Nationalising Intangible Cultural Heritage in Nigeria for Optimised Cultural Tourism: The Zangbeto Model

This paper evaluates developments in the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) discourse with particular reference to Nigeria, with a view to identifying  challenges to its proper conservation and management on the one hand, and projecting its potential for optimised cultural tourism on the other. Along with an overview of the ICH industry in Nigeria, the Zangbeto masked tradition of the Ogu of south-western Nigeria was proposed as an  example of the nation’s many intangible cultural heritage models and expressions that could be engineered through nationalisation for enhanced cultural tourism, national development and unity, and international collaboration. Through a triangulation of the phenomenological and case study approaches, complemented by a hermeneutical investigation of some significant themes on the subject, this paper explored the background to the UNESCO Convention on ICH and the attendant conceptual developments and critical junctures in the ICH discourse. It also examined the issue of ICH’s under representation in micro and macro strategies for social and economic development, reconceptualise nationalisation to accommodate specific anthropological concerns, and went on to propose a nationalisation-based analysis and management framework for the celebration, evaluation, effective conservation, preservation and management of Nigeria’s ICH with the Zangbeto tradition as a cultural model. Key Words: Nationalisation; Zangbeto; Intangible Cultural Heritage; Cultural Tourism;Analysis and Management Frameworks

Design and implementation of a density-based traffic light control with surveillance system

Traffic congestion especially at road intersections is becoming an issue for which road traffic users contend with daily. The conventional traffic light applies a fixed logic of allocating equal “GO” time to lanes of traffic at road intersections irrespective of the density of traffic on each lane. Using the PIC18F4550 microcontroller interfaced with infrared sensors, a new traffic light control system was developed to ease the flow of traffic at a particular troubled spot in Uyo Metropolis (Abak Road, Udo Eduok, Udo Obio streets intersection) in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Simulation of the proposed design was performed using the Proteus Software while implementation was carried out on a prototype. Performance evaluation of the prototype implemented showed that the 4 arrays (IR Transmitter and Receiver) of infrared sensors interfaced with the microcontroller using AND gates and strategically positioned to read the density of traffic on each lane at the intersection triggered when a vehicle comes between the transmitter and the receiver. Obtaining inputs from these sensors together with the logic from the microcontroller, a new traffic light control system was developed capable of controlling traffic based on the density of each lane of traffic. Results obtained from simulation and implementation of the design indicates that the traffic control system with the PIC18F4550 microcontroller and the infrared sensors gives a better performance compared to the conventional traffic light control system.Keywords: Road traffic density, Traffic light, Uyo metropolis, ‘+’ road intersection, Proteu

Adsorption of Cu2+, As3+ and Cd2+ ions from aqueous solution by eggshell

The adsorption of Cu2+, Cd2+ and As3+ ions on eggshell from aqueous solution was studied under batch conditions at 30, 40, 50 and 60oC and concentrations of 10, 20, 30, 60 and 80 mg/l. The partition coefficient for the ions between aqueous solution and chicken eggshell increased with time and with increase in the concentration of metal ions in solution, but decreased with increase in temperature which is suggestive of physical adsorption on the eggshell. Activation energies of 8.50, 9.25 and 11.74 kJmol-1 were obtained for the adsorption of Cu2+, As3+ and Cd2+ respectively which also suggest physical adsorption. Sorption of As3+ and Cd2+ from solution onto the eggshell adsorbent was found to follow pseudo-first order mechanism while that of Cu2+ was found to follow the pseudo-second order mechanism. Experimental data obtained for the adsorption of the metal ions by eggshell fit the Freundlich adsorption isotherm

Interpretações feministas na África

This article aims the specificities of Biblical Feminists Interpretations in the African context.Unlike Euro-American feminist project, Okure emphasizes the importance of feminists readings in Africa involve race and class in addition to gender and sex, after all, the survival of African peoples is an urgent point. Meanwhile, the understanding of a 'feminist' project is enlarged to include also men in struggles for transformation. The author also points out, among others, the intersections between biblical text and African culture in a hermeneutics ‘from women’s perspective’.Este artículo tiene por objetivo las especificidades de las interpretaciones bíblicas feministas en el contexto africano. A diferencia del proyecto feminista euro-americano, Okure destaca la importancia de las lecturas feministas en África envolvieren raza y clase, además de género y de sexo, después de todo, la supervivencia de los pueblos africanos es un punto de urgencia. Mientras tanto, la comprensión de un proyecto ‘feminista’ se amplía al incluir también a los hombres en las luchas por la transformación. La autora señala también, entre otras, las intersecciones entre el texto bíblico y la cultura africana en una hermenéutica "desde la perspectiva de las mujeres".O artigo objetiva as especificidades das interpretações bíblicas feministas no contexto africano. Ao contrário do projeto feminista euro-americano, Okure enfatiza a importância de leituras feministas na África envolverem, para além do gênero e sexo, questões de raça e classe, afinal, a sobrevivência dos povos africanos é um ponto urgente. Nesse ínterim, a compreensão de um projeto ‘feminista’ é alargada, ao incluir igualmente os homens nas lutas por transformação. A autora ainda ressalta, entre outros, as intersecções entre texto bíblico e cultura africana em uma hermenêutica ‘ a partir da perspectiva de mulheres’

