12 research outputs found
Electoral Politics: Democracy and Electoral Security in Nigeria
No full textDemocracy in Nigeria has been fragile and fluctuating since independence as conflict, triggered by political rivalries, violence, ethnicity, religion and insecurity, poses a major threat to her democracy. The late Nigerian political scientist and theorist, Claude Ake in 1993, warned that external and elite support for electoral democratisation was not the same as actual democracy. He argued that the substitution of democracy for elections had resulted in a struggle for power at the polls by the elite groups. To this end, the incidences of electoral violence, political competition and insecurity have since become a constant nightmare and a serious source of concern to all actors participating in the electoral system. The cornerstone of democracy is the electoral process, with a viable Election Management Board (EMB) that conducts free, fair, open and secured elections. Electoral security is one of the focal points for a successful and effective administration of the electoral process. The electoral process must be geared towards building citizens' confidence, especially by ensuring that votes are cast anonymously and without coercion, while also making sure that election results reflect the collective will of the voters. With the aid of secondary sources of data, using content analysis, the paper concludes that defending elections not only involves protecting voting units and ballots, but also protecting the functions, resources and technologies that support election processes and which help manage voters and election results in Nigeria. In order to protect our electoral politics in Nigeria, there is a need for an effective and secure electoral process, laced with a credible and acceptable outcome. This paper emphasises on security as a crucial condition in the context of elections, such that it assists in establishing an enabling environment that is conducive to holding democratic polls
Scourge of Ages: African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) Interventions in Somalia and the Free Reign of Violence in Africa
No full textFor the draftsmen and composers of the African Union (AU), the organ of Peace and Security Council (PSC) is not only a clone of the Security Council of the United Nations; it is intended to give aggregate security and early-cautioning course of action against Africa's unlimited clashes and to encourage auspicious and proficient reaction. Also, the Constitutive Act and the Protocol on the PSC accommodate more vigorous engagement and significantly more noteworthy extension in examples of both between and intra-state clashes. Be that as it may, the intercessions of the PSC in some of Africa's auditoriums of contention have brought up central issues on how the organ plays out its triangular parts of contention anticipation, administration, and determination. With a unique spotlight on the Horn of Africa - the most unstable and seemingly a standout amongst the most hazardous districts on the planet, the paper expects to evaluate the difficulties confronting PSC mediation instruments, particularly the parts of the African Standby Force and its activities. The paper contends that the PSC must move past negligible talk of plan setting to more 'powerful or aggressive' engagement by fortifying its tasks. It at last backers’ proactive strategy choices on how its parts could be upgraded in the district. 
Land Boundary Disputes Resolution: A Qualitative Study of Peace and Conflict Resolution between Erinle-Offa Communities in Kwara State, Nigeria
No full textThe study focused on land boundary disputes and the resolution challenges in the Erinle-Offa communities of Kwara State, Nigeria. The history of the two communities is laced with hostility and aggression, which has resulted in violent disputes at various times. Quite a number of works have emerged on the causes and consequences of the violent clash. However, the aftermaths of the dispute, especially the tense relationship and peacebuilding process in the area, are yet to be sufficiently interrogated. This study investigated the state of relations between Erinle and Offa as well as land dispute resolution processes in the locality involving complex actors after the last violent clash. It also examined the factors responsible for land boundary disputes between the two communities. The findings showed that negative peace currently exists in the two communities and the land conflict is a perennial one that could arise at any time. The study used both primary and secondary data. The main method of data collection was the unstructured interview, which was conducted with 120 people, made up of traditional rulers, and local, political, religious and youth leaders. Secondary data was sourced from texts, newspapers, magazines, official gazettes, archival materials and the Internet
Community Policing: “Atalakpa” (Edo State Security Network) and the Management of Crime and Internal Security in Edo State, Nigeria
