2024

This study investigated the impact of mass media campaigns against human trafficking in Nigeria. Employing a quantitative survey research design, data were gathered from 400 respondents across diverse demographics within Oredo local government. The study's findings revealed significant contributions made by mass media campaigns in raising awareness about human trafficking, challenging pre existing attitudes, and fostering positive perceptions. Additionally, the research confirmed the effectiveness of such campaigns in reducing the incidence of human trafficking, shedding light on their role in curbing this pervasive issue. The population-centric approach, focusing on Nigeria, served to unravel the complex dynamics of human trafficking awareness within this context, providing nuanced insights into its effectiveness. The convenient sampling technique facilitated data collection within a diverse population, ensuring both feasibility and robustness in the study. Data analysis was executed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27, with validity and reliability ensured through the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. This study underscored the pivotal role of mass media campaigns as influential tools in the fight against human trafficking. It offered a comprehensive understanding of their impact within the Nigerian landscape, offering valuable insights for policymakers, advocates, and organizations committed to addressing this grave issue. The research contributed to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence of the effectiveness of mass media campaigns in raising awareness, changing perceptions, and reducing the incidence of human trafficking in Nigeria. These findings carry significant implications for future campaign strategies and policies aimed at eradicating human trafficking in Nigeria and beyond.

The investigation of Students Understanding of the concepts of Reproductive system in Biology (A case study of University of Benin), Two (2) research questions served as it's guidelines, and it used a descriptive survey study design. It sought to find out the common misconceptions among students regarding asexual and sexual reproduction in different organisms? How does the behaviour of specific anatomical features, such as the gular fold in lizards, influence their mating and territorial strategies?
The study employed a sample of undergraduate Biology students in University of Benin, Edo State and a total of (100) respondents which were collected from four departments. The researcher developed questionnaire titled Questionnaire on "Students Understanding of the concept of reproductive system in Biology" was used as the data collection tool. There are twenty (20) items on the questionnaire. To analyze the data collected, descriptive statistics such as Simple percentage and frequency were used.
The study find reveals the varying degrees of understanding and misunderstanding among Biology Students as regards to Reproduction concept. Across different items, the analysis indicates fluctuations in the percentages of correct understanding and misunderstanding. Notably, while some items witness relatively higher levels of correct understanding, others show a prevalent misunderstanding among Students. It was suggested that the government should hire skilled and experienced Biology instructors with adequate knowledge of Reproduction concept for schools in order to effectively teach and learn Reproductive system.

This purpose of this study was to find out the influence of substance abuse on the performance of student athletes in the University of Benin. Four research questions were raised. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population for this study consists of 150 respondents across 8 different sports from student-athletes in the University of Benin. A total of eighty (80) respondents from few Sports were selected through simple random sampling technique. The validity of the study was ascertained by the researcher’s supervisor and two other experts in the Department of Human Kinetics and Sports Science all from the University of Benin. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient was used to establish the reliability and a reliability index of 0.74 was obtained indicating that the instrument was reliable. The demographic data was analyzed using descriptive statistics involving frequency counts and percentages while mean and standard deviation was used to analyze the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that substance abuse messes up how well student-athletes can play and leads to less focus and lower confidence, which can affect how well athletes perform in sports. It was concluded that substance abuse will influence the performance of student athletes in the University of Benin. It was therefore recommended that comprehensive educational initiatives should be implemented to inform student-athletes about the health risks and performance-related consequences of substance abuse

This study accessed the microbial analysis of melon seeds purchased from different vendors in New Benin market, Ogida market, Oba market and Uselu market in Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. Samples were collected in sterile plastic containers and taken to the laboratory for microbiological assessment following standard procedures. The microbiological assessment was carried out using cultural techniques. Identification of the microbial isolates was done using biochemical methods, phenotypic virulence properties were evaluated for the isolates and antimicrobial sensitivity was carried out using agar well diffusion method. The results showed that the bacterial counts ranged from 1.96±0.67 to 3.45±1.15x105 CFU/g. The total coliform counts ranged from 4.73±0.67 to 9.66±0.67 x103 CFU/g. The fungal counts ranged from 1.00±0.00 to 6.00±0.58x103 CFU/g. The bacterial isolated from the melon seed samples were Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp and Staphylococcus aureus. The fungal isolates identified were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus sp, Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium sp and Trichoderma sp respectively. The antibacterial susceptibility testing showed that all isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and levofloxacin but were also resistant to pefloxacin, gentamycin, ampiclox, zinnacef, amoxicillin and rocephin. It was also evident that all isolates were found to have an MAR index greater than 0.2 which means that the isolates were all pathogens of public health importance. The study therefore suggests regular surveillance and checks to monitor local vended foods on sale to ensure effective food safety.

