Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journals
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SUPPLIER SELECTION OPTIMIZATION FOR A CLOSED-LOOP SUPPLY CHAIN NETWORK: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MCDM METHODS
No full textThis study evaluates supplier selection optimization for a closed-loop supply chain network by comparing three multi-criteria decision-making methods which includes Weighted Sum, Weighted Product, and TOPSIS. The analysis focuses on raw material suppliers for sugar and PET bottles, assessing performance across eight key criteria, including cost, sustainability, lead time, and reliability. Findings reveal that 15% of suppliers achieve consistent top-tier performance (average score = 1.0), excelling in both operational and sustainability metrics (sustainability scores of 7.34-9.36 and on-time delivery rates of 0.91-0.97). Methodological disparities emerge, with Weighted Product being the most stringent (12-15% lower scores for mid-tier suppliers) and TOPSIS emphasizing balanced performance. Notably, suppliers with strong sustainability practices (average score = 8.2) outperform cost-focused counterparts by 92%, reinforcing circular economy principles. The study identifies critical performance thresholds, showing that suppliers scoring below 0.5 exhibit fundamental deficiencies (sustainability scores ≤ 3.2). These insights enable stratified supplier selection, highlighting elite performers for strategic partnerships and mid-tier suppliers for targeted development. The results provide a data-driven framework for optimizing closed-loop supply chains, aligning procurement strategies with sustainability and operational resilience.
 
Effect of Self-Management Technique on Academic Self-Concept of Secondary School Students from Broken Homes in Delta State
No full textThis study determined the effect of self-management technique on academic self-concept among secondary school students from broken homes in Delta State. The study was guided by three research questions and tested three null hypotheses at 0.05 significance level. A quasi-experimental research design of the non-randomized pretest-posttest, control group was employed. A sample of 34 students was drawn from a population of 354 students from broken homes, identified with low academic self-concept. The research instrument “Academic Self-Concept Survey (ASCS)" was adopted and used for data collection. The instrument has a reliability coefficient alpha of 0.81. The instrument was administered directly to the participants before treatment and after treatment, with the help of trained research assistants. Data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 software. Research questions were answered using the statistical mean while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed the self-management technique was significantly effective in enhancing academic self-concept of secondary school students from broken homes. The study recommended that Guidance counsellors working in secondary schools, especially in Delta State, should implement self-management technique as part of the school counselling curriculum
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as a Counselling Strategy for Handling Gambling Behaviour among Undergraduates in Nigeria
No full textGambling behavior among undergraduates in Nigeria has become an increasing concern for stakeholders, particularly school counsellors. This issue poses significant challenges to students’ academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being. Therefore, effective interventions are needed to address gambling addiction within this population. This paper aims to examine the relevance of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as a counselling intervention for managing gambling behaviour among undergraduates. It presents a comprehensive review of the concept of gambling behaviour, explored the factors contributing to gambling addiction, and discussed the core components of CBT tailored to address gambling problems. Additionally, the therapeutic process of CBT and its proven effectiveness in treating gambling addiction are analyzed. Based on the review, it was suggested that counsellors support students in identifying and challenging cognitive distortions linked to gambling. Counsellors should also equip students with alternative coping strategies to replace gambling behaviours and promote healthier emotional regulation. By integrating CBT into counselling services, school counsellors can play a pivotal role in helping students overcome gambling addiction and enhance their overall well-being
Investigating the Prevalent Aggressive Behaviour and the Psychosocial Factors Responsible for such among Secondary School Students in Kogi State, Nigeria
