Yorùbá Proverbs and Musicality

This paper attempted to establish some links between traditional Yorùbá instrumental music and instrumentation or performance with proverbs. Eleven Yorùbá proverbs that reflect either vocal or instrumental performance were collected, categorized and analysed according to their respective functionalities among members of this ethnic group. The analyses revealed that, among other things, Yorùbá proverbs could be used to emphasise the importance of collaboration of music with other performing arts, express a relationship between the musical instrument combination and the concept of family co-existence, uphold the use of musical instruments as a communicative and panegyric tool, and emphasize the universality of Yorùbá aesthetic value on speech and music

Effect of Poverty on Risk Attitude of Rural Women Investors in Osun State, Nigeria

In investments, profit is the main reward for risk bearing. A riskless business may promote poverty. Poverty influences the capacities and willingness to acquire new knowledge and apply new technologies. This study sought mainly to determine the effect of poverty on risk attitude of rural women investors. The study area was Osun state. A three stage sampling technique was used for selection of respondents. Data were generated from both primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaire was the main tool used to collect primary data for the study. Data collected from 75 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Foster Greer Thorbecke poverty measures, the Multi item scale and multinomial logit regression analysis. Result showed that 58.67% of the respondents were poor and the depth and extent of poverty is 19.53% using the international US$1 per day per person as poverty line. Furthermore, the study revealed that, 50.6% of the respondents were risk averse, 38.7% were risk preferring while 10.7% were risk neutral. Further analysis showed that age and level of poverty were major determinants of risk attitudes. Any attempt to insure the women investors’ business should take account of the poverty levels and age of these women

Empirical Analysis Of Agricultural Production And Inflation Rate In Nigeria (1970- 2006)

Agriculture was known to be one of the major contributors to national development, but suffering from neglect has resulted to heart-aching inflation in Nigeria. Inflation in Nigeria of the recent has been attributed to high food prices. Increasing population growth has also rendered the growth in agricultural sector insignificant resulting to a little rise in output level. This study therefore analyzed the Nigerian agricultural production and inflation rate and examines their linkage and dimension. Time series data from 1970 to 2006 were employed for this study. The analytical techniques employed are descriptive statistics and Granger Causality model. The result revealed that there were variations in the trend of both inflation rate and agricultural output. The change in agricultural output (inventory change) caused inflation during the 1970-2006 period and not vice-versa. The result showed that there is direct relationship between agricultural output change and inflation rate. In addition, increase in previous year's inventory change of agricultural production increases inflation rate. Consequently, policies that can absorb the excess in agricultural output inventory thus resulting into food prices and inflation stability are recommended.Keywords: Agricultural production, Inflation, Empirical analysis, Granger Causalit

Maternal ophthalmic artery Doppler velocimetry in pre-eclampsia in Southwestern Nigeria

Richard Busayo Olatunji,1 Ademola Joseph Adekanmi,1 Millicent Olubunmi Obajimi,1 Olumuyiwa Adebola Roberts,2 Temitope Olumuyiwa Ojo3 1Department of Radiology, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, 3Department of Community Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) poses a serious challenge to maternal and fetal health in Africa. It is associated with hemodynamic changes that may affect the internal carotid/ophthalmic artery circulation with consequent neuro-ophthalmic manifestations. Ophthalmic artery Doppler (OAD) ultrasound is an important tool that can be used to detect hemodynamic changes in PE and monitor its severity. In this study, we evaluated hemodynamic changes on OAD ultrasound in the ophthalmic arteries of pre-eclamptic women and compared these with values in healthy pregnant women. Methods: OAD parameters, such as, peak systolic velocity, peak diastolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, pulsatility index, and peak ratio, were measured on transorbital triplex ultrasound scan with a 7–10 MHz multifrequency linear transducer in 42 consenting pre-eclamptic patients and 41 pregnant controls matched for maternal age, gestational age, and parity at the Department of Radiology, University College Hospital, Ibadan. Univariate, bivariate, and receiver operating characteristic curve data analyses were performed. P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Mean resistivity index, pulsatility index, and peak systolic velocity were significantly lower in pre-eclamptic patients than in the controls. Mean peak diastolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and peak ratio were significantly higher in the pre-eclamptic group. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the resistivity index (sensitivity 75%, specificity 77.8%) could distinguish mild from severe PE while the peak ratio (sensitivity 90.5%, specificity 81.3%) could accurately detect PE. Conclusion: OAD ultrasound can be used to monitor patients with PE for early detection of progression to severe forms before cerebral complications develop. OAD screening of patients at high risk for PE can also detect early changes of hemodynamic derangement. Keywords: ophthalmic artery, hemodynamic changes, ultrasound, Doppler parameter