Colistin, a "last-resort" antibiotic for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections, has seen increasing use, leading to the emergence of colistin-resistant strains.The primary aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of colistin-resistant Enterobacterales in composted manure samples collected from different farms in Benin City,Nigeria.This study was carried out in some selected poultry farms within Benin City,Nigeria .A cross-sectional study which involved collecting composted manure samples from each selected site using sterile containers.Samples were homogenized in buffered peptone water within 24 hours
post collection from the farm.The composted manure were cultured on Mac-Conkey agar plate and incubated at 370c for 18-24 hours.Isolates were identified based on colonial morphology,motility,lactose fermentation,Gram staining reaction andbiochemical tests(indole, citrate, oxidase and urease tests) The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Broth macrodilution was used to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of colistin in calcium enhanced mueller- Hinton broth (MIC ≤ 2). A total of 11 enterobacterales were isolated from 272 compost manure samples, consisting of 5 isolate of Escherichia coli, 3 isolates of klebsiella species, 2 isolate of proteus species and 1 isolate of providencia spp. Of the 5 E. coli samples isolated, 1(20%) showed collistin resistance. Of the 3 Klebsiella spp isolated none showed resistance
to colistin. 2 Proteus samples were isolated, all of which showed resistance to colistin. Only one isolate of Providencia was found and showed resistance to colistin in the single isolate found.The total prevalence of colistin resistance in isolatedenterobacterales was 4/11(36.4%).This study revealed a concerning prevalence of colistin resistance among Enterobacterales isolated from composted manure in Benin City,Nigeria, with resistance observed in key pathogens including E. coli,Proteus spp and Providencia spp. These findings highlight the critical role of environmental reservoirs in the spread of antibiotic resistance and underscore the potential public health implications, particularly in the context of last-resort treatments for multidrug-resistant infections

This study accessed the microbial analysis of melon seeds purchased from different vendors in New Benin market, Ogida market, Oba market and Uselu market in Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. Samples were collected in sterile plastic containers and taken to the laboratory for microbiological assessment following standard procedures. The microbiological assessment was carried out using cultural techniques. Identification of the microbial isolates was done using biochemical methods, phenotypic virulence properties were evaluated for the isolates and antimicrobial sensitivity was carried out using agar well diffusion method. The results showed that the bacterial counts ranged from 1.96±0.67 to 3.45±1.15x105 CFU/g. The total coliform counts ranged from 4.73±0.67 to 9.66±0.67 x103 CFU/g. The fungal counts ranged from 1.00±0.00 to 6.00±0.58x103 CFU/g. The bacterial isolated from the melon seed samples were Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp and Staphylococcus aureus. The fungal isolates identified were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus sp, Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium sp and Trichoderma sp respectively. The antibacterial susceptibility testing showed that all isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and leofloxacin but were also resistant to pefloxacin, gentamycin, ampiclox, zinnacef, amoxicillin and rocephin. It was also evident that all isolates were found to have an MAR index greater than 0.2 which means that the isolates were all pathogens of public health importance. The study therefore suggests regular surveillance and checks to monitor local vended foods on sale to ensure effective food safety

The study examined and analyzed corporate social responsibility and it's impact on Organizational performance. Data were primarily sourced through the administration of one hundred (100) questionnaire out of which same number were found usable for the empirical analysis. The descriptive (frequency, mean and percentage) and inferential statistics (regression analysis) were adopted for the study's analysis. Specifically, the analysis revealed that corporate social responsibility has a significant impact on the performance of organizations, positively impact organizational employees, has a significant impact on organizational reputation, and lastly significantly impact organizational customers. As result of the findings, it was recommended that organizations should provide training programs on CSR principles and the impact of the organization's initiatives. This helps employees understand the company's commitment to social responsibility and how they can contribute. Also, organizations should prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility. Implementing eco-friendly practices will enhance its reputation as a socially conscious entity. Accordingly, organizations should involve customers in CSR initiatives. For example, offer opportunities for customers to participate in charitable activities or environmental programs, creating a sense of shared responsibility.Lastly, organizations should ensure ethical governance and compliance with regulations

