Public Debt Management & Fiscal Sustainability in Italy

This paper examines the government finances for Italy to determine if they satisfy the Inter-temporal Budget Constraint (IBC) especially since post-Maastricht. Italy met the convergence criteria in order to be accepted as an EMU country. Arghyrou and Luintel (2005) examine the finances of Italy up to the pre-Maastricht convergence period and find that the finances of Italy showed weak form sustainability demonstrating a Maastricht effect. Standard assumptions have been that Italy’s true position of un-sustainability would be inherent post-Maastricht. This paper examines this issue and finds: (i) that the debt to GDP series shows that the finances of Italy are un-sustainable; (ii) however the government revenue and expenditure show weak form sustainability. This paper also finds a downward trend of the government debt to GDP ratio and a convergence of the government revenue and expenditure in recent times. This implies that the finances of Italy satisfy the IBC and indeed continue to maintain the result of weak sustainability even post-Maastricht.

Things that would not fall apart: appraising Igbo tradition in Achebe’s culture – specific narratives

With the translation of Chinua Achebe‘s novel Things Fall Apart into several languages, scholars have been more preoccupied with investigating how the colonial intrusions affected those cultures. The general assumption is that the customs of the Igbo people have all fallen apart, and perhaps beyond repair. However there are reasons to begin to re-appraise these standpoints. In Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God, the reader perceives how Achebe explores the celebration or performance of certain aspects of the Igbo culture. In the first novel, Things Fall Apart, before the incident considered to be the falling apart interface, the socio-political and religious lives of the people which are part of the human intercourse are highlighted. But much more, they are explored in further thematic intensity in Arrow of God. This is considered to be Achebe‘s objective which is significant in pointing to those Igbo cultural practices which might have been caught in what the author sees as the 'crossroads', yet they are less prone to crumble. It is pertinent to interrogate these elements of culture so as to also provide a yardstick for measuring what may be considered as the patterns of Igbo life which Achebe celebrated.Keywords: Things fall apart, Arrow of God, Igbo cosmology, Cultur

Boundary Conflict Management Strategies in Nigeria: A Critique

The creation of states and administrative sub-units aimed at further developing rural areas in Nigeria has generated new challenges. Ethnic, religious, intra and inter-state boundary conflicts over land ownership and usage, mineral resources royalties and grazing rights between contiguous communities have become prevalent. These conflicts have resulted in loss of lives, destruction of property and internal displacements. This study examined boundary conflicts management strategies in Nigeria within the context of Adadama and Amagu communities border conflict between Cross River and Ebonyi states. Primary data for the study was generated from twenty-five key informant and in-depth interviews with relevant officers of government institutions including the National Boundary Commission, Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Representatives of Cross River and Ebonyi states governments as well as community, women and youth leaders in the two communities. Secondary data for the study were retrieved from relevant publications. Findings indicate that institutional strategies for border conflicts management in Nigeria are strictly administrative mechanisms devoid of win-win outcomes which is the hallmark of conflict management. However, in the specific case of Adadama and Amagu, the two communities established an indigenous Peace Committee to manage grievances arising from the border dispute. The indigenous strategy enhanced tolerance and peaceful co-existence in the two communities. The study recommends hybridization of institutional and indigenous mechanisms in the management of border conflicts in Nigeria. Keywords: Boundary, conflict management strategies, internal boundary DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/13-16-02 Publication date:September 30th 202

An Exploratory Assessment of Interstate Boundary Disputes in Nigeria

The introduction of western model of boundary demarcation by Britain during the colonial era and its sustenance by successive governments in post-colonial Nigeria appears to have made interstate boundary dispute rampant in Nigeria. Successive post-colonial administrations have continued to create more administrative units which in turn implied reinforcing colonial boundaries or demarcating new one. This paper examines the nature/status (disputed or otherwise) of the various interstate boundaries in Nigeria as well as investigates the strategies adopted by National Boundary Commission (NBC) in managing interstate boundary disputes in Nigeria.  This study revealed that out of eighty six (86) interstate boundaries in Nigeria, forty six (46) of these boundaries are disputed; the study further revealed that the NBC’s Interstate Boundaries Technical Committee manages boundary disputes between states in Nigeria through Joint Meeting of Officials (JMO), Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) and Joint Field Team (JFT). Keywords: Boundary, Dispute, Demarcation, Interstate, National Boundary Commission

Manhood patronage as transmutation in the novels of Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo and Chimamanda Adichie

Most deep-seated feminists find writing as a veritable medium for not only reacting to the unpleasant challenges of women, but also for creating female characters who are burdened with revolts  against men. On the other hand, their male characters are rather entrusted with roles that portray their weaknesses. It is this  consideration that has generated the controversies that trailed the institution of feminist discourses in emerging Nigerian literature. However, female writers have begun to consider portraying the flaws of women more than those of men, with the supposition that a less apologetic approach be employed in this regard. They are rather projected to instigate the woman‟s consciousness to the outcome and dividends of self appraisal. In this circumstance, there is a reduction in the vehemence of earlier feminist models. It is with the supposition of such transmutation that this paper  examines the pointers to African female writers‟ enlistment in feminist conciliation, with a focus here on Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo and Chimamanda Adichie. This comes within the  framework of the overall repercussion of the feminist conjectures on the continent‟s literary output.Keywords: Manhood, Feminist writing

