The media, ethnicity and religion as determinants of failed republics in Nigeria

This paper analyses the covert influence of ethnicity and religion on the media and voting in Nigerian elections and demonstrates how previous Nigerian republics have been hindered because of the impact of ethnic disservice and election crises, thereby providing opportunities for the military to topple each of those failed civilian administrations. Unfortunately, the press could not play a meaningful role in the 1964/65 election crises because the leaders of the factional groups in those conflicts were equally the owners of the early newspapers. So, they simply converted their papers into channels for fighting wars of personal vendetta. In fact, ethnic rivalry and religious intolerance are today the two major sources of conflict in Nigerian politics. For these reasons the paper advises the media to avoid playing the role of an advocate in the support of individuals and governmental agencies as well as ethnic nationality whose aims and objectives are inimical to the national interest and religious tolerance among the Nigerian public

New Media and the Arab Spring of 2011

About media and the Arab sprin

A synthesis of the role of media reports and elections in Nigerian democracy

This paper examines the interplay between the media and the elections in Nigeria, and discusses some of the relevant communication models that could assist the media in effectively reporting future elections in the country. This study has employed a historical approach, and argues that since Nigeria attained its political independence in 1960; conducting free and fair elections has been the major political problem in the country. The paper observed that the June 12 1993 Presidential Elections resulted in a stalemate, while the 2007 Elections were flawed with cases of electoral irregularities. Many of the results of the elections that were approved earlier by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were later cancelled by the Nigerian Judiciary, a confirmation that the elections were rigged as confirmed by most of the internal and the external observers that monitored the elections. As a part of the solutions to the problem of elections in Nigeria, this paper recommends the establishment of an Inter-Party Central Committee (ICPP), made up of the national executives of the registered political parties, to work in collaboration with the media as the committee supports the electoral commission to conduct free and fair elections in the country

A comparative study of Zinc (II) ions removal by a locally produced Granular activated carbon

Physiochemical properties of wastewater effluent from the plants of a brewery in Lagos, Nigeria were analyzed. The adsorption capacity of Granular activated carbon from animal horns when compared with the available commercial Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC) has been presented. Kinetics of adsorption was also investigated. The adsorption isotherms could be well defined with Freundlich model instead of Langmuir model for both GAC studied. The experimental data, when applied to the first and second-order kinetic models, followed the first-order with r² = 0.931 for GAC from animal horns while commercial GAC followed the second-order with r² = 0.936. The results illustrated how animal horns, a solid waste disposal menace from the abattoir at the Oshodi market in Lagos metropolis, was used as an effective biosorbent for the removal of Zn 2+ ions; offering a cheap option for primary treatment of the wastewater effluent

Moses Receipt of Jethro and Its Biblical Lessons for Christians Towards Good Manners

This is a discourse about the encounter between Moses and Jethro when the latter visited him at Rephidim as recorded in Exodus 18:1-12. It reveals some vital issues in relation to good manners necessary for human relationship at all levels particularly among Christians. It contains aspects of godly attitude and responsibilities of Christians to one another and unbelievers in a bid to make them understand something about the Christian life based on love, respect, acceptance, care, and good treatment as reflected in Jesus’ culture. It is believed by this trend Christians will teach and encourage themselves toward good manners. Likewise, they will influence others to develop interest in Christ and embrace Christianity as Moses did with Jethro leading to his love, appreciation, faith, and worship of God. Consequently, it calls on Christians to learn from Moses who in spite of his exalted position among others, humbled himself, came out, bowed, greeted, and embraced Jethro, a foreigner in his (Moses) inherent conduct and as a model to his people in the practice of faith

The Christian God is Not a God

This is a study based on God’s revelation of His name to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15. It is termed in this paper as Nomenclatorial Revelation. The essence is to make a correction of the inappropriate ascription of an indefinite article ‘a’ to God instead of the definite article ‘the’ that correctly expresses His Name and what Christianity believes about Him. Different methods of analysis, philosophical, historical, sociological, and theological were employed in the treatment of materials relating to grammatical, religious, biblical, linguistic sources and so on.  Evidences abound and agree on the uniqueness of God. It was shown that expression of an indefinite article such as ‘a’ to God is a misrepresentation which equates Him with the idols, principalities and powers. Moreover, the research further shows that in reality, God warns against such by declaring that He should be known and addressed throughout all generations as “ ‘I AM WHO I AM,’… ‘The LORD, ...” (Ex.3:14-15) Therefore, Christians are asked to truly and consistently portray God in His Nomenclatorial Revelation in speech and theoretically as it befits His Lordship in every form and expressions such as the Saviour and not a Saviour. They should also allow it have a positive impact on their conduct to one another and to other people as well as to make it serve to improve on their service, reverence, and commitment to God

Modelling of Trapped Plasma Mode Oscillations in a p+ n – n+ Silicon Diode

This paper proposes an approach for obtaining a relatively simple set of equations which apply to the description of TRAPATT phenomenon and applies it to model trappedplasma mode oscillations in a p+ n – n+ silicon diode. Typical voltage, conduction current, electric field and carrier charge wave-forms are presented for a square wave of drive current. The diffusion transport phenomenon is shown to affect the diode operating characteristics. The subperiods of the diode voltage and conduction current are found to be useful parameters in dilineating the diode operating frequency limits. The influence of the diode physical parameters and the effects of the package circuit parasitic on the diode performance are explored, and curves for practical design presented. The predicted RF performance shows good agreement with experimental measurement for a typical L-band TRAPATT oscillator

