Akwa Ibom State Of Nigeria Research Articles

Articulatory Analysis of Palatalization in Anaang

This paper examines the Articulatory features of palatalisation in the phonology of Anaang language. Anaang is a developing language spoken by the Anaang people in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Genetically, Anaang is a Lower Cross Language of the Benue-Congo sub-family of the Niger-Congo Language Phylum. The objectives of the study are to investigate the articulatory features of Anaang and how palatalisation is formed in the language. The population is made of sixteen informants, two from each of the eight local government areas in Anaang speaking areas. Collection of data is based on interviews, participant observation and personal interaction with the informants. In achieving this, fifty items were used from SIL Comparative African Wordlists. Interviews were both formally and informally recorded in a digital midget. Formally, the recordings were done on the knowledge of the informants who were asked to pronounce words in Anaang. Informally, data were recorded unknowingly to the informants in social gatherings. Articulatory Model by Browman & Goldstein (1990) is adopted as the theoretical frame for the analysis. The theory recognizes gestures as abstract, discreet and dynamically defined units which are invariant, but overlap in time due to their internal spatio-temporal organisation. The findings of the investigation show that palatalisation in Anaang is formed when a non-palatal consonant is followed be a high front vowel [i]. For palatalisation to occur there must be a target which is usually a non palatal consonant and a trigger which must be a high front vowel. Palatalisation in Anaang involves partial assimilation as there is no total shift in place feature, but an overlap in internal spatio-temporal organisation. Though articulatory examination is not so accurate and empirical it prised open further research into acoustic investigation which is more scientific and reliable.

Environmental Variables and Chemistry Students’ Achievement in Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

The study aimed at assessing how 13 environmental variables taken together predict students’ achievement in Chemistry as well as their relative contribution to the prediction. Two research questions were raised and stratified random sampling technique was used to select 94 Chemistry teachers and 600 of their Chemistry students for the study. Environmental variable Questionnaire 1 and 11 and Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) were used for data collection and analysed using multiple regression.The results showed that the 13 variables taken together had significant contribution to students’ achievement in Chemistry and accounted for 77.34% of the variation in students’ achievement in Chemistry. It was recommended that stakeholders in provision of Chemistry education at the secondary school level should consider the eight variables that contributed significantly to achievement seriously during planning and executing Chemistry education programmes for optimum achievement of students. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v4n3p275

Availability, Accessibility and Utilization of Information and Communication Technology in Physics Teaching in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, West Africa

This article reports on a study which investigated availability, accessibility and utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in secondary school physics curriculum delivery. The sample of 378 physics teachers randomly drawn from the eight educational zones in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria was used for the study. The study revealed that most of the physics teachers in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria are aware of ICT resources such as computer set, television set, video cassettes, audio tape player, slide projector and overhead projector. Most secondary schools in the State were not connected to the internet and hence physics teachers have no access to the internet for use in physics curriculum delivery. Further finding showed that most physics teachers are not computer literate. It was further revealed that very few of the respondents used for the study were aware of the selected computer software packages used for the study and no teacher used any of the programmes to complement on their physics instructional delivery. The recommendation arising from the findings was that Government and all stakeholders in education should equip schools with sufficient quantity of modern ICT resources. Another recommendation was that physics teachers should be trained on the use of ICT in physics teaching.

Effects of oil spillage on Soil and Surface Water in Odoro Ikot Ukanafun Area Akwa Ibom State

A hydrogeochemical survey of water and soil sample in Odoro Ikot and its environment was carried out using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) techniques. It was done to assess the impact of oil spillage on soil and surface water in the area. The soil samples were taken from the top to a depth of 30cm at the interval depth of 5cm each. Results obtained from these analyses were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR)and Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) standards. The following parameters were measured and analyzed, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, oil/grease, copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), phosphorus, (Pox) and sulphate (S0 4 ). The results of the analysis show that the surface water samples exceeds the WHO, FEPA and DPR acceptable standards. Apart from the water pH which was almost moderately acidic and oil/grease value in the study area, other parameters also exceeds the recommended standards, therefore there is need for remediation or clean up exercise to be carried out in the study area. The comparison with the soil sample analytical results show that the crude oil has polluted the soil and rendered it unsuitable for agricultural purpose since the ecology has been damaged and the soil degraded. ©JASEM Keywords: Tozicity, heavy metals, soil and water, WHO standard, Odoro Ikot Ukanafun, Akwa Ibom State Nigeria.