This study was carried out to examine the influence of Christian religious studies on the morals of public junior secondary school students in Oredo local government area of Edo state. Five research questions were raised for this study: How do CRS programs influence the development of moral values among public junior secondary students? What are the perceptions of public junior secondary school students regarding the effectiveness CRS initiatives in fostering ethical behavior?
How do different types of CRS initiatives affect the moral development of public junior secondary school students? What roles do school administrators and teachers play in integrating CRS initiatives into the moral education of junior public secondary school students? What challenges do schools face in implementing CRS initiatives that aim to enhance the moral education of junior public secondary school students?
Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample of the study consist of 100 students drawn from 5 secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. 20 students were drawn from each school with the use of purposive random sampling technique.
The major findings of the study revealed how the influence of Christian religious studies influence the morals of public junior secondary school students. It was revealed that Christian Religious studies should be made a compulsory subject in the curriculum due to its positive effects in their school, it was revealed that quality CRS taught influence public junior secondary school students’ academic performance positively. religious beliefs affect students’ academic performance, it was revealed Christian Religious studies influence students’ academics, social and other behavioural characteristics. It was revealed that positive teacher student interaction contributes to students’ sense of belonging and engagement in the classroom. It was seen that effective morals thought through CRS studies made students develop good and gracious qualities. It was seen that the roles of Christian religious studies positively affect the growth i.e. cognitive, behavioral and otherwise of overall performance of public junior secondary school students.

Background: Humam Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most prevalent viral infection of the reproductive system. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, and most people acquire it soon after becoming sexually active. HPV infection is the primary cause of almost all cervical cancers and certain HPV types also contribute to the development of cancers in the anus, vulva, vagina, penis, and oropharynx. Cervical cancer can be prevented through interventions such as health education, safe sex practices, and HPV vaccination.
Aim: The study evaluated the awareness about HPV vaccines, attitude towards HPV vaccination, the prevalence of HPV vaccination and associated factors among female secondary school students in Benin City, Edo State.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 330 secondary school students who were selected using multi-stage sampling technique. A pretested, structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccination, attitudes towards HPV vaccination; and uptake of the vaccine. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.0. Univariate analysis was used to assess the mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentages of variables. Bivariate analysis using chi-square test and Fischer’s Exact test were used to determine the association between respondent’s sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge, attitude, and uptake of HPV vaccination. Independent predictors of knowledge, attitude, and uptake of HPV vaccination were assessed using binary logistic regression. The level of statistical significance was set to p<0.05. Results were presented in prose, tables and charts.

The study investigated the Perception of students on the impact of Guidance and Counselling services on academic performance in public secondary Schools in Oredo Local Government area, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Four research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. The study adopted the survey research design. The population of the study was
2000 SSS2 students from five public schools in Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State Nigeria. The sample size is Seventy-nine (79) 36 males and 43 females SSS2 student selected through simple random sampling techniques. The Instrument used for data collection was a 20-item questionnaire adopted from James 2023. The instrument contains four subscales of Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree and strongly Disagree (SD). The instrument was validated by three experts from the Department of Educational Evaluation and Counselling Psychology. It yielded an Cronbach Alpha reliability
coefficients of .667, .735, .713 and .735 for sub-scale 1,2,3 and 4 respectively. Data collected from the participants were analyzed using mean for research questions. while the independent sample t-test was used to test hypothesis at 0.05 level significance. The findings from the study reveals that the Guadiance and Counselling services available in schools in Oredo Local public are appraisal services and orientation program. Also, students perceived the Guidance and Counselling services to be impactful in classroom participation activities, career development and academic performance but not xi impactful on their attitude towards academic peers. It was therefore recommended that other types of Guidance and Counselling services should be made available in the public schools in Oredo Local Government Area because of its perceived impact on students academic performance