CREATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT- CLASSROOM ORGANISATION

How to create a learning environment

Learning is by far the only entity that remains constant in our rapidly changing world. Time is compressed, meaning that we have very little time to keep abreast with change. However one has to learn to adapt and be a part of change. The only way this can be achieved is to learn how to survive or "how to learn" with the ever increasing demands of life. A learning environment involves people who are willing to improve themselves through continuous education and training

Invest in education and training. These investments can include effort, finance, and coaching, tutoring and guiding people to improve academically or creatively. Encourage creativity by engaging in activities like, planning a garden, making an item, or even painting the house is a form of creative activity.

 Create opportunities for learning. Encourage active participation in family activities, household budgeting, home improvements, decor etc. Give children the opportunity to buy commodities, groceries or any item, in terms of a tight budget. Provide them with finances and mentor or guide them towards effective spending and thriftiness.

Place an emphasis on learning. Let this be constant and ongoing. When things are becoming stagnant, notice and take action.

Incorporate learning with fun activities. Laborious and boring educational activities will only hinder the learning process. One can read a story to children in a favorite picnic spot. Introduce games like solving riddles. This can be very effective in educating and also provides a form of entertainment.

Provide the necessary resources. These may include time, money, trainers etc. The amount of resources will determine the quality and quantity of learning. This means that one has to support the learning process.

Be committed to the learning process. Always bear in mind that there will be no end to this attitude of continuous training. Create an awareness

A learning resource centre

is a facility within a school, staffed by a specialist, containing several information sources.

Purpose Information and communication development opportunities and information flow are the big challenges arising from a dedicated review of most educational questions, whether from theoretical frames or material :wikt:facilitate|facilitations. School libraries are then considered one of the most important resources within educational facilities. The need to develop school libraries is urgent in that, on the one hand there is a need to convey information via a wide diversity of technologies and resources, and on the other hand, there is a myriad of new teacher and student roles to support. Within this view, came the project of learning centers. The objective is to raise school libraries to an international and more technical standard. Learning Resource Centres can also be institutionalized in various institutions for teaching and learning purposes. The purpose of a resource center is to advanced the learning experience of students and teachers in any educational sector.

Concept A school utility driven by a qualified expert. It contains several information resources and their techniques, which the teacher directly deals to acquire searching skills of information, analyze and evaluate to build a new knowledge and experience, then develop them using several learning methods. It also provides services to, facilitate the useful for both teaching and learning.

How to MOTIVATE STUDENTS

A classroom is a learning space, a room in which both children and adults learn about things. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, from preschools to universities, and may also be found in other places where education or training is provided, such as corporations and religious and humanitarian organizations. The classroom attempts to provide a space where learning can take place uninterrupted by outside distractions.

Nobody ever said that teaching students was easy. Motivating them to learn is even more difficult. Whether you're teaching eighth graders or adult learners at a vocational school, it can be a challenge to make students want to work and learn on their own. However, there are many approaches you can take to make learning more fun, exciting, and necessary for students.

1. Offer extra information about your subject. If you want the students to be excited about what you're teaching, then you'll have to go above and beyond the curriculum. Keep the students updated with recent developments regarding their subject. If you are a science teacher for example, you could 1) Bring an article from Scientific American for the students to read in class or 2) Give the students a summary of the article, show them pictures of the article, ask them questions about the concepts in the article and what certain sentences mean and tell them that you have copies of the article if anyone wants to pick them up after class.

2. Give assignments that let students think outside the box. Do an extensive class project that is unconventional and fun. For example, your class could put on a science-related (or whichever subject related) play that you could perform at a local museum for younger children.

3. Have a good sense of humor. Having a good sense of humor can help you engage students, make the material more lively, and make it easier for them to relate to you. The fact of the matter is, if you're serious 100% of the time, it'll be much harder for them to care and to really connect with you. Though you don't have to be a goofball, joking around every chance you get, if you create a more fun environment for your students, they will likely be more motivated and eager to learn.

4. Ask the students to share their opinions. Your students are less likely to be motivated if they feel that you are simply lecturing at them and not caring what they think. If you ask them what they think about a certain political issue, a literary passage, or the validity of a scientific experiment, they are more likely to perk up and to speak out. If they feel that you care about what they have to say, they will come out of their shells and will be excited to share their views with you.

5. Encourage lively class discussion. If you lecture all the time, students are likely to zone out. If you want to keep students motivated to learn and keep them on their toes, then you have to facilitate meaningful class discussions throughout your class. Ask questions, not of the class, but of each student directly, calling each one out by name.

Classroom Management and Organization

The classroom environment is influenced by the guidelines established for its operation, its users, and its physical elements. Teachers often have little control over issues such as temperature and leaky ceilings, but they greatly influence the operation of their classrooms. Effective teachers expertly manage and organize the classroom and expect their students to contribute in a positive and productive manner. It seems prudent to pay careful attention to classroom climate, given that it can have as much impact on student learning as student aptitude (Wang, Haertel, & Walberg, 1993). Effective teachers take time in the beginning of the year and especially on the first day of school (Emmer, Evertson, & Anderson, 1980; Emmer, Evertson, & Worsham, 2003) to establish classroom management, classroom organization, and expectations for student behavior.

Classroom Management

Effective teachers create focused and nurturing classrooms that result in increased student learning (Marzano et al., 2003; Shellard & Protheroe, 2000). These teachers teach and rehearse rules and procedures with students, anticipate students' needs, possess a plan to orient new students, and offer clear instructions to students (McLeod et al., 2003; Emmer et al., 1980). They use a minimum number of rules to ensure safety and productive interaction in the classroom, and they rely on routines to maintain a smoothly running classroom (McLeod et al. 2003). In fact, it has been noted that classroom management skills are essential in a classroom for a teacher to get anything done (Brophy & Evertson, 1976). In some ways, classroom management is like salt in a recipe; when it is present it is not noticed, but when it is missing, diners will ask for it

Rules

Virtually everything that involves interactions among people requires rules. Webster's dictionary defines a rule as “a fixed principle that determines conduct” (McKechnie, 1983). Let's deconstruct this definition: a rule is “fixed” meaning that it does not change regardless of the situation. In reality, we know that rules have to undergo occasional modifications in the everyday life of a classroom. Nonetheless, rules establish the boundaries for behavior (Nakamura, 2000), and consistency in their implementation is essential to effective classroom management.

