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INTERROGATING THE CHALLENGES OF NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY: FIFTY-NINE YEARS AFTER INDEPENDENCE, 1960-2019
Get PDFThis paper interrogates the challenges of Nigeria’s foreign policy, fifty-nine years after independence, 1960-2019. It took a historic excursion into Nigeria’s foreign policy from 1960 when she gained political independence from Britain to date. It reveals that Nigeria’s foreign policy over the years has been African-centered. Nigeria committed material and financial support among others to some African States, such as Angola, Namibia, and Zimbabwe to liberate them from colonial rule and racism without deriving any benefits. Again, Nigeria had overwhelmingly provided humanitarian, and technical aid sent military support to intervene in the internal crisis of some African States, and spent billions of dollars as charity gestures done against domestic interests, with a majority of the citizenry benefiting but little from this gesture. Therefore, the Nigerians have not made the main focus of Nigeria’s foreign policy. But in 1999, under the democratic rule of President Obasanjo, there was a paradigm shift from an African[1]focused to a global-focused foreign policy, mostly at the economic level, and the current President Buhari Administration has followed the same. The non-monetization of foreign policy assistance and the strategy for securing the UN Security Council permanent seat are some of the challenges of Nigeria’s foreign policy. It calls on Nigeria to take advantage to enter into foreign business transactions with countries where Nigeria had intervened to restore peace or liberate them from colonialism like Sierra Leone, Namibia, and Angola as well as focuses her foreign policy towards achieving a permanent seat in the UN security council for Nigeria. It concludes that the Nigerian should be made the main focus of Nigeria’s foreign policy
ADMINISTRATIVE AND SECURITY CHALLENGINGS FACING PARAMOUNT RULERS IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF AFIKPO
Get PDFThe emergence of paramount rulers in a decentralized Igbo society as the forth tier of government and the administrative and security challenges facing paramount rulers in Afikpo is what this paper interrogates. Enquiry is made about the place of paramount rulers in government/governance, with highlight on their role as agents of peace and security and as the chief executive officers of their various communities. Enquiry is also made on the administrative and security challenges facing paramount rulers in Nigeria with focus on Afikpo with the view to questioning the conduct of traditional administration security mechanism in the light of security challenges in the Nigeria state. The paper looks into the relationship between the security agents and paramount rulers and their communities in the era of modern defence and security challenges, at the time of the agitation for community policing. The findings reveal that though the existing of the kingship institution in Afikpo is an artificial creation of the Nigerian government, paramount rulers have since their institutionalization contributed to the peace and security in Afikpo. The findings further reveal that while paramount rulers in some societies are the custodians of the traditional law, it is not so in Afikpo where the paramount rulers have become custodians of such laws, custom and tradition by mere title. The paper concludes that kings in Afikpo reign but do not rule. They are handicapped and appear to be in a dilemma situation as they have no administrative role with traditional relevance and are mainly agents of government who call on them in the light of any security threat and development in their domains. However, their institutionalization in Afikpo is a workable and acceptable grass-root defence, peace and security approach that needs to be strengthened. The paper is historical and relied on both primary and secondary information materials. It employed both the descriptive and analytical pattern of research presentation
OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE AND FIRM VALUATION OF QUOTED DEPOSIT MONEY BANKS IN NIGERIA
Get PDFThe study examined ownership structure and firm valuation, evidence from quoted deposit banks in Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the relationships between managerial ownership, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ownership, firm size, and leverage in quoted deposit money banks. The study used a sample size of thirteen (13) quoted banks in Nigeria for a period of eight years (2012- 2019), and the total observation for the study is 102. The tool of data analysis used in this study is E-view 8.0. At the end of the analysis and testing of the stated hypotheses, the study revealed that there is a significant relationship between leverage and firm value. The study also shows that there is no significant relationship between managerial ownership, CEO ownership, firm size, and firm value. The study, therefore, recommends that banks should adopt more cost-reduction schemes that also allow for optimal ownership structure decisions
THE CULTURAL NEXUS IN THE SINGLE STORY: WESTERN MEDIA REPRESENTATION OF AFRICA AND ITS EFFECTS ON AFRICA’S CULTURAL SECURITY
