Use of Smartphone for Access to Digital Information Resources and Services by University Academics: A Survey of Faculty Members of Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria

The study investigates the use of Smartphone for Digital Information Resources and Services Access by University Academics: A Survey of Faculty Members of Modibbo Adama University, Yola Nigeria. The study was guided by six objectives, six research questions and three hypothesises were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted survey research method. Questionnaire was used as the method of data collection. The population for this study is 648 academics. The study adopted simple random sampling techniques. The collected data was analysed by inferential statistics, and hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance, the study among others revealed that 16.250% mostly used Android phones types of smartphone device mostly used by academics in accessing information resources and services. It revealed that respondents agreed to the items raised on the reasons for using various applications of smartphones by the academics to access information resources and services. It was also revealed that the respondents agreed to the items raised on the challenges faced by academics in accessing information resources and services. The study concludes among others that most of the academics used android phone in accessing the information and digital services also satisfied to the extent with the services. The study recommends among others that the library management should strive and make all information resources and services digitalized in order to make them accessible through digital devices, and management should provide internet with enough bandwidth to curtail the challenges faced by the academics in accessing information resources and service

Balance Performance of Professional Footballers with Long Term Lower Limb Musculoskeletal Injury in Borno State, Nigeria

Balance has been reported to have an effect on athletic performance; therefore impairment in the sense of balance may result in reduced athletic performance. Lower limb musculoskeletal injury (LLMI) is the most common injury found among footballers, and most commonly-cited risk factor for poor balance performance. However, there is a disagreement over balance impairment persisting in Professional footballers with long term LLMI after the initial rehabilitation upon resuming normal sporting activities. This study therefore aimed at determining the BPF of Professional footballers with long term lower limb musculoskeletal injury, the effect of time lapse since occurrence of injury on BPF, compare BPF of injured professional footballers and uninjured footballers and to compare BPF and site/segment of LLMI among Professional footballers in Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria. Sample of convenience was used to recruit 41 professional footballers. The participants comprised of 28(68.3%) injured players (IP) and 14(31.7%) uninjured players (UP) whose ages ranged from 17 to 30 years. Sociodemographic information of age, limb dominance, onset of injury and sites/segments of injury were obtained. Participant’s weight and height were measured using standardized procedure. Balance Performance (BPF) was assessed using the Stork balance stand test. The results indicated that lower balance performance was observed in the injured limb compared to the uninjured limb in IP (P<0.001). BPF was lower in the dominant limb of IP compared with the dominant limb of UP (P<0.001). Time lapse since injury and sites/segments of the LLMI did not have any effect on BPF (P>0.05). It was concluded that balance problems persist in professional footballers with long term LLMI irrespective of time lapse since injury and sites/segments of the LLMI. Coaches and rehabilitation personnel should pay particular attention on balance retraining of players with LLMI using balance exercise programs that will mainly improve/centered on their balance performance. Keywords: Balance performance, Footballers, LLM

Conceptualizing and Contextualizing Underdevelopment

This paper conceptualizes and contextualizes underdevelopment. Methodologically the paper argues that underdevelopment in the third world nations resulted from the negative effects of colonialism and neo-colonialism ie exploitation of their mineral resources, unequal terms trade, imposition of foreign rule and dubious activities of multinational corporations. The paper also argues that the adoption of adjustment programmes by the third world nations has contributed immensely to their underdevelopment. However, the paper holds the view that there are internal dimensions to development of underdevelopment in the third world nations ie widespread corruption, prebendalism, personalization of power, poor leadership and lack of good institutions to discharge social responsibilities efficiently and effectively. The paper concludes that unless corruption is being controlled to the bearest minimum, good leadership installed and exploitative tendencies of international capitalist system controlled through a regulated capitalism third world nations would continue to be underdeveloped. Keywords: Underdevelopment, Colonialism, Neocolonialism, SAP et

A review of FM services for enhancing and provisioning of optimal quality municipal services for local government in Malaysia

