PGD Project

This study examined the relationship between organizational silence and citizenship behavior among academic staff at the University of Benin, Benin City. The study sought to determine how the dimensions of organizational silence, acquiescent silence, defensive silence, prosocial silence, and supervisor silence climate influence the display of OCB among academic staff. The research was driven by concerns that silence in academic institutions may limit participation, reduce innovation, and hinder voluntary behaviours that promote institutional performance. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of 100 lecturers across various faculties using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to summarize responses, while Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were employed to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that prosocial silence recorded the highest mean (M = 4.04, SD = 0.90), indicating that lecturers often withhold information for altruistic or constructive reasons, such as maintaining team harmony or protecting colleagues. Conversely, acquiescent silence (M = 2.73, SD = 1.39) and defensive silence (M = 2.88, SD = 1.10) were relatively low, suggesting that most lecturers do not remain silent out of fear or a belief that their opinions will not matter. The regression model yielded R = 0.304, R² = 0.093, F(4,91) = 2.325, p = 0.062, indicating that the combined effect of the four silence dimensions on OCB was not statistically significant. Further analysis showed that none of the individual silence dimensions significantly predicted OCB (p > 0.05), though prosocial silence exhibited a weak positive relationship (β = 0.185, p = 0.082).

This study examined the association between organisational silence and job stress among lecturers at the University of Benin. It aimed to assess the level of organisational silence, identify its dominant dimensions, and evaluate the extent to which different forms of silence affect lecturers’ job-related stress. Using a descriptive and correlational research design, data were obtained from ninety-two (92) lecturers through a structured questionnaire. Organisational silence was assessed across four dimensions—acquiescent, defensive, prosocial, and supervisor silence climate—while job stress was measured in terms of workload-related stress, role conflict and ambiguity, job pressure and anxiety, and inadequate supervisor and peer support.
Descriptive results showed that organisational silence was generally low, with a grand mean of 2.67, whereas job stress was moderate, with an overall mean of 3.08. Prosocial silence (M = 4.09, SD = 0.64) emerged as the most prominent dimension, indicating that lecturers often withheld opinions for constructive reasons such as preserving collegial relationships or promoting workplace harmony. Although acquiescent and defensive silence were less common, they demonstrated stronger links with job stress. Regression analysis (R = 0.643, R² = 0.414, F = 15.343, p < 0.05) revealed that the combined dimensions of organisational silence significantly predicted job stress, with acquiescent silence (p = 0.001) and defensive silence (p = 0.005) identified as significant contributors.

This study examined the relationship between organizational silence and citizenship behavior among academic staff at the University of Benin, Benin City. The study sought to determine how the dimensions of organizational silence, acquiescent silence, defensive silence, prosocial silence, and supervisor silence climate influence the display of OCB among academic staff. The research was driven by concerns that silence in academic institutions may limit participation, reduce innovation, and hinder voluntary behaviours that promote institutional performance.

A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of 100 lecturers across various faculties using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to summarize responses, while Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were employed to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that prosocial silence recorded the highest mean (M = 4.04, SD = 0.90), indicating that lecturers often withhold information for altruistic or constructive reasons, such as maintaining team harmony or protecting colleagues. Conversely, acquiescent silence (M = 2.73, SD = 1.39) and defensive silence (M = 2.88, SD = 1.10) were relatively low, suggesting that most lecturers do not remain silent out of fear or a belief that their opinions will not matter.
The regression model yielded R = 0.304, R² = 0.093, F(4,91) = 2.325, p = 0.062, indicating that the combined effect of the four silence dimensions on OCB was not statistically significant. Further analysis showed that none of the individual silence dimensions significantly predicted OCB (p > 0.05), though prosocial silence exhibited a weak positive relationship (β = 0.185, p = 0.082). The
correlation analysis confirmed these findings, revealing weak and statistically insignificant relationships between organizational silence dimensions and OCB.

