NIL

Vehicle identification and verification play a critical role in ensuring the security of controlled environments such as university campuses. At the University of Benin’s Ugbowo Campus, the existing manual vehicle verification process suffers from several limitations, including delays, human error, poor record keeping, and the absence of real-time validation. This study addresses these challenges by designing and implementing an Automated Car Plate Number Recognition (ANPR) system capable of detecting, recognizing, and verifying vehicle license plates using computer vision and optical character recognition (OCR) techniques. The system was developed using the Flask web framework, OpenCV for image preprocessing and license plate localization, and the Tesseract OCR engine for extracting alphanumeric characters. A MySQL database was integrated for storing records of registered vehicles and maintaining logs of recognition events. The system allows security personnel to upload vehicle images through a web interface, after which the application automatically processes the image, recognizes the plate number, checks its validity against the stored records, and provides immediate feedback. Testing of the system using images captured under different conditions such as clear daytime lighting, low light, skewed angles, and motion blur revealed that the system performs accurately under favourable conditions and provides partial or usable information even under challenging scenarios. Although recognition performance decreases with poor image quality, the system still offers considerable improvements over manual verification by reducing reliance on human judgment and enhancing the accuracy, speed, and reliability of vehicle monitoring.

The need for more flexibility, shifting workforce demographics, and technology improvements have all contributed to the widespread trend of remote work. The effect of remote work on worker productivity is still up for dispute, though. This study explores the connections between work-life balance, job satisfaction, remote work arrangements, and productivity outcomes in order to determine how remote work affects employee productivity. In-depth interviews with 30 participants and survey data from 100 remote workers were combined in a mixed-methods approach. The findings show that, depending on specific situations and organisational support, working remotely can affect productivity in both positive and bad ways. If not properly handled, remote work can result in social isolation, diversions, and a decline in motivation even though it offers more flexibility and autonomy, which enhances work-life balance and job satisfaction. The results of the study emphasise the significance of putting policies in place to lessen the possible negative effects of working remotely, such as frequent virtual check-ins, open lines of communication, and training courses to improve productivity and self-management. Organisations can establish supportive cultures that promote employee well-being, engagement, and performance in remote work circumstances by embracing a nuanced knowledge of how distant work affects productivity.

This study investigates the attitudes of undergraduate students at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) towards media campaigns against hard drug use. Despite ongoing efforts by the government and NGOs to spread anti-drug messages through television, radio, and social media, drug misuse remains common among students. The research is grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, which help explain how attitudes and behavioral intentions are formed through media influence. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 400 undergraduate respondents across UNIBEN’s Ugbowo and Ekehuan campuses using structured questionnaires. Results showed that while students are generally aware of anti-drug media campaigns, many do not find them persuasive or relatable. Factors such as peer influence, media trust, and personal experiences played a major role in shaping student reactions. The findings revealed that students were more influenced by campaigns featuring real-life stories, relatable role models, or culturally relevant messages. However, emotional reactions ranged from motivation to indifference, depending on the campaign’s content and medium. The study recommends that future campaigns should be studentfocused, engaging, and reflective of real campus life to increase effectiveness.

Background: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is a recurrent health concern among university students and can be facilitated by ergonomic and environmental factors, including sleeping surfaces. Poor mattress quality, inappropriate firmness, or prolonged use may expose individuals to spinal discomfort and reduced sleep satisfaction. Despite the significance of this relationship, limited research has explored the role of sleeping surfaces in MSP among Nigerian university students. Aim: This study investigated the correlation between sleeping surfaces and musculoskeletal pain among residents of campus hostels within the University of Benin.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted involving 346 participants (60.2% females, 39.8% males) selected through stratified random sampling from five hostels. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and the Boston Mattress Satisfaction Questionnaire (BMSQ). Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using SPSS version 26. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: The most frequently reported regions of pain were the lower back (50.7%), neck (47.3%), and upper back (43.6%). Foam mattresses were predominantly used (95.7%) with a mean thickness of 7.12 ± 2.61 cm and average sleep duration of 5.76 ± 1.31 hours. Significant associations were found between mattress type and pain in the wrist/hands, upper back, and ankles, and between duration of mattress use and pain in the neck, shoulder, elbow, upper back, and hips/thighs (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The study concluded that the type and duration of mattress use significantly influence musculoskeletal pain among hostel residents. Prolonged use of substandard or worn-out foam mattresses contributes to pain and reduced sleep satisfaction. It is recommended that students and hostel management prioritize ergonomic education, regular mattress replacement, and physiotherapy-led interventions to improve spinal health and sleep quality.
Keywords: Sleeping surface, Musculoskeletal pain, Hostel residents, Mattress, University of Benin.