No full textThe purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalent aggressive behaviour and the psychosocial factors responsible for such among secondary school students in Kogi State, Nigeria. Specific objectives were raised based on which research questions and hypotheses were generated. The designs adopted for this study are descriptive survey research design where a sample of 394 students were randomly selected from the population of 25,537 students in secondary school in Kogi State. A Multi-stage sampling was employed in this study which involved stratified random sampling to select schools and proportionate sampling technique to select number of participants and simple random sampling at the final stage. Structured questionnaires were administered, and the data collected subjected to analysis using frequency distributions, percentages, means, t-test and Analysis of Variance. The result revealed most prevalent aggressive behaviour among the secondary school students to include becoming so mad that they may want to break things, wanting to exchange blows or engage in a fight, feeling like a powder keg ready to explode, trouble controlling their temper, threatening people, wanting to hit another person when provoked. The study also found that growing up in a crowded home, inadequate family income, single parenting, addiction to alcohol and drug abuse are some factors that constitute the psychosocial factors of aggressive behaviour. In comparison to other literatures, it is hereby concluded the prevalent aggressive among secondary school students is peculiar to each locality
Substance Abuse and Gambling Behaviour among Undergraduates in Oyo State, Nigeria
No full textThe prevalence rates of gambling behaviour among undergraduates in Nigeria are alarming, raising serious concerns due to its strong association with substance abuse, which poses risks to their physical, emotional, and academic wellbeing. In the light of this, this study examined the relationship between substance abuse and gambling behaviour among undergraduates in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational survey research design, and a total of 420 undergraduates were selected from three universities in Oyo State using a multistage sampling procedure. A research instrument, titled Substance Abuse and Gambling Behaviour Questionnaire (SAGBQ), was used for data collection, with reliability coefficients of 0.81 and 0.87. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics, including percentages, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC), and Correlation Matrix. Three null hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the majority (86%) of undergraduates in Oyo State had a high level of substance abuse and 85% were involved in gambling behaviour. The study further revealed a significant predictive relationship between substance abuse and gambling behaviour among undergraduates in Oyo State (R = 0.183, p < 0.05). Further findings revealed that gender, age, place of residence, and course of study had significant predictive effects on substance abuse and gambling behaviour among undergraduates. It was recommended that undergraduates struggling with gambling problems should seek guidance and counselling, as well as other support services such as mental health services from professionals in school, as this will help to prevent incidents that could lead to substance abuse and its negative effects on their academic activities
Assessment of Sociolinguistic and Religious Effects of Anti-Islamic Expressions among Yoruba-Muslims of Selected Southwestern States in Nigeria
No full textLanguage and religion are cardinal aspects of human existence. It is also almost impossible to separate a language from its cultural and traditional attachments; the experience enshrined in Yoruba, a major Nigerian language, whose core practices take cue from traditional approach of worshipping. Hence, this study aims to analyse some expressions uttered by Yoruba-Muslims which are against their own religion, to sociolinguistically examine the antagonistic effects of such expressions to Islamic faith, and to proffer ways to guide against them. The research tool used is Dell Hymes’ (1974) Ethnography of SPEAKING theory while the Yoruba data were interpreted using Baker’s (2018) ‘textual\u27 and \u27pragmatic\u27 equivalence approach. The population comprised three (3) South-western (Yoruba-speaking) states of Nigeria which are Osun, Oyo, and Lagos States; and part of the North-central (Ilorin) where Islam is the main religion and Yoruba language is dominantly spoken. It was revealed through the settings of the utterances that surprisingly, educated Yoruba-Muslims use the expressions mostly as shown in the 49 (61.25%) respondents from educational environments against 31 (38.75%) from domestic localities. However, there is a slight difference in the range of participants from both genders in the use of the utterances as 45 male respondents representing 56.25% and 35 female respondents representing 43.75% proof their difference. It is recommended that linguistic researches should be carried out on anti-Christian expressions in order to afford for sanctity of the society through the power of language without fear or favour of one religion over another. In conclusion, Yoruba-Muslims must navigate these complexities of the richness of Yoruba traditions and the significant challenges it poses to their Islamic orthodoxy and effective communication to ensure that their cultural expressions align positively with Islamic principles
Nigerian Pidgin and the Quest for a National Language
No full textThis paper examines the candidature of Nigerian Pidgin (NP) as a national language in Nigeria. A mixed method research design was used for the study. Questionnaire was given to fifty students from the faculty of Arts, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka to gauge their attitude towards Nigerian Pidgin as a national language. The study employs postcolonial theory to examine how the legacy of colonialism impacts the power dynamics of language use and subjugation and how it impacts people’s attitudes and language policy decisions. The findings show that negative attitude towards Nigerian Pidgin is its most powerful setback. It is therefore suggested that government should institute a language planning agency for corpus and status planning for the standardization and acceptance of Nigerian Pidgin as a national language since it is the only indigenous ethnically neutral language in Nigeria and is therefore less likely to encounter the least resistance
