51 research outputs found
The politics of monetary sector cooperation among the Economic Community of West African States members
No full textThe author tries to explain why monetary cooperation and integration have been difficulty to achieve among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He shows how different interest groups--both members and nonmembers--have over time influenced policies and positions on various ECOWAS member states. Unfortunately, most negotiations for cooperation among ECOWAS member states have a much better monetary cooperation and integration program, mainly because of France's active support and participation in negotiations, mediation, and consensus building. Unfortunately, Nigeria-which has been the main force behind bilingual regional integration in West Africa--has a different agenda from France. Its promotion of a bilingual economic grouping in West Africa was in part an attempt to reduce France's influence in West Africa, so France is unlikely to allow economic and monetary cooperation and integration along Nigerian lines. The fact that Nigeria is still a weak state does not help. The choice for francophone West African countries is therefore between closer ties with France--which has provided development aid, ensured currency convertibility, and guaranteed monetary stability in those francophone countries--and closer ties with Nigeria (which has done none of the above for itself, much less for its neighbors). The increasing convergence of macroeconomic indices among ECOWAS member countries--which is essential for monetary cooperation and integration--has come about largely because of events outside of ECOWAS or because of externally (International Monetary Fund) imposed structural adjustment programs. France's support is essential for the development of a meaningful ECOWAS.Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Earth Sciences&GIS,Economic Theory&Research,National Governance,Fiscal&Monetary Policy,National Governance,Trade and Regional Integration,Earth Sciences&GIS,TF054105-DONOR FUNDED OPERATION ADMINISTRATION FEE INCOME AND EXPENSE ACCOUNT,Economic Theory&Research
Locational and structural potential model for development planning of urban market places
No full textThe thesis focuses attention on the unbalanced demand and supply of activity spaces in urban market places, resulting in the congestion of people and vehicles in selected Nigerian market places. A review of existing approaches to retail analyses shows that none offer a sufficient explanation of this phenomenon in a manner that can be useful for planning purposes. This is because, (i) None of these approaches contains explicit inclusion of time in its structure, and (ii) They are designed to predict what is likely to happen as a result of some assumptions, and not the possible range of performance in relation to defined locational and structural potential of the urban market places. A new approach to retail study, which includes the above two factors, is then proposed on these assumptions: (1) That there is strong hierarchical relationship between any pair of demand and supply of activity spaces, (a) for food shopping; (b) for non-food shopping, in an urban market place; (2) That there is strong multiple causal relationship between the growth rate of any demand or supply of activity space, and the locational and structural potential in the urban market place. Case study materials from Kaduna city market places are used to calibrate the equations arising from the propositions 1 (a & b), and 2. The relationships were found to be strong. Examination of the calibrated hierarchical and causal relationships revealed unbalanced distribution, and disproportionate growth rates, of the demand and supply of activity spaces in Kaduna city market places. Four alternative planning strategies were generated. The performance of each over and above the trend strategy, in achieving balanced demand and supply of activity spaces, and in optimising the locational and structural potential in the market places, was evaluated with equations 2 and 1(a & b). The strategy that achieved the best performance, together with the plan management requirements, was recommended as the adopted plan for the market places in the city.The thesis focuses attention on the unbalanced demand and supply of activity spaces in urban market places, resulting in the congestion of people and vehicles in selected Nigerian market places. A review of existing approaches to retail analyses shows that none offer a sufficient explanation of this phenomenon in a manner that can be useful for planning purposes. This is because, (i) None of these approaches contains explicit inclusion of time in its structure, and (ii) They are designed to predict what is likely to happen as a result of some assumptions, and not the possible range of performance in relation to defined locational and structural potential of the urban market places. A new approach to retail study, which includes the above two factors, is then proposed on these assumptions: (1) That there is strong hierarchical relationship between any pair of demand and supply of activity spaces, (a) for food shopping; (b) for non-food shopping, in an urban market place; (2) That there is strong multiple causal relationship between the growth rate of any demand or supply of activity space, and the locational and structural potential in the urban market place. Case study materials from Kaduna city market places are used to calibrate the equations arising from the propositions 1 (a & b), and 2. The relationships were found to be strong. Examination of the calibrated hierarchical and causal relationships revealed unbalanced distribution, and disproportionate growth rates, of the demand and supply of activity spaces in Kaduna city market places. Four alternative planning strategies were generated. The performance of each over and above the trend strategy, in achieving balanced demand and supply of activity spaces, and in optimising the locational and structural potential in the market places, was evaluated with equations 2 and 1(a & b). The strategy that achieved the best performance, together with the plan management requirements, was recommended as the adopted plan for the market places in the city
