2006年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Census Result Avoids Controversy

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
30 December 2006

Nigeria has confirmed its status as the most populous¹ country on the African continent, announcing its population has exceeded 140 million. Gilbert da Costa reports the announcement sought to avoid some of the more controversial details ahead of crucial polls next year.

 
Cars and people jam a street in the Oshodi area of Lagos (File photo)
The population figure announced was largely within previous estimates and may not suffer from credibility problems.

Censuses³ are controversial in Nigeria with each of its 250 ethnic⁴ groups trying to assert their numerical advantage and claim a larger share of oil revenues and political representation.

Details such as the population size of states and communities are to be published next year, months after elections in April. Such a move would avoid complicating⁵ preparations for the landmark⁶ poll.

Hameed Ojo, a political science professor at the University of Abuja, says the census² figures could provide a basis to assess the credibility of the vote in a country with a history of electoral fraud and violence.

He said, "Let me give you a hypothetical example. The total number of voters registered in a particular state should be a certain proportion of the people."

"These are international standards. For example if you have a population of 50 million in a country, obviously those who are eligible⁸ to vote should not be more than a certain percentage of the total number of voters, so if there is a radical⁹ inflation, you can know it," he added.

 
Census officials compile data of counted people in Lagos, 27 Mar⁷ 2006
The release of census figures could have wider implications for elections in Nigeria. Ojo says time constraints¹⁰ may not allow Nigeria to fully¹¹ utilize¹² the census report for next year's ballot¹³.

He said, "The actual elections, we are talking in terms of four months now, at most, and even the local government election we are expecting it to come early, January or so. So, there is no time. By now, all the logistic arrangements should have been put in place."

"In fact the greatest problem we are having is that the inability of INEC [Independent National Electoral Commission] to produce a voter register is likely to produce a lot of problems," he added.

The figures show that population growth in Nigeria is currently running at 3.3 percent and the overall population figure has nearly doubled since the last count in 1991.

1 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

2 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

3 censuses   

人口普查，统计( census的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Data derived from population censuses is useful for social researchers. 从人口普查中得到的数据对社会研究者们很有用处。
• UNFPA also helps countries compile reliable demographic data and carry out censuses. 人口基金还帮助各国汇编可靠的人口数据及开展人口普查。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。

6 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

7 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

8 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

9 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

10 constraints   

强制( constraint的名词复数 )； 限制； 约束

参考例句：

• Data and constraints can easily be changed to test theories. 信息库中的数据和限制条件可以轻易地改变以检验假设。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• What are the constraints that each of these imply for any design? 这每种产品的要求和约束对于设计意味着什么？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

11 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

12 utilize   

vt.使用，利用

参考例句：

• The cook will utilize the leftover ham bone to make soup.厨师要用吃剩的猪腿骨做汤。
• You must utilize all available resources.你必须利用一切可以得到的资源。

13 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。