Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journals
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Farmers’ Coping Strategies to Mitigate Acha Cultivation Challenges in Plateau State, Nigeria
No full textAcha farming is laden with challenges across the value chain which could impact negatively on farmers socio-economic wellbeing. Thus, this study investigated the coping strategies employed to reduce Acha farming challenges among farmers in Plateau State. The population of this study comprised all the registered Acha farmers in two of the three agricultural zones in Plateau State. These two agricultural zones are Plateau North and Plateau Central with an estimated 3,143 registered Acha farmers according to Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP). Out of the population, only 400 Acha farmers were randomly selected using Taro Yamane’s formula. The study adopted semi-structured questionnaire and data obtained were analysed with frequencies and percentages while the hypothesis was analyzed with the use of Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Findings showed that the foremost challenges facing Acha farmers were inadequate harvesting equipment and high cost of labour (93.6%), lack of access to improved processing equipment and low-quality packaging sacks (90.5%). The highest ranked coping strategies employed by the farmers were to have adequate knowledge of climate condition (90.5%), use community cooperatives to reduce high cost of labour (89.4%), and belong to a cooperative to obtain a loan (74.7%). PPMC analysis showed that challenges encountered significantly influenced the coping strategies employed by the farmers in the positive direction (r=1.86; p<0.05). The study concludes that farmers, in a bid to overcome Acha farming challenges employs a number of strategies which include adequate knowledge of climate condition, use of community cooperatives to reduce high cost of labour and belonging to a cooperative to obtain a loan. The study recommended among others that farmers should work together as a group through their cooperatives, to link up with the elite in their enclaves in order to access extension agents to bolster training and extension programmes for Acha farmers on modern farming techniques, pest management, and best practices in pre and postharvest handlings
SOCIOECONOMIC IMPEDIMENTS TO TOURISM SECTOR DEVELOPMENT IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA
No full textNigeria\u27s efforts to develop its tourism sector through policy implementation have not yielded significant results due to a lack of government commitment and ineffective partnerships with private stakeholders. A key policy target, promoting tourism to both Nigerians and foreigners, has been unsuccessful. Demographic factors like health, gender, socioeconomic status, and education have constrained Nigerians from engaging in or investing in tourism, while underdeveloped destinations deter foreign interest. Policy makers have failed to grasp the influence of these factors, largely due to a lack of localized studies, particularly in Anambra State. This study investigated how demographic factors affect tourism development in Anambra, using propensity to invest and participate in the sector as a mediating variable. A sample of 400 participants was selected through multi-stage sampling, and data were analysed using a generalized univariate multiple regression model. The findings revealed that health quality of life and gender had significant effects on tourism sector development. While socioeconomic status and educational level had no significant effects on tourism development in Anambra. Based on these findings, the study recommends that Anambra State should strengthen partnerships with private stakeholders, particularly in healthcare and gender inclusiveness, to boost tourism development. This approach could be replicated across other states and at the federal level to enhance the overall growth of Nigeria’s tourism sector. 
Artificial Intelligence and Marketing: A Conceptual Analysis
No full textThis paper examines the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in various aspects of marketing, including consumer behaviour analysis, personalized marketing strategies, and the optimization of marketing processes. With the explosion of data and increasing complexity of customer behaviour, businesses need to leverage these tools to stay competitive. AI in marketing is important because it allows marketing organizations to make data-driven decisions and analyze large amount of data. As a conceptual paper, it examines the concept of AI in marketing, evolution of AI, understanding AI and its components, future of AI in marketing, among others. Findings show that AI has revolutionalized marketing domain, driving rapid digital transformation by enhancing processes, accelerating growth and transforming the marketing landscape.
