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- ItemOpen AccessSpeakers’ rights in English -English and Yoruba-English family discourse(Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria, 1986) Akindele, Dele OluwafemiThe aim of this study is to investigate speakers' rights to initiate conversations in native English (English-English) and English as a Second Language (Yoruba-English) family. More specifically, it aims to find out whether speakers' rights differ with different types of initiation within and between the two family conversation types. The study further investigates speakers' rights to select one another for participation in conversation, and also finds out how such rights are reflected in interruptions in the two types of discourse. The framework for the analysis of the data is based on the Birmingham approach to discourse analysis. Some aspects of the work of the Conversational Analysts are also adopted. It is expected that both the English-English and Yoruba-English family will be hierarchically structured into higher social positions occupied by older adults (parents) and lower positions occupied by younger adults (grown-up children). Further, it is expected that the hierarchical ordering of both types of family will be reflected in the relative frequency with which the older and younger participants initiate discourse, select next speakers and interrupt one another. It is also expected that the hierarchical ordering of the Yoruba-English family will be more rigidly ordered and maintained than that of the English-English family in such a way that participants in the discourse cannot step out of their position in the hierarchy and initiate talk if and when they choose. It is, however, expected that the younger participants in the English- English family will have the choice of stepping out of their position in the hierarchy to initiate talk. On the basis of these expectations, it is predicted that the total proportion of initiations, currentspeaker- selects-next technique, self-select technique, and interruptions that the older adults in both types of family conversation will produce will be greater than that of the younger adults. However, although the total proportions are expected to differ, it is predicted that in English- English family conversation, both older and younger participants will produce some of each type of initiation, will select any of the participants as next speaker or self-select, and will interrupt any of the participants. By contrast, it is predicted that in Yoruba-English family conversation, not all types of initiation will be produced by both older and younger adults. Older adults will produce all types of initiation except the type that will be classified as 'Permission-seeking' moves, and the younger adults will produce all types of initiation except what will be categorised as 'Directives' and 'Regulatory negative' moves. In addition, it is predicted that the older adults in Yoruba-English family conversation will select any participant as the next speaker and will self-select in an interaction with their equals or younger adults and will interrupt any ongoing speaker; but that the younger adults will select only their equals as next speaker, self-select only when interacting with their own age group, and interrupt only members of their own age group. The findings are found to support the prediction that the proportion of initiations, currentspeaker- selects-next technique, self-select technique, and interruptions that will be produced by the older adults will be greater than that of the younger adults in both types of family conversation. The results also corroborate the prediction that in English-English family conversation, both older and younger adults will produce some of each type of initiation, select any of the participants as next speakers or self-select, and interrupt any of the interactants. The findings support the prediction that in Yoruba-English family conversation, not all types of initiation will be produced by both older and younger adults. Older adults are found to produce all types of initiation except those classified as 'Permission-seeking' moves, and the younger adults are found to produce all types of initiation except those categorised as 'Directives' and 'Regulatory negative' moves. Further, the findings support the prediction that the older adults in Yoruba-English family will select any participants as the next speaker and will self-select in an interaction with their equals or younger adults. However, the results do not support the prediction that the younger adults will select only their equals as next speaker, self-select only when interacting with their own age group and interrupt only members of their own age group.
- ItemOpen AccessInternational financial reporting standards and earnings management among quoted non-financial firms in Nigeria.(Management and Accounting,Obafemi Awolowo University, 2019) Adegboye, Kofo AmosThe study analysed the trend of earnings management in listed non-Financial companies in Nigeria from 2007-2016 and examined the determinants of earnings management among selected listed non-Financial companies in Nigeria during the study period. It also assessed the direction of causality between earnings management and quality of accounting information and evaluated the effect of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) implementation on earnings management of Nigerian quoted non-Financial companies during the period. These were with the view to providing an insight on the effect of the mandatory adoption of IFRS on earnings management among quoted non-financial firms in Nigeria between 2007 and 2016. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. The population consisted of 84 quoted non-financial companies in Nigeria. A sample size of 62 non-Financial firms whose shares were traded during the period 2007 - 2016 were purposively selected based on availability and accessibility of data. Year 2007 was chosen as the base year due to the fact that the global economic recession coupled with the high level of international business competitions became prominent making sustainability of performance elusive for reporting entities. Primary data were sourced through the administration of open and close-ended structured questionnaire. Data on IFRS adoption and earnings management were sourced from annual reports and accounts of companies and from Nigerian Stock Exchange Factbooks. Data were analysed using percentages, pooled ordinary least square, random and fixed effect models as well as granger causality test. The results showed that earnings management witnessed a rising trend in discretionary accrual during the whole ten years` period (2007-2016) from -0.050 in 2007 to 0.036 in 2016 with smallest -0.046 and highest 0.051 in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The results showed that the leverage (r = 0.1150; p < 0.05) and growth (r = 0.006; p < 0.01) were the determinants of earnings management. In addition, the results showed that a bi-directional relationship existed between earnings management (z = 4.860; p < 0.01) and quality of accounting information (z = 4.7976; p < 0.01). Finally, the results revealed that IFRS adoption (r = -0.0616; p > 0.05) showed a negative and insignificant effect on earnings management. The study concluded that IFRS adoption had no significant effect on earnings management among sampled quoted non-financial firms in Nigeria during the study period.
