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Medical social workers' role in alcohol and drug abuse control in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria
Full text linkThis article examined the role of medical social workers in curtailing alcohol and drug consumption in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State. It employed a qualitative research design, adopting the Key Informant Interview (KII) strategy. Five (5) participants were randomly selected for the interview among community leaders, medical social workers, NDLEA officials and top civil servants working in the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the Local Government Area. The justification for limiting the number to only five (5) was that they were key informants who could provide credible information on the topic under investigation. Even though medical social workers performed credibly well in the course of performing their legitimate duty, the article highlights the significant challenges faced by medical social workers, including inadequate recognition, poor remuneration, and a lack of support from other professionals to complement their efforts in curtailing alcohol and drug abuse in Nigeria. The study recommends better integration of social work into healthcare systems, along with adequate welfare packages for workers, to motivate them to be more proactive in the performance of their statutory functions in Nigeria
Asymmetric Effects of Oil Price on Health Expenditure in Some Selected OPEC Countries
Full text linkOil prices affect economic activity, especially for countries that rely on oil revenue for budgeting. Whenever the price of oil affects a country, expenditure on economic activities is affected through budgetary allocation. A negative change in oil prices not only affects economic allocation but may also lead to deficit financing, and other sectors of the economy may be affected as well. Therefore, this study examined the asymmetric effects of oil prices on health expenditure in selected OPEC countries (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Nigeria, and Algeria). These countries are the world's top oil producers and spend less than 6% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare. The study relied on demand for health theory to structure the estimation models. Data were retrieved from 2000 to 2022 for empirical analysis from the World Development Indicators (WDI, 2023) and the World Bank Commodity Price Data (WCPD, 2023). The study used Welch's T-test, panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and panel non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (NARD) to estimate models. The results showed that the burden of health expenditure fell more heavily on households in Nigeria and Iraq. Also, there exist symmetric and asymmetric relationships between oil prices and the two types of health expenditures in the long run. Specifically, a reduction in oil prices hurts both government health expenditure (-0.0096) and out-of-pocket health expenditure (-0.0091). This implies that the government's reduction in health expenditure is due to the fall in oil prices. Based on these results, the governments of these countries should be sensitive and closely monitor health expenditure during oil booms and busts to achieve a healthy economy, as proposed in the SDGs. Specifically, increasing government health expenditure will help improve health-sector activities during oil booms and crunches
NIGERIAN ENGLISH USAGE AND THE TYRANNY OF FAULTY ANALOGY
No full textFaulty analogy and the resulting errors have persisted because the majority of Nigerian users of English are not overtly aware of the inappropriateness of applying its inherent logic to something as illogical as (the English) language. And on this account, matters are not at all helped by the fact that – to the best of our knowledge – faulty analogy is not listed formally as a topic in any classroom curriculum at any level of teaching in Nigeria. Therefore, it hardly receives any mention, and thus continues to operate as an unacknowledged – even unrecognized – source of error at all levels of language use among Nigerians
Beyond the Stereotype: Yoruba Women in Leadership Capacities in History and Contemporary Society
No full textThe vibrant tapestry of Yoruba culture, rich in history, traditions, and spiritual beliefs, often presents a seemingly hierarchical gender structure in its cosmology. A prevalent challenge is moving beyond limiting stereotypes that depict Yoruba women solely as domestic figures or subordinate partners. This paper delves into historical and contemporary contexts to illuminate the multifaceted roles Yoruba women have played and continue to play as leaders, wielding influence and authority not only within the domestic and communal spheres but also in domains traditionally perceived as male-dominated. The study relies on Yoruba histories, mythologies, and social-political occurrences, past and present, as data sources. Using Ilesanmi's theory of Binary Complementarity, the analysis examines socio-political structures, religious institutions, economic activities, and artistic expressions, providing instances where Yoruba women have effectively led and guided men. This demonstrates their agency, strategic acumen, and capacity for impactful leadership. The study expunges the simplistic narratives of female subjugation and offers a nuanced understanding of Yoruba women's leadership, highlighting their historical significance and ongoing contributions as powerful agents of change and influential figures in society
Bivariate BCI Algebras
No full textIn this paper, the concept of bivariate BCI algebras is introduced. Properties of ρ- variate, λ- variate and bivariate BCI algebras are investigated
Perfect Product of two Squares in Finite Full Transformation Semigroup
No full textIn this paper, we investigate the concept of the perfect product of two squares in the contextof finite full transformation semigroups. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the conditionsunder which the product of two idempotent elements in a transformation semigroup forms aperfect product of two squares. Specifically, we examine the relationship between the kerneland image of idempotents, as well as the interplay between the domain and image of thesetransformations. The main result establishes that for two idempotent elements α and β in Tn,if the domain and image of α and β satisfy certain equivalence conditions, then their product isa perfect product of two squares. We also explore related properties of disjoint cycles and howthese contribute to the structural characteristics of the semigroup. Our findings extend theexisting theory of transformation semigroups and offer valuable insights into the decompositionof semigroup elements into squares, contributing to the broader field of semigroup theory
DETERMINANTS OF FIRMS’ PERFORMANCE IN THE NIGERIAN HYDROCARBON INDUSTRY: DOES INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL MATTER?
