MARRIAGE PRESSURES AND PERCEPTION OF SINGLEHOOD AMONG YET-TO-MARRY WOMEN IN IBADAN METROPOLIS

Despite the critical disapproval of singlehood in most African societies, Nigeria inclusive, it is most appalling that the age at which women make their first nuptial bliss is becoming late in recent times. Statistics have shown that the number of single women have doubled within a short space of time. The available chunk of studies have paid sufficient attention to the factors responsible for singlehood among older women. However, little studies have examined how different source marriage pressures influence how single women view themselves. Against this background, this article examines the sources of marriage pressures and how they influence the perception of singlehood among women in Nigeria. The study draws heavily on Marx Weber Social Action theory. A total of 24 yet-to-marry women selected through a multistage sampling technique were extensively interviewed. The study found that beside the direct marriage pressure from parents experienced by yet-to-marry women, they are also faced with indirect marriage pressure during gatherings with family, friends, and co-workers. The pressures sometimes translate to the women perceiving themselves as being judged, though most of them feel independent and free. They are of the opinion that they need to be careful in selecting a partner in order not to fall victim of a failed marriage despite having waited for long.

THE INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISING ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE: A STUDY OF GUINNESS FOREIGN EXTRA STOUT AND WILFORT DARK ALE

This study examines the influence of advertising on consumer preference for Guinness Stout and WIlfort Dark Ale. The survey method of research was adopted and 200 literate consumers of the brands under study who reside in Ibadan were purposively selected and sampled. Data collected were analyzed using percentage grade tabulation and correlation analysis. Results show that consumers perceive Guinness Stout adequately advertised and Wilfort Dark Ale under advertised. In terms of quality, consumers rated Guinness Stout adverts higher than that of Wilfort Dark Ale. The study also revealed that advertising influences consumer preference, however, quality (taste) and availability in that order, have greater influence on consumer preference than advertisements. The study concludes that advertisements alone cannot bring about brand preference. It is in this regard, that the following among others were recommended: That producers should ensure that their products are of very good quality and are made available to the people where and when needed. Specifically, Guinness Nigeria. Plc, producers of Guinness Stout should sustain Guinness Stout’s advertisement in terms of quality, reach and frequency, while, Sona Breweries, producers of Wilfort Dark Ale should consider it important to increase its advertisement of Wilfort and extend the advertisement to other media such as radio and television if and when they are ready to expand their market.

THE NEXUS BETWEEN LOGIC AND GENERAL STUDIES

Logic, a branch of philosophy, is essentially concerned with one’s ability to reason well. It provides structured rules and principles that act as guides for effective reasoning. As such the correctness or incorrectness of any kind of reasoning can easily be verified by subjecting them to logical techniques and methods. The paper conceptualises general studies as a set of prescribed courses available in a Nigerian tertiary institution, outside a student’s area of specialisation that must be registered for and passed, usually, in the first and second years of study. The essence is to ensure that students experience balanced, rounded education and to ensure that scholarship is made relevant to the pressing needs of the society. The paper locates the bond between logic and general studies based on the fact that logic permeates all the courses taught as General Studies and, indeed, all the courses taught in the university be it medicine, geography, architecture. In a knowledge-based environment, the need for effective communication is critical and inevitable. This means that both in the delivery of knowledge as well as its acquisition, care should be taken to avoid fallacious reasoning and deception by the slippery nature and use of words. It is for this reason that a rudimentary knowledge of logic is a prerequisite for every discipline. The paper adopts an analytical and comparative method. Philosophical analysis and reflection are applied in order to evaluate and highlight the importance of logic to other disciplines. Its comparative character helps to demonstrate why logic, and no any other discipline, is most suited to act as the foundation for all other disciplines. In all, the paper demonstrates that for effective teaching and learning to take place in other disciplines, logic is essential. It also underscores the strong nexus between logic and general studies. Finally, it shows how logic can help in enriching other disciplines.

