A multi-level; mixed-methods study of family management framework: a migrant Nigerian professional dual-earner families perspective.

The last quarter of the twentieth century witnessed what is undoubtedly one of the most important socio-demographic changes in the labour market both developed and developing countries. For the first time, women and married women entered the labour market on a massive scale. One of the consequenceso f this socio-demographics hift is the dynamic in family management framework. Particularly for professional married women with dependent children, who continues to bear the main responsibility for taking care of the family, also for professional married men, who are expected increasingly to be involved in domestic and childcare tasks. This dynamic in family management framework is even more acute for migrant Nigerian professional dual-earner families because of absence of support from their extended families. Given the fact that migrant Nigerian professional dual-earner families with dependent children as a collective, and qualitatively, as method have been largely neglected in the literature,, I decided to embark on a multi-level, mixed-method study of family management framework from a migrant dual-eamer professional families perspective. The study is mixed-method, because I use both qualitative and quantitative methods to study the theme. It is multi-level study, because, a) I address at the micro level the attitude and behaviour of the couples to family management, b) at the mesolevel/macro-level, how the migrants perceive their experiences from the British government employers, and c) the mainstream and how they have adapted in their new environment. In the first study, I review and confront two practically divorced literatures: the literature on management of domestic and childcare tasks and other strands of family tasks. I point to the gap in the literature and the need to recognise this in order to understand fully the family management frameworks within contemporary families. In the second study, I explore how the families perceive their treatment by the government, employers, and the mainstream population and their level of enculturation in Britain. The study use hermeneutics phenomenology method (i.e. indepth interview and group discussion). The study suggests that the field may be overlooking some fundamental variables. Interpretative analysis of the interview transcripts reveals the importance of understanding immigrant's perception of their new environment, immanent or tacit actions such as how they interpret their status, relate to the mainstream values and beliefs and the influences of sending context on their adaptation. The study contributes to the field a different theoretical approach to the study of family management framework among people who leave one country to settle in another country. In the third study, I explore the couple's attitudes and behaviour to family management framework using a quantitative study of 286 respondents. The analysis reveal that traditional attitudes of sex-specific assignment of family work did loose some of their consensus, but are far from having disappeared. The analysis also reveal a two dimensional management structure whereby, wives are dominantly responsible for domestic and childcare tasks, also performs majority of the domestics tasks and childcare; the husbands are dominantly responsible for house services tasks and provider roles and performs most the house-services tasks and provider role. I found also, that major changes in the couple's socio-demographic characteristics i.e. educational qualifications, narrower age gap, and both couple's participation in labour market point less towards clear-cut egalitarianism, which could be an alternative to traditional gender structure. The study shows that a 'modernized traditional' form of family management is salient among this sub-group of immigrant Nigerian families living in London. In a fourth study I use interpretive analysis of the interview transcripts of 18 professional dual-earner couples to explore factors that may explain the prevalence of modernised traditionalism of family management framework. I found that exogenous social rhythms, personal beliefs, and interpersonal negotiation of individual partners play an important role. As a conclusion, I recommend the need to integrate the literatures on management of domestic and childcare tasks with other areas of family work such as provider role and family house-servicesta sks to come up with a model that is useful for both academics and practitioners. In addition, to take into consideration in future studies of immigrants or disabled people etc. The effects of sending context (i.e. reasons for immigrating) and the immigrant perception of their new environment as these variables could have influencing effects on their behaviour. Finally, I suggest that family management research need fresh models that reflect the contemporary world in which families exists

Analysis of timber marketing in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

The study assessed the analysis of timber marketing in Ibadan, Nigeria. Well structured and unstructured questionnaires were used to collect  relevant information from 130 respondents through the use of purposive sampling technique to sample four timber markets from the study area.  The markets were Bodija, Sango, Oke Bola and Alomaja. Data were analysed using frequency distribution and Gini coefficient correlation statistics. The findings revealed that 67.7% of respondents had secondary school education. The result of Gini coefficient correlation statistics for timber sales was 0.58 which implies that market structure was inclined towards monopoly. The membership of association of sellers also makes the market  performance difficult to measure between the market stakeholders despite the considerable high level of profit obtained from the sales. This implies a poor market performance. However, the result of market performance shows that timber marketing in Ibadan is a profitable venture. It is therefore recommended that Oyo State Government and the Local Government should closely monitor the market conduct with a view to  ameliorate the excesses of timber merchants. Keywords: Analysis of timber, marketing, structure, performance conduct Ibada

