Covenant Journal of Physical and Life Sciences

Gender but not parental educational assortative mating is associated with mate selection preference among undergraduate students in a Nigerian university

2026-01-06T10:49:06+00:00

Assortative mating, particularly educational homogamy, significantly influences mate selection; however, the relative influence of gender and parental educational background remains under-examined in sub-Saharan African contexts. This study examined the associations between gender and parental educational assortative mating (PEAM) and mate selection preferences among 985 undergraduate students at a Nigerian university. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, parental educational background, and mate selection preferences. Separate binary logistic regression models were estimated for each mate selection criterion, adjusting for parental education and age. Strong preferences were observed for partners who are bold and confident (93%) and who dress attractively (70%); moderate preferences for religious (67%), sport-loving (65%), social (56%), and same-age (54%) partners; but low preferences for partners' (un)troublesomeness (45%), profession (44%), complexion (43%), and height (43%). Gender emerged as a consistent correlate of several mate preferences, whereas PEAM showed limited independent associations. Females were significantly more likely than males to prioritise a partner’s age (62% higher odds), height (34% higher odds), and profession (30% higher odds), but were less likely to prioritise boldness and confidence. These findings suggest that gender-related sociocultural factors may play a more salient role than parental educational matching in shaping mate preferences among this population. Interpretations are limited to the institutional context studied, and further multi-site research is recommended.

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Nigerian Academic Institutions: A Case Study of The University of Lagos

2025-11-27T16:28:00+00:00

Affordability and grid stability of electricity remain a major concern for learning institutions throughout sub-Saharan Africa, and Nigeria is not left out. At the University of Lagos, there is indiscriminate grid supply and power load shedding that affects academic processes and research continuity. This current research explores the design and techno-economic viability of a hybrid renewable energy system specific to the energy demand of the university. Various configurations of systems with solar photovoltaic arrays, wind turbines, lithium-ion battery storage, and diesel backup were contrasted using the hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources software. The performance indicators of net present cost, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), renewable fraction, and percentage of unmet load were contrasted under the actual load profiles as dictated by the academic calendar. Results indicate hybrid system introduced has significant diesel reduction, 83% high renewable penetration, and competitive LCOE of $0.067/kWh. Sensitivity analysis also verifies system robustness to fuel price uncertainty and seasonal variation in solar and wind resources. Finally, the research attests to the feasibility of hybrid systems as affordable, high-performance options for powering university campuses in the tropics, thus providing an expendable template for energy change in the same campuses.

Generalized Third-Derivative Block Hybrid Method for Solving Third-Order Differential Equations

2026-03-12T14:05:13+00:00

In many scientific and engineering applications, real-world phenomena are modeled using differential equations in order to describe, analyze and interpret physical processes. This study is designed to formulate the development of third-derivative block hybrid method for the direct numerical solution of third-order initial value problems. The method is formulated using interpolation and collocation techniques based on power series expansion, resulting in a block scheme that incorporates four off-step points for improved accuracy and computational efficiency. The mathematical properties of the proposed method including order, error constant, consistency, zero-stability, convergence and region of absolute stability are thoroughly investigated to ensure its reliability. Stability analysis using the Boundary Locus Method confirms that the new method possesses a satisfactory region of absolute stability suitable for stiff and non-stiff problems. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated through four numerical experiments involving both highly stiff and non-stiff third-order linear problems. Comparative analysis with existing methods reveals that the proposed block hybrid method consistently produces numerical approximations that closely match the exact solution, outperforming several classical approaches in terms of accuracy and stability. The results confirm that the new method is robust, computationally efficient, and suitable for solving a wide class of higher-order ordinary differential equations.