THE PERCEPTION, AWARENESS AND USE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES BY UNDERGRADUATES OF THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

This research investigated perception, awareness and use of Guidance and Counselling Services (G&CS) by undergraduates of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). Simple random sampling technique was used to sample 283 respondents across the ten (10) Colleges in the Institution. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages, and mean. The questionnaire was subjected to a pilot study that revealed psychometric properties of Cronbach's Apha 0.86. Results revealed that 91.1% of the respondents were aware of G&CS and 74.6% of the respondents currently using the services indicated that it was very helpful. The rating of the counselling needs of the respondents revealed that academic issues with a mean of 3.62 is the most important factor, followed by examination pressure management which had a mean of 3.51. The rating of the perception of students on the quality and effectiveness of G&CS indicated that organized orientation services for fresh students ranked first (mean = 2.55), while effective counselling on personal, social, academic and vocational challenges ranked second (mean = 2.49). The fresher's orientation service received the highest perception (mean = 2.55) among respondents on the quality and effectiveness of G&CS in the institution. The use of G&CS is presently assisting students to attain competencies needed to overcome academic, career and personal concerns. The study concluded that the G&CS needs of the students across the Colleges differ due to the dissimilarities in their disciplines across the University.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF YAM PROCESSING INTO YAM FLOUR IN SAKI AGRO ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the economic analysis of yam processing into yam flour in Saki Agro ecological Zone of Oyo State. It specifically described the profitability of yam processing; examined the technical efficiency of yam processors and determined the effect of the socio-economic characteristics on technical efficiency. Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, profitability and budgetary analysis as well as stochastic frontier model and Garrett scale. The study reveals that majority of the respondents were female (88%) with a mean age of 47. The result shows that the rate of return on investment was 12 percent. The mean technical efficiency of the processors was 85% indicating that the yam processors were relatively efficient in allocating their limited resources. Some observable variables relating to socioeconomic characteristics such as processing experience and sex of the respondents significantly explains the variation in technical efficiency. Factors such as high cost of yam tubers, poor weather condition and inadequate processing facilities are the major factors that hinder the processing activities in the study area. The study therefore recommends that government policies should be made to improve the provision of inputs such as yam tubers and capital equipment at affordable price.

ETHNIC PLURALISM, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND INTEGRATION POLICY IN POST CONFLICT RWANDA

Like every war ravaged country, the Republic of Rwanda is reawakening to grapple with the challenges of post-conflict reintegration and transformation. To scholars and observers of the trend, Rwanda is recuperating at a very high speed due to socio-economic reforms and the apparent commitment of the Government of the country to rebuild a new Rwanda from the rubbles of the devastation that greeted the 1994 genocide. Expectedly, the Rwandan government generated laws and codes which govern social interaction – former ‘enemies’ that must co-habit. There is public ban on all divisionism tendencies. In Rwanda there should be no ‘Hutu’, ‘Tutsi’ or ‘Twa’. All are Rwandans. Indeed, there are sanctions against defaulters irrespective of their nationalities. The drive for identity reconstruction is fierce and the government of Rwanda is determined to obliterate the ethnic ideologies which it believes, reinforced the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. However, the questions to ask are: will suppression of ethnic identity effectively obliterate natural affinity for group relations and the right to cultural identification and association? How does the government policy against sectarianism help in the reintegration programmes in Rwanda particularly the traditional judicial option called the Gacaca? This paper seeks to address these questions based on the data collected from a field-work conducted in Rwanda in 2011 and from the observations of scholars of ethnicity and the Rwandan Crisis.

THE INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISING ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE: A STUDY OF GUINNESS FOREIGN EXTRA STOUT AND WILFORT DARK ALE

This study examines the influence of advertising on consumer preference for Guinness Stout and WIlfort Dark Ale. The survey method of research was adopted and 200 literate consumers of the brands under study who reside in Ibadan were purposively selected and sampled. Data collected were analyzed using percentage grade tabulation and correlation analysis. Results show that consumers perceive Guinness Stout adequately advertised and Wilfort Dark Ale under advertised. In terms of quality, consumers rated Guinness Stout adverts higher than that of Wilfort Dark Ale. The study also revealed that advertising influences consumer preference, however, quality (taste) and availability in that order, have greater influence on consumer preference than advertisements. The study concludes that advertisements alone cannot bring about brand preference. It is in this regard, that the following among others were recommended: That producers should ensure that their products are of very good quality and are made available to the people where and when needed. Specifically, Guinness Nigeria. Plc, producers of Guinness Stout should sustain Guinness Stout’s advertisement in terms of quality, reach and frequency, while, Sona Breweries, producers of Wilfort Dark Ale should consider it important to increase its advertisement of Wilfort and extend the advertisement to other media such as radio and television if and when they are ready to expand their market.