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major occupational health problem globally and are particularly common among individuals in physically demanding professions. Hairdressers are at increased risk due to prolonged standing, repetitive hand use, awkward postures, and poor ergonomic practices, which often lead to pain, disability, and reduced productivity. Despite these risks, there is limited evidence on the prevalence and associated factors of WMSDs among hairdressers in semi-urban areas of Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of WMSDs and to examine the sociodemographic, occupational, and ergonomic risk factors among hairdressers in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted for the study. Participants included hairdressers registered under the National Association of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists (NASHCO), Egor chapter. Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire addressing musculoskeletal symptoms, occupational exposures, and ergonomic practices. Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics, with chi-square tests applied to assess associations between sociodemographic characteristics, occupational/ergonomic risk factors, and the prevalence of WMSDs.
Results: The results revealed a high prevalence of WMSDs among hairdressers, with 78.4% of respondents reporting musculoskeletal symptoms in at least one body region over the past 12 months. The lower back (76.3%), shoulders (62.1%), and neck (58.7%) were identified as the most commonly affected sites. Significant associations were observed between WMSDs and occupational factors such as prolonged standing (p < 0.05), daily work duration exceeding 8 hours (p < 0.05), and poor postural habits (p < 0.05). Sociodemographic variables, including gender and work experience, were also found to influence the occurrence of WMSDs.
Conclusion: In conclusion, WMSDs are highly prevalent among hairdressers in Egor Local Government Area, largely due to occupational and ergonomic risk factors. Preventive strategies such as ergonomic training, workplace modifications, and increased awareness of occupational health risks are recommended to reduce the burden of WMSDs and enhance the well-being and productivity of hairdressers.
Keywords: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders, hairdressers, occupational risk factors, ergonomic risk factors.

The aim of this project is assess bamboo as an alternative to steel reinforcement in concrete structures which offers similar performance as steel reinforced concrete which can be used in areas where bamboo is abundant. Three samples each of dimension 500×100×100mm of plain, bamboo and steel reinforced concrete beam of seven, fourteen and twenty-one days after curing were subjected to a flexural test to measure their flexural strength. This test was conducted with a four point load flexural machine, with load applied on the beams to determine the ability of the beam to withstand bending forces. The beam samples were weighed before and after curing to obtain their weight gain and water absorption rate. The average flexural strength obtained from the plain, bamboo and steel reinforced beams of a period of seven days, fourteen days and twenty-one days was recorded. The result showed that for a period of seven days, the plain, bamboo and reinforced steel beam had a flexural strength of 9 N/mm², 16.67 N/mm² and 25 N/mm². Fourteen days 15N/mm², 23.33N/mm² and32.33N/mm². Twenty-one days 19N/mm², 29.67N/mm² and38.33N/mm². For water absorption the percentage is consistently higher compared to the plain and steel beam at each time interval. At seven days the water absorption was at 1.55%, and it increases further at fourteen days at 1.79% and twenty-one days 1.62%. based on the acquired results bamboo reinforced concrete can be suitable for structures such as farm sheds, rural housing and low-rise residential building for element such as walls.

Cette étude examine l'influence de la langue anglaise sur la prononciation du français chez les étudiants de la première promotion du Département des Langues Étrangères à l'Université de Benin (UNIBEN), Nigeria. L'objectif est d'identifier les erreurs phonétiques dues à l'interférence de l'anglais et d'évaluer leur impact sur l'expression orale des apprenants. À travers une approche descriptive, les données ont été collectées par des enregistrements audio et des tests de lecture orale, puis analysées selon l'Analyse Contrastive et l'Analyse des Erreurs. Les résultats montrent que l'anglais perturbe fortement la prononciation des voyelles nasales, des consonnes et le respect des lettres finales muettes en français. L'étude suggère l'intégration d'exercices phonétiques intensifs au laboratoire de langues pour corriger ces interférences.

