Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) Journal
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Adopted Sons and Traditional Rulership In Igbo Land, South Eastern Nigeria
No full textThe study examined child adoption and traditional rulership in the context of the Igbo society. Specifically, it sought to determine the prospect of adopted sons assuming the mantle of leadership as royal fathers or traditional rulers in Igbo land, using rural communities in Imo State as case study. 
Bacterial Contamination of Multi-User Computer Keyboards’ Interface in a Tertiary Institution, Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria
No full textBacterial contamination and antibiogram of multi-user computer keyboard interface in various parts of Michael Okpara University, Umudike was evaluated. A total of 100 moistened swab samples of computer keyboard interface were collected from different locations within the University community, inoculated on solid culture media and incubated aerobically for 24hours at 370C. Isolation and identification of bacteria were done by standard microbiological techniques. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out by disc diffusion. One hundred and four (104) bacterial isolates comprising eight (8) different bacteria genera were observed. These include; Staphylococcus aureus (12.5%), Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (6.7%), Streptococcus spp (5.7%), Bacillus spp (25%), Escherichia coli (34.6%), Klebsiella spp (5.7%), Proteus spp (2.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6.7%). Computer village had the highest incidence of profuse bacterial contamination of keyboards (Streptococcus spp; 73.6±14.8). Antibiotic sensitivity testing of isolates revealed a mild pattern of resistance to commonly available antibiotics. The study has shown that multi-user computer keyboards can habour several populations of bacterial pathogens that can lead to community acquired infections in a university community
Effects of Multiple Interpretation of Commencement Provisions in the Nigerian Income Tax Laws on Assessable Profits of Taxpayers.
No full textNigerian Tax legislations are typically complex and are sometimes presumed to be ambiguous; and attempts to interpret the provisions or even apply them in practice, have often met with divergent outcomes. A typical case relates to the provisions in Nigerian Income Tax Laws for computing assessable profits in the third tax year of a new business which have been subject to multiple interpretations among tax experts culminating in different amounts of assessable profits in practice. This paper discussed the various interpretations to the provisions relating to the third tax year. Simulated adjusted profits of twelve new businesses were generated for the first four years of existence and the assessable profits for the third year of assessment computed using three interpretational approaches under different scenarios of dates of commencement and accounting year-ends. Paired Sample t-test and Analysis of Variance were used to test for differences in mean assessable profits. With F-ratio of 10.924 being significant at 1% level, the study indicates that assessable profits for the third tax year significantly differed among the approaches. The paper concludes that multiple interpretation to the commencement provisions for calculating assessable profits in the third tax year leads to significant disparity in computed assessable profits and promotes inequity in the distribution of tax burden among taxpayers. The study propounds the Clear Letters Theory and recommends for uniform adoption of the preceding fiscal year of government in computing assessable profits in the third tax years of new businesses in Nigeria
Influence of Mergers and Acquisitions on Depositors’ Confidence in the Nigerian Banking Industry
No full textThis study examines the response of depositors’ confidence to mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the Nigerian banking industry. Secondary data covering the period 1997 to 2013 was used. The regression output with the aid of SPSS software yields mixed results. While the confidence of the three classes of depositors, namely: private sector depositors, public sector depositors and total private-public sector depositors, show positive but insignificant response to M&As as proxied by merger dummy variable, it indicates positive and significant response to shareholders’ fund an alternate proxy for M &As. The paired student t-test shows significant response of confidence of the three classes of depositors to M & As. Overall, the findings suggest that the mergers and acquisitions have enhanced depositors’ confidence in the Nigerian banking industry. It is recommended inter-alia that banks should design products and services with mass appeal to their existing and prospective private sector customers in order to sustain and boost their enhanced confidence in the banking industry. This would translate to further increased deposit mobilization
Application of Bootstrap Data Generating Processes on the Nigerian Capital Market