The study concludes that while organizational silence exists within the University of Benin, it does not significantly influence lecturers’ willingness to engage in citizenship behaviours such as altruism, conscientiousness, courtesy, sportsmanship, and civic virtue. The findings suggest that lecturers’ engagement in OCB is primarily driven by intrinsic motivation and professional commitment rather than silence dynamics. The study recommends that the university should continue to foster open communication channels, participative decision-making, and supportive leadership practices to sustain a positive organizational culture that encourages voluntary, extra-role behaviour among academic staff.

This study examines the link between Ethical Work Climate (EWC) and Deviant Workplace Behavior our (DWB) in Nigerian universities, focusing on both academic and non-academic staff at the University of Benin. It analyzes how key dimensions of ethical climate—caring, rules, law and code, instrumental, and independence—shape the prevalence of deviant
behaviours, including misuse of organizational property, production-related deviance, political misconduct, and personal aggression. The findings indicate a moderate level of both ethical climate and deviant behavior our within the institution. In particular, instrumental and independence climates were identified as significant drivers of deviant workplace behaviour, implying that environments dominated by self-interest and unchecked autonomy are more susceptible to unethical conduct. In contrast, caring and rules-oriented climates were shown to reduce the incidence of deviance, highlighting the importance of formal ethical structures in guiding employee behavior our. The study advances theoretical understanding of organizational ethics within higher education and offers practical guidance for university administrators on cultivating ethical environments that reduce deviance and strengthen accountability. It recommends the adoption of robust ethical frameworks, continuous ethics training, and a balanced approach to autonomy and oversight. The paper concludes by outlining directions for future research, including comparative studies across institutions, qualitative approaches, and the exploration of moderating factors such as leadership style and organizational justice.

This study examined the impact of teacher–child interaction on the social and emotional development of preschool children in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. Early childhood represents a critical period for the development of social competence and emotional regulation, and the quality of interaction between teachers and children plays a significant role in shaping these developmental outcomes. Four research questions were raised to guide this study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised early childhood teachers and parents in selected preschools comprising 8 public schools and 52privateschools in Oredo Local Government Area. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed on a four-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to analyze the data, while hypotheses were tested using a criterion meanof2.50. The findings revealed that teacher–child ratio significantly influences the quality of teacher–child interaction, as overcrowded classrooms limit effective classroom management and individualized attention. The study also found that positive teacher–child interaction significantly enhances preschool children’s ability to form positive social relationships, reduce aggressive behaviors, and express emotions appropriately. Furthermore, teachers’ level of professional training was found to significantly influence their job performance, while opportunities for on the-job training were generally inadequate despite being recognized as essential for improving teacher effectiveness. The study concludes that improving teacher–child interaction through better staffing, enhanced teacher training, and increased access to professional development opportunities is essential for promoting positive social and emotional development among preschool children. The study recommends the enforcement of recommended teacher–child ratio standards, regular professional development programmes, and increased government support for early childhood teacher training

This project work focused on the green synthesis of Calcium Oxide (CaO) nanoparticles using
onion peel extract as capping and reducing agent which is non-toxic and biodegradable to
stabilize and evaluate its application in the photocatalytic degradation of petroleum wastewater
(crude oil) in contaminated water. The synthesized CaO nanoparticles were characterized using
the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. DLS confirmed the formation of nanoparticles with a primary size of 86.80 nm, XRD determined the crystalline phase of the nanoparticles, TGA measured the thermal stability and decomposition temperature, SEM examined the morphology; the particle size, shape and surface texture while FTIR analysis identified functional groups from the onion peel extract, verifying its role in capping and stabilizing the CaO nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of the nanoparticles was assessed by studying the degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) under sunlight, investigating the effects of the green-synthesized CaO nanoparticles catalyst on dose, pH, temperature, and initial pollutant concentration. Results demonstrated that the green- synthesized CaO nanoparticles were effective in degrading petroleum wastewater components, with optimal performance observed under specific conditions. This indicates that onion peel- mediated CaO nanoparticles present a sustainable, cost-effective, and utilizable photocatalyst for remediating petroleum wastewater contaminated water, offering a potential solution for environmental cleanup, particularly in areas subject to crude oil spillage across the globe.