Full text linkThis study adopts the Pulic (2002) VAICTM approach as a measure of intellectual capital, to examine the role of intellectual capital in the financial performance of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. With the aid of panel analysis framework, it was found that aggregated composites of intellectual capital (VAIC) perform less satisfactorily in influencing the financial performance of firms in the oil and gas industry. However, when VAICTM was disaggregated into human, relational, and structural capital efficiency, it was discovered that the positive effect of human capital on the financial performance of these firms was cancelled out by the negative effect of structural capital. However, the relational capital efficiency that could have improved the financial performance of these firms has no significant impact on these firms’ performance and, as such, is ultimately responsible for the insignificant overall effect of intellectual capital (VAIC) on the financial performance of firms in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. One of the implications of these findings is that these firms place much emphasis on human assets and neglect intangible assets such as processes, patents, copyright, research and development, customer care, etc. Also, the current structural capital of the firms in this industry constitutes a drag on their financial performance. Thus, serious attention should be placed on the effective management of firms’ relational and structural capital efficiency in order to ensure a better financial return
Savings-Growth Nexus in Nigeria: An Asymmetric ARDL Approach
Full text linkThis study investigates the asymmetric relationship between savings and growth in Nigeria between 1970 and 2020. The study employs Asymmetric ARDL method in tracing the non-linear relationship between the variables. The study discovered using non-linear ARDL (NARDL) causality that there was a unidirectional causal relationship running from the positive component of savings to real GDP in the short-run, long-run and very long-run (strong causality). This implies that the positive component of savings is a determinant of real GDP in Nigeria. The result further showed that there was significant positive relationship between positive component of savings and real GDP in the short and long-run but the negative component of savings was not a significant determinant of real GDP both in the short-run and long-run, more importantly, the study discovered an asymmetric relationship between savings and growth for the period under studied. The study, therefore, recommended that savings must be encouraged in the country to have more investment base as a sound fiscal policy that could propel growth, because the negative effect of dis-savings on growth is more pronounced than the positive effect of savings on growth
Risk Factors and Health Status Predictors of Older Persons During COVID-19 in Selected Slums of Kosofe Local Government Area, Lagos State
Full text linkInvestigating risk factors and health status predictors of older persons during COVID-19 is critical for understanding and responding to future sudden pandemics. The aim is to understand the socio-demographic characteristics influencing the vulnerability of older individuals to COVID-19 in selected slums, analyze the associated responses, and identify risk factors and health status predictors exacerbating their susceptibility during the sudden pandemic. Through a comprehensive assessment of existing health challenges, comorbidities, coping strategies, and environmental conditions, the research elucidates the multifaceted nature of COVID-19 on older persons in slums. A survey research design was employed, which involves the use of both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. One hundred thirty older persons aged 60 years and above were extracted from 754 household heads engaged in a larger survey. Findings reveal that the calculated p-value (<0.01) is less than the given significance level (α=0.05). This suggests that health status predictors such as aging, poor health, inadequate environmental conditions, societal neglect, poor government intervention, low income, poverty, and lockdown measures significantly contributed to the adverse effects experienced by older persons during COVID-19 in the selected slums. Despite these challenges, older persons exhibited resilience and employed various coping mechanisms to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, including addressing boredom, ill health, social isolation, hunger, and information gaps. The study underscores the importance of government and social support in enabling older persons in slums to withstand adverse social and economic conditions, such as pandemics. By bridging the gap between current realities and desired outcomes, this research informs interventions to promote health equity, urban renewal, and regeneration efforts for older persons in slum environments
Reflections on Nigeria-Jamaica Diplomatic Relations, 1970-2020
No full textThe imperativeness of diplomacy has made research in international studies and diplomatic relations a recurring decimal, given that relations between nations are essential for the upkeep of international affairs. Consequently, interest in diplomatic ties involving independent sovereigns and international organizations has led to a growing body of academic literature, especially since the turn of the twentieth century. However, the conduct of diplomacy between and among Third World Countries has not received adequate attention in existing scholarly documentation, and Nigeria-Jamaica relations are inclusive of this gap. While formal diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Jamaica span over five decades, research endeavour in this regard has not been impressive. This forms the exigency for this study. This paper is set to interrogate relations between Nigeria and Jamaica with the aim of articulating its impact. The pertinent question is: to what extent has Nigeria-Jamaica relations benefited Nigeria? This and other variegated issues arising from the two countries’ contact are examined in this analysis. Essentially, the paper adopts a multidisciplinary frame of analysis, employing both descriptive and analytical tools. The paper argues and demonstrates that while diplomatic relations between the two countries are not fortuitous, the prospects of such relations—with particular emphasis on the economy—have not been of much benefit to both countries. This is, however, not to say that the relationship has been without any mutual importance for the interacting nations