African Journal of Stability & Development

The War Against Corruption In Nigeria: The Problems with The Solution

Dare Owolabi — 2018-06-07

Corruption has become the most popular issue that is subjected to discussion by individuals, organisations and government officials in Nigeria. This is based on the position the cankerworm has occupied in the political system and its nefarious effects on the entire citizenry. The various administrations in Nigeria have put in place certain measures to curb corrupt practices among public officials having noticed the negative implications of the menace on the entire system. This work undertakes the conceptual clarification of corruption and proceeds to showcase the various anti corruption measures that have been put in place by succeeding regimes in Nigeria. These measures which represent the solutions by the government have yielded little or no positive impact on corrupt practices in the nation. This paper therefore discusses the problems with these anti corruption measures and finally submits that while administrative capacity is imperative in the fight against corruption, political will supersedes.

Political Education and Social Engineering in an Emerging Democracy

Temidayo David Oladipo — 2018-06-07

This work discusses the role that political education has to play in an emerging democracy just opening up to the entrenchment of democratic principles. Such a democracy is often faced with some challenges; one being that its past is plagued with features that are antithetical to the principles of democracy such that if care is not taken, these anomalies will smoother democratic institutions, practices and underlying philosophies. The second one identified in the paper is that moral principles are not adhered to in such a democracy. There is consequently the need for social engineering to correct the deficiencies. Political education is projected as a bulwark for strengthening democracy in societies where the concept is just finding its feet. It is through political education that, citizens can be imparted with necessary lessons regarding politics, democratic ethos and democratic institutions. Political education will aid the acculturation of citizens of emerging democracies in democratic norms and moral values.

Reframing Gun Violence in South Africa from the Prism of Cultural Violence

Olaoluwa Babatunde A. Oyinloye — 2018-06-07

This article examines gun violence in South Africa from different perspectives of violence looking at the works of several scholars including Galtung, Krug, Anthony Collins and the Australian gun buyback policy. It also examined the inter-relationships between gun violence and the non-criminal societal permissible violence forms. In doing these, the study deconstructed the concept of violence beyond the generally well documented and most recognised physical form of violence and went on to establish similarities and points of divergence between nonviolence and violence. The article deduced that violence is not strange to the human race but it is rather often advocated and that addressing it requires a holistic approach. This is because the type of violence which is abhorred is usually an extension of the societal permissible violence termed cultural violence. The article also made some recommendations about the need for nonviolent conflict engagement through the science of peace which shows there are always more effective alternatives to violence and advocates that peace education be included in South African schools to build the societal fabric of peace.

Values and Prostitution: A Critical Exploration

Noah Opeyemi Balogun — 2018-06-07

Considering the fact that values are themselves harbingers of confusion, because of the fleeting meaning they evince in different people, passing value judgment especially on an activity that bothers on how people define themselves and in fact, interpret their world, would be one of the most difficult tasks. Hence, this study examines values and value theories as they apply to the phenomenon and actual practice of prostitution. The debate between two schools of thought: the abolitionist which advocates an end to prostitution and, reformatory which aims at regulating prostitution is explored. Because value has to do with the study of human conduct, ethical questions bordering on prostitution are raised, and useful interjections are made with practical instances about the phenomenon and practices of prostitution. Using extant examples, the study argues that values are not immutable to socio-economic imperatives, and concludes that the question of values on prostitution is not yet fundamentally settled as the abolitionists and regulatory scholars would want.

United by Recession, Disillusioned by Rescission: The Political Economy of a Detribalised Financial Networking Scheme (MMM) in Nigeria

Mike Omilusi — 2018-06-08

There is no disputing the fact that Nigeria is a heterogeneous
society, comprising peoples of different ethnic, linguistic and
cultural backgrounds. Interestingly, the cords that bind most
Nigerians, in spite of these cleavages, have been some seemingly
‘insignificant’ ideas, concepts and issues like their unmatched
passion for football. Apart from the social import/impact of the
love for football, the economic situation in the country seems to
have brought on them a common fate and an uncommon unity.
Until recently, Africa’s biggest economy, Nigeria was in a
recession, being its first in 20 years. Unfortunately, hyperinflation experienced in the past few years also increased the
spate of the ugly trend. It is against this backdrop that the MMM
Ponzi scheme made a grand and triumphant entrance into the
Nigerian investment market in 2016. Obviously, quite a lot has
been written concerning the MMM speculative scheme which
eroded the Nigerian financial space. Both the conventional and
the social media were awash with the various foreseeable gains
and pains associated with the scheme to the individual investors. In a departure from this narrative, this essay focuses on the
social integration value, the scheme engendered in the Nigerian
society through its networking. The methodology employed
consists of desk research including, inter alia, analysing books,
journal articles and newspaper articles. In addition, websites from
several local and international organisations relevant to the study
were also utilised

