The Church and Entrepreneurship – Hope for the Youth in Nigeria

The informal sector is termed to be vibrant because it accounts for one-third of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and creates 90% of new jobs globally. In Nigeria, the situation is not different, yet the government has failed to effectively harness the potentials of entrepreneurs (those who work and own businesses in this sector) and link them to the real sector. This continues to undermine the potential for economic growth and relegate the youth who often seek refuge in this sector. The main thrust of this paper, therefore, is to challenge the Church as a model and vital social institution to use its gifts, resources and experiences to help young people become useful citizens. The recommendations that were made include: (a) that the church should facilitate the on-going reforms in the financial sector with the aim of reducing the obstacles in obtaining soft loans. The church should influence government policy to properly stream-line an efficient process of registering a business or enterprise with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)

The church in Nigeria and political economy of youth unemployment : a pragmatic approach

Nigeria has over 57% of its population as youths. The nation is rich in human and mineral resources, yet the level of youth unemployment continues to rise and to pose serious socioeconomic and political threats. The aim of this study was to highlight the strong link between the high level of youth unemployment and the rising tide of violence and criminalization of the public space in Nigeria. In other words, we argued that the youth routinely took out their frustrations in violent and criminal forms. The study was set in Aba, city of Abia state, which is arguably the largest commercial town in the south-east region of Nigeria. It is also synonymous with violent and criminal social breakdowns. This empirical study adopted a multi-phase sampling technique for the data collection procedure, including the distribution of questionnaires, extensive library research and personal observation. By implication, both primary and secondary sources were used. The results show that youth unemployment was on the increase and government efforts alone were inadequate to solve the problem. In conclusion, the all-hands-on-deck approach was advocated. This entailed that the visibility of the church at almost every level of community life, especially at the grass-root level must be used as a vital platform to reach the people. Thus, it was recommended that the church should actively tap into the multifarious professional capacities of her members and use them as resource persons to creatively tackle the problem of youth unemployment. CONTRIBUTION: This article contributes to the concept ‘faith seeking understanding’. It includes a systematic and practical reflection, within a paradigm in which the intersection of social sciences and theology generates a transdisciplinary contested discourse.http://www.hts.org.zapm2021Practical Theolog

National Security and Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria since 1999: Implication for the Vision 20:2020

Global terrorism constitutes a veritable threat to international peace and security. On the other hand, Nigeria has witnessed sustained attacks through militancy and other forms of insurgency orchestrated by different groups since the inception of the 4th Republic in 1999. The operations of these armed groups with varying and conflictual ideological, political and ethno-religious agenda have become ominous to Nigeria’s quest of joining the league of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020 as encapsulated in the Vision 20:2020 Economic Transformation Blueprint. This paper, therefore, examines the implication of militancy on the actualisation of the Vision 20:2020. Using the Radical Approach to National Security, the paper concludes that the answer to the national security question, sustainable economic development and the Vision 20:2020 is hinged on the welfare and security of the people. The paper recommends the formulation and effective implementation of populist policies and programmes capable of addressing the underlying causes of insurgency in Nigeria. These would invariably place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development thereby boosting its prospect of actualizing the Vision 20:2020. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n5p12

Cervical cancer risk factors among HIV-infected Nigerian women

Background: Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women worldwide, and in Nigeria it is the second most common female cancer. Cervical cancer is an AIDS-defining cancer; however, HIV only marginally increases the risk of cervical pre-cancer and cancer. In this study, we examine the risk factors for cervical pre-cancer and cancer among HIV-positive women screened for cervical cancer at two medical institutions in Abuja, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 2,501 HIV-positive women participating in the cervical cancer screen-and-treat program in Abuja, Nigeria consented to this study and provided socio-demographic and clinical information. Log-binomial models were used to calculate relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for the risk factors of cervical pre-cancer and cancer. Results: There was a 6% prevalence of cervical pre-cancer and cancer in the study population of HIV-positive women. The risk of screening positivity or invasive cancer diagnosis reduced with increasing age, with women aged 40 years and older having the lowest risk (RR=0.4; 95%CI=0.2–0.7). Women with a CD4 count of 650 per mm3 or more also had lower risk of screening positivity or invasive cancer diagnosis (RR=0.3, 95%CI=0.2–0.6). Other factors such as having had 5 or more abortions (RR=1.8, 95%CI=1.0–3.6) and the presence of other vaginal wall abnormalities (RR=1.9, 95%CI=1.3–2.8) were associated with screening positivity or invasive cancer diagnosis. Conclusion: The prevalence of screening positive lesions or cervical cancer was lower than most previous reports from Africa. HIV-positive Nigerian women were at a marginally increased risk of cervical pre-cancer and cancer. These findings highlight the need for more epidemiological studies of cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions among HIV-positive women in Africa and an improved understanding of incidence and risk factors