This study investigated school facilities maintenance and principals' administrative effectiveness in public secondary schools in Edo State. Nine research
questions were raised and seven hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of the study was descriptive survey based on correlational method. The population of the study constituted the 308 principals in the 308 public secondary schools and 495 teachers who served as respondents in the three senatorial districts of Edo State. The sample size of the study was 64 principals in the 64 public secondary schools in the three senatorial districts of Edo State, constituting 20% of the population. Eight teachers per sampled school were purposefully selected to serve as respondents. The proportional random sampling technique, using the multi stage sampling procedure was used for the selection. Two validated research instruments titled “School Facilities Maintenance Questionnaire” (SFMQ) and “Principals’ Administrative Effectiveness Questionnaire” (PAEQ) with a reliability coefficient of 0.88 and 0.74 respectively were used for the study. The Mean and Standard Deviation, Pearson r and Fisher’s Z statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings from the study revealed that the level of facilities maintenance and principals’ administrative effectiveness in public secondary schools in Edo State was
low. The study also revealed a significant relationship between school facilities
maintenance and principals’ administrative effectiveness in public secondary schools in Edo State. The sex and experience of the principals were also found to be
significant, in that male principals and more experienced principals carried out
maintenance practices than female and less experienced principals. However, there
was no significant relationship between facilities maintenance and principals’
xiii administrative effectiveness based on school type, location and size. It was therefore recommended that the Ministry of Education should organize training workshops and seminars for principals on facilities maintenance and administrative effectiveness as well as provide all necessary tools and resources they require in a bid to improve their knowledge and skills in maintenance practices. Sex and experience should be considered when appointing principals. However, principals, irrespective of their qualification, school type, size and location should be encouraged to make maintenance of facilities a top priority to create a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning

This study evaluated the chemistry and biological consequences of heavy metal contamination of water from River Nun at Onuebum town, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The pH of the water, acidity, alkalinity, turbidity, sulphides, total nitrogen and total hydrocarbon content in the river water were identified. The toxicity of the water itself and that of the heavy metals in the river water were investigated using rats. Sixty rats divided into twelve groups of five rats each were used. Group A, the control rats, received distilled water only (42.86 ml/rat/day by gavage). Group B received the boiled river water. Group C received the unboiled river water. Group D received a solution of the salts of all the metal ions identified in the river water (1.24 mg Fe, 0.018 mg Cu, 0.001 mg Hg, 0.001 mg Cd, 0.001 mg Pb, 0.001mg Mn, 0.001 mg Cr/L of distilled water). Group E received a solution containing 1.24 mg Fe/L. Group F received a solution containing 0.018 mg Cu/L. Group G received a solution containing 1.24 mg Fe/L and 0.001 mg Hg/L in distilled water. Group H received a solution containing 0.001 mg Hg/L. Group I received a solution containing 0.001 mg Cr/L. Group J received a solution containing 0.001 mg Cd/L. Group K received a solution containing 0.001 mg Mn/L. Group L received a solution containing 0.001 mg Pb/L. Each rat received 42.86 ml/kg bd wt. of the appropriate solution by gavage daily, 7 days a week for 3 months. After an exposure duration of three months, there were significant increases (p ≤ 0.05) in serum urea, creatinine, chloride, LDH, total and direct bilirubin levels of the groups H (mercury only), J (cadmium only) and L (lead only) rats compared to the rats in the control and the other eight groups. There were significant increases (p ≤ 0.05) in liver GGT, LDH, total bilirubin, ALT, AST, and total protein levels of groups H (mercury only), J (cadmium only) and L (lead only) rats as compared to the control and other eight groups. There were significant increases (p ≤ 0.05) in kidney sodium, chloride, urea and creatinine levels of groups H (mercury only), J (cadmium only) and L(lead only) rats as compared to the rats in the control and other eight groups. There was also significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in the group G when compared to control in terms of serum AST, ALT, Na+ and cholesterol levels. However, these increases were not as profound as those observed for mercury when administered singly. The adverse effects, evidenced by changes in these parameters in the test rats relative to the control group, was not observed in the groups (B and C) that consumed the river water directly. The results obtained here show that heavy metals antagonize the effects of each other when administered concurrently, a pattern of behavior which would not be evident when each is examined inisolation. The findings also show that the River Nun water, although containing several toxic
elements, may be fairly safe for human consumption.