Status of Safety Awareness among Senior Secondary School Science Students in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

The study aimed at determining the status of safety awareness of senior secondary school science students as well as examining how their safety awareness vary with gender and location of school. Three research questions, two of which were converted to null hypotheses.Descriptive survey research was employed in carrying out the study using 3906 science students selected using stratified random sampling method. Safety awareness questionnaire was used to collect data which were analyzed using mean, percentage and dependent t-test. The result showed that science students had just fair knowledge of their safety; their gender and location of schools not withstanding. It was recommended that enlightenment programme like seminar should be arranged for them by the school principals in order to safeguard their health. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n2p275

Translocation and accumulation of trace metals in rice plants in Nsit Ubium, Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

This study aimed at ascertaining the quality of locally produced rice which is consumed mostly by rural dwellers. The extent of soil pollution was measured using geoaccumulation index (I geo) as a pollution index, and enrichment coefficient (EC) of heavy metals (Pb, Fe, Zn, and Ni) and translocation potentials of hybrid rice plants – ITA, CISADANE, WITA 4, and MARS were investigated in a rice farm in Nsit Ubium, South-South Nigeria under actual field conditions. The results revealed that soils in the farmland are moderately polluted with Pb, Fe, and Ni (I geo < 2) and unpolluted to moderately polluted with Zn (I geo < 1) and that soil Pb, Zn, and Ni exceeded the European Commission limits and levels in uncontaminated soils. The levels of Pb in ITA grains and Zn in ITA and MARS grains exceeded the FAO/WHO safe limits. The roots and stems of all hybrids were accumulators (1 < EC < 10) of Fe, Zn, and Ni whereas the roots of ITA hybrid only accumulated Pb (EC = 1.06). The leaves and grains had little potential for metal extraction (EC < 1). The result further indicated that all hybrid rice plants translocate Pb, Fe, Zn, and Ni ineffectively from roots to stem (S/R), stem to leaves (L/S) and from stem to grains (G/S) (translocation factor < 1). The ITA hybrid rice in the study area appeared to be unsafe for consumption. The finding has emphasized the need for the identification of rice species that are not hyper-accumulators of toxic metals for planting in a particular ecology.

Effect of Thermal Processing on Antinutrients in Common Edible Green Leafy Vegetables Grown in Ikot Abasi, Nigeria

The effects of time and temperature variation on the levels of anti-nutrients in five popularly consumed green leafy vegetables in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, were investigated. The vegetables were obtained from Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, and they included Utazi leaf (Gongronema latifolium), Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), Curry leaf (Ocimum canum sims) Bush apple leaf (Heinsia crinata) and Waterleaf (Talinum triangulare). The vegetables were subjected to heating conditions of 50°C and 90°C for 5 minutes and 15 minutes, and the levels of selected anti-nutrients (phytate, cyanides, tannins, oxalates) assessed. Heating conditions reduced the levels of all the investigated anti-nutrients in vegetables in the studies; the greatest reduction in level was observed in oxalates. In the vegetables, Talinum triangulare recorded the greatest reduction in anti-nutrients levels, tannins (84.4%), phytates (84.1%), cyanides (35.8%), total oxalate (57.1%) and soluble oxalate (75%). Heating at 90°C for 15 minutes was the most impacting for all the vegetables. The reduction of tannins ranged from 25.4 to 84.4%, phytates from 43.7 to 84.1%, cyanides from 22.1 to 40.7%, total oxalates from 57.1 to 75.0%, soluble oxalates from 66.7 to 78.3%. This study reveals that the most effective thermal processing temperature and time for anti-nutrient reduction in the selected vegetables was 90 C for 15 minutes. The data generated will help dieticians and other health o workers in the formulation of different diets to meet the varied needs of patients in clinics and health establishments.

