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Leboku is the annual new yam festival celebrated in Ugep by the people in honour of the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the land for bountiful harvest. This study evaluates the role of Leboku new Yam Festival (LNYF) in hotel and tourism development. This annual celebration attracts tourists from all over the world every August to the land of Ugep people so as to witness their rich African culture, language and identity. The goal of this study was to raise consciousness on the strong relationship between Leboku New Yam Festival and hospitality as well as tourism development. Correct and precised data were collected using primary and secondary sources of data. 100 questionnaires were designed and administered, while 99 were retrieved and were accurately analyzed. LNYF promotes: inter – cultural co – operation, creates job opportunities, unity, and hotel/tourism development as affirmed from our results/findings. Tourists problems/expectations in patronizing hotels were discovered too which included: accessibility, affordability, comfortability, and hospitality. However, the study proved that LNYF – just like every other festival – is a tourist event and as such contributes not just to hotel/tourism development but also in a peoples/nations development.

Effect of garlic extracts on MSG induced fibroid in wistar rats was studied. Fifteen rats were randomly assigned into 3 study groups. The animals in Group 1 (the control) received a placebo of 5.0 mL distilled water via gastric intubation. The animals in the Groups 2 and 3 were treated with 100 mg MSG/kg, or a combination of 100 mg MSG/kg + 100 mg garlic/kg, respectively in a total volume of 5.0 mL vehicle. However, the animals in Group 3 were treated with MSG only for 30 days before the commencement of treatment with garlic extracts. The fibroid was confirmed by myometry. The experiment lasted for 60 days. One day after the final exposure, the animals were euthanized by inhalation of overdose of chloroform. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture into EDTA sterilized sample bottles. Serum was prepared by centrifugation (6000 x g, 30 min) and used for the analysis of serum total protein, estradiol (estrogen and serum total cholesterol. The results showed that Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) alone increased total protein, cholesterol and estradiol (estrogen), which in turn, induced fibroid in the rats. However, treatment with garlic extracts near-completely abrogated/mitigated any effects that have been induced by the MSG alone. It appears that Garlic extracts acted to remove catabolic wastes from the pelvic cavity and from uterine and ovarian tissue, thereby accelerating metabolism and lymph drainage; promoted the sloughing-off tissues; corrected imbalances of estrogen metabolism associated with excessive catechol estrogens and elevated inflammatory prostaglandins. It also appears that garlic extracts stimulated the secretion of gonadotrophins and ovarian hormones and inhibited proliferation of cancer cells at the levels of the pituitary gland; promoted the exit of cells from the golgi phase of the cycle; promoted the unliganded estrogen receptors ability to transducer growth signals from other pathways, leading to apoptosis of fibroid or tumour cells. The results of this study may offer the possibility of treating women with fibroids for extended periods of time without the need for surgery or hormone add-back.

This research was carried out to examine the effect of child maltreatment on academic performance of Senior Secondary School students in Ibadan, Nigeria. The Questionnaire was the instrument of data collection, administered to five hundred and twelve students selected randomly in two local government areas. A hypothesis that “there is no significant relationship between child maltreatment and academic performance” was formulated. This was tested using multiple regression analysis and the result indicated that there is significant relationship between child maltreatment and academic performance. It is recommended among others that the government should intensify efforts towards eradication of poverty among the populace, so as to enable parents have enough capital to provide for their children. Also, single parenthood should be discouraged as it exposes children to all kinds of maltreatment. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n2p175

The paper examines the under-five mortality in Nigeria with regards to the perception and attitudes of the Ikwerres about the existence of ‘Ogba-nje’ (children from the spirit world) and the mode of treatment given to such children. The study elicited information from 1695 women of reproductive age in Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor LGAs of Rivers State South-South, Nigeria. The study shows that (i) more than half of the respondents believe in the existence of Ogba-nje children; (ii) that Ogba-nje children can be identified from the evidence of past death, frequent indisposition, non-responsiveness of their illness to moderate medical care as well as repeated death and verification from traditional healers; that causes of illness differ between Ogba-nje and non Ogba-nje children; (iv) close to 71 percent of the respondents have faith in traditional methods of treatment for Ogba-nje children. The study, therefore, reiterate the need to integrate the people;s beliefs, attitudes and behavioural practices into health promotion progammes. Keywords: Under-five mortality, Perception, Attitudes and “Ogba-nje”.