Effective teachers have a minimum number of classroom rules, which tend to focus on expectations of how to act toward one another, maintain a safe environment, and participate in learning (Marzano et al., 2003; McLeod et al., 2003; Thompson, 2002). These teachers offer clear explanations of the rules, model the rules, rehearse the expectations with students, and offer students opportunities to be successful in meeting the expectations (Covino & Iwanicki, 1996; Emmer et al., 1980). There is no magic number of rules that govern a classroom; rather, it is the clear establishment of fair, reasonable, enforceable, and consistently applied rules that makes a difference in classrooms.

Effective educators have a sense of classroom tempo and student harmony such that they are aware of when an intervention may be needed to prevent a problem (Johnson, 1997). Often, teachers use nonverbal cues, proximity, and redirection to prevent misbehavior. These techniques typically allow the momentum of the instruction to continue and refocus the student; however, there are times when a stronger intervention is necessary. When a rule is broken, an effective teacher is prepared to address the problem. Effective teachers tend to react in several ways, including the following: positive reinforcement that points to the desired behavior, consequences that punish the negative behavior, a combination of reinforcement and consequences, or indirectly responding to the behavior such that the student is reminded of why a rule is important. What an effective teacher does not do is react to an entire class for a rule infraction by a single student.

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Classroom Organization

Classroom management and organization are intertwined. While rules and routines influence student behavior, classroom organization affects the physical elements of the classroom, making it a more productive environment for its users. How the classroom environment is organized influences the behavior in it. For example, actions as simple as color-coding folders, establishing fixed locations for lab supplies, maintaining folders for students to pick up missed work after being absent, keeping extra copies of “Back to School Night” items to share with new students, and designating specific places for other classroom supplies can have a dramatic effect on classroom organization and, consequently, on student learning. While these procedures and a multitude like them are simple matters, they nonetheless can be essential components for a smoothly operating classroom.

Classroom organization is evident in a room even if no one is present. Furniture arrangements, location of materials, displays, and fixed elements are all part of organization. Effective teachers decorate the room with student work, they arrange the furniture to promote interaction as appropriate, and they have comfortable areas for working (Kohn, 1996). They also consider student needs in arranging the room by leaving space for wheelchairs to maneuver; having walkways so students can access materials, pencil sharpeners, and the trashcan with minimal disturbance to others; and organizing in such a way as to allow the teacher to freely move around the room to monitor student progress (McLeod et al., 2003).

Rules

Last year, Mandrel had his classroom rules, along with the consequences for not following the rules, posted for students. However, he found it difficult to get students to follow his rules. Worse yet, he knows that he did not do a very good job enforcing them. Before the new school year started, Mandrel met with his mentor to examine the classroom rules he had created.

Expectations for Student Behavior

Attending to issues of classroom management and organization provides the foundation for having high expectations for student behavior. Effective teachers have higher expectations for how students are to conduct themselves in the classroom than their less effective colleagues (Stronge et al., 2003). They are better managers of student behavior (Emmer et al., 1980). They establish relationships with their students in which high levels of cooperation and dominance (i.e., giving students a sense of purpose and guidance) are balanced, resulting in an optimal relationship (Marzano et al., 2003). Effective teachers teach expectations to students and reinforce the desired behaviors with their verbal and nonverbal cues. Another characteristic of effective teachers is that they hold students individually accountable (Kohn, 1996) and, if necessary, use intervention strategies to help students learn the desired behavior (McLeod et al., 2003). An exploratory study of effective and ineffective third-grade teachers found that ineffective teachers had five times as many disruptive events in an hour when compared with their more effective counterparts (Stronge et al., 2003). Through fair and consistent discipline, teachers reinforce their expectations of students and create a classroom that is focused on instruction.

Common Classroom Occurrences

Attendance Lunch counts Collecting work Returning work Distributing supplies Returning supplies Walking to specials (PE, art, music, library, computers)

Morning work Make up work Afternoon dismissal Settling students down Changing activities What to do when you finish your work Drills: Fire, Tornado, Lock-down

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PROBLEMS IN MODERN AFRICAN LITERATURE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Literature across ages and continents have functioned as the embodiment and interpreter of a peoples’ culture, a conveyor of a people’s language as well as their philosophy, politics, psychology and national character.  Nwachukwu, (2005) notes that literature whether cast in the form of agitation, negotiation or based on historical reconstruction or mythological recreation has a touch of identity. According to Bayo (2003:1) opines that Literature is a discipline that attempts to depict man and his environment. The creative imagination and the use of a specialized form of communication medium-language and style make literature different form all other disciplines.

Furthermore, literature deliberately aims at re-creating the human society via the exposition of human experiences, religious belief and socio-cultural motifs of that society within the imaginative framework of arts. Literature is also a librating force that frees us from the inherent ideas placed on us by society and it is categorized into three (3) generic forms; namely, drama, prose and poetry (Ibrahim and Akande 2000:3).

The African experience of literature dates back to the pristine age of man and equally precedes the literature of some European countries (Dada 2003:36). In Africa the fact is established that there is the emergence of literature as part of cultural identity and revolutionary struggle against domination, marginalisation and political cruelty in African states like; Kenyan, Nigeria, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa Guinea Bissau etc. African writers in the decade of independence constituted the cultural nationalist movements with a view of treating African indigenous literature in its own right (Ojaide, 1992).

Dada (2003: 36) maintains that “African literature refers to works done for the African audience, by Africans and in African languages whether these works are oral or written”. The debate of African literature over the use of language, diversity of culture and the question of literary identity indigenous to Africa are issues that has continued to generate significant interest ever since the emergence of modern African literary writings, thus, many scholars have made their inputs and positions.

One of the major issues in modern African literature is language. The multi-cultural character of African language and the emphasis on the protection of individual people’s linguistic identity have emasculated the great dream of the total institutionalization of modern African literatures.  The question of identity and dignity in African literature in the writings of regional and national writers persists because of the prevailing socio-economic and political conditions in the continent and among the countries of the continent. Meanwhile, the language of African literature is another area of interests that has raised a lot of devastating issues among scholars and critics.

According to Armah, (2005) Africa is vast and requires a vast language to put through all our ideals, and that language is not yet born”. Commenting on the language of African literature, Armah posited that “we are presently suspended in linguistic neocolonialism while awaiting a decisive breakthrough, if an African language is adopted, it will be a big solution. The demands of internationality, the question of communication with the world outside Africa and other issues such as accessibility and marketability of African literature in the global environment seem to have poisoned the dream of an African linguistic identity among African writers.