Effects of internal conflicts on productivity of arable crop farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria
No full textInternal unrest has an impact on agricultural production, especially in the rural communities that are the food production sites in Nigeria. Recently, communities in Oyo State of Nigeria have been witnessing increasing farmer-herder clashes, affecting food crop production. Hence, this study analyzed the effects of conflicts on the productivity of arable farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. With primary data obtained from two hundred and twenty-three (223) randomly sampled respondents for two time periods (pre-planting and post-planting of 2022/2023), the data were analyzed with both descriptive statistics (such as frequency and percentage) and the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) model. The results showed that about 45.29% of the respondents’ experienced farmer-herder crises within the last production cycle, 13% claimed families’ land disputes, and only 4.93% claimed inter-border conflict in their area. Furthermore, herders’ encroachment, land disputes, and labour reduce farmers’ productivity significantly at 5% and 1% levels, respectively. Conversely, the coefficients of marital status, membership of organisation and access to extension service showed significance at 10% level, while education and farm size showed significance at 5% level, an indication of positive influence on the productivity of arable farmers in the study area. In conclusion, the increasing farmer-herder conflict reduces arable crop production through the displacement of farmers and loss of interest in production, which will invariably lead to the migration of young men in agriculture
ASSESSING THE INTEGRATION OF ICT IN INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AMONG TVET LECTURERS IN ENUGU STATE UNIVERSITIES
No full textThis study examined the extent of the utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools by technical vocational education and training (TVET) lecturers for instruction in Universities in Enugu State. Three research questions were raised in line with the specific objectives. The study employed descriptive survey research design. All 93 TVET lecturers in the public universities in Enugu State formed the population of this study. Purposive sampling was used to select 49 accessible and willing TVET lecturers from the two public universities in Enugu State. A structured questionnaire which was validated by three experts was used for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using the Cronbach\u27s alpha coefficient, which yielded an overall value of 0.8. This indicates that the instrument is reliable. The data were analyzed using SPSS while mean was used to answer the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that, though the extent to which TVET lecturers in public universities in Enugu State utilize ICT is high, they still encounter some barriers to its utilization, and they make attempt to overcome the barriers. It was therefore recommended that the government should make standing policies that favour regular training of TVET lecturers to enable them acquire recent ICT skills for improved delivery of instruction to meet the constantly evolving needs of the 21st century education
EFFECT OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE- BASED INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN THE LEARNING OF DIFFICULT CONCEPT IN PHYSICS IN ANAMBRA STATE
No full textThis study investigated the effect of Multiple Intelligence Based Instructional Approach (MIBIA) on students\u27 academic achievement in the learning of the difficult physics concepts in Anambra State. Two research questions guided the study and two hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The research design was quasi-experimental study (non-equivalent control group). Specifically, the study was non-randomized pre-test, post-test, control group design. The sample was made up of 100 SS1 students from two randomly selected co-educational secondary schools in Nnewi Educ8ation zone. The Physics Achievement Test (PAT) instrument was used for data collection. Test-retest was used to determine the reliability of PAT. The application yielded coefficient of 0.92. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the null hypotheses at P < 0.05. The finding indicates that there was no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught difficult physics concepts using MIBIA and Conventional Lecture Method (CLM). More so, there were no significant gender difference in the mean achievement scores and interest rating scores since both male and female achieved great scores and demonstrated a similar level of interest in the subject matter. It was recommended among others that educators should consider diversified instructional methods like the Multiple Intelligence Based Instructional Approach (MIBIA) and traditional methods like the Convectional Lecture Method (CLM) to cater for student\u27s diverse needs and preferences, fostering engagement and improving learning outcome
THE PLACE OF HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATION THEORY IN THE CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS
No full textHuman capital formation aims at improving the productive capacity of the workforce through training. The pre-service training specifically prepares teachers for the teaching profession in order to lead learning in schools. The skills, knowledge and pedagogical techniques necessary for the discharge of their responsibilities are expected to be updated via the in-service training from time to time. The article discusses the tenets of the human capital formation theory as well as how it influences the development of teachers. It is argued that teacher training does not end with certification and registration as a professional teacher. There is a constant need for continuous professional development through mentorship, coaching, personal development and other strategies that could strengthen teachers to remain current and relevant to the system. Being a derived demand, professional development of teachers assists students to obtain improved performance. Suggestions were made to assist teachers at every level of education to belong to a learning professional association of that level so that their training and re-training can continue to renew them for the teaching services. 
MODELS OF DAMAGES CAUSED BY MICROSPORIDIA INFECTION AMONG HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS IN WHITE ALBINO MICE (mus musculus domesticus)
No full textBackground: Microsporidiasis has been reported mostly in patients with Human-Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS with diarrhoea and in more than 50% of these patients, no enteric pathogen are identifiable.
Aim: This study attempted to establish the natural route of human infection of microsporidiasis and study the pathologically induced manifestations in experimentally infected mice.
