A SURVEY OF THE IMPACTS OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) ON ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE IN NIGERIA

Ogunmakinde, O.E.¹, Siyanbola A.B.² and Oginni, O. E.³

¹ Architecture Department, Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State, Nigeria.

² Department of Architectural Technology, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State.

³ Department of Architectural Technology, Ogun State Institute of Tech., Igbesa, Ogun State

 E-mail: b4bode@yahoo.com, siyanbolabukola@yahoo.com 

ABSTRACT

The positive impacts of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on the professional services of the main actors in the construction industry cannot be over-emphasized. The future and development of a good architectural master piece depends on decisions made on several levels and by different professionals in the industry. The paper conducted a survey of the impacts of ICT on architectural practice in Nigeria. It also provides an insight into the current usage of ICT in some architectural firms. The data for the study was derived from both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The quantitative method utilized a structured questionnaire survey while the qualitative method was through interview. Findings however revealed that the core architectural function has been largely computerized while data and document management are gradually being computerized. It also shows that a higher percentage of the respondents are aware and do make use of the ICT gadgets available at their disposal. The paper concluded that effective communication with a good managerial skills and mastering ICT is needed for a contemporary architectural practice in Nigeria.

TOWARDS EFFICIENT APPLICATION OF SPEED-BUMPS AS TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICE IN SAKI WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA.

Akanmu, A. A., Alabi, F. M. and Agboola, O. D.

Department of Urban and Regional Planning,

The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria.

E-mail: ademolakanmu@gmail.com 

ABSTRACT

Driving in urban centers and neighbourhoods at high speed without regard to the safety of the inhabitants brought about the emergence of the use of speed bump and other calming devises. It is in view of this assertion that this study appraised the location and implementation impact of speed bumps in Nigerian urban centers, using Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State as a reference point. The paper is anchored on the neurofuzzy concept to the design of road bumps and considered the effect of road bumps in the society as a whole. Using questionnaire as research instrument, 220 units of questionnaires were administered to randomly selected residents of the purposively selected areas in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State. Also, fifteen residential streets and four other major roads were purposively selected for this study. The paper established the indiscriminate mounting of speed bumps in the area by residents and community, irrespective of the functional classification of roads, and without recourse to statutory regulations and procedures. It also confirms that speed bumps in the study area are conical with irregular heights, width and length. Although the speed bumps improved safety in the areas, yet their perceived adverse effects on the passing vehicles, commuters and residents are enormous. In addition, the substandard and uncontrolled manners in which speed bumps are located and constructed in the study area have derogatory implications on their effectiveness as traffic calming toolbox. The correlation coefficient ‘r’ shows a very strong positive relationship (r = 0.85) between the height of speed bumps in the study area and rate of vehicular passage. While the paper is of the view that the design and construction of speed bumps should be a responsibility of the local government as practiced in developed nations, it also recommended the redesigning of the existing speed bumps with heights in excess of 21cm, subjection of the design and construction of future speed bumps to procedures and regulations, public enlightenment and sanctions on the arbitrary mounting of speed bumps in the area and other across the country as a whole.

ATTITUDES VS. WORK-STYLES: THE ROLE PLAYED BY PERCEPTIONS OF PROFESSIONALISM ON FEMALE ARCHITECTS IN NIGERIA

¹Enwerekowe, E.O. and ²Prucnal-Ogunsote, B.

^{1 & 2}Department of Architecture,

University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.

E-mail: e_ebele12@yahoo.com, bogdaogunsote@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The role of women in architecture has been viewed critically by modern researchers through different perspectives: historical accounts, the “feminist” space, gender discrimination, barriers to career progression, preferred roles for female architects and so many more. This has been instrumental to the formulation of several recent theories on gender involvement in the profession. The architectural profession boasts gender-neutrality yet continues to maintain practices that diminish the total involvement of women. This study examines the mind-set of female architects on the attitudes and culture of the architectural profession as it affects their contribution to the advancement of the profession. The study bases its analysis on theoretical and empirical sources of data that highlight areas of conflict for the full participation of female architects in the architectural practice and concludes with three recommendations for their increased input. 

RESIDENTS’ ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POST FLOOD-DISASTER NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

^*Akanmu, A. A., ^*Alabi, F. M., ^*Ogunsesan, A. S. and ^**Olamide, V. O.

^*Department of Urban and Regional Planning, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria.

