Afe Babalola University Based Journals
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Evaporation Estimation in the Muko Reservoir, Songwe Region, Tanzania: A Multi-Model Framework Using Temperature, Radiation, and Combined Approaches
No full textThis study presents the development and evaluation of a multi-model framework (MMF) embedded in a Decision Support System (DSS) for estimating evaporation in data-scarce environments. Focusing on the Muko Reservoir catchment in the semi-arid Songwe Region of southwestern Tanzania, the framework integrates four widely recognised reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) models: Hargreaves-Samani, Jensen-Haise, Priestley-Taylor, and Penman. These models represent three methodological categories: temperature-based, radiation-based, and combined approaches. A 10-year dataset of monthly pan evaporation and meteorological variables was used to compare model performance through descriptive statistics, time series analysis, and correlation metrics. Results show that while all models reasonably capture seasonal evaporation patterns, significant differences exist in magnitude and variability. The Priestley-Taylor and Penman models consistently overestimated ET₀, while the Jensen-Haise model underestimated it. The Hargreaves-Samani model showed the closest agreement with observed values. The study highlights the value of a DSS-driven multi-model approach in improving evaporation estimation accuracy, especially in regions with variable data availability. The findings have significant implications for water balance modelling, reservoir operation, and climate-resilient water resource management
Graphene Nanoplatelets Reinforced Epoxy Composites for Aerospace Application: A case study for Thermal Behaviour
No full textA study was conducted to examine the effects of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) on the thermal characteristics of polymer nanocomposites, which are extensively utilised in packaging, biomedicine, and microelectronics. Following ASTM guidelines, samples of GNPs and epoxy were made by shear mixing and solution compounding. Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to examine the samples' thermal stability and glass transition temperature. The results showed that weight retention improved with increasing graphene content, while the addition of GNPs considerably improved thermal properties. As the GNP content increased from 20% to 30%, the glass transition temperature (Tg) climbed from 50°C to 53°C. This study provides important information for material developers by highlighting the possibility for enhanced thermal performance of graphene-dispersed polymer nanocomposites
The Psycho-Social Effects of Integrating Former Armed Militias in Organized Security Architecture: the Nigerian Model
Full text linkThis paper interrogates psycho-social effects of integrating former armed militias into Nigeria’s organized security architectures and governed spaces. It is theoretically anchored on Post-Conflict Reintegration Theory which provides a foundational lens for understanding the transformation of former militia members as they transition from armed violence into formal state security structures by illuminating the institutional and psychosocial processes required to transition ex-combatants from insurgency to legitimate security actors- emphasizing the importance of trust-building, inclusion, and normative adaptation. Using a qualitative analytical approach grounded in secondary data, the study finds that while integration enhances operational capacity and community-level intelligence, it simultaneously reproduces identity dissonance, institutional mistrust, and security fragmentation. The findings underscores that sustainable reintegration must balance identity transformation, psychosocial stability, and state legitimacy. It concludes that Nigeria’s security reform must shift from reactive securitization to inclusive reintegration models that humanize ex-combatants while reinforcing democratic governance and public trust
Homelessness in America and U.S. Foreign Policy toward Africa: Westward Migration and Implications for Nigeria
Full text linkThis article examines the problem of homelessness in the United States, as well as American foreign policy and implications for Nigerian migration. While the U. S. projects a model of prosperity, democracy, and opportunity, America’s domestic reality is marred by widespread homelessness, structural inequality, and racialised marginalisation. Using qualitative methodology, the study examines how these contradictions undermine U.S. soft power credibility abroad and exposes the fragility of the “American Dream.” The discussion situates Nigerian migration within a broader historical continuum linking transatlantic slave trade to contemporary visa regimes, showing how structural dependency and racialised exclusion persist under new forms. The article argues that Nigerian migrants are often lured by aspirational narratives of opportunity but face harsh realities of job precarity, disillusionment, and homelessness in America. These lived experiences resonate with a wider collapse of U.S. moral authority in Africa, as the same state that criminalises African poverty struggles to address its own systemic crises. The article argues for a recalibration of Nigeria’s foreign policy, media narratives, and migration diplomacy through an Afrocentric framework that promotes African authority, regional integration, and self-reliance. By deconstructing the mirage of American exceptionalism, the study calls for Nigeria and other African states to pursue development strategies rooted in Afrocentric engagement rather than dependency on flawed Western models