A MODEL-BASED MIXED DATA APPROACH FOR OPTIMIZING THE PERFORMANCE OF AN OFFSHORE GAS TURBINE COMPRESSOR

Gas turbines play prominent role in aviation, power generation, marine, mining, petrochemicals, onshore and offshore oil and gas industries. Environmental factors result to degradation mechanics of the overall performance of the engine. Industrialist therefore face unplanned equipment and manufacturing downtime which is undesirable because it leads to economic losses and costly repairs. While condition monitoring is used to obtain early warning of impending equipment failure, optimization techniques such as water washing (online and offline) are used to bring the engine/equipment back to lime-light. In this work, several schedule visits were made to a gas turbine plant on industrial duty for electricity generation in an offshore thermal station at Ibeno, near Eket, Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria. Continuous monitoring of the aerothermodynamics and vibration data were taken for a period of twelve months on hourly basis to examine the state of health of the engine due to adverse offshore environmental factors. The diagnostic approach of vibration analysis, trend and performance monitoring were used with a model-based mixed data approach for optimizing the performance of the offshore gas turbine plant.A software code-named VANCANAL written in C++ programming language was used to proactively monitor the gas turbine plant. The software displayed the operational (actual) values of all the parameters of the engine against their designed (reference) values. Once a set limit is exceeded, the software is capable of giving an alarm, signifying the need for maintenance.

Preliminary Geophysical Investigation to Delineate the Groundwater Conductive Zones in the Coastal Region of Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria, around the Gulf of Guinea

This paper presents the first work of its kind within the confines of the study area. It unravels the distribution of the layers of conductive sand and their depths of interaction between freshwater from fresh sands and saltwater within the conductive layers in the coastal region of Akwa Ibom State (Nigeria) around the Gulf of Guinea. Vertical electrical sounding (VES) data whose fidelity was achieved by constraining the data by the available nearby logged borehole information during interpretation was the method applied. In the western region of the study area, the ferruginized and saline water layer is found within the depth range of 22 to 75 m deep. In the northern zone, conductive sandy layer is found within 50 to 210 m and in the eastern zone, the saline and ferruginized sandy layer is found within the depth of 88.5 m and above. Generally, the horizontal and vertical cross sections of the subsoil and the flow regime from water table depths have been delineated. With these information, water can be tapped in the area with caution and the flow direction determined can be used as input parameter in detailed contamination study.

Common wild fruits from Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria and nutritional analyses of landolphia membranacea (Stapf) pichon

Fruits from Maesobotrya barteri, Carpolobia lutea, Dialium guineense, Hemandradenia mannii, Uvaria chamae, Cola millenii, C. heterophylla, Melastomastrum capitatum, Landolphia membranacea are reported as being commonly consumed in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria even though they are harvested only in the wild. These all are available in the planting season when the staples are not really available. Phytochemical screening of the fruits of L. membranacea showed a strong presence of flavonoids , cardiac glycosides and tannins, trace quantities of saponins and complete absence of alkaloids, anthraquinones and cyanogenic glycosides. Proximate analyses revealed moisture content of 75.5%, 8.74% of protein, 5.33% of ash, 8.33% of crude fibre, 13.95% of crude fat and 65.55% of carbohydrate. The mineral content showed that potassium was 2448.00mg/kg -1 , sodium was 100.00mg/kg -1 , magnesium was 240.00mg/kg -1 , calcium was 240.00mg/kg -1 , phosphorous was 2500.00mg/kg -1 and iron was 129.oomg/kg -1 . The anti-nutrient composition was phytic acid (43.36mg/100g), oxalic acid (580.80mg/100g) and tannins (2.93mg/100g). This fruit is recommended for consumption, conservation and possibly further development in size and yield.

Customers’ Retention in Micro Finance Banks: An Analysis of Drivers and Inhibitors

The general purpose of this study was to examine those service characteristics that impact on customers’ etention within the context of micro finance institutions in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Regression model was used in analyzing the data received from 90 respondents patronizing 13 licensed micro finance banks in the State. Simple percentages were used to analyse the demographic characteristics of micro- finance customers tabulated in a bi-variant frequency table. The paper identifies a number of drivers and inhibitors of retention behaviours and underscored the need for their proper understanding. Pro-active and reactive retention measures were recommended as necessary conditions for improving retention and general business performance among micro finance banks.