^**Department of Urban and Regional Planning, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

E-mail: ademolakanmu@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The implementation of Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) is a widely accepted exercise as nations globally embraced its principles, strategies and methodologies in enhancing the recovery and reconstruction planning after the occurrence of devastating disaster. The need to further the welfare of victims of disaster affected communities and speedy recovery of the overall performance of the halted socio-economic activities made the implementation of PDNA a worthwhile exercise. The Federal Government of Nigeria and different state governments since the colonial era till date, have commissioned and implemented PDNA at the instance of unprecedented disaster at various times in line with this assertion. As a result, this paper explored residents’ assessment of the implementation of PDNA with respect to August 2011 flood disaster in Ibadan, Nigeria. Using the concept of marginality and mattering, this research administered 104 questionnaires to randomly selected residents in the purposively selected areas within the eleven local government areas of Ibadan to elicit data on issues bothering on 2011 flood disaster, process, composition and implementation of PDNA. The collected data were later subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis. The study established strong positive relationship between the recovery of socio-economic activities of residents in the affected communities and the rate of implementation of PDNA with ‘r’ value of 0.67. The paper concluded with recommendations among others, that implementation of PDNA should be timely with active involvement of the flood affected communities in the overall PDNA process.

PERCEPTUAL ORIENTATION FOR HOUSING FLOOR FINISHES

CHOICE AND PREFERENCE

Zinas, Z.B¹ and Mahmud, M.B Jusan²

¹Department of Architecture, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria.

²Department of Architecture, Universiti Teknologi, Skudai-Johor, Malaysia.

E-mail: bzinas@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Housing interiors are the environments where most of life’s activities take place. The finishing of this housing interior is of paramount significance, and house owners and prospective house owners always give premium to how their housing interiors are finished. The choices of finishes materials always provoke and create certain motivations and perceptual orientations while these choice and preference activities are being undertaken. This paper presents the perceptual orientation with respect to housing floor finish choices and preferences in Yola, Nigeria. The study was framed within the Means-End Chain (MEC) model, and preferences. Fifteen (15) respondents were interviewed using the laddering interviewing technique. Prior to the laddering interviews, a structured questionnaire survey was administered to 150 respondents to elicit the relevant housing floor finishes attributes. The results revealed that eleven (11) identified unique perceptual orientation pathways were established, motivated by five user values; intervened by four expected functional affordances. The findings reinforced the design expectations of housing users/owners for finishing their housing interiors.

NIGERIA 2012 FLOOD DISASTERS – THE ROLE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT 

Mohammad, Gbate

Science Laboratory Technology Department

The Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Nigeria.

E-mail: gbatenda@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The Nigerian nation witnessed its worst flood disaster in over four decades in 2012. Thirty three states of the federation were affected. Over 7.7 million people were victims nationwide; with 3.8 million people internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 363 reported death. Nigerian economy lost 2.29 trillion naira representing 1.4% of our GDP. Nigeria was losing half a million barrels daily oil production output during this period, this accounts for more than one fifth of the nation’s daily output. Food production was grossly affected with rice fields in the flood valleys of rivers Niger and Benue virtually wiped out. But disasters only occur to the extent that the population is unprepared to respond, unable to cope, and consequently, severely affected. This paper reviews modern technology that could help Nigeria prepare, mitigate, and recover from such disasters, these include: Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Remote sensing, Satellite navigation system, GSM/Cellular Mobile Telephone System, Internet, Television and radio broadcasting and Social media and social networking.

INFLUENCE OF SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES ON PHOSPHORUS FIXING CAPACITY OF SELECTED SOIL SERIES IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA 

M. O. Azeez¹, O. O. Adesanwo¹, A. F. Adewale¹ and J. A. Adepetu²

¹Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

²Department of Soil, Crop and Environmental Science, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

E-mail: azeezmusy@yahoo.com, mazeez@oauife.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

Selected soil series (Jago, Mamu, Apomu, Itagunmodi, Egbeda, Ondo, Iwaji, Iwo and Gambari Series) from Southwestern Nigeria were evaluated for their Phosphorus (P) sorption characteristics as influenced by soil physical and chemical properties. The samples were equilibrated in 50 ml of 0.01M CaCl₂ containing various amounts of P as KH₂PO₄ to give 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 20 and 25 ppm for seven days at room temperature. The physical and chemical properties as well as P sorption characteristics of the soil series were determined.  The adsorption isotherm of the samples showed different curves for samples of each soil series. The rates of P adsorption increased with increased concentrations of P, but at a certain level of higher concentration, the level of P became almost constant and had no more capacity to adsorb P. Phosphorus adsorption capacity decreased in the following order Itagunmodi > Gambari > Ondo > Egbeda > Iwaji > Mamu > Jago > Iwo > Apomu. Percent clay, Ca, Effective Cation Exchange Capacity (ECEC) and total exchangeable bases (TEB) were significantly positive correlated with P fixation while silt, soil pH, soil organic matters were positively insignificant correlated with P fixation. Percent sand, available P, extractable Fe, total exchangeable acidity (TEA) were negatively correlated with P fixation. The binding energy have negative relationship with percent sand, available P, extractable Fe and TEA while positive relationship was observed with % clay, pH, organic matter, TEB and ECEC. The result showed that Itagunmodi soil series required large amount of P fertilization for productive cultivation activities. The reduction of P sorption will require management practices like regular application of P fertilizers to improve the P solution concentrations and improvement of soil structure through the application of organic manure.