Optimization of Solar PV Renewable Energy System Integration for Mining Dewatering Operations
No full textFrequent power outages represent a significant barrier to operational efficiency in the South African mining sector, and this is largely due to the country's dependence on coal-fired power stations. These disruptions have significantly impacted mining operations, making the exploration of alternative energy sources imperative to ensure continuous and unhindered production. This paper explores optimization and integration of renewable energy systems (RES), particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for mining dewatering operations energy supply. Using a Mining Company as a case study, a 2.4 MW solar PV system combined with a 7.5 MWh battery storage was simulated and optimized in MATLAB to assess its technical and economic feasibility. Results show that the hybrid PV–battery system can supply approximately 5.4 GWh of renewable energy annually, achieving a 54% reduction in grid electricity consumption and avoiding about 5,076 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year. The system’s Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) was estimated at 0.05 USD/kWh (≈ R0.95/kWh), substantially below Eskom’s industrial tariff range of R1.30–R2.00/kWh, with an expected payback period of about 11 years. These findings validate the system’s technical viability, environmental benefit, and financial attractiveness, offering a practical model for enhancing energy security, reducing emissions, and supporting sustainable mining operations in South Africa
Innovative Computer Vision-Assisted Peeling System for Enhanced Efficiency in Cassava Tuber Processing
No full textAn intelligent, computer vision–assisted cassava peeling system was designed, developed, and evaluated to address the limitations of manual and conventional mechanical peeling, particularly inefficiency, flesh wastage, and inability to handle irregular tuber geometry. The system integrates a microcontroller-based control unit with a vision module for contour recognition and an automated peeling mechanism. Image acquisition and processing were performed using the OpenCV library on a Raspberry Pi platform, which guided the knife’s trajectory for adaptive peeling. Performance evaluation was conducted at rotational speeds ranging from 30 to 45 rpm, feeding one tuber at a time into the peeling chamber. Results revealed that peeling efficiency increased from 82.4% to a maximum of 94.7% at 37.5 rpm, after which it slightly declined. Flesh loss decreased from 6.2% to 3.0%, and tuber breakage was minimized to 2.1% at the same optimum speed. Throughput capacity increased linearly from 15 to 22.7 tubers per hour, while power consumption rose from 65 W to 90 W across the test range. The study established 37.5 rpm as the optimal operational speed, offering a balance between efficiency, energy use, and product quality. The developed vision-guided peeler demonstrates a viable, low-energy, and high-precision approach to cassava processing, capable of enhancing productivity, reducing waste, and supporting sustainable postharvest mechanization in small- and medium-scale agro-industries
Relative Roles of Cloud, Radiative, and Solar–Geomagnetic Processes in Modulating Convective Available Potential Energy across Nigerian Climate Zones
Full text linkThis study examines the effects of cloud properties, solar thermal radiation, and solar–geomagnetic indices on convective available potential energy (CAPE) across Nigeria’s tropical rainforest (Af), tropical monsoon (Am), and tropical savanna (Aw) climate zones from 1994 to 2024. Daily reanalysis and satellite-derived datasets were aggregated into climatological means. Statistical relationships were analyzed using lag-correlation and Normalized information flow (NIF), based on transfer entropy, was used to quantify directional causal influence among variables to quantify directional influences among variables. Mean CAPE values are highest in the Af and Am zones, frequently exceeding 2000–3000 J kg⁻¹ during peak convective periods, while the Aw zone exhibits lower and more seasonal CAPE, typically ranging from 500 to 1800 J kg⁻¹. Cloud fraction remains persistently high in the Af and Am zones (>0.60), coinciding with enhanced convective precipitation (CONPRE) and pronounced CAPE variability. Solar thermal radiation downward (STRD) contributes indirectly through surface heating, with shortwave fluxes of approximately 220–260 W m⁻² during the dry season, particularly influencing CAPE in the Aw zone. In contrast, solar and geomagnetic indices, including F10.7obs (FL) and Ap, show low mean values and weak correlations with CAPE. Information flow analysis indicates that cloud and precipitation processes account for more than 60% of CAPE variability, whereas solar and geomagnetic parameters contribute less than 10%. Collectively, CAPE variability acrossNigeria is dominated by internal atmospheric processes, with limited direct modulation by external solar–geomagnetic forcing.