Methods: We isolated microsporidia spores from stool specimens of HIV-infected patients aged 2-61years and experimentally infect Albino mice with these isolates in an attempt to establish the natural route of human infection and study the pathologically induced manifestations in these experimentally infected mice. Seven hundred and fifty stool samples were collected from HIV-infected patients and 375 samples from their non-infected counterparts to determine the prevalence of Microsporidia infection. Chromoptrope 2R and Ficoll-Hipaque techniques were used to isolate Microsporidia spores. Purification of these isolates was conducted using sucrose gradient centrifugation technique. Prednisolone was used to suppress the immune system in the experimental albino mice. Immuno-compromised and immune-competent albino mice were orally, intranasally and intravenously inoculated with 55 spores/10µl in Phosphate Buffer Saline. At intervals of 2, 5, 10, 17 and 28 days post-infection, the infected mice were sacrificed and their internal organs processed for histopathological studies, using heamatoxylin and eosin stain.
Results: The prevalence of microsporidia isolates in the stool samples of 750 HIV-infected patients (42.4%) was significantly higher than in the HIV-non-infected subjects (19.2%) (P < 0.05). In the immune-suppressed Albino Mice, pathological damages were induced in the lungs, small intestines, kidneys and livers, unlike in the non-immuno-suppressed group. Oral ingestion and/or intranasal inhalation are considered to be the natural routes of infection because viable microsporidia spores were recovered only from the stools of treated mice which received microsporidia spores inoculums orally and intranasally.
Conclusion: Microsporidiasis is prevalent among immuno-compromised (HIV/AIDS) patients and the associations of microsporidiasis with overt pathology in vital internal organs have been demonstrated in the immuno-suppressed mice
EFFECT OF REMITTANCE INFLOWS ON TRADE BALANCE IN NIGERIA (1987– 2023)
No full textRemittance is the portion of migrant workers earnings sent to their countries of origin and this could be in cash or gifts. The study investigates the effect of remittance inflow on trade balance in Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the effect of migrant workers remittance on the Nigerian trade balance, determine the effect of embassy/high commission employee remittance on the Nigerian trade balance, ascertain the effect of military personal abroad remittance on the Nigerian trade balance and evaluate the effect of international aid workers remittance on trade balance in Nigeria. The study employed econometric techniques, including Augmented Dickey Fuller Tests for Unit Roots and the Ordinary Least Squire for testing hypothesis. The results of the Augmented Dickey Fuller Stationarity Test confirmed that all the variables, Trade balance, migrant workers remittance, embassy workers remittance, military personnel abroad remittance and international aid workers remittance used in this study are stationary at level, in the order of 1(0).The result of the Ordinary Least Squire indicates that migrant workers embassy workers, military personnel abroad and international aid workers have positive and significant effect on trade balance. The study concludes that remittance inflow have positive on trade balance in Nigeria within the period under review. Amongst the recommendations is that government should improve on the operational environment and regulation of remittance service, particularly as they relate to improving competition, reducing charges, improving access and enhancing the use of remittance proceeds in order to deepen the financial sector development and sustain momentum for growth. There should be strong communication and financial education campaigns to build trust and understanding of investment features, and market research to align investment conditions with the financial goals and capabilities of migrants. Public authorities and civil society should identify problems and opportunities, understand market facilitation needs and implement subsequent coordinated policies. Government should establish a Civil Society Fund on Aid Effectiveness, Results and Accountability to support the review and independent accountability function of national civil society organizations in aid effectiveness for results and accountability
 
EARLY ACCULTURATION AND VALUE RE-ORIENTATION IN THE IMO STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM: A CASE AGAINST DEVIANCE AND MORAL DECAY
No full textThe study adopted a case study descriptive design to investigate the remote causes of the prevalent deviant behaviours among the youth of nowadays with focus on the secondary school students in Imo State. It is assumed that the family and school socialization/acculturation have suffered severe collapse. Hence, the impulse to investigate the value system as emphasized in the Imo State Schools. The population for study is 200 respondents sampled randomly across the rural, semi-urban and urban areas of the state with focus on students of secondary schools, parents and teachers. Data collection was by questionnaire. A Value Emphasis Questionnaire (VEQ) was formulated and structured to find out the causes of students deviant behaviour, the prevalent antisocial conducts, as well as the perceptions of parents and teachers on value re-orientation in the school system. The questionnaire was structured using four-likert scale of VHE, HE, LE and VLE of points graded for 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. Data were collected and analyzed using Mean Rating Statistics at 2.5 value benchmark. From the results, it was deduced that moral values are poorly emphasized in the present day school system, that deviant behaviours are high among the school children of nowadays; and that parents and teachers advocate for inclusive and value-emphasized education in the state. The researchers also made some recommendations.