Marketing analysis of snails in selected snail markets in Ibadan, Nigeria

            The study was carried out investigate marketing of snails in selected snail markets in Ibadan, Nigeria. Information was collected with the use of structured questionnaires and oral interview. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage and regression were applied to analyze the socio-economic variables. For the regression analysis, linear function had F-ratio that was significant and highest co-efficient of multiple determination (R2) values of 0.971. The study revealed that more females (92.5%) than males (7.5%) were involved in snail marketing in the study area. Majority of the respondents (80.0%) were married while 46.2% were within age bracket of 50-59 years. The result further revealed that 82.5% sourced for capita through personal savings. Per annum profit of N 340,200.00/marketer indicates the profitability of sales. Marketing constraints facing the snail marketers in the study area are price fluctuation, inadequate credit facilities irregular supply and snail mortality. Enhancement of snail marketing can be through cooperative group formation to access credit facilities and good road network provision by government to convey product to market &nbsp

A Study of the Results of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the Nigerian Maritime Workers

Findings have shown that the recent lockdown of the economy and restriction of movements in Nigeria, due to Corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic, seriously affected the Nigerian shipping, Aviation industries, Land transport sector, Financial, Health and Educational sectors. Import and export operations were hampered. The Nigerian maritime workers; mariners and seafarers were mentally and psychologically disturbed. Some were stranded in their various workplaces; aboard ships, platform rigs and stayed beyond their agreed contractual terms. They, therefore, lack social support from their family members and friends. Similarly, they had little or no support from their management, who were more concerned about contract execution than the welfare of their work force.  This paper, however, is supporting the recommendation that the living and working conditions of the Nigerian Maritime workers and seafarers stranded and those whose salary and promotion arrears have not been paid during this pandemic should be given utmost attention. This should include applying pragmatic approach on the facilitation of sea workers’ health insurance schemes and incentives

Post induced abortion morbidity and mortality in Oleh, Nigeria

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the maternal morbidity and mortality among 87patient treated at the Central Hospital, Oleh, Delta State, Nigeria, for complications of induced abortion from January 1st 2004 to December 31st 2008. The total number of maternal admissions and deaths, over the period, were, respectively, 3,680 and 34(8 from induced abortion). Induced abortion accounted for 2.4% and 23.5%, respectively, of the total maternal morbidity (admissions) and mortality. The mean age of the patients was 20.4±5.6years (range of 15 –36years). Majority were, in age group 15 – 19years (71.2%), students/young school leavers (85.1%), unmarried (82.8%), unemployed (89.7%) and had had second trimester abortion (64.4%). It is significant that of those who had second trimester abortion, 66.1% were teenagers. Most (94.3%) of the patients presented with multiple complications which included genital sepsis (94.3%), retained products of conception (90.8%), anaemia (17.2%), pelvic infection with peritonitis (17.2%) and abscess formation (15%), uterine (3.5%) and intestinal (2.3%) perforations. The commonest cause of death (n = 8) was generalised septicaemia (37.5%). Policy makers and health managers should formulate initiatives to prevent unwanted pregnancy including health education/contraceptive utilization and provision of safe abortion services. Keywords: abortion, induced, maternal, morbidity, mortality, law

Prevalence Of Domestic Violence During Pregnancy In Oleh, A Suburban Isoko Community, Delta State, Nigeria

Domestic violence against pregnant women exposes victims to higher risk of pregnancy complications. The aim of this questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence, knowledge and perception of domestic violence amongst 400 consecutive pregnant women attending the ante-natal clinic of Central Hospital, Oleh. The mean age of the respondents was 28 ± 4.3 years (Range 15 – 44years) and, 82% of them attained at least secondary school education. Three hundred and sixty eight (92%) showed complete knowledge of domestic violence. A total of 144 (36%) of the women had experienced domestic violence during pregnancy. Domestic violence experienced were in the forms of verbal (58%), physical (31%) and sexual (11%) abuses. The husband was the commonest offender (92%). Some of the women felt domestic violence in pregnancy was always (12%) or under certain conditions (25%) excusable; and 77% of them would keep domestic violence in pregnancy secret. It is recommended that public awareness, about the inherent dangers associated with this act should be improved. Key words: Domestic violence, pregnant women; suburban communit