- ItemOpen AccessService quality and customer satisfaction in selected Southwest Nigerian fast food restaurants(Management and Accounting,Obafemi Awolowo University, 2019) Alao, Opeyemi OluwatoyosiThis study determined the level of customer satisfaction in Nigerian fast food restaurants and analyzed customer’s perception of service quality in the Nigerian restaurants. It also examined the factors enhancing customer’s repeat patronage and investigated the influence of service quality on customer satisfaction in Nigerian fast food restaurants. These were with the view to providing empirical information on how service quality enhanced customer satisfaction in Nigerian fast food restaurants. Primary data were sourced for this study. The data were sourced through administration of questionnaire and conduct of in-depth interview. The study population consisted of Southwest Nigerian fast food restaurant customers and some members of staff. Multi-stage sampling technique was used for the study. At the first stage, three Southwest Nigerian States namely; Lagos, Ogun and Oyo were purposively selected because of the high economically active working class population and the concentration of fast food restaurants therein. At the second stage, 10 fast food restaurants were selected from each of the three States using stratified random sampling considering the organizational size and type of food products offered for stratification. At the third stage, the first 20 consenting customers in each of the selected restaurants were sampled using convenience sampling technique, thus resulting in a total of 600 copies of the questionnaire being administered on the respondents. In addition, twenty judgmentally selected customers and ten purposively selected employees of fast food restaurants were also interviewed. Data collected were analyzed using frequency, simple percentages factor analysis and ordered logistic technique. The results showed a high level of customer satisfaction (78%) in Nigerian fast food restaurants with high propensity for repeat patronage. The results also showed that customers’ perception of service quality included employee competence (73.2%), employee interpersonal skills (66.5%), employee complaints management capability (54.3%), restaurant hygiene (69.6%), signage (67.7%), interior design and ambience (76.2%), menu quality (66.8%), product pricing (70.4%) and waiting time (70.2%). Furthermore, the results showed that the major factors enhancing customer’s repeat patronage of fast food restaurants were food quality (74.5%), location and convenience of reach (72.9%), secured environment (70.6%) and price (70.3%). Finally, the results showed that service quality measured by interaction quality (t=7.696; p<0.05), physical environment quality (t=1.963; p<0.05) and outcome quality (t=5.320; p<0.05) had significant influence on customer satisfaction. The study concluded that service quality enhanced customer satisfaction in Southwest Nigerian fast food restaurants.