The Correlation between Instructional Leadership Capacity of School Principals and Academic Performance of Students in Secondary Schools in South East Nigeria

The correlation between Instructional leadership Capacity of school principals and the academic performance students was carried out to address the continued poor performance of secondary school students in certification examinations in South East Nigeria. It adopted descriptive survey research design. A sample of 162 principals and 1077 teachers were selected through multi stage sampling technique. Questionnaire was used to elicit information from respondents. Major findings of the study showed that school principals’ instructional leadership capacities positively influence the academic performance of students in examinations and they need capacity building in instructional leadership capacities used in the study. Based on the findings government should organize capacity building program to upgrade the instructional leadership capacities of school principals. Keywords: School principals; Instructional Leadership capacity; capacity building of principals; Students academic performanc

Boundary and Land-Related Violent Conflicts and Its Implications on the Education of the Female Child in Igboland: A Case Study of Amagu-Adadama and Aguleri-Umuleri Conflicts

This paper examines boundary and land-related conflicts and its implication on the education of the female child in Igboland using the Amagu-Adadama between Ebonyi and Cross River states and the Umuleri-Aguleri land conflict as case studies.  The paper provides a historical background insight of the conflicts. In addition, the paper discusses the concept of female child education, the need for education of the female child in Igboland and the implications of boundary and land-related conflicts on the education of the girl-child and finally, recommends that government and  families should take steps towards eradicating all obstacles to female child education

Separation of powers: Panacea for good governance in Nigeria

Democracy or Representative Government has been treasured world over as the best system as against despotic or autocratic government and indeed any other form of governmental system that allows the fruits of governance to be manifest and to be felt both by the leaders and the led. Thus, good governance which flows from democracy as a system of government cannot be realizable without some principles or doctrines formulated by some political philosophers which today have been recognized and entrenched into various Constitutions as the oil which lubricates the modern democratic government. This paper examined an aspect of so many of these principles which is ‘Separation of Powers’. It views this doctrine ‘Separation of Powers’ as a panacea for Good Governance in Nigeria. The scope of this paper is limited to this concept of Separation of powers in the light of current issues in Nigerian Democracy relating to vetoing Presidential Assent to a Bill, that is overriding the assent of a President to a Bill, Election sequence Bill Vis-à-vis relevant laws on elections and the Executive Orders/Proclamation of the President. The author concludes with proffering some solutions to the apparent crisis between the Executive and Legislative Arms of Government which sometimes overflows into Judiciary.Keywords: Separation of Powers, Good Governance, Panacea, Nigeria, Constitutio

Prevalence and Pattern of Mobile Gaming among Senior Secondary School Students in a Semi-Urban Town in Nigeria

Background: Excessive mobile gaming among young people has become a global public health issue. This paper aimed to determine the prevalence and  pattern of mobile phone gaming among secondary school students. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 401 secondary school students in Orlu, selected using multistage sampling technique. A  structured self-administered questionnaire was used to acquire information on the socio-demographic characteristics and pattern of gaming. The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) was used to assess problems related to gaming in the last 12 months. Data was entered and  analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 21. Pearson's Chi-square test was used for categorical variables while Students ttest was used for continuous variables. p 0.05 was regarded as significant. Results: Two (0.6%) of the respondents met the criteria for Internet gaming disorder. Three hundred and fifty-seven (89%) respondents had played  mobile games at least once in their lifetime while three hundred and thirteen (78.1%) had played mobile games at least once in the past 12 months. One  hundred and ten respondents (35.1%) had played mobile games nearly every day in the past 12 months. Most respondents, 132 (42.2%) played games  offline. Two hundred and twentynine respondents (73.2%) have betted with others on the outcome of games played. Conclusion: Mobile gaming was common among secondary school students in Orlu, but the rate of gaming disorder was low. Measures targeted at  adolescents should be developed to educate them on the potential dangers of mobile gaming

LIVER ENZYMES IN NORMAL AND SICKLE CELL SUBJECTS

The activity of the liver enzymes, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were compared in serum samples obtained from normal (HbAA), heterozygous (HbAS), and homozygous (HbSS) blood. The enzyme activities (measured in international units, IU per litre) for normal subjects were 8.0 ± 4.0, 11.0 ± 5.0 and 56.0 ± 43.0 respectively for ALT, AST and ALP. While those for sickle cell subjects were 18.0 ± 9.0, 24.0 ± 12.0 and 151.0 ± 21.0 respectively for ALT, AST and ALP. The activities of these were compared during sickle cell crisis and in steady state. Results show that enzyme activities increased during painful crisis. The difference in activities of the enzyme in HbAA and HbAS blood was not statistically significant (p?0.05). ALP showed the highest activity in both normal and sickle cell conditions. In normal and sickle blood, the order of activity of the enzymes was ALP>AST>ALT. ALT, AST and ALP activities of sickle blood ranged from 125 to 135% of the normal. Keywords: alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phospatase, genotype, heterozygous, homozygous, sickle cell, anaemia