Another issue to be considered in Modern African Literatures is the diversity of culture which is a dynamic phenomenon encompassing the totality of attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and world-views. It is an integral part of every human society and all social groups are characterized by it. In other words, it is that “complex pattern of behavior and material achievement which are produced, learned and shared by members of a community” (Ameh, 2002: 165). 

Another issue of discuss in modern African literatures is the attempt to create a racial identity. The role of ethnic pride and linguistic self-consciousness is not a quality of only majority ethnic groups. No matter how small the group, the sense of identity enshrined in the language of the group persists. For Yakubu, (2001) African literature is an enclave of freedom where the African re-conquers his lost identity and dignity.  This position seems to vividly capture the overwhelming impulses that characterize the motives of modern African literature writers.

1.2     Statement of the problem

African literature emerged out of a need to fill a vacuum; that is the gap in African literature is centered on voicelessness. For many years, the discipline of comparative African literature has been overshadowed by the study of literary influences. This is because all African authors belonging to what is commonly called ‘Modern African Literature’ have come under the influence of Western – type schools of broadly two different categories namely; the study of analogy or literary affinities and the study of influences or indebtedness of diversity, language and culture has constituted a myriad of problem to African Literatures. It is against this background that the study seeks to find out the issues in modern African Literatures with particular reference to African diversity, language and culture using some selected African literary texts.

1.3     Aim and Objectives

The aim of this study is to examine all issues in every literary work. Specifically, the study objectives include the following;

1. to examine the Igbo Folklore of cultural matrix with reference to the creative works of Chinua Acbebe
2. to evaluate male and female conflict as themes with reference to the works of Mariama Ba and Chiamanda Ngozi Adichie
3. to analyze the hybridity of modern African Drama with reference to the works of Wole Soyinka and Sam Ukala

1.4     Significance of the Study

Over the years, many arguments have arisen on the existence of African literature. This study when completed will highlight the challenges facing African literatures from the pre-colonial past, to the colonial period, right to the present post-colonial age. It will describe the lives of the traditional Africans, their practices, ethos and mores, analyzes the conflicts that colonialism engendered in the system and discus the crises underpinning modern Africa literatures.

Furthermore, it is hoped that when the study is completed, it will add to existing literatures and close knowledge gap with respect to background of African diversity, language and culture. It will also, educate, inform, entertain and document students, literary writers and educators researchers on the concept of the use of language and style in modern African literature. Finally, the findings that will be provided at the end of this research will be of great benefit to future researchers in this field of art and the humanities in general.

1.5     Scope of the Study

The study is limited to examining some selected issues in modern African literature; specifically they include, the Igbo Folklore in Chinua Acbebe’s Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God. It examines also, male and female conflict as themes in Mariama Ba’s  So long a Letter and Chiamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. The study also analyzes the hybridity of modern African Drama in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman and Sam Ukala’s Iredi War.  

1.6     Research Methodology

In carrying out this research, various materials and research tools were employed. This include; primary text which covered six different texts so as to give the research an in-depth analysis. While, the Secondary source will consist of library research in which published books, journals and the internet will be considered. In the process of data collection, the library was consulted before embarking on this project, there is need to find out what has been written on the subject so as to guide the researcher on the general nature of the work and give root of background to the study. Hence, any information gathered will be used to carry out proper work.