- ItemOpen AccessECOWAS protocol on free movement and security challenges in Nigeria and Benin Republic.(International relations,Obafemi Awolowo University, 2019) Adenipekun, Lawrence OlubusuyiThe study examined aspects of the ECOWAS protocol that make it susceptible to violation by criminal networks and identified the security challenges arising from the violation of the free movement protocol in Nigeria and Benin Republic. It also explored the extent to which the security challenges generated by the protocol have shaped the national security policies of Nigeria and Benin Republic and investigated how socio-cultural factors have undermined the operation of the free movement protocol in Nigeria and Benin Republic. These were with a view to ascertaining the violation of the Economic Community of West African States protocol for criminal activities and the security threats this posed to Nigeria and Benin Republic. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data were obtained through the conduct of in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). The in-depth interviews were conducted with 26 purposively selected senior officials of the ECOWAS Commission and the National Defence College in Nigeria, Customs Services, Drug Enforcement and Human Trafficking Prohibition Agencies, the Police, ILO, Embassies of Italy, anti-human trafficking NGOs, academia and the media in both countries. The selection of Nigeria and Benin Republic was predicated on their notoriety as most dangerous transit hubs and the fact that Nigeria (Anglophone) and Benin (Francophone) represent “big” and “small” economies of the sub-region respectively, where the deleterious impact of criminal activities is more evident than in any of the other countries in West Africa. Also, the choice of government agencies and other organisations in the two countries was informed by their firsthand knowledge about the study. In addition, six focus group discussions, comprising of eight participants each, were carried out among community groups, cross-border women traders, vigilante associations and youths in Nigeria and Benin Republic. Finally, secondary data were obtained from government publications, ECOWAS documents and press releases, newspaper clippings and periodicals, articles, relevant texts and the Internet. These data were analysed using content analysis. The results showed that individuals and organised networks took advantage of the loopholes in the protocol to violate it for various criminal activities. It was also found that the violation of the protocol by criminal gangs intensified illegal trafficking activities and aggravated the security challenges rocking Nigeria and the Republic of Benin. The results further showed that these security challenges had substantially shaped the security policies of Nigeria and Benin Republic as evident in their adoption of new security policies to rein in criminality in all its ramifications. The results also revealed that socio-cultural factors in the forms of common history and ancestry, linguistic similarity, common cultural practices, occupational affinity as well as geographical contiguity between the people of Nigeria and Benin Republic had undermined the operation of the free movement protocol. The study concluded that the violation of the ECOWAS free movement protocol for criminal activities posed enormous security threats to Nigeria and Benin Republic.
- ItemOpen AccessAppraisal of the implementation of the 2004 contributory pension policy in Local Governments of Southwestern Nigeria.(Local Government Studies,Obafemi Awolowo University, 2019) Fagbewesa, Esther OlapejuThis study appraised the institutional framework for the Pension Policy of 2004 contributory pension scheme; it also examined the perception of workers on the implementation of the policy in the selected Local Government Areas and the effect of the policy on the workers’ attitude to work in the selected Local Government Areas and analysed the challenges of the implementation of the pension policy in the selected Local Government Areas. These were with the view to determining the relationship between workers and government in the implementation of the 2004 contributory pension policy. Primary and secondary data were used for this study. Primary data were generated from the respondents through the use of questionnaire and interview guide. The study was carried out in Southwestern Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted. At the first stage, Southwestern Nigeria was stratified into three axis: Lagos/Ogun, Oyo/Osun and Ondo/Ekiti due to their geographical closeness. At the second stage, Lagos, Ondo and Osun were selected using random techniques due to their proximity to the researcher and the zone being predominately a Yoruba speaking area; while at the third stage, 18 Local Government Areas were selected (two Local Government areas each from the three senatorial districts of the chosen states representing one urban and one rural). A population totaling 16,000 in the study area comprised both Senior and Management staff selected within the selected Local Governments. Using Yaro Yamane Method based on the total workforce in each state, a sample size of Lagos (140), Ondo (125) and Osun (135) totaling 400 respondents was selected. Also, interviews were conducted in the three states for six of the officers in the pension management offices and six members of staff above GL 14 in the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC). This was because they were knowledgeable about the pension policy. Secondary data were derived through relevant government publications, books, journals, articles, magazines and the internet. Data collected were analysed using appropriate simple percentages and chi-square analysis. The results showed that the institutional framework for the pension policy of 2004 contributory pension scheme was weak and ineffective (56.05%). The results showed that there was no significant relationship between the implementation of the policy and perception of workers in Lagos urban areas (2 = 2.098, p > .05) and Lagos rural areas (2 = 0.909, p > .05) and Osun State urban areas (2 = 0.739, p > .05) and Osun State rural areas (2 = 0.357, p > .05). However, it was significant in Ondo State urban areas (2 = 6.459, p < .05). The results also showed that the policy had no effect on workers’ attitude to work in Lagos State urban areas (2 = 1.360, p > .05), Lagos State rural areas (2 = 0.179, p > .05), Ondo State urban areas (2 = 0.060, p > .05), Ondo State rural areas (2 = 1.219, p > .05) and Osun State urban areas (2 = 2.903, p > .05), Osun State rural areas (2 = 1.969, p > .05). The results further showed that there were inconsistent and irregular remittances from employer’s contributions (73.42%) unnecessary delays (56.05%) and long duration of time in processing payment of pension (54.47%). The study concluded that there was poor implementation of the 2004 contributory pension policy in Local Government areas of the Southwestern Nigeria.