Get PDFThis paper adopts both the notion of the single story and the psycho[1]cultural theory to show how the global media space, especially of the Western breed, has predominantly mediated the media space and has become a colossus on the negative profiling of Africa as the continent of poverty, disease, wars, ignorance, corruption; a region of failed states and consequent lawlessness. This has become the single story out of Africa. The paper argues, that there is a cultural nexus to the negative depiction of Africa and it is deeply rooted in the notion of cultural hegemony and cultural security. The paper concludes that this media bias against Africa fulfills the strategic objectives of colonialism, global capitalism, and cultural segregation of Western neocolonialist imperialism that represent Africa systematically as (1) a place of “darkness” and “tribalism”; (2) it presents Africa as a homogenous entity; and (3) that it relies predominantly on Western cultural orientations as a civilized people against those of Africa
TERRORISM AND TRANSMUTATIONS OF STRATEGIES IN NIGERIA: BOKO HARAM IN RETROSPECT
Get PDFAbstract Boko Haram is a terrorist group that has terrorized several communities in Northern Nigeria. The sect came into the limelight in 2009 as a result of its clash with security operatives in Maiduguri which result in the brutal suppression of the sect by the Nigerian Army. Since then the sect has evolved numerous strategies aimed at advancing its course and inflicting its atrocities on its victims and the Nigerian state. The objective of the paper is to examine the patterns and dynamics of the sect’s activities as it keeps mutating over time viz-a-viz the Nigerian government's responses. It adopts a secondary source of data and content analysis as its methodology. It utilizes the strategic theory of terrorism as a theoretical framework of analysis. It argues that Boko Haram evolved numerous strategies in responding to the prevailing environment they find themselves. It recommends that security agencies should intensify intelligence gathering to intercept terrorist activities before they attack their victims. The communities should partner with the security operatives for vital information that could enhance the fight against terrorism in Nigeria
POVERTY IN NIGERIA: A BANE TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Get PDFUpon the attainment of political independence, the expectation by Nigerians albeit Africans in general was that all the sufferings under colonialism will be a thing of the past. Given the fact that Nigeria’s economic and natural resources were siphoned by foreigners. Though with internal collaborators. This has an adverse effect on the population of Nigeria leading to poverty and malnutrition. Despite attempts undertaken by various governments to curtail poverty and hunger in Nigeria, people still suffer. Even in the 21st century, this phenomenon continued at an alarming rate. Even though most African countries including Nigeria acquire the basic technical know-how to meet their counterpart in Asia and South America. Unfortunately, corruption and financial mismanagement becomes the order of the day. Thus, the paper examines the causes, effects and solutions of poverty in Nigeria
KIDNAPPING IN NORTH WEST NIGERIA: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE
Get PDFThis paper is a critical discussion on kidnapping in northwest Nigeria. The menace has engulfed the region and has continued to threaten the existence of lives, livelihoods, socio-economic activities, and governance. Kidnapping is a criminal act that entails the waylaying and seizure of a person or persons against their will for possible gains of ransom. It is an act carried out non-consensually. Aside from reasons for ransom, the purpose could also be to make political points or statements where political rivalry exists. As much as kidnapping could generally be viewed this way, nations view it differently based on their jurisdictive definitions as well as punishments for the committing of the act. An in-depth conceptualization of kidnapping was x-rayed and the queer ladder theory was explored for this study. This is because it satisfactorily theorizes the instrumental essence of organized crime as a desperate means of economic empowerment and social climbing. The historical perspective of kidnapping in both Nigeria and the northwest region in particular was examined. It was, however, discovered that the menace of kidnapping is not new but had existed over time. The types of kidnapping, reasons for which the criminals perpetrate this act as well as causes linking the perpetration to existing social issues and effects of the menace on the region were studied. Government efforts at curbing the menace were looked at and necessary ways forward believed by this study as strategies which, if put in place would mitigate this societal challenge, were also proffered
SECURITY ARCHITECTURE, ELECTORAL VIOLENCE, AND THE CHALLENGE OF DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA
Get PDFSince the resurgence of democracy in 1999, pre and post-election security skirmishes have been a fierce challenge to Nigeria's democratic consolidation. It is not deniable that the long-standing national election process has generally been characterized by violence. Because of the above, this paper considers security architecture, electoral violence, and democratic consolidation to identify the role of security agencies during elections in Nigeria and the causes of election violence. This paper identifies several areas of electoral violence, especially in the 2011, 2015, and 2019 general elections. Therefore, this study used secondary data collection, content analysis, and documentary techniques to examine the nature and characteristics of security in Nigerian elections, focusing on the role of security agencies in strengthening democracy. The study employed the social conflict theory as an analytical tool, and recommends, among other things, long-term surveillance and voter[1]centric strategies that will continue after general elections and that the government should develop strategies to support victims