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PIDGIN AS A ROLE OF MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IN UNIFYING STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 GENERAL INTRODUCTION
This Chapter will be presented in six sections: background information, statement of the problem, aim and objective, the significance of the study and the scope of the study.
1.1 Background Information
The background to this study is examined from two viewpoints, which include: The History of Pidgin which also reiterates the form in which pidgin occurs, and Pidgin in the 21st Century.
1.1.1 The History of Pidgin
Fundamentally, a pidgin is a simplified means of linguistic communication, as it is constructed impromptu, or by convention, between individuals or groups of people. The origin of pidgin could be traced to 1850, when it first appeared in print. Shaibu (2013) describes Nigerian Pidgin English as a combination of indigenous languages and English. It basically uses English words mixed into Yoruba, Benin or Igbo grammar. Nigerian Pidgin English used to be seen mainly as the code of the non-literate as well as a bastardization of English, therefore, was considered as indicative of academic proficiency in English. In the case of Nigeria however, Akande (2008:37) notes that, the social linguistic reality in Nigeria today is such that Nigerian Pidgin English is spoken by university graduates, professors, lawyers and journalists.
Holm (1988) considers language contact to be nearly as old as language itself. To support this idea he points out that in the ancient Egypt there was a trade language developed among several Hamito-Semitic languages in contact in the Nile Valley, which can be considered a pidgin. A pidgin, or pidgin language is a simplified version of a language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a language in common. It is most
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commonly employed in situations such as trade, or where both groups speak languages different from the language of the country in which they reside. Major language changes usually occur over centuries, but the language contact that forms pidgins results in ‘rapid language change and evolution’ (Patrick. 2006). A pidgin language is a variety created by combining two or more existing languages through the process of ‘pidginization’. When people need to communicate but speak different native languages, they may combine their own languages to create a new ‘pidgin language'. This language is then transferred by word of mouth to others and becomes the acknowledged way for the different speaking communities to communicate.
Pidgin is a wide term covering a range of regional hybrids, which evolved through historical events such as the spread of Empires, settlement, migration and international trade. Found in Africa (West African Pidgins include Nigerian Pidgin, Cameroonian Pidgin, Sierra Leone Krio), Indonesia (Tok Pisin, spoken in Papua New Guinea), parts of Asia and the Caribbean, English derived Pidgins are inventive, innovative, and often quite literal. For example in Tok Pisin, 'gras bilong het' (or grass belong head) simply means 'hair'. Because of their spontaneous adaptability, Pidgins are unlike other languages in that they can be as structured or as unstructured as needed - there are no strict rules as such. Pidgins are also not used as mother tongues, though over time and generations, the language evolves, is adopted and changes to gradually become a first language for new generations. Historically, Pidgin occurs in situations where native language is seen as subordinate, or banned in the case of slavery, and is the point where Pidgin arguably moves to become a Creole, or a stable, 'nativised' language. Scholarly debate remains however, as to what point a Pidgin language can evolve to become a Creole and replace a native language over the generations.
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As an idea of how language evolves, from 'no common language' between English and native groups, to 'Pidgin' languages to 'Creole', the tongue follows four main stages of development -
 Restricted - The beginnings of Pidgin, used as a fundamental necessity when contact between language groups (English and native) is limited.
 Extended - If contact is more prolonged, Pidgin develops, and may be situationally encouraged to be used between natives themselves (i.e. natives of differing native tongues), as well as between other language groups.
 Creole - If Pidgin survives, and if inter-native use evolves enough, it can develop into a Creole language to become a next generation mother tongue in place of the native language.
 Standardization/decreolization - Increasingly standardized and structured, over time, the Creole becomes more rigid, developing into a standard, stabilized language (And very different from the original loose Pidgin structures)
Nowadays, Pidgin English is in extensive use and is well-recognised around the globe, especially in parts of West Africa and Oceania. In 2012 for example, for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Prince Charles visited Papua New Guinea, introducing himself as the "Numbawan pikinini bilong Misis Kwin", (or 'number one child belonging to Mrs Queen') proving the resilience and longevity which Pidgin (despite its modest roots) can have - if royalty can speak it, Pidgin has really gone a long way. However, to be considered pidgin it must be stable and have norms of meaning, grammar and pronunciation. Some of its characteristics are: limited vocabulary; elimination of many grammatical devices - such as number and gender; lack of inflectional and derivational morphemes; lack of verbal inflection; loss of prepositions and indicators of time, aspect and mood; lack of locative prepositions and plural indicator; movement rules among others.
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1.1.2 Pidgin in the 21st Century
It has been discovered lately, that most people especially students in various Nigerian tertiary institutions, find it easier to communicate with pidgin whenever they are in an informal setting. It is also important to mention that Pidgin has been able to secure a place in the corporate world. People switch to Pidgin in the middle of a formal conversation either to explain themselves better or to cite an instance to juxtapose the message they are trying to pass across. Obafemi Awolowo University, a typical example of a multilingual setting; people from different cultural backgrounds live together in a room, and communication has to take place. This set of people prefer to use pidgin as a means of communication whenever they engage in conversations in any informal environment because there are no standard rules guiding its usage unlike the Standard English where you have to abide by the rules of concord, syntax, phonology, and semantics among others. In other words, they feel more convenient when they express themselves in pidgin because they is always the tendency of being careful not to break the rules of concord, syntax, grammar, among others.
Akande and Salami (2010) assume that the urban characters of the university environments are strong factors influencing the students’ use and attitudes to Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE). They hold that apart from their education, living within the university communities, the students are likely to enact more urban networks that are usually made up of multilingual and multicultural contents. It is noteworthy to emphasize that the university communities have a large number of users of the Nigerian Pidgin English. Basically, it could be argued that Nigerian Pidgin English plays a unifying role among its users, as it is the language of the educated and the uneducated irrespective of their linguistic backgrounds. Akande (2008:38) argues “it could be regarded as a
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marker of identity and solidarity. It is an inter-ethnic code available to Nigerians, who have no other common language.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
After various research procedures, it is evident that students of Obafemi Awolowo University feel more comfortable whenever they are expressing themselves in Pidgin, this study examines the degree Pidgin is used, the various types, the gender involved, and the cultural undertone. Previous studies on pidgin have focused on the origin and characteristics of Pidgin. Studies on how it performs its unifying role among its users in a multilingual setting such as Obafemi Awolowo University halls of residence has not received adequate scholarly attention. This type of study would also highlight the positive roles of pidgin in Nigeria.
1.3 Aim and Objectives
The aim of this study is to describe how pidgin unifies the residents of the selected halls of residence in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, who are from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The objectives of this study are to:
a. analyse the forms of conversations peculiar among the residents of Moremi and Fajuyi halls of residence.
b. highlight how pidgin fosters, unifies and brings about the ease of communication among selected respondents, and
c. analyse the recorded conversations in the context of time, mood and situation accompanying them, in order to show how pidgin unifies them.
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1.4 Significance of the Study
Pidgin is an important code for communication in a multilingual society, where many cultural differences are in existence and have in one way or the other dominated the day-to-day conversations of the students of Obafemi Awolowo University, this study would examine the frequency at which pidgin is used, the syntactic groups, and the cultural undertone reflected in the kind of pidgin used among the students, and the purposes for which pidgin is used. The importance of this study is not just to describe how pidgin is used, but to provide a deep insight of how pidgin serves the unifying role among the students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
1.5 Assumptions Underlying the Study
a. Students adopt various forms of expressions ranging from the use of their local dialects, British English, and the use of Pidgin.
b. Students have diverse ways of using Pidgin.
c. Pidgin makes communication easier in a multilingual speech community.
1.6 Scope of the Study
There are various forms of languages in the world, and it is impossible for an individual to be proficient in all these languages. In Moremi and Awolowo halls of residence in Obafemi Awolowo University, which are typical examples of multilingual societies. Pidgin is commonly used during conversations among students because most of the conversations done in the academic environment are usually formal thereby creating some restrictions for the students as they tend to carefully select words in order not to bypass the rigorous processes of the Standard British English.

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THE IMPACT OR ACTION OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BANKING INDUSTRY OF NIGERIA ( A CASE STUDY OF FIRST BANK)

ABSTRACT
The study examined the impact of TQM on the performance of First Bank, using Uyo branch as a case study. The primary and secondary sources of data collection were adopted in the research methodology.
One hypothesis was raised and tested, using simple percentages and the Chi Square method.
Findings: this research work is to study The Impact of Total Quality Management in the Nigerian Service Industry, taking First Bank as a case study. Findings show that its implementation has enabled the bank improve its performance in many service areas. From the questionnaires distributed and answered, a large percentage of respondents (employees) agree that the implementation of TQM has improved the quality of their service delivery. A large percentage of customers attest to an improvement in the bank’s satisfaction of their needs. The bank’s market share has also improved as a result of the implementation of TQM. Most of the customers agree that the bank’s services now look beyond their immediate needs.
The conclusion from the findings is that the adoption of TQM has been a step in the right direction for First Bank Plc. It has improved the lot of the bank by increasing their income through an increase in patronage and an increase in the bank’s capital base through the purchase of its shares by the general public, indicating growing confidence in the bank.
One of the recommendations is that government should also get involved in the implementation of TQM in all its agencies, ministries and parastatals.