Use of solar concentrators for steam generation in industrial processes

Izael Pereira Da Silva; Mackay Okure – Makerere University – Kampala - UgandaSteam plays a substantial role in several industrial processes and is usually required in significant amounts to enable continuous production in beverages, dairies, flower farms, and many other agro-processing industries. Currently, the predominant method for steam generation in such industries is by using furnace oil to fire boilers that generate the required steam. This technique has negative environmental and economical consequences, whose impact is felt especially in developing countries like Uganda. In order to become competitive both locally and internationally, there is need to develop a sustainable technology, which is economically viable, environmentally friendly and provides the steam requirements appropriate for the various industrial applications mentioned above. The solar technology will utilize the considerably high insolation of Uganda which is approximated at 157kWh/m2per month. This insolation is ten times more than that in London and seven times more than that in Vienna or Berlin. This paper reports on the development of a solar water heater concentrator for use in industries in Uganda. The issues tackled in this work are: different reflective materials, heating fluids, the combination of hybrid flat collector-cum-concentrator, solar tracking possibilities versus static ones, heat power measurement and parabolic design, and economical viability study It is expected that this study, done in cooperation with Solar Construct (U), will create capacity to have this type of solar-powered water heater produced and utilized in Uganda to partially replace furnace oil boilers as a more economical alternative.Steam plays a substantial role in several industrial processes and is usually required in significant amounts to enable continuous production in beverages, dairies, flower farms, and many other agro-processing industries. Currently, the predominant method for steam generation in such industries is by using furnace oil to fire boilers that generate the required steam. This technique has negative environmental and economical consequences, whose impact is felt especially in developing countries like Uganda. In order to become competitive both locally and internationally, there is need to develop a sustainable technology, which is economically viable, environmentally friendly and provides the steam requirements appropriate for the various industrial applications mentioned above. The solar technology will utilize the considerably high insolation of Uganda which is approximated at 157kWh/m2 per month. This insolation is ten times more than that in London and seven times more than that in Vienna or Berlin. This paper reports on the development of a solar water heater concentrator for use in industries in Uganda. The issues tackled in this work are: different reflective materials, heating fluids, the combination of hybrid flat collector-cumconcentrator, solar tracking possibilities versus static ones, heat power measurement and parabolic design, and economical viability study It is expected that this study, done in cooperation with Solar Construct (U), will create capacity to have this type of solar-powered water heater produced and utilized in Uganda to partially replace furnace oil boilers as a more economical alternativ

A Framework for Intelligent Inventory Prediction in Small and Medium- Scale Enterprise

The aim of this research is to apply an intelligent technique to predict optimal inventory quantity in small and medium-scale enterprise. This is in view of the fact that the conventional models such as the EOQ model use only deterministic while some decision variables are non- deterministic in nature. Forecasted average demand of items for ten months in a small-scale retail outlet was collected and trained using an Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) of 5 neurons in the input layer with eight neurons in the first hidden layer and four neurons in the second hidden layer. Two feed-forward training algorithms of quasi-newton and quick propagation were employed in the training with the results of fuzzy logic technology found in the literature as the target output. Results obtained show that the quasi-newton algorithm covaries stronger with the fuzzy logic results than the quick propagation results. The objective and subjective feelings of the inventory manager were also captured to optimise the results of the training. The study is at a framework stage and will proceed to implementation level when more datasets are collected. Data collection in a small-scale outlet is a daunting task as record keeping is hardly done. The inclusion of non-deterministic circumstances such as emotional and objective feelings of the inventory manager to predict inventory is novel considering the fact that studies in the available intelligent inventory prediction have not employed such variables in their predictions. Keywords: Artificial Neural networks, Fuzzy logic, Quasi newton, Quick propagation, EOQ, Inventory, Forecast. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-2-03 Publication date: January 31st 202

A framework for intelligent inventory prediction in small and medium- scale enterprise.

