest and Campo Ma’am National Park) of southern Cameroon. The primary objective of the study was to determine the species composition and community structure of the odonate fauna occurring in the forests. The goal is to infer the health status of the two forests. Three study sites were selected, one in each of the main water bodies in the forests (Rivers Kienke and Linde in Kribi forest, and River Bitande in Campo Ma’am National Park). All the specimens collected were identified to the lowest taxonomic level. A total of one hundred and ninety four (194) individuals of Odonata were collected in the forests comprising 10 families, 24 species of Anisoptera and 30 species of Zygoptera. Anthropogenic activities were less prevalent at Campo Ma’am National Park, an area in which all the 10 families were incidentally recorded.The community structure of the southern forest revealed that only River Bitande with Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H`) of 3.80 was having a stable environmental condition. Others were close to stable condition (River Kienke H` 2.99 and River Linde H` 2.95) with mild disturbance caused by human activity. Simpson index range (0.94 – 0.98) at the three study sites revealed that the vegetation was matured and stable. The distribution of dragonflies and damselflies revealed a stable environment (Evenness 0.90 – 0.95). Kribi Forest appears to be more impacted by anthropogenic activities as fewer (six) families were recorded there. The relative distribution of the species in the two forest ecosystems seemed to have some relationship with human interference therein. Key Words: Damselfly, Dragonfly, Diversity, Forest, Rive

Challenges associated with the honey bee (Apis Mellifera Adansonii) colonies establishment in South Western Nigeria

The southwestern part of Nigeria is a tropical rainforest region having many local beekeepers. These beekeepers have experienced decline in colony establishment in the recent past. A study carried out in Lagos, Ogun and Osun states between December 2009 and September 2011 examined 14 randomly selected commercial bee farms for problems associated with decline in colony establishment. Sampling and treatments were split equally between each apiary and three colonies were selected in each. All the colonies were housed in Tanzania/local top bar hives. There were 58.34, 44.84 and 40.61 average percentage declines in colony establishment in Lagos, Ogun and Osun States, respectively. Presence of pests and diseases, pesticide poisoning, poor hive and seasonal management, ecological problem and lack of queen rearing were potential problems identified by the beekeepers. All the apiaries had pests like Crickets, Ants (Companotus pennsylvanicus), Small Hive beetle (Aethina tumida), Termites (Macrotermes spp) and Spider (Lactrodectus mactan). Varroa mite infestations were found in 33 (78.57%) of apiaries sampled. There was no significant difference between the levels of Varroa infestation in all the colonies during the dry and wet seasons at confidence interval of 95 percent (t = 1.542, df = 13, p = 0.147 (p> 0.05). Nosema spores were found in 27 (64.29%) colonies examined. The number of spores range from 16 x 103 to 30.4 x 103. There were no significant differences in the infection from colony to colony, apiary to apiary and between dry and wet seasons (t = - 0.094 df = 11, P = 0.927 (P > 0.05). Diseases like American and European foulbrood were absent while chalkbrood disease was prevalent. Environmental factors of high temperature, high rainfall and high relative and hive humidity enhanced the spread of pests and disease pathogens. Many insecticides were constantly applied by the farmers on the crops in the surrounding farmland. Two of the commonly used insecticides DDVP (Dichlorvos) and Cyperforce (Cypermetrin) were discovered to have increased mortality on worker honey bees with progressively larger doses. It was obvious that insecticide toxicity had a significant effect on the colony. Hence, ecological and management problems had contributed to the decline in colony establishment in this area.Keywords: colony, decline, varroasis, infestation, toxicityAfrican Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, Volume 13 No. 2 April 201

Effects of Soy-based allochthonous nutrient inputs on intensively cultured female Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) brooder’s growth performance and on the indwelling net microplanktonic populations

Portions of soybean meal autoclaved at 116°C and 1.2 kg/cm2 pressure for 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min were used to compound 4 experimental diets appropriately labeled SB10, SB15, SB20, SB25 and SB30 respectively. The experimental diets were fed to Clarias gariepinus female broodstocks intensively for 84 days. During the experimental period, the female fish broodstock growth performance as well as the water and the in-dwelling net microplanktonic quality were monitored. The feed inputs into the different culture media ranged between 13,759 g (SB15) and 15, 649 g (SB10). The highest weight gain was recorded in the female broodfish fed diet SB25. The assayed water quality parameters for the different treatment culture media were not statistically different from each other (P > 0.05). Four (4) phytoplanktonic phyla containing 7 orders with 30 species were recorded in the various media receiving the different feed inputs. The richest floristic composition with 21 species and a Margalef’s Richness Index (R1) of 1.66 was obtained in the culture medium that received SB25 feed input. Twenty (20) microinvertebrate species belonging to 2 phyla and 4 orders were recorded in the various media during the period of study. The rotifers (Order: Ploima) with 16 species dominated the microinvertebrate fauna. Results also showed that the culture medium which received SB25 diet had the highest  microinvertebrate fauna with 19 species.Key words: Soybean, feed input, Clarias gariepinus, water quality, microplankton