Antioxidant Activity, Phytochemical Composition of Extracts of Peperomia Pellucida and its Effect on Drosophila Melanogaster
Full text linkBackground/Aim: The therapeutic influence of medicinal plants is predominantly based on the several secondary metabolites inherent in them. Peperomia pellucida, a plant with great importance in traditional medicine, have been considered as an excellent remedy for numerous diseases. In this study, the antioxidant properties and phytochemical quantification of extracts of Peperomia pellucida whole plant was carried out, and a 21-day survival and longevity study to evaluate the toxic effect. Materials and Methods: Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening, as well as in vitro antioxidant potential was done using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 2,2’ aminio-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). For the in vivo study, Drosophila melanogaster (Fruit flies) was expose to AEPP (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/g diet) for 21 days. Thereafter, flies were homogenized, and parameters such as reduced glutathione, glutathione-s-transferase (GST), catalase, nitric oxide, locomotive ability, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and glucose assays were carried out. Results: The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, and FRAP were found to be 87.29 ± 0.03 % ellagic acid, 65.47 ± 0.04 µg/g, and 32.17 ± 0.02 mg/100g, respectively. The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of phenols (80.75 mg/100g), saponins (61.21mg/100g), alkaloids (41.63 mg/100g), and flavonoids (28.19mg/100g), among others. The plant extract at different doses showed no significant difference on the survival rate, reduced glutathione, GST, nitric oxide, and glucose levels, as well as acetylcholinesterase activity and climbing ability. However, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the catalase activity was noted at 1 and 2 mg AEPP/g diet, although, other parameters did not show any sign of toxicity. Further toxicological studies should be conducted to ascertain this. Conclusions: This study could therefore, be concluded that AEPP is not toxic, most especially at lower doses, and could therefore be considered for therapeutic applications
Climate-Induced Migration and the Challenges of Food Insecurity in Nigeria
Full text linkThis study aims to examine climate-induced migration and the challenges of food insecurity in Nigeria. It also seeks to analyse further how climate-induced migration leads to food insecurity. Climate change has severe impacts on human survival and natural habitats, causing loss of soil fertility, habitat destruction, and natural disasters such as wildfires, cyclones, landslides, flooding, rising sea levels, and earthquakes. One negative effect of climate change is migration, which occurs as people flee extreme weather conditions. The main point of this paper is that climate-induced migration does not always result in food insecurity. However, this relationship is influenced by conflicts between farmers and pastoralists and by the limited capacity of the government to implement effective policies and programmes to resolve ongoing disputes between migrants and host communities. Persistent clashes between pastoralists and local communities continue to threaten food production in Nigeria, driven by recurring herdsmen attacks, kidnappings, and the victimisation of farmers. This study used a qualitative approach, relying on existing literature and datasets. It employs the Environmental Scarcity Theory and Securitisation Theory as its theoretical framework. The conclusion is that while food insecurity can be a consequence of climate-induced migration, this link is intensified by conflicts between pastoralists and farmers and the Nigerian government’s failure to address these disputes through effective policies that prevent resource conflicts between host communities and pastoralists
The Impact of Technology on Labour Arbitration: Opportunities and Challenges
Full text linkThe application of technology to labour arbitration is revolutionising standard procedures, offering some benefits alongside significant challenges. This research focuses on the impact of technology, Artificial Intelligence, and remote hearings on labour arbitration. These innovations enhance efficiency and lower costs by simplifying proceedings and allowing participants to join virtually. However, they also introduce new societal issues: ethical concerns related to AI bias, security breaches of databases, and the digital divide. The use of digital tools has made arbitration more accessible to the public to some extent; however, this approach may also exclude less privileged populations due to technological gaps and limited digital literacy. By analysing materials from the ISYS database and applying theoretical frameworks such as the Diffusion of Innovations and Access to Justice, this paper discusses both the positive advancements and the challenges they pose. Remote hearings reduce common issues like case backlogs and logistical expenses, but may undermine procedural justice through reduced personal contact and difficulty in interpreting nonverbal cues. The study also questions society’s readiness for widespread digital adoption, emphasising that blind integration of digital infrastructure is unsupported without ethical standards for deploying AI and protections for personal data. Drawing on case studies and stakeholder insights, the paper offers practical guidelines to ensure that technological benefits are accessible and equitably shared, while managing potential risks. The findings underscore the significance of adaptive regulatory systems, capacity-building initiatives, and additional research into the implications of these technological shifts