The aim of this research is to apply an intelligent technique to predict optimal inventory quantity in small and medium-scale enterprise. This is in view of the fact that the conventional models such as the EOQ model use only deterministic while some decision variables are non-deterministic in nature. Forecasted average demand of items for ten months in a small-scale retail outlet was collected and trained using an Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) of 5 neurons in the input layer with eight neurons in the first hidden layer and four neurons in the second hidden layer. Two feed-forward training algorithms of quasi-newton and quick propagation were employed in the training with the results of fuzzy logic technology found in the literature as the target output. Results obtained show that the quasi-newton algorithm covaries stronger with the fuzzy logic results than the quick propagation results. The objective and subjective feelings of the inventory manager were also captured to optimise the results of the training. The study is at a framework stage and will proceed to implementation level when more datasets are collected. Data collection in a small-scale outlet is a daunting task as record keeping is hardly done. The inclusion of non-deterministic circumstances such as emotional and objective feelings of the inventory manager to predict inventory is novel considering the fact that studies in the available intelligent inventory prediction have not employed such variables in their predictions

A bibliometric analysis of biomedical research productivity in Africa South of Sahara 2010- 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze biomedical research productivity in Africa South of Sahara indexed in Scopus. Using a retrospective bibliometric analysis with Scopus databases, data covering 2010-2022 from 41 South of Sahara countries was retrieved and analysed using H-Index, webometrics and impact factor. The results show that the biomedical research output by Africa South of Sahara was 2,207 documents, almost half (1,087) from South Africa alone followed by Nigeria (282), Kenya (236) and Uganda (193). The least was Somalia, one (01) document. Overall, the University of Cape Town in South Africa had the highest publications (269) as compared to other researchers. Out of the 193 documents published in Uganda, Makerere University had the highest (93). Bekker, Linda-Gail from the University of Cape Town registered the highest H-index of 82. COVID 19 pandemic as topic, attracted publishing of 1,666 documents. The overall analysis reveals that research productivity was more on cure, treatment and less on prevention measures, diagnosis and drug safety. The practical implications highlight that the study provide valid method of measuring the research productivity trends, gaps for aiding research direction, policy, decision, funds allocation and evaluation. The study identified the biomedical research patterns and brings out the gaps in the discipline for further research

Wood Gasification in Uganda – Is this a solution for the Energy Crisis? Hard facts from installed units

Wood Gasification in Uganda – Is this a solution for the Energy Crisis? Hard facts from installed unitsThere is urgent need to increase Uganda’s electricity supply and more importantly reduce the country’s dependence on the presently meager hydro electric power generation. Uganda is a growing economy with an average GDP growth rate estimated at 6.4% per annum. Economic growth is matched by growth in energy demands; fortunately we have a number of options at our disposal. Of interest to the country is harnessing electricity from biomass. In small scale this can be done by gasification of the biomass. There are already some players in this sector of energy in Uganda. Musizi Tea Estate/James Finlay Uganda Limited has a 205 kW wood gasification unit. Yet another small unit belongs to Kasenge Electricity Power owned by a retired British civil engineer, Brian Frawley. A 10 kW unit generates electricity by wood gasification. Nonetheless gasification is a complex process when compared with diesel genset electricity generation, maintenance is rather intensive. High level engineering and technical skills are require on a full time basis. This is lacking at the moment. In addition, the fuel supply chain has to be sustainable and it may require some added costs and organization, etc. In an attempt to address these constraints CREEC, Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation has developed a program to work with these pioneers to sustain the units and make viable the technology. It is also exploring alternative fuels such as agricultural residues. This paper presents experiences from the use of gasification to meet small scale electricity generation using this technology and proposes some strategies for small scale gasification systems implementation

Sentiment analysis of electronic word of mouth (E-WoM) on e-learning.

The proliferation of social media and the internet has given people many opportunities to air their views and to be at liberty to say what they feel without hindrance. This is beneficial to commercial organizations and the general well-being of the populace. However, the cost of this freedom is that spamming is practiced with little or no control. This chapter focuses on the electronic word of mouth (eWOM) of opinion holders and the sentiments expressed in eWOM. One of the areas of life impacted by sentiment is electronic learning because it has become a prevalent mode of learning. The study aims to analyze eWOM on e-learning which can help in identifying learners' sentiments. Findings from three thousand tweets show more neutral sentiments, followed by positive sentiments. Suggestions and recommendations as well as the future directions for sentiment analysis of eWOM on e-learning are also discussed in this chapter