A study was carried out in the cropping season of 2025 at the screen house of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Ugbowo Campus, Benin City to evaluate the effect of topsoil and cattle dung potting mixture on the growth of pawpaw (Carica papaya Linn) seedlings. The trial involved five potting media (topsoil (TS), cattle dung (CD), TS+ CD 1:1, TS+ CD 1:2 And TS+ CD 2:1) laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) and replicated three times. Data were collected on the physical and chemical properties, growth parameters (stem height, stem girth, number of leaves and leaf area) and dry matter indices (total dry weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and root:shoot ratio) of all potting media. Results of the study show that seedlings grown in mixtures of topsoil and cattle dung (TS + CD) consistently showed superior growth in terms of plant height and stem girth compared to those in topsoil and cattle dung alone. At 8 WAS, the TS + CD 1:1 potting medium produced seedlings with the largest leaf area, longest root length, highest shoot dry weight, root dry weight and total dry weight. Based on the superior performance in the key growth parameters, the use of a 1:1 mixture of topsoil to cattle dung is recommended for growing pawpaw seedlings in the nursery.

This study investigates the effectiveness of Winsorization, a statistical technique used to handle outliers in data analysis. Outliers can significantly distort statistical measures such as the mean, variance, and standard deviation, leading to inaccurate conclusions and decision-making. The research applied Winsorization to three different datasets representing employee income, monthly product sales, and customer complaints to assess its impact on mitigating the effects of outliers. In each case, extreme values were adjusted to a more reasonable range, resulting in more reliable statistical results and better representation of the underlying data distribution. The analysis demonstrated that Winsorization effectively reduced the influence of outliers on central tendency and variability measures, making the data more representative of the majority. The study highlights the importance of data cleaning techniques like Winsorization in business contexts, ensuring more accurate analysis and informed decision-making. The findings also suggest that further research is needed to explore optimal levels of Winsorization and its application in larger, more complex datasets. This research contributes to the understanding of how data preprocessing can improve the integrity of statistical analyses in various business environments.

This study investigates the sociolinguistic construction of power and gendered authority in the context of queenship in ancient Benin, with particular focus on the Iyoba (Queen Mother). The research explores how language, as a system of symbolic communication, encodes and legitimizes political and spiritual authority within the Benin monarchical tradition. Anchored in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as proposed by Fairclough (1989, 1992) and van Dijk (1993), the study examines the ways linguistic forms and discursive practices reflect the ideological structures of power, hierarchy, and gender in precolonial Benin society. The study adopts a qualitative descriptive methodology, relying on both primary and secondary data sources such as historical texts, oral traditions, court poetry, and ethnographic accounts. These data were critically analyzed through the CDA lens to uncover the relationship between discourse, ideology, and social structure. The analysis revealed that the titles and honorific expressions associated with the Iyoba, such as Oba N’erie (Mother of the King) and Eson n’Oba (the King’s Eye), are not merely linguistic adornments but powerful semiotic instruments through which authority, motherhood, and divine legitimacy are discursively constructed. Findings further indicate that the linguistic representation of the Iyoba differs significantly from that of the Oba, emphasizing intercession, wisdom, and maternal guardianship rather than absolute sovereignty. These distinctions reflect the gender complementarity inherent in Benin’s conception of rulership. The study also identifies strategies of persuasion and ritualized deference in palace women’s speech, revealing language as a tool for negotiating influence within a patriarchal order. Comparative insights show parallels between the Benin Iyoba, the Oyo Iyálóde, and the Dahomean Kpojito, highlighting shared West African patterns of female authority constructed through discourse. Based on these findings, the study recommends amongst other that (1) further ethnographic documentation of contemporary palace discourse in Benin to preserve linguistic heritage, (2) comparative discourse studies across African monarchies to expand theoretical understanding of gendered power, and (3) interdisciplinary research combining linguistics, anthropology, and art history to explore how verbal and visual semiotics jointly construct royal ideology.