Heterolingualism and Transnational Poetics in Melatu Uche Okorie's Short Fiction
No full textInternational audienceThis chapter explores short fiction by Nigerian-born Irish author Melatu Uche Okorie against the backdrop of the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 which commemorated key events in the founding of the Irish state. It argues that Okorie’s texts throw into sharp relief the relationship between national identity and forced migration and raise crucial questions on Ireland’s national representation as a multicultural country. As they represent the experience of migrating to Ireland and navigating the dehumanising system of Direct Provision, they reflect on the possibilities and failures of building a transnational community. The first part of the paper discusses the notion of heterolingualism, analysing the legacy of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s “rotten English” in the experimental language of Okorie’s short stories. The second part explores Okorie’s aesthetics of resistance as based on a rhizomatic and heterogeneous conception of language and narrative. Finally, the third part reflects on the complex ways in which Okorie’s writing asks for a reconceptualisation of the reading and understanding process of the migration experience.Cette contribution propose une analyse des nouvelles de l’autrice irlando-nigériane Melatu Uche Okorie dans le contexte de la « décennie des centenaires » (2012-2023) qui a commémoré plusieurs événements fondateurs de l’État irlandais. On s’attache à montrer que l’écriture d’Okorie met en lumière les relations entre identité nationale et migration forcée tout en interrogeant la représentation de l’Irlande comme un pays multiculturel. Ses nouvelles décrivent l’expérience de la migration en Irlande et la vie des demandeurs d’asile dans les centres de rétention provisoire en montrant les défis et les difficultés de la construction d’une communauté transnationale. Cette contribution examine, d’abord, la notion d’hétérolinguisme et l’influence de « l’anglais pourri » de Ken Saro-Wiwa sur la langue expérimentale des nouvelles d’Okorie. Elle explore ensuite l’usage rhizomatique et hétérogène de la langue et de l’écriture narrative d’Okorie comme porteur d’une esthétique de la résistance. Elle conclut en réfléchissant sur la manière dont l’écriture d’Okorie demande une reconcep
The Ethics and Aesthetics of Humour in Contemporary Transcultural Migration Narratives: Melatu Uche Okorie’s “This Hostel Life”, and Fadia Faqir’s “Under the Cypress Tree”
No full textThe voice of the immigrant in Western societies is being heard in the first person in contemporary literature. Therefore, the experience of emigration is no longer or, at least, not necessarily told from the privileged perspective of the white man or woman. And the short story is being a recurrent favourite genre for sharing with readers the diverse causes that force a man or a woman to abandon his/her native land, as well as the conflicts that emerge in the countries of reception. Collections such as The Things I Would Tell You (2017) by Sabrina Mahfouz, or This Hostel Life (2018) by Melatu Uche Okorie, among many others, are offering interesting examples of transcultural renderings of the experience of migration. The purpose of the present contribution is to focus on the use of irony and humour as ethically committed strategies for deploying the possibilities as well as the limits of conviviality in contemporary societies. I study the representative examples of two stories, Melatu Uche Okorie’s “This Hostel Life” (included in the homonymous collection by the author), and Fadia Faqir’s “Under the Cypress Tree”, published in Mahfouz’s collective volume. These two stories are aesthetically brilliant instances of the ethical potential of humour when offering a transcultural view of contemporary migrations that overcomes the limitations of traditional multicultural and intercultural treatments of the topic
The Ethics and Aesthetics of Humour in Contemporary Transcultural Migration Narratives: Melatu Uche Okorie’s “This Hostel Life”, and Fadia Faqir’s “Under the Cypress Tree”
No full textThe voice of the immigrant in Western societies is being heard in the first person in contemporary literature. Therefore, the experience of emigration is no longer or, at least, not necessarily told from the privileged perspective of the white man or woman. And the short story is being a recurrent favourite genre for sharing with readers the diverse causes that force a man or a woman to abandon his/her native land, as well as the conflicts that emerge in the countries of reception. Collections such as The Things I Would Tell You (2017) by Sabrina Mahfouz, or This Hostel Life (2018) by Melatu Uche Okorie, among many others, are offering interesting examples of transcultural renderings of the experience of migration. The purpose of the present contribution is to focus on the use of irony and humour as ethically committed strategies for deploying the possibilities as well as the limits of conviviality in contemporary societies. I study the representative examples of two stories, Melatu Uche Okorie’s “This Hostel Life” (included in the homonymous collection by the author), and Fadia Faqir’s “Under the Cypress Tree”, published in Mahfouz’s collective volume. These two stories are aesthetically brilliant instances of the ethical potential of humour when offering a transcultural view of contemporary migrations that overcomes the limitations of traditional multicultural and intercultural treatments of the topic
Addition of artesunate to chloroquine for treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Gambian children causes a significant but short-lived reduction in infectiousness for mosquitoes.