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THE ROLE OF MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS AS A SURVIVAL TOOL FOR ORGANIZATIONS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The increase in oil boom in the 70’s was an era of huge and expensive prospect of doubtful utility and viability. However, the heavy dependence on oil and imported input rendered the Nigerian economy to be sensitive to external shocks with the collapse of the world oil market in the mids 1981, an economic crisis emerged in Nigeria, various control measures were put in place in order to correct the disturbing situation between 1982 – 1985 but these measures failed to deal effectively with the fundamental economic and financial problems confronting the economy which was deteriorating.

The nation began to face a situation of persistence and deteriorating balance of payment problem, the external debt continually rise, the emotion of international credit worthiness and the acute shortage of raw materials and consumer goods, as agriculture suffered and severely, neglected, the country (Nigeria) was at the point of collapsing.

Considering the above circumstances, there is need for national economic reform which the federal government eventually came up with Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1988 as a strategy to end the deformation of the nation economy and achieve a turn around in the fortunes.

The current global economic depression facing the world has been described by the world economic and financial experts as the longest and deepest depression in the post war period. Major industrial developed countries share in this performance characterized by declining growth rate, high inflationary pressure, increase in number of unemployment and this trend had serious adverse effect on the economic of developing countries of which Nigeria is included.

The present development is quite affecting a substantial number of Nigeria contemporary business most of them are on the path of decline, leading to folding up of some companies and many others laying off their staff and equipment as a result of operational hardship with lack of ability to expand and decline in sales volume as well as profit.
With the present difficult situation in the Nigeria businss environment. There is need for businesses to be re-structured for survival in response to changes that is occurring in the economic environment either a company decide whether to acquire, merge or sell part or whole of its existing business thus, given birth to a stronger, bigger and more profitable outfit that is capable of surviving amidst strong competition.

1.1    HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF OANDO NIGERIA PLC
Oando Plc commence its business operation as a petroleum marketing company in Nigeria in 1956 under the name “ESSO West Africa Incorporated” a subsidiary of Export Corporation of the USA. In 1969, the company was incorporated under Nigeria laws as “ESSO standard Nigeria Limited. In 1976, the Nigeria Government brought ESSO interest and thus, became the 100% owner of the company. The company was then rename “Unipetrol Nigeria Limited”.

On 1st March, 1991 the company became a public limited company and was known as Unipetrol Nigeria Plc in the same year, 60% of the company’s shares was sold to the Nigeria public under the first phase the then privatization exercise and the company was quoted on the Nigeria stock exchange in February 1992.

In 2000, under the 2nd phase of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s privatization programme, ocean and soil services limited became a core investor by acquiring 305 of the Federal Government’s 40% equity stock in the company, the remaining 10% was sold to the Nigeria public. The investment in the then Unipetrol Nigeria Plc by Ocean Oil Services Limited was with support of its International Technical Partners Compania Espanola De Petroleos (CESPSA) who are currently 2nd largest oil group in Spain and ranks among the top 10 oil group in Europe. CEPSA is a fully Integrated Petroleum Company involved in exploration and production, petrochemicals natural gas, trading, refining, distributing and marketing.

In August 2002, the company acquired Agip Petrol’s 60% stake of Agip Nigeria Plc, the sale of the 60% interest of Agip Petrol International was the result of an international bid conducted by Agip petrol international B.V with the assistance of an international adviser during which Agip Petroleum International selected to them Unipetrol Nigeria Plc following the acquisition of Agip Nigeria Plc the company was again i.e. branded to Oando Plc in 2003 and emerged as Nigeria 2nd largest company in the downstream sector of the oil industry with 15.64% market share.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM
Due to the present economic situation of the country (Nigeria), report indicated that many Nigeria businesses and corporate organizations have closed up while many more may soon close up, even those that have survived, it has been a mergical survival and they are operating far below installed and optimum productive capacities leaving none in doubt that the situation is bad enough, the following problems are notice.

• There is need to note the fact that many of this organization that are depressed situation can either still be acquired or merged with more prosperous and strong enterprise. In other word, an alternative to this ugly  economic woe in the country should have been for companies to come together and continue through merger or acquisition.
• There is overextension which tend to make the organization fuzzy and unmanageable. There is manager’s hubris, overconfidence about synergies form merger and acquisition which results in overpayment for the target company.
• There is negative reactions from company’s employees, bankers, suppliers, customers and other which make the process by which a company is bought or sold prove difficult, slow and expensive. Thus, they are not sold as often as they might or should be.
• Multiple listing service concept has not been applicable to merger and acquisition due to the need for confidentiality.
• There is lack of proper method, apparatus and techniques for efficiently executing merger and acquisition transactions without compromising the confidentiality of thee parties involved without unauthorized release of information.
• Lack of good recording keeping of incomes from business undertakings, mostly attributed to illiteracy and in other cases, a deliberate attempt to evade tax is also a problem.

1.3    OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
No business is embarked upon without a set of objectives to be accomplished. Merger and acquisition are common features of modern commercial sense. Hence, the intended objectives of conducting this study are as follows:

• To examine the economic reasons behind above phenomenon and in particular to look into how organization in both private and public sectors of Nigeria economy have been surviving under merger and acquisition.
• To analyze the economic and social economic of scale associated with operations, costs of company related to theories and revenue stream. Thus, increasing profit, market share etc by absorbing a major competitor and increasing its power to set prices.
• To determine the effectiveness of merger and acquisition as a strategy for organizational survival in Nigeria cooperate bodies.
• Designed to smooth the earning results of a company which over the long term smoothes the stock price of a company, giving conservative investors more confidence in investing in the company.
• To analyse the social, political, economic and fiscal problems encountered by business organization with regards to the policy of merger and acquisition in Nigeria.
• To develop ways or means by which some of the problems which are encountered in the realization of the proceeds from the use of the proceeds improved.
• Te study attempt to investigate its strategic functions for improvement in productivity and profitability of Oando Nigeria Plc.
• It is also hope that the recommendation made if well studied and applied, could help business organization particularly Oando Nigeria Plc, in attaining her financial goals efficiently.

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The researcher hope that at the completion of this study, it will contribute immensely to the existing literature on business organization and Oando Nigeria Plc in particular towards advancement of knowledge in thee area of business merging, other corporate bodies in Nigeria will also find the findings and recommendations useful especially those that are hit by the present economic woe and are considering closing down a the only option.