Association between Intensity of Information and Communication Technology usage and Quality of Sleep Among School-aged children

This thesis describes the association between the intensity of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) usage and the quality of sleep among school-aged children. The increase in usage of ICT in the recent years has been discussed as a potential contributor to certain health and behavioral challenges in previous literature. A cross- sectional study was conducted in five school in a large city in Finland with 74 subjects (age  10 to 14), involving questionnaires, diary, and ambulatory recording of heart rate variability (Holter monitor). The sleep quality of participants in the two categories of ICT usage (high and low) was obtained and analyzed. The study showed a difference in sleep quality between high and low ICT user, when analyzed with the standard deviation of all normal sinus R-R internal (SDNN) measure of heart rate variability. However, analysis with root mean square of successive normal sinus R-R interval difference (RMSSD was insignificant. The results suggest that, low ICT users seem to have a higher parasympathetic dominance during sleep. Thus, indicating a more restorative and better quality of sleep. It would be useful to investigate further the adverse effects of intensive use of information and communication technology especially among school-aged children and implement measures to reduce associated risks. Asiasanat:ICT, heart rate variability, sleep quality, children

Association between Intensity of Information and Communication Technology usage and Quality of Sleep Among School-aged children

This thesis describes the association between the intensity of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) usage and the quality of sleep among school-aged children. The increase in usage of ICT in the recent years has been discussed as a potential contributor to certain health and behavioral challenges in previous literature. A cross- sectional study was conducted in five school in a large city in Finland with 74 subjects (age  10 to 14), involving questionnaires, diary, and ambulatory recording of heart rate variability (Holter monitor). The sleep quality of participants in the two categories of ICT usage (high and low) was obtained and analyzed. The study showed a difference in sleep quality between high and low ICT user, when analyzed with the standard deviation of all normal sinus R-R internal (SDNN) measure of heart rate variability. However, analysis with root mean square of successive normal sinus R-R interval difference (RMSSD was insignificant. The results suggest that, low ICT users seem to have a higher parasympathetic dominance during sleep. Thus, indicating a more restorative and better quality of sleep. It would be useful to investigate further the adverse effects of intensive use of information and communication technology especially among school-aged children and implement measures to reduce associated risks. Asiasanat:ICT, heart rate variability, sleep quality, children

Nutritive Value of Nigerian Tigernut (Cyperus Esculentus L.)