No full textOBJECTIVES: Combination therapy using existing anti-malarials together with artesunate (AS) has been advocated as a method to slow the spread of drug resistance. We assessed the effect on Plasmodium falciparum transmissibility of the addition of AS to chloroquine (CQ) in an area of The Gambia where resistance to CQ is increasing. METHODS: Gambian children with acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria were treated with either CQ monotherapy (n=120) or the combination of CQ plus three doses of AS (CQ/AS; n=352). Post-treatment sexual-stage parasitaemia was assessed during a 4-week follow-up period. Experimental infections of Anopheles gambiae s.s. mosquitoes were performed with blood from patients who were carrying gametocytes 7 days after starting treatment (n=69). RESULTS: The addition of AS significantly reduced post-treatment prevalence and mean density of gametocytes in the first 14 days (day 7: 43.7% vs. 12.4%, 62.4/microl vs. 6.2/microl; day 14: 32.9% vs. 3.7%; 21.9/microl vs. 5.2/microl; CQ vs. CQ/AS), although by day 28 the benefits of the combination were substantially less marked (40.5% vs. 21.8%; 23.0/microl vs. 63.1/microl; CQ vs. CQ/AS). The duration of gametocyte carriage over the study period was significantly lower in the CQ/AS group (5.2 days vs. 1.5 days; CQ vs. CQ/AS). The estimated infectious proportion of children at day 7 was also lower in the combination group (19.2% vs. 3.4%; CQ vs. CQ/AS), as were the proportion of mosquitoes infected and mean oocyst density (11.5% vs. 0.9%; 0.3 vs. 0.01; CQ vs. CQ/AS). Treatment failure was associated with threefold and twofold higher gametocyte carriage rates during follow-up in CQ and CQ/AS groups, respectively (P<0.001 in both cases), and 26-fold and 2.3-fold higher intensity of infection at day 7 among CQ- and CQ/AS-treated children, respectively (P=0.002 and 0.30, respectively). CONCLUSION: The benefits of adding AS to CQ monotherapy in lowering gametocyte prevalence and density were transient, suggesting that the addition of AS delayed, but did not prevent, the emergence of gametocytes. This is consistent with our finding that treatment failure, and thus the presence of CQ-resistant parasites, was significantly associated with a higher gametocyte carriage rate in both treatment groups. At day 7, CQ monotherapy significantly favoured transmission of resistant infections, which showed an 11-fold greater intensity of transmission compared with infections that were successfully treated. In contrast, the combination of CQ/AS did not significantly favour resistant infections at day 7. We conclude that significant transmission-reduction is achieved by the combination but is not maintained because of the recrudescence of CQ-resistant parasites
Impact of Household Electricity Consumption on Standard of Living in Nigeria
No full textThis study examined the impact of household electricity consumption on standard of living in Nigeria with level of education, poverty rate, per capita income and life expectancy as proxy for standard of living. Deviating from the popular electricity consumption and economic growth nexus, this present study focused on the impact of electricity consumption on the components of standard of living within the period of 1981 to 2017. The study adopted the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bound Test in estimating the long-run and short-run relationship of the variables of the model. The study, therefore, found a positive long-run relationship between household electricity consumption and level of education, poverty rate, per capita income and life expectancy. The study also found significant short-run relationship between household electricity consumption and level of education, poverty rate, per capita income and life expectancy. From the outcome of the study, the researcher concluded that household electricity consumption impacted positively on standard of living in Nigeria although the impact is not large as expected. The study, therefore, recommends amongst others, that government should significantly improve power generation and distribution in order to enhance access to electricity consumption among her citizens in order to improve standard of living. Keywords: Household Electricity Consumption (HHEC), Standard of living, Poverty rate, Income per capita and Educational enrollment DOI: 10.7176/JETP/10-1-05 Publication date: February 29th 2020
Digitizing Africal local content : The way forward
No full textThis paper sought to expound on how the African local content can be preserved and
transmitted to the larger world via a successful digitization process by providing answers
to four major questions as follows: What is local content? Why do we need to digitize our
local content? How do we digitize local content? And how do the digitized local content
help in preserving and transmitting African literary and cultural heritage to the world at
large? Furthermore, recent initiatives at digitizing and transmitting local content were
highlighted while constraints to digitizing and transmitting African local content were
also identified. However, the paper concluded and made recommendations on how
Nigeria can join the rest of Africa in improving and promoting our local content in the
Global Information Infrastructure (GII), which is seen presently to be minimal
Review Article - Book title: Oral tradition as history
No full textBOOK TITLE:
ORAL TRADITION AS HISTORY
MBAKWE, PAUL UCHE
Department of History and International Relations,
Abia State University
P. M. B. 2000 Uturu, Nigeria.
E-mail: [email protected]
REVIEW ARTICLE
AREA: SOCIO-CULTURAL HISTORY
TITTLE: ORAL TRADITION AS HISTORY
AUTHOR: JAN VANSINA
PLACE OF PUBLICATION: MADISON, WISCONSIN
PUBLISHER: UNIVERSITY OF WINSCONSIN PRESS
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 1985 (LAST EDITION)
NUMBER OF PAGES: 245
PRICE: NO PRIC
The development of community directed treatment for tackling river blindness
No full textChapter 9 tells the story of how African researchers developed a way of engaging rural communities themselves in delivering and monitoring the treatment—with spectacular results. The author describes the difficulties faced in bringing together all the participants, aligning organizational and national interests, working in post-conflict situations, and developing the network of villages and community distributors. It shows how she and her colleagues succeeded through a rigorous and energetic approach, and through supporting the local people.</p
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