RURAL HOUSEHOLDS' SOURCES OF WATER AND WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR IMPROVED WATER SERVICES IN SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA

Households' source of water is one of the core development indicators recently gaining prominence in Nigeria. This study examined rural households' sources of water and its Willingness to Pay (WTP). A cross sectional survey involving the use of questionnaire was adopted while a dichotomous choice (DC) with follow up was used as elicitation method. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 437 rural households. Descriptive statistics and Tobit model was used as analytical tool for the study. Results from this study revealed that almost 70% fetched from unimproved water sources. Only 74.4% of the respondents showed WTP for improved water sources. Age(p<0.01), Sex (p<0.01), Education (p<0.01), Occupation(p<0.01), Income (p<0.01), Price of water(P<0.01), Quantity of water (p<0.01), Household size(p<0.01) and Distance(p<0.01) to existing water sources significantly influenced rural households' WTP for these services. Therefore, good water sources should be cited nearer to rural community at a relatively low price by rural households.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: CATALYSTS FOR REAL ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRMS’ GROWTH IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

The study examined the role of Human Resource Management Practices (HRMPs) on entrepreneurial firms’ growth in South West Nigeria. This was to entrenching a set of adequate human resource management practices that can enhance the growth objective of entrepreneurial firms. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on relevant variables of the study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of IBM SPSS statistics version 21. The results revealed that employees’ training ( = 31.03, s=8.6405); controlling ( = 25.95, s= 6.721)); organizing manpower ( = 23.20, s = 5.760); job analysis and design ( = 23.10, s = 5.883) were reasonably practiced among the firms under the study. Whereas motivating strategies ( = 21.5, s = 5.2905; recruitment and selection ( = 20.45, s = 4.831); and manpower planning ( = 18.72, s = 4.786) fell below the agreement criterion ( = 23.0). However, it was established that there was a statistically significant influence of the predictor variables on the outcome variable (R2 = 0.837, adjusted R2 = 0.825). Therefore, the study concluded that Human Resources Management Practices as an omnibus concept have significant influence on Entrepreneurial firms ‘growth. The study suggested that Human Resource Management Practices should be considered as a process by entrepreneurs as it galvanizes entrepreneurial firms' growth objectives.

EFFECTS OF COMPENSATION PRACTICES ON ACADEMIC STAFF’S JOB PERFORMANCE IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the effect of compensation practices on academic staff’s job performance in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Multi stage sampling technique was used to purposively select 3 Agricultural base colleges followed by proportionate stratified sampling technique where respondents were randomly selected. One hundred and three (103) respondents from the three colleges of agriculture of the university were selected of which 92 questionnaires were retrieved. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation, chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Finding revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 42.71 years, 71.7% of the respondents were male, 81.5% of them were married and 79.3% of the respondents were PhD holders. The mean years of experience was 10 years while their mean income was ₦217447.29. Most (79.4%) academic staff perceived that there is a pressing need to review and rationalize the pay structure to improve employee efficiency, some of the compensation packages available were; retirement benefit (100%), study leave (91.3%), career development opportunity (82.6%). The major constraints to compensation strategies identified were poor insurance scheme (21.7%), inadequate welfare package (20.7%) and poor communication network (19.6%). Furthermore, a significant relationship existed between respondents’ age (r= -0.204, P<0.05), compensation packages (r= 0.26, P<0.05) and their job performance. The results concluded that academic staff perceived a pressing need to review the compensation packages by involving them in the compensation decision making process. Effective management and implementation of compensation packages is highly recommended. , , Job Performance