The proximate, mineral, vitamin and amino acids composition of tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) flour were determined using standard analytical techniques. The physicochemical characteristics of the oil were also investigated. The proximate composition of the raw tubers was, crude protein (8.07±0.37%), crude fat (24.3±0.58%), crude fiber (24.0±1.58%), ash (1.80±0.10%) and carbohydrate (30.0%), while that of the roasted tubers was, crude protein (6.80±0.89%), crude fat (25.2±0.10%), crude fiber (23.3±0.58%), ash (1.78±0.10%), and carbohydrate (31.7%). The minerals (mg/100g) of the raw tubers included sodium (34.13±1.53), calcium (100.0±2.65), iron (4.12±0.10), zinc (3.98±0.31), potassium (486.0±59.9), magnesium (94.4±1.28), copper (0.92±0.05), manganese (0.26±0.01) and phosphorus (219.0±10.0). The roasted tubers on the other hand contained (mg/100g) sodium (34.1±1.44), calcium (99.9±2.86), iron (4.11±0.26), zinc (3.96±0.50), magnesium (96.0±0.68), copper (0.88±0.15), manganese (0.30±0.02) and phosphorus (217.0±12.1). The vitamins (mg/100g) in the raw tubers included vitamin A (0.21±0.01), vitamin C (7.30±0.97), vitamin D (0.42±0.02) and vitamin A (0.21±0.01), while the roasted tuber contained vitamin A (0.20±0.01), vitamin C (4.59±0.09), vitamin D (0.41±0.01) and vitamin E (0.57±0.10). Amino acid analysis revealed that tigernut flour contained nutritionally important essential amino acids though in small quantities. The first and second limiting amino acids were leucine (0.07) and lysine (0.08). The result of the physicochemical properties of the tigernut tuber oil showed the color to be golden brown, refractive index (1.464), specific gravity (0.965), acid value (0.81±0.03 mgKOH/g), saponification value (210.15±1.67 mgKOH/g), iodine value (89.33±1.46 mgIodine/g), peroxide value (1.01±0.01 MeqO2/kg), free fatty acids (0.41 mg/g), ester value (209.34 mgKOH/g). These values indicated that the tuber oil is edible, non-drying and suitable for soap making. Keywords: Tigernut, Cyperus esculentus, nutritive composition, physicochemical characteristic

Motivating Scientific Research and Development:

Scientific research is an important aspect of the function of a university lecturer. It is how he/she carries out this function that determines his/her relevance in the university system and indeed in the scientific community as a whole. Scientific research or investigation may be divided into four sections: mental exercise, investigation of new ideas and principles; improvement of old ideas and principles to conform with the dynamic conditions of nature; and application of established ideas and principles for the benefit of mankind. The university lecturer. as a researcher, has therefore to engage in these areas of scientific endeavour in order to rise above the ordinary teacher and be relevant in this new millennium. Many university lecturers are eager to engage in scientific research and development. But their efforts have often been vitiated by lack of: adequate conditions for the promotion of interaction with experts; attraction of research grants; establishment of fora for promoting national and international consciousness for research and development; and training and nurturing of young researchers who will continue the research and development culture. In the 1970s Africa had no articulated programmes on lipid research and development and there was 1ittle or no dissemination of information on lipid research unlike in other continents of the world where lipid programmes and activities were well established. There was therefore the need to inform and motivate research scientists in Africa on lipid studies. This paper has therefore presented my research and development experience in lipid studies which I has spanned over two and a half decades, and has been able to motivate research scientists. Some of the , areas that are relevant pertain to the fact that during this period of research and development I have been able to: (i) Interact with experts in lipid studies at international conferences and association meetings in many parts of the world to be able to teach my younger colleagues new developments in the area of lipids. (ii) Attract research grants from national and international organizations to be able to investigate and research on different aspects of lipids, and widen my research horizon and those of my research students. (iii) Establish national and international organizations for promoting consciousness on lipids. One of these organizations, the African Lipid Biochemists Association was responsible for organizing the African Conferences on the Biochemistry of Lipids which were held in 1988 and 1990. (iv) Train and nurture research and development scientists in the area of lipid and lipoprotein research. Some of my students and trained researchers are now very senior members of academic staff in different universities. The significant finding in these my lipid studies is that there are numerous conditions in Africa that limit research and development. Some of these conditions include: lack of adequate information on research and development activities and results; lack of adequate funding for research and development; political and social instability; and lack of appropriate manpower for research and development activities. The way forward for research and development is that African researchers must keep pace with developments that are going on in other parts of the world. The African governments, industries and organizations must pay more attention to research and development and support scientific activities and Associations. There must also be social and political stability for research and development to thrive. In addition to the above conditions there must be in place able and capable leadership in all areas of endeavour, be it in the government, in institutions of higher learning, in scientific organizations and associations for effective improvement in research and development in this new millennium. For the educational system in particular there must be educational curricula, in the post secondary levels, that emphasize research and development. It is only by implementing the above recommendations that Africa can be relevant and survive in this 21st century. Bio-Research Vol.1(1) 2003: 15-2