Government and its agencies that arte establish to regulate and approve merger and acquisition proposal will also find this research work very beneficial especially in enhancing their operations.
This research work also intends to serve as a good reference material for learning among students of various institution of higher learning, and other researchers in the area of merger and acquisition in field of business administration and management which is the bane of economic development of the country.

1.5    RESEARCH QUESTION
For this research work to be successful certain question has to be answer in request to the contributions of merger and acquisition to organizational survival in Nigeria.

• What is the impact of merger and acquisition to Nigeria economy?
• How can private and public organizations survived under the merger and acquisition?
• Would merger and acquisition provide social economic of scale?
• Does merger and acquisition solve the depressed situation of economic woe in Nigeria?
• Can merger and acquisition add significant value of the firm’s shares?

1.6    STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
“According to Egejule and Ogwo (1990). Hypothesis is a tentative and testable explanation usually in a declarative form of the relationship between variables either specific or general.
Ho     That merger and acquisition does not bring about improvement in market performance.
Hi      That merger and acquisition bring about improvement in market performance.
Ho     That merger and acquisition does not lead to increase in profitability of the combined firms.
H2     Tat merger and acquisition lead to increase in profitability of the combined firms.

1.7    SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
To understand a research project of this nature, the scope is normally defined with respect to geographical and time dimension. This research work is concerned with the he general effect of merger and acquisition as strategy for organizational survival with respect to Oando in Nigeria Plc. 2007 -2008.

It is a common knowledge that empirical studies in business organization yielded results which have to be taken with the proverbial “pinch of salt” as a result of poor data base. In this regards, the difficulties experiences is ranging from.

• Some of the organizations that consummated merger and acquisition are not willing to release such information saying that such information are classified document.
• The research is limited to the nature of te topic itself, it is so broad.
• The research is constraints of non-availability of all relevant data and non-possibility of studying all consummated mergers and acquisition in Nigeria.
• Financial constraint, due to nature and age, the researcher faced with the high cost of transport to move from one place to another where data and relevant information related to this topic could be obtained.
• Finally, the reluctant and incorporate attitude of respondents to questions is yet another. Limiting factor to this research work.

Despite the above mentioned limitations and many other unmentioned, the information were confidential and the study has been systematically carried out devoid of any bias and in line with the earlier stated objectives.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.      Merger and Acquisition (M & A):  A merger is an arrangement by which all the assets and resources of two or more companies are brought together under the control of one company which is owned jointly by stockholders of the original companies.

          Acquisition is the whole transfer and control of assets, liabilities, employees, management technical relationship and expert etc of one corporation to another.
2.      Economic  of Scale: This refers to the fact that the combined company can often reduce duplicate operational costs relative to theoretically, the same revenue strum, thus increasing profit.
3.      Synergy: This refers to better use of complementary resources. (i.e. 2 + 2=5).
4.      Risk Diversification: This is the situation where a company which is in a strong position within its own market either in terms of cash flows or market share, decides to extends its influence by acquiring another company usually in a different line of business, result to a wider product range.
5.      WOE: A long trouble confronting business environment..
6.      Cross Selling: A company buying a stock broker could then sell its products to the broker’s customers, while the broker can sign up the company’s customers for brokerage accounts.
7.      Manager’s Hbris: This refers to manager’s overconfidence about expected synergies from M & A which results in overpayment for the target company.
8.      Anti-Trust Cycle: Is a regulatory device that analyze the impact of merger on market and to control monopolistic situation and other trade restriction activities that lead to adverse implication for an economy.
9.      (NEPD):National Economic Policy and Development
10.    CAMA: Company and Allied Matter Act.

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MANAGEMENT OF BAD DEBTS IN MICRO FINANCE BANKS IN NIGERIA ( A CASE STUDY OF SIX SELECTED MICRO FINANCE BANKS IN ANAMBRA STATE)

MANAGEMENT OF BAD DEBTS IN MICRO FINANCE BANKS IN NIGERIA ( A CASE STUDY OF SIX SELECTED MICRO FINANCE BANKS IN ANAMBRA STATE).

CREDIT AND DEBIT MANAGEMENT
The place of banks in national economy is a significant one, which acts as prime mover of the economic life of any nation. The importance and  significance of banks with respect to economic and social development of a nation cannot be under emphasized. Banks are known to perform many functions of deposits; mobilization and tending which is perhaps to most significant of their functions. Indeed the two prime functions portray banks as the agent who redirects funds from the surplus sector to the deficit sector while earning a comfortable margin surplus sector and then selvey for their services as the intermediaries. Whole deposit mobilization can be categorized as a relatively executing activity. Lending is essentially a logical follow up of deposit mobilization. The banks are responsible for the safety of funds entrusted to them, while also responsible for channeling the funds to the owners. The quality of the banks fund lending decision significantly  determines the banks ability to effectively play the role they have assumed. Apart from the fact that lending is a significant function of the banks. For the above reason, loans and advance have been found to constitute the largest proposition of the banks assets and assets possess the highest rate of return released to the other alternative investment. This is to determine the various techniques of methodologies of credit, the appropriate combination of these techniques so as to achieve success and minimize losses were not in banks credit and lending activities, this basic aim offers the opportunity to bridge the gap between savings and investment in the economy.
Credit management also involves monitoring of operations of account at the branch bank have been taken for a ride in the past by “smart” customers, who give the impression that turnover was being done, granted by then, where all that was being done kite flying or cash recycling. Adekowary (1986) acquired that a customer who indulges in this practice usually have two or more accounts at two or more different banks or branches he draws a cheque on his account. The bank knowing fully well that there are no funds in that account with the bank, he then draws all the uncollected funds out at bank “P” and immediately deposits in bank ”x” another cheque drawn on non-existence funds in his account by bank “T”. This is a simple example of kiting, by this, it means a customer can fraudulently make use of bank funding without proper authority. Bank staff must therefore watch program operation on customers’ account closely and report unusual activities to their managers. However, some indication of kiting suspect as recently enumerated by Kotawa of (Savana Bank) as an experienced operating officer are;

1. Consistent increase in deposit amount
2. Excessive account activities in relation to type of account, that is, high turnover with constant daily balance.
3. Depositors usually concern with daily states of account
4. A pattern of daily deposit made to cover cheque received  for payment on the current day and finally
5. Frequent purpose of the customers related to company or other banks

OTHER QUANTITATIVE CREDIT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE
     This involves the control through loan disbursement and other drawn down conditions. Olalusi (1989) argued that no loan should be disbursed to the customer when necessary agreement forms have not been duly completed by the customer or the security document have been signed yet.
Osiayemia (1981) maintained that there are dangers Inherent in providing a personal or corporate body with much or two little fund at a given moments. The loan disbursement is therefore linked with the flow cycle of the customers hence an appropriate disbursement arrangement must be applied. Also to be applied are certain empirical disbursement criteria and consideration is specific type of credit such as housing loan, agricultural loans and over draft for specific purpose.