No full textThis study assessed the praxis of community policing in managing internal security in Edo State, Nigeria. It also evaluated the nature of community policing (Atalakpa-Edo State Security Network) in Edo State and its effectiveness. In addition, the study identified the relationship between community policing (Atalakpa-Edo State Security Network) and the public security force in Edo state. The study further Identified the challenges confronting Atalakpa-Edo State Security Network in Edo State. The study employed survey research design, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Also, both primary and secondary data were explored. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics involving frequency counts, percentages, mean scores and charts. The findings showed that the government falls short of effectively providing security for the citizens; hence, the community opted for Atalakpa community policing, which is focused on fostering greater trust and cooperation between the police and the residents geared towards maximising police resources through community participation in public safety initiatives. The study concluded that the emergence of community policing (Atalakpa-Edo State Security Network) was borne out of the need to reduce crimes and social vices, security of lives and properties, and to complement other security agencies in fighting crime and criminality in rural areas. The study recommends restructuring and overhauling of the Atalakpa- Edo State Security Network to meet its establishment's goals and purpose. Also, there should be better collaboration and partnership between community policing and other security agencies in the area of handing-over/transporting of suspects, conducting investigation, sharing of information, fire alert, armed patrol, joint duty posting, training and re-training; workshops and seminars, with a view to fighting crime and criminality, and entrenching peace in rural areas
Securing world heritage sites: insurgency and the destruction of UNESCO’s world heritage sites in Timbuktu, Mali
No full textBecause of the political and religious disagreements in Mali, the protection of the country’s world heritage sites (WHSs) has been a constant agenda of state-parties to the World Heritage Convention (WHC). To avoid irreversible damage and loss of these valuable national heritages, appropriate action is needed at every level for their conservation and preservation. Significant attention has been directed at understanding the relevance and benefits of WHSs to the economic sector specifically, but, there has been relatively little academic and policy research on the destruction and looting of WHSs especially in Timbuktu, Mali. This is the gap this study intends to fill. This calls for serious questions regarding what precipitated and led to the destruction of Timbuktu’s cultural heritage. What is the significance of Timbuktu’s WHSs to the Malians? How should government authorities respond to the destruction of the sites? Finally, against the background of the destruction of the Timbuktu WHSs, how can the WHSs be preserved and protected? This study critically interrogates insurgents’ attacks on the WHSs, with the motive of developing a sustainable template suitable for forestalling potential attacks by Islamic/jihadist insurgents, or any other insurgents for that matter, in other locations in Mali, using the attacks in Timbuktu as a case study.http://link.springer.com/journal/10708hj2022Political Science
Inhibition and Compressive-Strength Performance of Na₂Cr₂O₇ and C₁₀H₁₄N₂Na₂O₈.2H₂O in Steel-Reinforced Concrete in Corrosive Environments
No full textThis paper studied corrosion-inhibition and compressive-strength performances of NaThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author
Electrochemical performance of sodium dichromate partial replacement models by triethanolamine admixtures on steel-rebar corrosion in concretes
No full textThis paper studies electrochemical performance of partial replacement models of sodium dichromate (Na2Cr2O7) inhibitor by triethanolamine (C6H15NO3) admixtures on the corrosion of steel-rebar embedded in concrete immersed in corrosive environments. For these, 3.5% NaCl and 0.5M H2SO4 media were employed for respectively simulating saline/marine and industrial/microbial corrosive test-environments. Test-results of electrochemical monitoring techniques were subjected to statistical modelling of probability distribution fittings, goodness-of-fit tests and analyses for detailing admixture performance in steel-reinforced concretes. Results from these identified 6 g Na2Cr2O7 + 2 g C6H15NO3 and the 2 g Na2Cr2O7 + 6 g C6H15NO3 partial Na2Cr2O7 replacement admixtures with excellent inhibition efficiencies, η = 91.7% and η = 90.0%, respectively in the NaCl-immersed concretes. Also, the 2 g Na2Cr2O7 + 6 g C6H15NO3 exhibited inhibition efficiency η = 52.5% that lagged behind η = 72.0% of 8 g Na2Cr2O7 but which both represent good efficiency criteria in the H2SO4-immersed concretes. © 2013 by ESG
Haematological and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens fed varying dietary levels of fermented castor oil seed meal (Ricinus communis L.) and different methionine sources in South Western Nigeria
No full textIn this experiment, the effect of varying dietary levels of fermented castor oil seed meal (FCSM) and different methionine sources (DL-methionine and herbal methionine) on haematological and serum biochemical parameters of broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old Anak broiler chicks were used in the experiment lasted 56 days. The dietary experiment was laid out as a completely randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement consisting of 4 dietary levels of FCSM (0, 50, 100 and 150 g/kg) and 2 methionine sources (DL-methionine and herbal methionine). The birds were weighed and randomly distributed into 8 treatments with 3 replicates of 10 birds each. During the starter phase of the experiment, haemoglobin, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and eosinophil counts were higher (
Probability density fittings of corrosion test-data: Implications on C6H15NO3 effectiveness on concrete steel-rebar corrosion