Language Anxiety, Communication Apprehension and Self-Concepts as Determinants of Senior Secondary School Students’ Verbal Communication Skills in Ibadan Nigeria
No full textThis study explores the interplay of language anxiety, communication apprehension, and self-concept as determinants of verbal communication skills among senior secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria. Krashen\u27s Affective Filter Hypothesis and Input or Monitor Model provided the framework, while the study adopted the correlational survey design. Data were collected from 179 Senior Secondary School 2 students across four randomly selected schools. Instruments included the English Language Anxiety Scale ELCAS, Communication Apprehension Questionnaire CAQ, Verbal Communication Rating Scale VCRS, and Learners Self-Concept Questionnaire LSCQ. The findings revealed high levels of language anxiety and communication apprehension, alongside strong self-concept among participants. However, only language anxiety demonstrated a significant negative relationship with verbal communication achievement, while communication apprehension and self-concept did not significantly predict performance. These results challenge prevailing assumptions about the cumulative impact of psychological factors on language proficiency and underscore the complex nature of verbal communication challenges in this context. The study recommends interventions that lower language anxiety, improve students’ self-awareness and confidence, and blend psychological, pedagogical, and environmental strategies to reduce language anxiety, develop more accurate self-assessment tools, and further qualitative and longitudinal research to understand better the evolving dynamics of psychological factors and communication skills among Nigerian students
A Socio-Semiotic Analysis of Ideological Multimodal Framing of Selected 2023 Gubernatorial Candidates of Nigeria’s General Election Campaign Posters
No full textThe study examined campaign posters produced to advertise gubernatorial candidates in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. The paper critically investigated text producers’ ideological framing of semiotic resources in campaign posters which is intended to present gubernatorial candidates as desirable choices during the campaigns. The purposive sampling method was adopted for the selection of data from posters produced for gubernatorial candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), and People Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu, Kano, Lagos and River States. The data gathered included those produced and circulated between September 2022 and March 2023. This period covers the beginning of the campaigns for the general elections to 24 hours before the gubernatorial elections. The research adopted a qualitative descriptive approach grounded in Kress and van Leeuwen’s social semiotic theory, focusing on the ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions in the posters. The findings of the study revealed that candidates across the four states employed a combination of ethnic, religious, welfare, collective and cultural ideologies to appeal to voters’ identities. In addition, the analysis showed that the campaign posters were carefully designed with verbal and visual semiotic resources to project the candidates as ideal leaders while subtly delegitimising their opponents. The study concluded that campaign posters are not merely promotional tools, but are ideological constructs shaped by Nigeria’s socio-political realities
GeoGebra Software and Students’ Performance in Coordinate Geometry in Warri South, Delta State, Nigeria
No full textThis research investigated the impact of Geogebra software on students’ performance in Coordinate Geometry in secondary schools within the Warri South, in Delta State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental design and descriptive survey approach were adopted with a pretest - posttest control group structure. The population of the study comprised 2,150 Senior Secondary School (SSS 3) Mathematics students from which a sample size of 80 SS 3 Mathematics students was conveniently selected from two schools using purposive sampling technique. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group which was taught using Geogebra –assisted instruction, and the control group, which received instruction through the conventional lecture method. The instrument for data collection was the Coordinate Geometry Performance Test (CGPT). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the two research questions while Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) was used to test the two hypotheses formulated for the study at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of this study show that the Geogebra-assisted teaching method is effective in improving students\u27 performance on Coordinate Geometry. The method was shown to be more impactful than the conventional lecture method, fostering greater engagement and understanding among students. Although male students demonstrated slightly higher gains in performance compared to female students, the differences were not statistically significant. The study among others recommended the use of Geogebra – assisted instruction in Mathematics teaching