SECURITY CONSIDERATION IN DISBURSEMENT INCLUDES
     Loans should not be disbursed until customers satisfied all security formalities. The danger of allowing him to drawn down the loan while he is yet to comply with the security documentation cannot be over emphasized. When drawn down has not been effected, customer is over willing to co-operate to finish the required documentation which is not always the case once he has the money.
No disbursement should be allowed against anticipating approvals. Valid approvals needs to be attained from the approving authority before disbursement is allowed because jumping the gun in loan disbursement is dangerous as the banks position maybe jeopardized by opting it in a fail accomplished position.
Finally all disbursement should pass through the customer’s current accounts.

DANGER SIGNALS ON BAD AND DOUBTFUL DEBTS
Dangers signal are usually not lacking through sometimes they descend like sudden foundation without prior notice with experience instinct for sensing and spotting troubles.
The following points will serve as a useful question;

1. Excessive rigidity in the accounts for examples difficulty in obtaining cover for cheque, dividing monthly saving low or non-existence turnover on the account.
2. Evidence of delay in payment of trade accounts
3. Long debt in producing financial statement particularly audited account
4. Heavy borrowing from other sources
5. Inability to meet loan installment
6. Increase in number of cheque being jopped at customer instances or returned from lack of funds
7. Poor quality of current assets
8. Failure to honour banks, inculcate to come for discussion particularly in the customers used to make enforcement calls at the Bank in the first.

CAUSES OF BAD DEBTS IN MICRO FINANCE BANKS
In the Nigeria context, there has been increasing trends of bud and doubtful debts in the banks and bankers and their shareholders and also the government officials are begging to show concern on this issues by making pronouncements insisting on the need to correct the situation.
However, for effective coverage on organized reviews the causes of bad debts in micro finance banks are as follows;

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TRAINING MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN AKWA IBOM STATE , UYO.

The purpose for this study was to determine the training Manpower Development and Employee Performance in an organization. Training of Manpower has been one of the pressing problems that have greatly affected the economy of any nation. Since the problem of training manpower development and employee performance among organizations is not new in the field of educational research, many studies have been carried out, but considerable numbers of literatures and papers have been reviewed. Hence, related literature on this subject therefore has been profound and vast. Some of the studies were quite intriguing. Some were particularly concerned with sporting factors that aided poor employee performance. Such studies have however been helpful in a way that they point to why some employee could not perform or achieve their goals positively thereby opting out as a result.

In the reviewing the related literature for this study, the following areas have been mapped out for review; organization background and employee’s performance, organization income (socio-economic status) and training Manpower development; Organization changes in labour market and Manpower needs in manufacturing and marketing, and summary.
2.1   ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND AND EMPLOYEE’S PERFORMANCE
        The organization structure or background could influence the employee’s performance and training. If the management (managers) of any firms or organization did not attend training, workshops or seminars, they would find it difficult to send their employees to training and also to provide them with some necessary incentive and motivation, and these will affect manpower needs or employee’s performance. Major banks (1979) in his study found out that the organizational structure cum background ha s a unique relationship with training manpower development in an organization. In the same vein, Morris (1972) shows that organization with poor attitude to training of manpower development have their employee as lacking technical know-how. Jegede (1984) also explains that lack of manpower needs in any of the organization can be attributed to organization background and socio-economic status. Musgrave (1979) is of the opinion that companies or organization that fall under the upper and middle classes is of high socio-economic status and are well solidified, they tend to realize the importance of training manpower needs. Moreso, Iniodu (1991), Akpan (1993), and Udofia (1993) are of the view that organization of good standard find it necessary and rewarding to identify, determine and trained their employee with the view to organize workshop, seminars and symposium where technocrats will be involved to show expertise. These will enable the employee to put in maximum performance in the service oriented organization.
2.2   ORGANIZATION INCOME AND TRAINING MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT   
        Henry (1993) opined that employee from a rich organizations find it easy to adjust to training life for effective performance and greater achievement. Eket (1986) observed that employee from poor organizations do not attend the same level of training manpower development as those form wealthy organizations. The differences, according to him, may be due to the availability and provision of training materials in different organizations. Esien (1979) noted that low financial position of any organization have a strong influence on the employee performance in an organization.

        Manpower can be said as the total knowledge, skill, creative abilities, talents and attitude of an organization to work force as well as the values, attitude and benefits of the individuals involved in it. The needs for Manpower in an Organization include: To maximize utilization of human resources. To reduce excessive labour turnover and high absenteeism. To meet the challenges of new and changing technology and also new techniques of production

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THE EFFECT OF BANK RECAPITALIZATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in the development of national economy. Due to their importance and the crucial role they play in economic development and growth of the nation, much attention has been placed on financing of small and medium enterprises, since they are major contributors to the economy of Nigeria. These enterprises are drivers of the economy; therefore policy attention has to be given to them especially in developing economies because of their impact on many sectors of the economy. Their impact is felt in the following ways: Greater utilization of local raw materials, employment generation, encouragement of rural development, development of entrepreneurship, mobilization of local savings, linkages with bigger industries, provision of regional balance by spreading investments more evenly, provision of avenue for self employment and provision of opportunity for training managers and semi skilled workers.