No full textIn this study, corrosion test-data of steel-rebar in concrete were subjected to the fittings of the Normal, Gumbel and the Weibull probability distribution functions. This was done to investigate the suitability of the results of the fitted test-data, by these distributions, for modelling the effectiveness of C6H15NO3, triethanolamine (TEA), admixtures on the corrosion of steel-rebar in concrete in NaCl and in H2SO4 test-media. For this, six different concentrations of TEA were admixed in replicates of steel-reinforced concrete samples which were immersed in the saline/marine and the microbial/industrial simulating test-environments for seventy-five days. From these, distribution fittings of the non-destructive electrochemical measurements were subjected to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit statistics and to the analyses of variance modelling for studying test-data compatibility to the fittings and testing significance. Although all fittings of test-data followed similar trends of significant testing, the fittings of the corrosion rate test data followed the Weibull more than the Normal and the Gumbel distribution fittings, thus supporting use of the Weibull fittings for modelling effectiveness. The effectiveness models on rebar corrosion, based on these, identified 0.083% TEA with optimal inhibition efficiency, η = 72.17± 10.68%, in NaCl medium while 0.667% TEA was the only admixture with positive effectiveness, η = 56.45±15.85%, in H2SO4 medium. These results bear implications on the concentrations of TEA for effective corrosion protection of concrete steel-rebar in saline/marine and in industrial/microbial environments. © 2014 Indian Academy of Sciences
Cambios en el crecimiento, digestibilidad y anatomía intestinal de pollos de engorde alimentados con dietas que contienen harina de semillas de ricino ( Ricinus communis L.) tratada con etanol
No full textEight weeks feeding trial was conducted to investigate the chemical
composition, growth response, apparent nutrient digestibility, gut
characteristics and morphology of broiler chickens fed four diets
containing ethanol-treated castor oil seed meal (ECAM). Two hundred
day-old Anak 2000 broiler chicks were then allotted to the four
experimental diets containing ECAM at 0, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg,
respectively. Each treatment was replicated five times with 10 birds
per replicate. The final live weight, weight gain and feed intake
reduced (P < 0.01) with increasing dietary inclusion of ECAM.
Control fed broilers and those fed diets containing 100 g/kg and 150
g/kg ECAM had similar feed to gain ratio. Broilers fed diets containing
200 g/kg ECAM recorded the least (Linear and quadratic contrast, P <
0.05) crude protein and crude fibre digestibility, and the poorest
(Linear contrast, P < 0.05) feed to gain ratio. Similar improved
feed to gain ratio, apparent crude fibre, fat and ash digestibility
were noticed with birds fed the control diet, diets containing 100 g/kg
and 150 g/kg ECAM, respectively. Relative gizzard weight increased (P
< 0.05) with increasing dietary inclusion levels of ECAM. Broilers
fed with 200 g/kg ECAM recorded the heaviest (P < 0.05) relative
gizzard, pancreas, duodenum weight and the longest (P < 0.05)
relative jejunum and ileum length. Villi length and crypt depth of the
duodenum reduced (P < 0.05) with increasing dietary inclusion of
ECAM. In conclusion, ethanol-treated castor seed oil meal can be
included up to 150 g/kg diet in broiler ration without impairing growth
and nutrient digestibility.Un ensayo de alimentación de ocho semanas se realizó para
investigar la composición química, la respuesta del
crecimiento, la digestibilidad aparente de nutrimentos, las
características y la morfología intestinal de pollos de
engorde alimentados con dietas que contienen harina de semillas de
ricino tratada con etanol (HSRTE). Doscientos pollos de engorde Anak
2000 de un día de edad se asignaron a cuatro dietas experimentales
que contienen HSRTE a 0, 100, 150 y 200 g/kg, respectivamente. Cada
tratamiento se repitió cinco veces con 10 aves por
repetición. El peso vivo final, la ganancia de peso y el consumo
de alimento se redujo (P < 0,01) con la inclusión cada vez
mayor de la dieta de HSRTE. Los pollos de engorde alimentados con el
control y aquellos alimentados con dietas que contenían 100 y 150
g/kg de HSRTE tuvieron una relación alimento:ganancia similar. Los
pollos de engorde alimentados con dietas que contenían 200g/kg de
HSRTE registraron la menor proteína cruda y digestibilidad de
fibra cruda (Contrastes lineal y cuadrático, P < 0,05) y la
relación alimento:ganancia más pobre (Contraste lineal, P
< 0,05). Se notó un mejoramiento similar en la relación
alimento:ganacia y digestibilidad aparente de fibra cruda, grasa y
cenizas con aves alimentadas con la dieta control, dietas que
contenían 100 y 150 g/kg de HSRTE, respectivamente. El peso
relativo de la molleja se incrementó (P < 0,05) con el aumento
de los niveles de inclusión en la dieta de HSRTE. Los pollos
alimentados con 200 g/kg de HSRTE registraron el mayor peso relativo de
la molleja, el páncreas y el duodeno (P < 0,05) y la mayor
longitud relativa del yeyuno y el íleon (P < 0,05). La longitud
de las vellosidades y la profundidad de las criptas del duodeno se
redujeron (P < 0,05) con un incremento de la inclusión en las
dietas de HSRTE. En conclusión, la harina de semillas de ricino
tratada con etanol puede ser incluida hasta 150 g/kg en dietas para
raciones para pollos de engorde, sin perjudicar el crecimiento y la
digestibilidad de los nutrimentos