Building a Link between Retirement Planning in the Civil Service and Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria

Retiree involvement in entrepreneurship is known to address their wellbeing challenges hence the interest to ascertain the determinants and level of their contribution among retirees of the Civil Service of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Data were obtained through the use of structured Questionnaire which was administered during the annual verifi cation exercise of retirees. Multi regression analysis using four functional forms of linear, double log, semi log and exponential; Pearson Product Moment Correlation, chi square and T-test methods were used to test the hypotheses. The basis for the selection of the bestfit model and lead equation was the one with relatively highest R value, lowest number of significant, lower error of estimation and appropriateness of a prior signs. Double log provided the best option. The result showed that all the independent variables were signifi cant at 0.05 level of probability. These relative effects suggest that these factors if given adequate corresponding attention would lead to a healthy and increased post retirement involvement in entrepreneurship. It is recommended that measures be taken to invigorate pre-retirement training, hitherto ignored as an essential and integral part of the retirement planning process of the Civil Service of the State. Key words: Retirement planning; Civil service; Entrepreneurship development; Nigeria

Learning Environment as Correlates of Chemistry Students’ Achievement in Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

The study aimed at assessing how 13 learning environment variables taken together predict students' achievement in chemistry as well as their relative contribution to the prediction. Two research questions were raised and stratified random sampling technique was used to select 94 chemistry teachers and 600 of their chemistry students for the study. Learning Environment Questionnaire I and II (LEQ) and Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) were used for data collection and analysed using multiple regression. The results showed that the 13 variables taken together had significant contribution to students' achievement in chemistry and accounted for 77.34% of the variation in students' achievement in chemistry. It was recommended that stakeholders in provision of chemistry education at the secondary school level must consider the eight variables that contributed significantly to achievement seriously during planning and executing chemistry education programmes for optimum achievement of students in chemistry.

Business Studies Academic Performance Differences of Secondary School Juniors in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

The research examined the differences in the academic performance in Business Studies of a sampled secondary school junior students in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. A sample of 290 (138 male and 152 female) Junior Secondary Three (9th grade) students was surveyed. The students’ variables’ being examined vis-à-vis academic performance in Business Studies were: 1) gender and 2) self-concept. Students’ academic performance in Business Studies differed significantly on the basis of gender and self-concept. Implications for students’ personal variables considerations in the teaching-learning of Business Studies are suggested.

Nutrient Budget for Optimal Oil Palm (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt; Elaeis guineensis&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Jacq) Yield on Coastal Plain Sands Soils of Akwa Ibom State Nigeria

The objective of the study was to establish approximate relationships between yield and soil nutrients in oil palm production. The study was conducted in Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) substation Ibesit ekoi in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State Nigeria. Soil, rainfall and yield data were collected from oil palm plantation established 49, 29, 9 and 0 (control) years ago in an area underlain by coastal plain sands. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and multiple stepwise regression analysis were used to study variations, effect of land use on soil properties at different depths and contributions of various soil nutrients at different depths to the yield (fresh fruit bunch ‘FFB’ and palm oil) of oil palm. Results of coefficient of variability revealed that approx. 45.5% of the variables were highly variable including available phosphorus, extractable zinc, FFB and palm oil, while others were either least or moderately variable. Oil palm trees influenced soil development with its effect on silt content at 30 - 60 cm depth. Uptake of phosphorus in oil palm land use system decreases with depth. This was further confirmed by the relative contribution of available phosphorus to FFB yield that decreased from the surface of the soil downwards. Extractable zinc contents of oil palm land use were not significantly different from each other (ranging between 9.65 and 7.84 mg·kg–1) but significantly different from the control (23.99 mg·kg–1). In the modeling process, it was observed that the absolute contribution of texture was minimal while exchangeable sodium was highest (i.e. 66.5 percent) in the quantity of oil palm production. Also extractable copper and zinc were found to have made large contributions to FFB and oil palm. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is a high-yielding source of edible and technical oils but requires proper knowledge and precise administration of nutrient demands for management of a major production constraint which is soil fertility.