Investigating the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Investigating the biosynthesis of long-chain (C20–24) polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), physiologically important compounds including arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in fish is crucial to identify dietary requirements for essential fatty acids (EFA). Moreover, knowledge of the C20–24 LC-PUFA biosynthetic capability of farmed fish species enables us to understand their ability to utilise commonly used raw materials such as vegetable oils, which naturally lack LC-PUFA but include C18 PUFA that are metabolic precursors of LC-PUFA. Studies have shown that the potential of a species for LC-PUFA biosynthesis is associated with the complement and function of fatty acyl desaturase (fads) and elongase of very long chain fatty acid (elovl) genes existing in that species. The present study therefore aimed to investigate these genes in the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), the most commercially important farmed fish in sub-Saharan Africa. A fads2, a fads6 and four elovl (elovl2, elovl4a, elovl4b, elovl8) cDNAs were cloned and functionally characterised by heterologous expression in yeast. The Fads2 was a bifunctional desaturase enzyme with ∆6∆5 and ∆8 activities, and thus catalysing all the desaturation reactions required for ARA and EPA biosynthesis from C18 precursor fatty acids. Moreover, the C. gariepinus Fads2 enzymes also desaturated 24:5n-3 to 24:6n-3, a ∆6 desaturation required for the biosynthesis of DHA through the so-called “Sprecher pathway”. Functional characterisation of Fads6 by heterologous expression in yeast did not reveal its function. With regards to elongases, the C. gariepinus Elovl2 demonstrated the ability to elongate C20 and C22 PUFA and thus complements the Elovl5 with elongase capability towards C18 and C20 PUFA. The Elovl8 was capable of only limited elongation of C18 and C20 PUFA. Elovl4a and Elovl4b, enable the biosynthesis of very long-chain (>C24) fatty acids, compounds with major roles in vision and fertility of vertebrates. The present study confirmed that C. gariepinus possess all the enzymatic capabilities required for the biosynthesis of ARA, EPA and DHA and, therefore, its physiological EFA requirements could be satisfied with dietary provision of C18 PUFA

Constraints to fertilizer use in Nigeria

Fertilizer consumption rates in Nigeria remains among the lowest in the world despite decades of aggressive subsidization. The extension service in Nigeria has a double-edged impact on fertilizer use in the country; not only can their activities increase farmers’ demand for fertilizer, but also the organizational framework of the service, Agricultural Development Programs, is the major source of fertilizer for farmers. To provide insights on the reasons for the low fertilizer use in Nigeria, this paper presents an analysis of the extension service as well as some perspectives of village extension agents. We find that the reach of the extension service is severely limited by low staff. The main technology transmitted is the use of improved seeds. Fertilizer technology is seldom transmitted and very rarely is irrigation taught. Furthermore, extension agents are found to have gaps in their knowledge of fertilizer technology. Extension agents routinely distribute agricultural inputs and many see their advisory role as secondary to this function. Extension agents identified the primary constraint to fertilizer use in Nigeria as the physical absence of the product at the time that it is needed, rather than lack of affordability or farmers’ lack of knowledge about the benefits or the use of fertilizer.Agricultural growth and technologies, Extension, Fertilizer, Subsidies,

Coagulants modulate the hypocholesterolemic effect of tofu (coagulated soymilk)

The recent increase in soymilk and tofu (coagulated soymilk) consumption especially in western countries is due to the recognition of the health benefits of soy foods. The amount and the type of coagulated biomolecules (such as isoflavones) vary with the type of coagulant, and this will inevitable alter their biological activity. This study sought to assess the effect of some coagulants (calcium chloride, alum and steep water from pap production) commonly use in the production of tofu in Nigeria on the serum cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) level in albino rats fed tofu for 14 days. The result of the study revealed that there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the tofu yield (17.6 – 18.3%), however steep water (12.0 g/kg) had a significantly higher (P<0.05) total phenol content than tofu produced using other coagulants (8.0 – 9.0 g/kg). Furthermore, feeding albino rats with tofu and water ad libitum for 14 days caused a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the serum cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins, while there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the average daily feed intake of the rats. Conversely, there was a significant increase (P<0.05) in the serum high-density lipoproteins when compared with the control. However, rats fed steep watercoagulated tofu had the lowest serum level of cholesterol and LDL followed by those fed CaCl2 and alum coagulated tofu. Those fed with calcium chloride-coagulated tofu had the highest serum HDL level, closely followed by those fed steep water-coagulated tofu. It was therefore concluded that of all the coagulants, steep water appeared to be the most promising coagulant with regard to the production of tofu with high hypocholesterolemic effect base on the low serum cholesterol, LDL and high HDL.Keywords: Coagulant, soymilk, tofu, phenol, HDL, LDL, cholestero