In Nigeria, credit has been recognized as an essential tool for promoting small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs), hence the need for recapitalization of commercial banks in Nigeria. Bank recapitalization which was effective from 2006 is aimed at making Nigerian banks stronger and better in-order to finance all sectors of the economy including the major drivers of the economy-Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. About 70 percent of the population is engaged in the informal sector or in agricultural production. The Federal and State governments have recognized that for sustainable growth and development, the financial empowerment of the people is vital. If this growth strategy is adopted and the latent entrepreneurial capabilities of this large segment of the people is sufficiently stimulated and sustained, then positive multipliers will be felt throughout the economy. To give effect to these aspirations various policies have been instituted over time by the Federal Government to improve rural and urban enterprise production capabilities (Olaitan 2006)
The central Bank of Nigeria on July 6th 2004, announced the recapitalization of banking sector from N2 billion to N25 billion with effect from 1st January 2006. This was with a view to make the sector internationally competitive, sound and improves its ability to provide credit to all the productive sectors of the economy. In order to meet this obligation, banks embarked on strategies of merger and acquisition, floating of new shares and so on. At the end of the exercise, 25 new banks emerged.
It was hoped that the consolidation will make the banks stronger to be able to provide large amount of funds to productive sectors of the economy which is largely dominated by Small and Medium Enterprises, thereby making them grow into large firms with enough resources to contribute to the economic development.
Also, in December 2005, the CBN introduced new Micro-finance Policy (MFP) which was designed to be public and private sector driven.
The purpose of the policy was to strengthen community banks in order for them to be able to grant collateral and non collateral loans to finance microeconomic activities in the economy. The policy also aims at providing many people with access to financial services who otherwise will have no access to these services.
Small and Medium Enterprises as said earlier have a crucial role to play in the development of an economy, they are training grounds for local entrepreneurs, they encourage local savings and ensure equitable distribution of wealth thereby reducing rural- urban migration of human resources.
To this end, government should collaborate with private sector in order to create an enabling and conducive environment for SME’S in order to contribute positively towards the development of the economy.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Bank fraud, poor lending and credit management practices in the Nigerian banking sector forced the Central bank of Nigeria to revisit the capital structure of commercial banks in Nigeria. These among other things led the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to give a directive that all banks should recapitalize from N2 billion to N25 billion with effect from 1st January 2006.
This development led to various financial activities in the Nigerian financial sector with most banks initially opting for additional source of fund from the capital market via floating of shares. Most banks at this stage started inviting members of the public to acquire new shares in-order to meet up with the new minimum capital directed by the central bank of Nigeria. Notwithstanding, some banks were not capable of raising the new minimum capital by themselves, hence the need for mergers and consolidation of banks, reducing the total number of banks in Nigeria to twenty five (25).

However, the consolidation of the banking sector presented new challenges to the banks which require more efforts to control cost and increase their efficiency; this in turn has effect the volume of credit facilities granted to small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. A study conducted by Iloh et al (2012) reveals the gap between deposit money bank deposits (DMBD) and commercial bank lending to SMEs from year 2000 upward (the year that saw the end of merchant banks). There is a wide margin between the two variables and while deposit money bank deposits rose very high, commercial bank lending to SMEs declined from 2004 to 2010. The gap between commercial bank deposits and its lending to SMEs reveals the shift in focus from lending to SMEs to lending to major investors (customers). One is made to ask, while the banking sector is said to drive any economy, has Nigerian commercial banks neglected SMEs, which is vital for the growth and development of the Nigerian economy? Notwithstanding, it is interesting to note that community/Micro finance bank (CMFB) lending to SMEs moved in the same trend with its bank deposit. This implies that as community/microfinance bank deposits increased, it’s lending to SMEs increased. Regardless of the direct impact of community/microfinance bank on SMEs, SMEs still cry for lack of funding and lending to SMEs in Nigeria is still poor. This is so because their capital, reserve and deposit are very small and insufficient to meet the needs of small and medium entrepreneurs.

 1.3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
The primary objective of the study is to examine the effects of bank recapitalization on small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. Specific objectives of the study are:

• To determine the relationship between Commercial Banks and the performance Small Business Entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
• To determine whether bank recapitalization led to increase in funds for financing SMEs.
• To examine the accessibility of Small and Medium Enterprise Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEIS) funds to SMEs.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In-order to achieve the above stated objectives, the researcher formulated the following research questions:

• What is the relationship between commercial banks and the performance small business entrepreneurs in Nigeria?
• Does bank recapitalization increase funding for SMEs?
• How accessible are Small and Medium Enterprise Equity Investment Schene Funds to SMEs?

1.5 HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY
The following hypotheses are formulated in line with the objectives and research questions of the study:

• Ho: There is no significant relationship between Commercial bank and the performance of Small Business Owners in Nigeria.

Hi: There is a significant relationship between Commercial banks and the performance of Small Business Owners in Nigeria.

• Ho: Bank Re-capitalization has not led to the increase of funds to SMEs

Hi: Bank recapitalization has led to the increase of Funds to SMEs

• Ho: Small and Medium Enterprise Equity Investment Scheme funds are not easily assessable to SMEs

Hi: Small and Medium Enterprise Equity Investment Scheme funds are easily assessable to SMEs

1.6 SIGINIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Robust economic growth cannot be achieved without putting in place well focused programmes to reduce poverty through empowering the people by increasing their access to factors of production, especially credit. The latent capacity of the poor entrepreneurs would be significantly enhanced through the provision of microfinance services to enable them engage in economic activities and be more self-reliant; increase employment opportunities, enhance household income, and create wealth.
However, the lack of required financial support from the microfinance banks to Micro Business operators in Lagos state has become a major concern in Nigeria. Hence, this study shall be relevant to policy makers in the areas of finding out the impact of micro financing on the small scale investors. Also, this study shall enhance further research in the subject area.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this research work is the recapitalized commercial banks and their SME customers in Nigeria. However, due to the fact that there are many commercial banks with many SME customers, the research is limited to Mainstreet Bank, Osun branch and some of their SME customers.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Time and financial constraints were the major limitations of the study. Since the researcher could not afford the cost of reaching out to more banks, money became a challenge. The researcher was also engaged in other school activities which also limited the time used for the project.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Economy: An economy is the total sum of product and service transactions of value between two agents in a region, be it individuals, organizations or states. An economy consists of the economic system, comprising the production, distribution or trade, and consumption of limited goods and services between two agents, the agents can be individuals, businesses, organizations, or governments.
• Mergers and Acquisitions: Mergers and acquisitions (abbreviated M&A) is an aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or new location, without creating a subsidiary, other child entity or using a joint venture.
• Recapitalization: Recapitalization is a sort of a corporate reorganization involving substantial change in a company's capital structure.
• SMEs: Small and Medium Enterprises
• SMEEIS: Small and Medium Enterprise Equity Scheme

REFERENCES

• Olaitan, L. 2006. An empirical evaluation of the corporate strategies of Nigerian companies. Journal of African Business, 2(2), 45-75.
• Iloh V. C. 2012. The Effect of Bank Consolidation on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Nigeria. Lagos: Longman Nigeria Plc.

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