Youth Participation in Governance and Structural Economic Transformation in Zimbabwe

Hillary Jephat Masarurwa — 2018-06-08

This paper, Youth Participation in Governance and Structural Economic Transformation in Zimbabwe, assesses the level of participation in economic, elections and governance processes by Zimbabwean youth. It also depicts the barriers to such participation and issues that youths view as important to them. Finally, it proposes solutions that can be applied to achieve youth-inclusive structural transformation and enhance their participation therein. The study was carried out using quantitative methodologies. A survey was carried out to collect data, which in turn was analysed using SPSS. The analysis finds evidence that youth participation is low across all sectors. The youths are economically side-lined, largely unemployed and living in poverty given the low income they earn. They lack skills in business management, vocational and technical areas, civic education, elections as well as skills on how to engage government. Their participation in elections and governance processes is low and it is hampered by restrictive political structures, lack of interest, lack of information and lack of funds amongst other things. It was observed that decision making processes are not improving in becoming more participatory and youth inclusive. Whilst some youths are ready to run for public office or start their own businesses, they need support for their participation to be meaningful. The youths need space to freely participate in politics and development without restrictions as well as getting support through leadership training. Policymakers need to design programmes that close the skills gap, give youths more access to means of production and support them to be employment creators.

Security Implications of Free Movement for Countries of the Economic Community of West African States

Lawrence Olu Adenipekun — 2018-06-08

This paper examines the security implications of free movement of people in the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). In doing so, it explores the nature and dynamics of the security challenges which the Protocol on free movement has generated for the member states of this sub-regional organisation, and how these fed into and intensified the security problems bedeviling the sub-region over the past decades. The focus on the Protocol, which was adopted in 1979, is informed by the fact that it has, in the last couple of decades, been exploited by criminals to perpetrate all manners of nefarious activities, notably human trafficking, drug trafficking, small arms and light weapons trafficking, smuggling of contraband goods, cross-border armed robbery and banditry, kidnapping for ransom and terrorist activities, all of which constitute serious security concerns to the sub[1]region. It is important, for example, to note that the relative ease with which trafficking and terror gangs traverse the sub-region and carry out targeted attacks on innocent people as well as public and private facilities is directly linked to the provisions of the Protocol which, among other things, abolished requirements for visas and entry permit for Community citizens travelling within the region. The study found out that criminals travel within the region without documents as stipulated by the Protocol and illegally smuggle prohibited goods across national boundaries. It also revealed that ECOWAS does not have a computer database and this makes it difficult for border officials to document the identities of travelers, making it easier for people to commit crimes without being identified. The study discovered that this illegal movement has not only impacted negatively on human security but has also impeded intra regional efforts at ensuring security and sustainable development within the sub-region. The paper recommends that a special regular joint-border patrol should be put in place as a way of strengthening the existing collective regional security framework in West Africa. Both primary and secondary data were used for this study. Primary data were sourced through the conduct of in-depth interviews while secondary data were obtained from relevant textbooks and journals. The analysis of data generated was essentially qualitative, using descriptive and content analyses. The theoretical framework adopted for analysing this work is critical theory, which gives primacy to non-state national and transnational actors rather than making the state the primary referent of security. This theory offers more convincing explanations on how non-state criminal groups have taken advantage of the free movement Protocol of ECOWAS to perpetrate terrorism and trafficking of people and goods, with all their negative security implications.

Creation of Local Council Development Areas in Southwestern Nigeria: A SWOT Analysis

Ayotunde David Odewale — 2018-06-08

The study examines the nature and rationale behind the creation of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) by some states in Nigeria, especially in southwestern Nigeria. In this paper, critical consideration is given to understanding why the creation of more local governments has not influenced development. Ordinarily, it is expected that the more government is closer to the people, the more development ought to be to the grassroots. Yet, this has not always been the case. This can be traced to the fact that the creation of local governments in Nigeria has always been influenced by political considerations rather than developmental considerations. The methodology used for this paper is based on content analysis. The SWOT Analysis tool was used to describe the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing local government creation and administration in Nigeria. The findings revealed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are likely to occur. The paper suggests that creation of local government should be more on viability that would lead to development at the grassroots rather than the political gains surrounding such creation

Complexity of Boko Haram Insurgency: A Reflection on Ebira Tao North Central of Nigeria, 2003-2013

