Wukari International Studies Journal
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GREEN FINANCE INTEGRATION AND SOVEREIGN EUROBOND YIELDS IN KENYA: A CLIMATE RISK PREMIUM PERSPECTIVE
Get PDFKenya's exposure to climate risks and fiscal volatility has raised concerns about the pricing of its sovereign Eurobonds in global markets. This study investigates the impact of green finance announcements, ESG risk scores, and inflation on Kenya’s sovereign Eurobond yield spreads over U.S. Treasuries from 2015 to 2024. Employing a quantitative explanatory research design, the study analyzed secondary monthly data on yield spreads, macroeconomic indicators, and ESG metrics using multiple linear regression. Descriptive statistics and diagnostic tests confirmed data suitability, while correlation analysis revealed expected directional relationships. Findings show that green finance announcements significantly reduce Kenya’s sovereign risk premium, aligning with signaling theory that credible sustainability communication enhances investor confidence. ESG risk scores were also found to have a statistically significant negative effect on yield spreads, underscoring the importance of non-financial performance in sovereign debt pricing. Conversely, inflation had a significant positive effect, reflecting heightened risk aversion toward macroeconomic instability. The study concludes that climate and ESG signals now influence investor pricing behavior in African debt markets. It recommends that the Kenyan government institutionalize green finance disclosures, improve ESG reporting systems, and enforce effective inflation-targeting policies to reduce borrowing costs and enhance debt sustainability. The findings offer vital information for policymakers and investors in understanding the evolving dynamics of climate-adjusted sovereign risk
AN APPRAISAL OF NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY THRUST FROM 1960-2023
Get PDFThe study appraised thematically (administration by administration) Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust since 1960 till 2023. The justification for adopting this approach is to review how each Nigerian government undertook the conduct of Nigeria’s foreign policy and how it has translated to economic security and prosperity of the Nigerian State-cum-citizenry whose interest foreign policy is expected to serve. The central proposition of the study is that for Nigeria’s foreign policy to be perceived as legitimate, its implementation must be seen by Nigerians to advance the domestic national development. The study adopted three theoretical frameworks, the decision-making model, the power approach and the linkages theory in the analysis of the discourse. The utility of the Decision-making model is that it seeks to uncover the underlying motivations and values that push decision makers towards preference a certain course of action. The utility of the power approach to the discourse is that states in international relations are always possessed by the national interest which nations attain only by improving upon the element of their national power relative to other states. The linkage theory emphasizes the interconnection between the domestic economy of any country and its foreign policy. Findings from the study revealed that Nigeria allowed the system goals to take precedence over actor’s goals that would have reverberate in greater economic opportunity and prosperity for the people. That this confusion over what constitutes Nigeria’s national interest and the procedure for its realization vividly explains why Nigeria’s foreign policy since independence until date has witnessed enormous cost without any corresponding dividends. The study recommended, among other things, that Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust should be more inward focused, aimed at adding value to Nigeria’s development. 
MANIPULATION OF ETHNO-RELIGIOUS SENTIMENT IN THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS: IMPLICATIONS ON NIGERIA’S UNITY
Get PDFThe Nigeria’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious settings constituted a huge socio-political problem that are inimical to Nigeria’s national unity. Ethno-religious sentiments played a key role in the formation of political parties during the First Republic. The three major political parties (NCNC, NPC and AG) were established by the then regional governments; Western Region, Northern Region and Eastern Region. The parties were the political players of the First Republic. Ethno-religious differences constituted a very fundamental question among the political parties, which in fact, paved way for the collapsed of the First Republic, which consequently, threw Nigeria in to civil war. Bearing in mind, the negative effect of ethno-religious sentiments in to the body of Nigeria’s polity, the political elites came up with a number of measures with a view to addressing the ethno-religious sentiments that brought the end of the First Republic; Nigeria was divided in to six geo-political zones with a view to give each zone opportunity to lead the country. In addition to this, Muslim/Christian Presidential ticket or vice versa, became a tradition in to the Nigeria’s political space. Against this background, the paper presents historical formation of political parties in Nigeria, stressing the indisputable role of ethno-religious sentiments in the formation of the political parties. Equally, the paper examines the resurgence of ethno-religious politics, delving on 2023 Nigeria’s general elections. It also highlights the wave of Muslim-Muslim ticket and how it rejuvenated the intrusion of ethno-religious inclusion in to the body of Nigeria’s polity. Using documentary sources, the paper posits the implications of manipulation of ethno-religious sentiments, essentially, as it relate to 2023 general elections and how it constitutes formidable threat to Nigeria’s unity