Performance Evaluation of Power in GSM BTS in Nigeria Using PV Solar System

In a typical Global System of Mobile (GSM) communications, Base Transceiver Station (BTS); the network security and availability with respect to transmission of network signals is a function of power availability on site. This research project is directly aimed at achieving power availability with minimum overhead expenses in respect of fuel consumption on site’s generators. A solar panel is employed as the main supply of power; energy from the sun is converted into dc form through the use of converters while a filter circuit is designed at the power supply unit to give an output with low harmonics. The converter circuits are arranged in forward and reverse modes such that when the solar panel is fully insolated (charging mode) the forward mode operates, while the reverse mode operates when the circuit is discharging. A buck-boost converter is employed to step-up or down the voltage output needed at the different stages. An isolator circuit is employed in this design to isolate the low voltage path (dc path) from the high voltage path (ac circuit). Simulations of the various circuits in this design were carried out using Matlab Simulink to clearly describe the waveforms expected at each output of the functional blocks. Keywords: Transceiver Station (BTS), Global System of Mobile (GSM), Static converter efficiency, Solar Photovoltaic(PV) energy, Inverter

The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Plantation Agriculture in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

This study was carried out to unveil the impact of rural-urban migration on plantation agriculture productivity in the Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria. Data were collected from 660 rural households and managers/supervisors of 15 selected oil palm, rubber, and cocoa plantations in the Niger-Delta Region. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Most migrants were able bodied young adults. Labor shortage was experienced by all the visited plantations. Due to labor shortages, most of the plantations could not harvest completely. This resulted in foregone revenue for the plantations. Rural-urban migration significantly and positively correlated with labor shortage, incomplete harvesting and foregone revenue. It was recommended that the government should invest in infrastructure development of the rural sector and in cooperation with donors, should encourage engineering departments of our universities to develop simple machines that can compensate for labor shortages in the plantations

Determinants Of Antenatal Care Services Utilization In Emevor Village, Nigeria

Appropriate ante-natal care services promotes safe-motherhood and delivery with improved maternal and neonatal outcome. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the factors influencing the utilization of ante-natal care services in a rural community. Of the 200 women studied, 113 (57%) utilized ante-natal care services during pregnancy while 87 (43%) did not. The difference is not significant (P > 0.05). A majority of the women who attained secondary education (69%), post-secondary education (96%), those whose husbands had secondary education (69%), postsecondary education (82%) and those who had income-yielding occupations (72%) utilized ante-natal care services. While only 36% of full-time housewives, with no other occupation, and 19% of women with a parity of more than 4 children utilized ante-natal care services. It is suggested that low-income, uneducated women with high parity should be targeted for enlightenment; in addition to promoting education of the girl-child and women empowerment. Key words: Ante-natal care, determinants, utilization, rural, Nigeria

Aquaculture, a Component of the Farming Systems among the Fishing Communities in Oil Producing Areas of Delta, Nigeria

Abstract The study focused on ascertaining the relative importance of aquaculture in the farming systems of Oil Producing Areas Delta State, Nigeria. A stratified random sample of 598 households from 47 communities was used. Primary data collected between the months of May 2009 and February 2011 by means of structured questionnaire, complemented by oral were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that 69% of the respondents were into fishing/fish farming either as sole enterprise or in combination with other farming activities while 31% were into non-fish farming activities only. Among those involved in fishing activities, 37% were into capture fisheries, while about 32% were involved in aquaculture either as sole enterprise or in combination with other farming enterprises. The average size of fish pond was about 51 m 2 . The mean household net income from aquaculture per annum was about N91, 542, giving the highest returns on investment of about 45%. The study also found that households practicing aquaculture together with arable cropping generated significantly (P ≤ 0.05) highest net farm income (N127342) than the rest groups of households. The major constraints to aquaculture development were inadequate finance, high cost of feeds and water pollution problems. It was recommended that the current government efforts at boosting investment in aquaculture through microcredit should be stepped up. Local sourcing of feeds by the farmers is also encouraged