Perceived and Actual Learning Difficulties of Students in Secondary School Mathematics

This study investigated students&rsquo; perceived and actual learning difficulties insecondary school mathematics. A total of 120 secondary school studentswere involved in the study. This number was made up of 60 males and 60females from four co-educational secondary schools in Etinan LocalGovernment Area of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. A survey design wasadopted for the study. The Students&rsquo; Perception of Mathematics DifficultConcept Questionnaire (SPMDCQ) and Mathematics Achievement Test(MAT) were used as instruments for data collection. Data collected wereanalyzed using means and standard deviations, Spearman Rank OrderCorrelation and independent t-test. Findings showed that fourteen (14) of thetopics learned were identified as difficult based on students&rsquo; perceptions.Furthermore, a negative significant relationship (r = -0.27) was found toexist between the perceived and actual learning difficulties, while significantdifference existed between the male and female actual learning difficulties allat 5% level of significance. Recommendations were made that teachers try asmuch as possible to understand their students and their perceptions ofmathematics and adopt teaching methods that would be to their benefit.

The Status of Material Resources for Effective Teaching of Physics in Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

The study investigated the status of material resources for the teaching andlearning of physics in Akwa Ibom State Secondary Schools. It adopted survey design. A sample size of 1400 SS3 Physics students took part in theinvestigation. Mean was used in answering the three research questionsraised to guide the investigation. Findings revealed that some resourcematerials are available and adequate for the teaching and learning ofphysics. The study showed a low frequency of use of the available resourcematerials. Recommendation made was that adequate provision of resourcematerials should be made by state government to schools for meaningfulteaching and learning of physics. Physics teachers should make use ofmaterial resources during lessons.

Socio-cultural Factors Responsible for Increasing Rate of HIV/AIDS in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

Socio-cultural Factors Responsible for Increasing Rate of HIV/AIDS in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

Socio-cultural Factors Responsible for Increasing Rate of HIV/AIDS in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

KEYWORDS Sero-Prevalence. Colony . Abrasions. Vulnerability. Negotiate. Pandemic. Transmission. Promiscuous ABSTRACT Akwa Ibom State is rated second in terms of HIV/AIDS pandemic (with 8.1 seroprevalence rate) out of the 36 states in Nigeria 1 . The authors carried out an intensive three month fieldwork in Uyo capital area and its surrounding villages of Itam, Itiam and Mbiabong Anyaya, using purposive and random sampling techniques. The findings show that the people's belief system and socio-cultural practices favour the contracting and spread of HIV/ AIDS. The researchers' recommendations for mitigating the spread of the pandemic include massive awareness campaign about covert cultural practices that aid the spread, and opening up of more Voluntary and Counselling Testing Centers (VCCT).

Effects of Dietary Toasted and Sun-Dried Icacinia &lt;i&gt;Mani&lt;/i&gt; (Earth Ball) Meals on the Performance, Serum Biochemical and Haematological Indices of Weaner Rabbits

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary Icacinia mani (earth ball) meal (locally called efik isong by the Ibibios of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria) on the performance of weaner rabbits. Sun-dried Icacinia mani meal (SIMM) and toasted Icacinia mani meal (TIMM) were analyzed for hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content and proximate composition and then used to make 4 diets at 10% and 20% levels each, respectively. The 5th diet (control) contained no Icacinia mani meal. Thirty weaner rabbits, weighing 720–880 g, were divided into 5 groups of 6 rabbits each and each group randomly assigned to one of the 5 experimental diets in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. Forage was provided to them as basal diet. At the end of the trial, the rabbits were slaughtered and their blood collected for determination of haematological and serum biochemical indices. No trace of HCN was detected but SIMM contained 6.13 % CP, 5.0 % EE, 8.62 % CF, 3.8 % ash and 76.5 % NFE which were not significantly affected by toasting. Feed intake, growth rate and feed conversion ratio of the rabbits on the control diet were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those on Icacinia mani diets. The PCV of the control rabbits was also significantly (P< 0.05) higher than those of the rabbits on Icacinia mani diets butIcacinia mani groups recorded significantly (P< 0.05) higher white blood cell counts. The SGPT, total protein, albumen, globulins and creatinines of the Icacina mani groups were similar (P> 0.05) and significantly (P