Facilities Management services are very significant for effective and efficient service delivery. Facilities Management services is not just to optimize running costs of buildings, but to raise efficiency of the management of space and related assets for people and processes, in order that the mission and goals of the organization may be achieved at the best combination of efficiency and cost. This study reviewed the FM Services for the enhancing and provisioning of optimal quality municipal services of local government in Malaysia. This study shows that FM services are paramount for effective service delivery most especially in local government. But FM services are not much recognized in Malaysia which makes many local government service deliveries inefficient. Indeed, in recent years, the series of services covered within the context of facilities management has been visible as more complex, facilities management has turned into the main operational and technical functions of an organisations. Materials and methods were carried out using secondary data and analyses critically to come up with reliable results. A way forward is that local government authorities should embark on using the FM services by employing staffs that are FM professionals in terms of in-house service delivery and outsourcing for the services that are detriment for the development of local communities. FM and community awareness programs in developmental project and in terms of decision making for any services to be rendered to the populace, local authorities should make sufficient fiscal effort to obtain all the resources that are potentially available to them and accountability should be employ for judicious utilization of financial resources. The research concludes by recommending that Malaysian local authorities should be concerned with their main constitutional responsibilities of provisioning of effective and efficient services based on the needs and wants of the local community through FM services

Review of community participation and FM services contributions toward provisioning of quality municipal services in Malaysian local authorities

Local authorities’ service delivery in recent times has categorised as a function of multiple players. Connecting with stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, employees, and local communities and their needs in an interactive session or communicative process has been classified as significant for successful Facilities Management (FM) services that bridges gaps that exist between those expectations and service provisioning that meets their wants and specific needs. FM will lead curtail wastage, less downtime and improve the bottom line. Beneficiaries of LAs services need to have a say in the decisions relating to the facilities provided, and if possible to take part in its provisioning or development and to manage it after completion. The methodology adopted in this research is secondary sources of data, were article, textbooks and statutory documents were critically reviewed. This study reviewed the community participation and FM services contributions towards enhancing and provisioning quality municipal services of LAs in Malaysia. This study shows that there are enormous benefits that both the LAs and local communities can achieve when community participation and FM services come together as a factor of service delivery. Service delivery changes have been complemented by improved community participation and FM systems. LAs in Malaysia can be successful in public sector service quality through the adoption of a community participation based on FM services approach. The results of this study shows that local government in Malaysia are yet to attain excellent level in times of community participation and FM service approach for adequate service delivery. A way forward lies on LAs to embrace service delivery best practice through synergy between community participation and FM at local levels, LAs should examine the revenue bases and expenditures of their local authorities, and the extent that their differences affect the capacity of local authorities in providing quality municipal services

The Impact of Ethno-Religious Crisis on Location Decisions and Values of Residential Properties in Jos, Nigeria

Location is among the main determinants of residential property value. It has been realised from the existing literature that location could either be tangible or intangible in nature. Tangible location factors include accessibility, transportation, closeness to central business districts etc. On the other hand, intangible location factors are those attributes of location that are invisible in nature. They include race, ethnic background, crime, safety, skin colour, native inclination, apartheid, cultural background, security, religious inclination, socioeconomic background, indigene ship and the like. This study is intended to examine the effect of these intangible location attributes on the values of residential properties in the study area. The data for this research was sourced through interviews, field survey and questionnaires. Tables and charts were employed in order to analyse the data for the research.  Pictures were also taken in order to give pictorial information of what is on ground. In order to arrive at the required sample size for the research, stratified random sampling was adopted. The study area was divided into two clusters, that is, Jos North and Jos South. The outcome of the research revealed that areas that are classified as violent free neighbourhoods command high rental and sales value of land and landed properties. The research discovered that people prefer areas that are predominantly of their religious and ethnic extraction. As a result of that, the residential pattern of the study area was drastically altered. It can be concluded that intangible location attributes play a vital role in dictating the price of land and landed properties. Investors and real estate developers should take into consideration intangible attributes of location when determining the worth of land and landed property in the study area. Keywords: Intangible Location Attributes, Landed Property, Rental Value, Residential Property and Sales Valu

Recent Rainfall Trends and Variability in Sudano- Sahelian Region of Nigeria (1986- 2015)

It was speculated that the droughts of the 1970s and 1980s that ravaged the Sahelian region of West Africa had ended following the occurrence of floods of different magnitudes in the last fifteen years or so which necessitated the need to re-examine the rainfall conditions in the region. Monthly rainfall data of five meteorological stations in the region were collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) over the period 1986-2015 and analyzed for trends and variability using linear regression model and coefficient of variation (C.V.%). A significant upward trend was found in annual regional rainfall composite of the region with similar patterns in annual rainfall series at all selected stations except Sokoto. The patterns of annual rainfall trend at individual stations did not reflect the patterns in their individual months. Further result showed that, annual rainfall was less variable in 1996-2005 decade at both Sokoto and Nguru stations while it was highly variable at Kano and Nguru in 1985-1995 decade. The observed rainfall patterns could be linked to dynamics of rain-producing systems in the region. The study has contributed to a deeper understanding of the recent changing rainfall patterns in the Sudano-Sahelian region of Nigeria. The implication of this study is that the climate change adaptation and mitigation policies designed based on apparent decline in rainfall from the late 1960s through 1980s need to be revisited and possibly replaced with new ones reflecting the current reality of increased rainfall in the region