Malaria is a major public health challenge worldwide with high morbidity and mortality. For prompt and accurate diagnosis, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends
rapid diagnostic test (RDT) as good alternative method for malaria diagnosis in sub- Sahara Africa prior to drug administration and treatment. Malaria RDTs are commercially
available test kits and majority detects Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-rich protein-2
(PfHRP2 gene) as the target antigen. The WHO then recommends that PfHRP2 gene
deletion must be monitored, especially in Africa. The aim of this study was to determine
PfHRP2 gene deletion in blood samples of malaria parasitaemic patients in Kaduna
metropolis. The Study was carried out using microscopy, PCR and RDT. All RDT- negative samples were further subjected to microscopy and molecular analysis (PCR) for
malaria parasite speciation and PfHRP2 gene and deletion. Of the 1196 samples analysed, 694 were negative and 502 were positive by RDT. Of the RDT negatives, 83 samples
were found to be microscopically positive, the 78 samples were for Plasmodium
falciparum species and 5 non-falciparum species (2P. Vivax, 2P. malariae, 1P. falciparum/Vivax). These 83 samples were further subjected NM-PCR and were equally
found positive for malaria, hence classified as RDT false–negatives. Statistical analysis
for frequencies and confidence intervals (Cl) was used for prevalence estimates. Associations were assessed by chi square test. The level of significance was set at P<0.05. The significance package used was Minitab 22.1. From the 83 samples identified as RDTfalse negative by PCR; 69 (5.8%) 95% Cl 4.6-7.0), had gene deletion both in PfHRP2
and PfHRP3, 4 samples (0.33%) 95% CI - 0.94-1.54) had deletion only in PfHRP2 but
not in PfHRP3 and 5 samples (0.42%) 95% CI-0.84-1.64) had deletion in PfHRP3 but not
in PfHRP2. With particular interest and considering PfHRP2 gene only within the total of
1196 samples 73(6.1%) 95% 4.76- 7.44) had evidence of deletion. This study provides
evidence of PfHRP2 gene deletion in Plasmodium falciparum in Kaduna and PfHRP2
deletion was detected in the 73 samples analysed. This surveillance study also discovered
that there is no significant difference (p<0.001) in Plasma level of CRP, IFN- and IL-6 of
blood samples of participants with intact PfHRP2 gene and those with PfHRP2 gene
deletion. It is, therefore, highly recommended that more surveillance studies across
different geographical zone of the country be carried out to determine the full extent of
PfHRP2 deletion frequencies. It also recommended that routine RDT kit contain
additional PfHRP3 antigen, to improve the RDT efficacy and provide broad spectrum of
diagnosis