A REVIEW OF THE NIGERIAN LAND USE ACT OF 1978

¹Adamu, S.J. and ²Kawuwa, A.S

¹Department of Geography, Gombe State University, Tudun Wada Gombe, Gombe State, Nigeria.

²Architecture Programme, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria.

E-mail: sanidaddy@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Housing provision as a requirement comes after food in order of priority before clothing. Nigeria is a signatory to United Nation’s declaration for “Housing for All by the Year 2000”, and effective Housing in the 21^st century in Nigeria was not pursued with tenacity of purpose to realistic ends as in other developed countries due to enormous administrative and bureaucratic problems such as lack of access to land for development. This paper reviewed the 1978 Land Use Act which provided the basis for Land administration in Nigeria. It discovered the powers given to the Governors and other approving bodies’ serves as a major obstacle to land access for developmental purpose. It went further to recommend the provision of adequate laws to make sure that revocation and compensation are done in compliance with the regulation as well as law that will allow for alienation and surrender of Right of Occupancy without the consent of the Governor. It concluded that Government should administer land for the benefit of its citizens and not political reasons which will help in realizing the dream of a common man in having a house of his own in Nigeria.

THE INFLUENCE OF HOUSEHOLDS SIZE, LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND INCOME ON

WASTE GENERATION RATES IN MARARRABA AREA OF KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

¹A.T. Ogah, ²M.M. Alhassan, ³D.U. Sangari and ⁴J.I. Magaji

^1,3&4Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria.

²Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Abuja, Nigeria.

E-mail: tankogah@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of household’s size, level of education and income on waste generation in Mararraba area of Karu. The objectives of this study were achieved using questionnaire. One set of questionnaire was designed and administered to heads of sampled households, the socio-economic characteristics of households’ particularly household size, level of education and income were taken and used. Data derived from field survey were subjected to statistical analysis using regression analysis to determine the rates of influence on waste generation. And the results revealed that the income of household head (71%) exerts the most influence on the amount of solid waste generated, followed by level of education (25.65%), while households size exerts the least influence (2.56%). Thus, the implication is that the larger the size of income of household heads, the greater will be the amount of waste generated and the higher the level of education more waste is generated, while the influence of household size is not significant based on percentage of influence exerted. Recommendations include Recycling and re-use of households waste has become imperative because waste generation has been on the increase with increase in population and economic development and resources have been scarce making recycling not only sensible practice but essential as a method of waste reduction at the source.

MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE: A MICROECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

Cornelius, N. Kwanga

Department of Economics

Yobe State University, Damaturu, Yobe State – Nigeria.

E-mail: kwangacn@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The devastating effects of climate change on economies cannot be over emphasized. This often translates into increased government expenditure with priority especially in the environment and health sectors whereas these resources could be used to develop other sectors of the economy. Governments, intergovernmental agencies and NGOs are leading the fight against climate change. The microeconomic units of the society comprising of individuals, household and firms especially in Africa are still to devote sufficient attention to its mitigation. The reason associated to this is tied to inadequate awareness amongst these set of people and reliance on the causality debate. Considering that it is an accumulation of human activities that are the major causes of climate change, the microeconomic units therefore play an important part in causing it and could do same in mitigating its effects if well guided. With this premise in mind, this paper seeks to boost awareness while highlighting measures that could be employed by individuals, households and firms in mitigating climate change. Using a qualitative approach, the paper establishes that there is a gap in awareness creation that needs to be closed in order to get these individual units into the mainstream of fighting climate change. To achieve the objective, the paper highlights a series of conscious choices that individual economic units can employ so as to boost climate change mitigating efforts. The paper recommends public awareness creation through proper information flow, integration of climate change as an important aspect of the curriculum of schools at all levels of education in Africa, and public discussion and finally the adoption of a climate – friendly conscious life style amongst others.