No full textNigeria stock market data set (1987-2015) was analyzed using parametric and nonparametric bootstrap DGPs. Simple linear regression (SLR) models were employed to fit the data set. Evidence showed that the original data set () without bootstrap resulted in a poor model with high bias. Results also showed that when the sample size was small ≤ 200, in almost all the bootstrap conditions, the nonparametric bootstrap method performed better than all of the parametric bootstrap models by showing the smallest conditional bias. If the parametric bootstrap model () with the high bootstrap level had not been explored in this study, the nonparametric bootstrap model () would have been exclusively ranked first in producing the smallest bias in the three tests length. But for large sample (≥10000), the reverse is the case. The and models show that real income and saving rate are positively significant linear functions of the stock market capitalization and covaries with it. Across all the bootstrap conditions, it was obvious that all the models that worked well had the lowest values HQIC, SBIC, AIC, including the adjusted R2 with standard error term ≤ 0.005 and minimum bias confirming that the models are good models for further studies and predictions in the economic sectors especially in the stock market
Fabrication and Testing of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Using Dye Extracted from Sensitive Plant (Mimosa Pudica)
No full textThe quest for dye-sensitized solar cell of improved efficiency has led to the use of various dyes from various plants in the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cell. Here, because of the characteristic nature of Mimosa Pudica, we decided to try-out the dye extract from it to see how the efficiency of the cell can be affected. After fabricating the solar cell and testing, the efficiency value obtained was: 9.52%. This shows a remarkable improvement in the efficiency of the cell when compared with other dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated with other natural dyes
Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activities of Cola hispida (Brenan), Cola nitida (Vent) Schott &Endl., Anacardium occidentale (Linn) and Mangifera indica (Linn).
No full textThe anti-microbial activities and phytochemical screening of the leaves of Anacardium occidentale, Cola hispida, Cola nitida and Mangifera indica were carried out. The four plant species were found to contain alkaloid, saponin, tannins, flavonoid and phenols in varying proportion. The concentration of the phytochemicals are as follows; alkaloid (0.67 -1.42%), saponins (0.31 - 0.55%), tannins (0.74 -0.91%), flavonoid (0.32 - 0.51%), and phenols (0.63 - 1.02%).The plants contained more alkaloid than other phytochemicals and had less flavonoids than other phytochemicals. The anti-microbial activity of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the leaves of the plants were tested against four microorganisms; Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans and Bacillus subtilis. The susceptibility of the microorganisms was determined using disk in agar diffusion method. The leaf extracts of these plants inhibited the growth of these pathogens. The degrees of inhibition of the growth of these microorganisms were found to be dependent on the concentration of the plants extracts
Effects of Water and Ethanol Extracts of Allium Sativum on Selected Haematological and Biochemical Parameters in Wister Rats
No full textAllium sativum (garlic) is known to have anti-hypertensive, anti-rheumatic, etc, properties and therefore used in the treatment or alleviation of various ailments, such as asthma, diabetes, paralysis, forgetfulness, tumor, colichy pain and chronic fever. In this study, water and ethanol extracts of its cloves were tested for their effects on selected haematological and biochemical effects on Wister albino rats. Each of the extract was administered at 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (mg/kg bw) to the appropriate groups. The water extract at 100 mg/kg bw significantly (P < 0.05) elevated the levels of RBC, WBC and lymphocytes but not PVC and Hb, all relative to control (Group 1, GP 1). At 200 mg/kg bw but however, the same extract caused non-significant (P > 0.05) elevations of all the parameters, except WBC which was lowered but not significantly (P > 0.05). Relative to GP 1, the ethanol extract at 100 mg/kg bw significantly (P < 0.05) elevated the levels of most haematological parameters studied. At 200 mg/kg bw it significantly (P < 0.05) elevated the RBC and lymphocyte level while the other parameters displayed irregular changes relative to other groups. The water extract at 100 mg/kg bw significantly (P < 0.05) elevated the serum levels of alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin but not acid phosphatase, which was insignificantly (P > 0.05) lowered. At 200 mg/kg bw, alkaline phosphatase displayed significant (P < 0.05) elevations relative to the GP 1, while acid phosphatase was lowered insignificantly (P > 0.05). The ethanol extract significantly (P < 0.05) elevated the serum levels of alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin at 100 mg/kg bw and lowered acid phosphatase. The levels of alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin were significantly elevated at 200 mg/kg bw when compared with GP 1 but lowered acid phosphatase significantly (P < 0.05). Both the water and ethanol extracts of A. sativum at 100 mg/kg bw had the most profound effects on all the parameters studied but these was a glaring dose-dependent inconsistency in the effects observed. 