WOMEN POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE NIGERIAN WOMEN TRUST FUND (NWTF): FOURTH REPUBLIC IN FOCUS
Get PDFDespite having the most registered voters in the country, the low level of women's political representation in the National Assembly has become concerning. The Nigerian women's political representation currently lags behind the national gender policy standard of at least 35% women representation and other regional and international standards. The study focuses on the role of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF) whose goal was to rally support for women and demand the 30% quota granted by the affirmative action policy, particularly in the national assembly as they stood apart from other non-governmental groups. This study investigates the strategies used by the NWTF to enhance women's political representation in the National Assembly. This study used a qualitative case study approach because it captures the key elements of a problem from the viewpoint of the study's primary informants and aids in understanding a complicated social phenomenon, while thematic analysis was used. The finding of this study shows that the National Women Trust Fund employs several strategies, such as guaranteeing quota representation of women in the state house assembly, mobilizing support, providing financial assistance, and raising awareness. The study also discovered that the National Women Trust Fund has improved women's lives by providing financial assistance, capacity-building programs, political mentoring, and raising awareness of women's rights. Thus, it concludes that the Women Trust Fund of Nigeria has impacted significantly the lives of women in Nigeria over the decades
EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE AND ITS EFFECTS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN JOS PLATEAU STATE
Get PDFReligious intolerance and the its effects on the socio-economic development is an issue faced in Jos Plateau state. These religious conflicts have become a major problem confronting the state and the nation at large. Through empirical review, the study highlighted causes of religious intolerance which led to the conflict. Related literatures mostly examined the topic from the farmers and herder’s crisis in Jos while some understudied it from the perspective of religious conflicts. This study however, through a detailed analysis enhances the understanding of how religious conflicts impact economic activities, social structures, and development indicators. Data was obtained from secondary sources through already collected data from journals, historic writings and news articles as they relate to the research topic. The social identity theory is used to clearly understand the connection and relationship between religious intolerance and the groups involved in the crisis. Findings revealed that the root and remote causes of the religious conflicts are tied to intolerance, indigene/settler syndrome, unemployment, poverty, unguided utterances of religious and political leaders, lack of proper education, and absence of good governance among others. The conflict by implication have resulted in the irreplaceable loss of human and material resources that could have been useful for social and economic developmental purposes of the nation. The study, by way of conclusion hoped that awareness campaigns would be held in order to encourage tolerance, diversity and interfaith dialogue amongst the people, and sincere government schemes and efforts would be established to achieve social, economic and political distributive justice for all people in the country
NEO-LIBERAL CLASS WAR AND HOBBESIAN STATE OF NATURE IN NIGERIA
Get PDFEvidently, divergent literary exploration has attributed the Hobbesian state of Nature in Nigeria to various reasons like tribalism, mixed cultural heritage, corruption, among others. This study microscopes Neo liberalism as the major political and social melee affecting the country. The research investigates how neo-liberalism in the feature of global capitalism and imperialism forms an extreme division between top elite 1% and bottom struggling 99% which results in huge inequality while promoting corruption and weakening institutions. The research bases itself on neo-liberal theory to disclose how elite groups achieve resource control and economic instability while destroying national sovereignty and ethics. A qualitative study of secondary reports and economic indices and journal entries confirms that Nigeria experienced 32.5% inflation in 2024 alongside a 76–77% corruption index between 2022 and 2025 and 735 mass abductions and 24,720 recorded rapes from 2023 to date. The privatization process benefits wealthy individuals while electricity reaches only 30% of people and homelessness affects more than 4.5 to 5 million people in the country. The research finds that Nigeria became a Hobbesian state because neo-liberal policies increased class conflicts while demanding judicial changes alongside fair resource distribution and economic expansion to stop the development of permanent chaos. The research calls for rebuilding Nigeria’s approach to fairness and stability by confronting the world's current economic model of liberalism
U.S POSTURE ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN AFRICAN: IMPLICATIONS ON THE PROGENITORS