Free Cash Flow and Investment Efficiency of Listed Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria

Purpose- This study aims to determine the relationship between free cash flow and investment efficiency of quoted manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Design- An accounting-based model developed by Richardson (2006) was employed to measure investment efficiency and free cash flow. The population of the study consist of all the listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Similarly, the purposive sampling technique was employed to arrive at forty-eight companies for 2008-2018. Findings- The results of the study confirm the agency theory of free cash flow. Hence, it established that there is a positive and robust relationship between free cash flow and overinvestment. Practical Implications- the findings of this study has practical implications to various group of users of financial information such as investors, policymakers and other stakeholders in the listed manufacturing sector in Nigeria. The study recommends that policymakers reduce the cost of debt, and likewise, managers should emphasize the facilitation of equity capital. Originality- To the best of the researcher's knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between free cash flow and investment efficiency in Nigeria

Intangible Elements of Uncertainty in Property Valuation: Theoretical Underpinning

There has been a considerable and significant number of researches that looked into the uncertainty and risk of valuation process in various parts of the world, especially in the US and the UK. Early research tended to focus on the tangible methods used by valuers. In recent times, research has concentrated on anticipated risk that could be encountered in carrying out valuations and the way that valuation information is processed. The summary of the previous researches skip over a further latent and potential influence: that of the influence of intangible elements of uncertainty and risk on property valuation and the transaction which might follow The aim of this paper is to examine the effect of intangible elements of uncertainty in property valuation and also to have a thorough understanding of the risk inherent in property valuations. The main research questions that this study seeks to address include: What precisely are intangible elements of uncertainty with regard to valuations? How could intangible elements of uncertainty in property valuation be minimized and dealt with? To what extent do intangible elements of uncertainty affect and influence property valuation? And should there be a general approach of anticipating and forecasting intangible elements of uncertainty in property valuation? A mixture of self-administered questionnaires and in-depth personal interviews were considered most appropriate as data collection instrument for this research due to the advantages derivable from both approaches. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be employed to interpret and explain the associations found among the variables. This is a paper in progress and as such the expected outcomes of the study might suggest that the series of comparable evidence available is the most common factor that will affect a valuation certainty. Risk and uncertainty could be inherent parts of the valuation process as regularly the valuer is unable to identify and price correctly all existing and future influences on the value of the asset. It is recommended that the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) should build up a standard methodology and approach to uncertainty expression, not only for the valuer’s peace of mind, but in order to offer the most excellent and promising service to the general community. Keywords: Intangible Elements, Property, Risk, Uncertainty and Valuatio

Sentiment Analysis in the Era of Web 2.0: Applications, Implementation Tools and Approaches for the Novice Researcher

Nowadays, people find it easier to express opinions via social media-formally known as Web 2.0. Sentiment analysis is an essential field under natural language processing in Computer Science that deals with analyzing people's opinions on the subject matter and discovering the polarity they contain. These opinions could be processed in collective form (as a document) or segments or units as sentences or phrases. Sentiment analysis can be applied in education, research optimization, politics, business, education, health, science and so on, thus forming massive data that requires efficient tools and techniques for analysis. Furthermore, the standard tools currently used for data collection, such as online surveys, interviews, and student evaluation of teachers, limit respondents in expressing opinions to the researcher's surveys and could not generate huge data as Web 2.0 becomes bigger. Sentiment analysis techniques are classified into three (3): Machine learning algorithms, lexicon and hybrid. This study explores sentiment analysis of Web 2.0 for novice researchers to promote collaboration and suggest the best tools for sentiment data analysis and result efficiency. Studies show that machine learning approaches result in large data sets on document-level sentiment classification. In some studies, hybrid techniques that combine machine learning and lexicon-based performance are better than lexicon. Python and R programming are commonly used tools for sentiment analysis implementation, but SentimentAnalyzer and SentiWordnet are recommended for the novice. Keywords:   Sentiment Analysis; Web 2.0; Applications; Tools; Novic