Effect of Diesel Polluted Soil on the Germination and Growth of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus Caja I..), African Yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa I..) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean I...)
No full textThe effect of diesel on germination and growth performance of Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), African Yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean) was investigated. Seeds of the plants were cultivated on soil contaminated with diesel. 5kg of the soil each was used for the experiment and treated with 50ml, 100ml, 150ml, and 200ml of diesel to obtain 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% level of contamination respectively while untreated soil (0%) served as the control. The experiment was designed using a factorial arrangement (5x3) in a completely randomized design (CRD) and replicated three times. Germination was observed as the emergence of the plumule from the soil surface. The various growth parameters measured were done two weeks after germination occurred and this continued every two weeks for eight weeks (2WAG, 4WAG, 6WAG and 8WAG). The germination results showed that the control C. cajan, had the highest germination rate of 1.71 and a percentage germination of 83.33 ± 11.55%, while 4% had the lowest germination rate of 0.71 and a percentage germination of 36.67 ± 5.77% respectively. The second control, S. stenocarpa, had the highest germination rate of 1.79 and percentage germination of 76.70± 5.577%, while 4% had the lowest germination rate of 0.79 and a percentage germination of 33.33 ± 5.77% respectively. The third control V. subterranean, had the highest germination rate of 2.00 and a percentage germination of 93.33 ± 5.77%, while 4% had the lowest germination rate of 0.86 and a percentage germination of 40.00 ± 0.00% respectively. Results of the plant height showed that the heights of the plants significantly reduced (P<0.05) at 4% pollution level as C. cajan stood at 3.45 ± 0.25cm as at 2WAG, and 22.35 ± 1.38cm as at 8WAG;S. stenocarpa stood at 4.07 ± 0.31cm as at 2WAG, and 14.05 ± 0.40cm as at 8WAG;V. subterranean stood at2.87 ± 0.50 cm as at 2WAG, and 13.06 ± 1.06cm as at 8WAG respectively. The control with corresponding values for the control soil were 17.37 ± 0.98cm at 2WAG,and 53.93 ± 0.18cm at 8WAG for C. cajan, 13.37 ± 0.75cm at 2WAG, and 32.35 ± 0.55cm at 8WAG for S. stenocarpa, and 6.40 ± 0.43cm at 2WAG, and 34.00 ± 1.15cm for V. subterranean respectively. The number of leaves leaf area and stem girths of the plants were significantly reduced at (P<0.05) in 4% - polluted soils compared with the control (0%). From the results of this study, it was clear that diesel contamination retards the germination and growth of plants. Researches in the area of plant biotechnology should be directed at the development of varieties of these and other plants that can tolerate diesel contamination of soils
Effects of Forage Restriction on Digestibility, Performance and Enteric Methane Emission in West African Dwarf Sheep
No full textThe performance and enteric methane emission of WAD sheep following restricted feeding with Panicum maximum (PM), Centrosema pubescens (CP) and their combination (PM + CP) were evaluated in this study. Twenty adult West African Dwarf sheep (ewes) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatment groups 1, II, III and IV in a completely randomized design (CRD) of five animals per group. Group I (control) animals were on free range feeding while groups II, III and IV received PM (100%), CP (100%) and 50%PM + 50%CP respectively. Group III recorded a significant reduction (P<0.05) in feed and water intakes compared to other groups. The weight gain was similar in groups I and IV but significantly higher (p<0.05) in group IV compared to groups II and III. Methane emission rate (MER) and Feed conversion ratio were significantly (p<0.05) lower in group IV animals compared to other groups. The digestibility of dry matter (DM) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in group III animals compared to those of other groups. Crude protein (CP) digestibility was similar in groups III and IV animals but significantly (p<0.05) higher in group III compared to groups I and II. The crude fibre digestibility was significantly (p<0.05) increased in groups II, III and animals IV compared to those of the control. Calcium digestibility did not differ significantly between groups II and III but was higher in (p<0.05) group II compared to groups I and IV. Similarly, Phosphorus digestibility was significantly (p<0.05) increased in group II compared to group I but did not differ with those of groups III and IV. It was concluded that forage restriction to the combination of PM and CP (50%:50%) in WAD sheep produced the best growth performance, nutrient digestibility and utilization and least methane emission