Get PDFThere is a convulsion taking place in Africa in the form of wanton human rights violations attracting the attention of the United States. As a strong bias in the need to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals and groups, U.S is playing catalytic roles to check human rights violations in Africa by adopting certain measures, aimed at changing the behavior of human rights violators. An important conclusion that can be discerned from this study is that even though there are cases of human rights violations in many African countries, U.S. efforts in grappling with this outrageous problem are yielding significant results. The study calls the attention of the U.S. to assist African countries to provide socio-economic environment that will make authoritarian rule in Africa unattractive
EFFECT OF ETHNOCHEMISTRY INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN CHEMISTRY IN BAUCHI STATE NIGERIA
Get PDFThe study investigated the effect of ethno-science instructional strategy (EEI) on senior secondary school students’ achievement and retention in chemistry. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of the study was pretest, posttest, and quasi-experimental experimental design. The population of the study was 20604 senior Secondary School year two (SS 2) chemistry students in Bauchi state, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used at six levels in selecting the sample size of this study. One hundred and ninety-three (193) SS II chemistry students from four intact classes in four senior secondary schools made up the sample for the study. Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) with Kuder-Richardson formula reliability index of 0.94 was used for data collection after validation by experts. Data were collected by administering the instrument as pretest and posttest after treatment of the groups. The data obtained were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results showed that there is a significant difference in the mean achievement and retention test scores of students in the experimental and control groups in favour of the experimental group taught using EEI strategy. However, based on school location the instructional approach was successful in helping students retain and apply knowledge over time, irrespective of their school location. The study recommended that strategy improved senior secondary school academic achievement and retention irrespective of school location, hence it should be encouraged
THE INTERPLAY OF RELIGION AND CONFLICT: PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE PEACE BUILDING IN NIGERIA
Get PDFReligion serves a dual function in societies, sometimes acting as a source of conflict, while also being a powerful means for fostering peace. In Nigeria, where religious diversity is significant, tensions between major faith groups, especially Christianity and Islam, have often led to violent conflicts. These tensions are frequently compounded by political, ethnic, and economic factors. Despite this, religion has also played a crucial role in peace-building efforts through interfaith dialogue and reconciliation initiatives. This study i) investigates the intricate relationship between religion and conflict in Nigeria, ii) It also evaluates the contributions of religious leaders, faith-based organizations, and interfaith dialogues in promoting reconciliation, social cohesion, and peace-building efforts, iii) identifies key factors that shape the interplay between religious identities and conflict dynamics. The research is qualitative, employing thematic analysis of data and the perspectives of respondents selected through purposive sampling. The study therefore recommends that inclusive, faith-sensitive approaches are essential for effective peace-building in pluralistic societies. It offers pathways for using faith as a tool for peace, emphasizing the importance of inclusive, community-driven strategies in achieving long-term stability in Nigeria. The study offers practical insights for policymakers, religious leaders, and peace practitioners seeking to harness the positive potential of religion in resolving conflicts and building lasting peace
ROLE OF FINE ART IN PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE WITHIN RAPIDLY DEVELOPING URBAN AREAS IN DELTA STATE
Get PDFThis study contributes to the field of cultural heritage preservation by critically exploring the underexplored significance of fine art in increasingly urbanising environments in Delta State, Nigeria. Unlike previous studies that have treated art primarily as aesthetic or symbolic, this study uses a multi-method approach qualitative interviews, visual analyses, and quantitative surveys to investigate how fine art functions as a medium for encoding, managing, and communicating cultural identity in three urban centres: Asaba, Warri, and Sapele. Through 399 survey responses and in-depth interviews with artists, urban planners, and cultural stakeholders, the study reveals a complex landscape in which only 34.09% of respondents perceive public art as linked to cultural identity, despite 89.97% acknowledging its potential for transmitting traditional values. Notably, the study identifies systemic barriers such as policy inaction, public disinterest, and funding limitations as critical impediments (R² = 0.975, *p* < 0.001), diverging from existing literature that emphasizes either community apathy or lack of infrastructure in isolation. By foregrounding participatory and site-specific art practices, particularly in Asaba and Sapele, this research contributes a novel analytical framework that situates fine art as an active agent in preserving intangible heritage amid urban change. It recommends culturally embedded art policies and enhanced community engagement as pathways to revitalizing heritage discourse in urban Nigeria