Enterohepatic Circulation (EHC) is the process by which bile acid are secreted from the liver into the bile, excreted into the small intestine and then reabsorbed back into the liver. This efflux process is spurred by drug saturation, which is a condition in which the rate of absorption of the drug is limited by the rate of transport to the liver or the rate of secretion into the bile. EHC plays a crucial role for several liver and gastrointestinal functions such as bile flow, solubilization and excretion of cholesterol, clearance of toxic molecules, intestinal absorption of lipophilic nutrients, as well as metabolic and antimicrobial effects. Despite its positive impact in human homeostasis,it is known that EHC can increase toxicity of drugs(due to incomplete elimination during recycling), increased risk of gallstones which result to systemic diseases such as cholelithiasis, bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer and hepatotoxicity(drug liver injury). In the formulation of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model of EHC Drugs with Saturation Kinetics is formulated. The model is affected by secreted drug in the hepatocyte and gastrointestinal compartment with delay effect on metabolites. The drug toxicity threshold parameter and delay effect accounting for gallbladder and intestine disorder(alter the rate of bile circulation) will be discussed. The model is rigorously analyzed on Drug Free Equilibria, Drug Saturation Equilibria, Toxicity Equilibria and Drug Reabsorption Equilibria. Threshold value for Pathological parameter for which there exist a trans from Hoph bifurcation to periodic system was established.
The direction of Stability (super critical and subcritical) was also established. Global and Local stabilities were also investigated. The results from the analysis showed that drug saturation induces toxicity in the
absence of pathological defect parameters when Drug Toxicity Number (DTN) is xi greater than one .Whereas in the presence of pathological parameters (Mild Case), Drug Toxicity does not annul the physiological state of the compartments hence cannot effect drug reabsorption. There exist a threshold for pathological parameters for which drug reabsorption occurs, and defect in physiological compartment progresses from mild to acute case when pathological parameters exceed this threshold i.e τ1 + τ2 > v2+2m2 η2 Hoph bifurcation analysis on the Drug Free and Drug Saturation Equilibria showed that there exist an upper bound for which the system remains asymptotically stable. Numerical results obtained from this work will provide a framework for Pharmaceutical Policies and decisions on EHC.Enterohepatic Circulation (EHC) is the process by which bile acid are secreted from the liver into the bile, excreted into the small intestine and then reabsorbed back into the liver. This efflux process is spurred by drug saturation, which is a condition in
which the rate of absorption of the drug is limited by the rate of transport to the liver or the rate of secretion into the bile. EHC plays a crucial role for several liver and gastrointestinal functions such as bile flow, solubilization and excretion of cholesterol, clearance of toxic molecules, intestinal absorption of lipophilic nutrients, as well as metabolic and antimicrobial effects. Despite its positive impact in human homeostasis,
it is known that EHC can increase toxicity of drugs(due to incomplete elimination during recycling), increased risk of gallstones which result to systemic diseases such as cholelithiasis, bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer and hepatotoxicity(drug liver injury). In the formulation of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model of EHC Drugs with Saturation Kinetics is formulated. The model is affected by secreted drug in the hepatocyte and gastrointestinal compartment with delay effect on metabolites. The drug toxicity threshold parameter and delay effect accounting for gallbladder and intestine disorder(alter the rate of bile circulation) will be discussed. The model is rigorously analyzed on Drug Free Equilibria, Drug Saturation Equilibria, Toxicity Equilibria and Drug Reabsorption Equilibria. Threshold value for Pathological parameter for which there exist a trans from Hoph bifurcation to periodic system was established. The direction of Stability (super critical and subcritical) was also established. Global and Local stabilities were also investigated.
The results from the analysis showed that drug saturation induces toxicity in the absence of pathological defect parameters when Drug Toxicity Number (DTN) is xi greater than one .Whereas in the presence of pathological parameters (Mild Case), Drug Toxicity does not annul the physiological state of the compartments hence cannot effect drug reabsorption. There exist a threshold for pathological parameters
for which drug reabsorption occurs, and defect in physiological compartment progresses from mild to acute case when pathological parameters exceed this threshold i.e τ1 + τ2 > v2+2m2 η2. Hoph bifurcation analysis on the Drug Free and Drug Saturation Equilibria showed that there exist an upper bound for which the system remains asymptotically stable. Numerical results obtained from this work will provide a framework for Pharmaceutical Policies and decisions on EHC.