Abdussalam Umar Abedo — 2018-06-08

In order to protect and preserve Islamic tenets against the British Christian Missionary Education System, the slogan, Boko-Haram, which means Western education is unlawful was developed to discourage the populace in the north from missionary education in the early stage of colonialism. This was later to be used in the modern day to describe the extreme Islamic Movement known as Jama’atu Ahli Sunnah Liddawati Wal Jihad, popularly known as Boko-Haram (Paden 2012: 41). The sect first emerged in North-East Nigeria in 2003 and from 2009 onward; their activities have claimed thousands of lives in Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Abuja, Kano and Kogi States. Churches, mosques, markets, government and tertiary institutions were targeted for destruction. The people of Ebira Tao, in Kogi State, in the North Central area of Nigeria, were gripped fear because of speculation that the deadly Islamic sect has sympathizers in the community. Hence, some Ebira Tao Muslim youths were arrested by law enforcement agents on the suspicion of being adherents of the new radical Islamic ideology. Prior to this assertion, Ebiraland was noted for volatility where political and religious conflicts permeated every segment of the land. In view of this, Nigerian security personnel became suspicious and sceptical of the religious zealousness of the Ebira youths and tended to characterise it falsely. The killing of a soldier, bombing of a church, murder of a church pastor and personalities in Ebiraland with methods similar to Boko Haram modus operandi gave weight to the opinion that elements of Boko-Haram existed in Ebiraland. The paper therefore seeks to interrogate the alleged links of the Boko Haram insurgency to activities of youths in Ebiraland.

Amos Tutuola’s Palm Wine Drinkard and the Challenges of Translating A Hybrid Literature

Mojisola A. Ogbeide-Ihama — 2018-06-08

Literary translation is the art of recreating a literary text in another language while using the source text as a medium. Translation in contemporary times has gone beyond mere linguistic transfer: it is now a veritable means of cultural transfer. Language being the vehicle of culture, translation therefore consists in conveying in a target language concepts and symbolisms of culture through a system of representation. Every literary work being a cultural product, often resists translation. Thus, translating works from English speaking African literature proves to be a difficult task as it poses some peculiar challenges. The aim of this work is to examine the diverse challenges encountered in the process of translating the sense and the style of The Palm-Wine Drinkard, a novel written by Amos Tutuola and translated as L’ivrogne dans la brousse by Raymond Queneau. In order to facilitate our discussion, we will be doing a comparative analysis of the original version and its translated version. The study concludes that at the base of translation is culture and language and that no matter the challenges posed in the process of translation, one must endeavour to safeguard the linguistic and cultural specificity of the text as well as ensure that the source and the target texts communicate the same message.

Violent Conflicts and Challenges of Adjustment in Plateau State: Case Study of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State

Bamidele Emmanuel Fagbite — 2018-06-08

Nigeria is confronted with numerous violent conflicts that have inflicted monumental damages on the economy and peaceful co-existence amongst groups. These conflicts assume ethnic and religious forms leading to depletion of human resources/displacement, weakened state apparatus, and increased threats of secession. A fact is that states with multiple ethnicity and religions are prone to violent conflicts. This becomes more pronounced with underlying indigenship/ settlership debate. Conflicts in Plateau State are often deeply ethnic-based; religious factor has also remained a shadow trigger. The frequency of conflicts had led to trends of relocation, adjustment and even protracted conflicts in the deeply polarised state. This paper looks at structural adjustment as essential in the discussion of the pattern post conflict residency, settlement and human endeavour in Jos North LGA of Plateau State. It agrees with submissions of Richard Lazarus (1961) on theories of adjustment and personality; adopting a mixed design approach, while some KIIs were conducted as primary sources of data collection along secondary sources which were qualitatively analysed. Strengthening security and peace architecture including promotion of human security in prevention, rather than response to violence, will help in the healing process of the fragmented communities and people

Prevalence and Patterns of Offences among Undergraduate Students in Nigerian Private Universities

Demola Akinyoade — 2018-06-08

Studies of offenses and crimes among Nigerian undergraduates are mostly focused on state-owned universities in Nigeria and may not reflect the realities of private universities. With recent explosion in the population of adolescents in private universities in Nigeria, there is need to understand the nature and dynamics of offenses and crimes among adolescents in this sociological space. Therefore, this study investigated the patterns and reasons for students’ offences and crimes using AA University as a case study. A mixed method research combined survey and case study research designs was adopted. Three hundred and fifty of 16- item survey questionnaires were returned from the 365 distributed to AA UNIVERSITY students across 34 departments in six colleges. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling. Two focused group discussions were held with a total of 20 students. Social Learning Theory was used as theoretical framework for the study. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the quantitative data, while content analysis was employed in analysing qualitative data. The first four most prevalent offences and crimes are vandalism (83%), alcohol offences (74%), drugs and substance abuse (72%), and loitering (69%) (VADL). The first four offences and crimes most committed by female students are vandalism (77%), alcohol offences (77%), loitering (71%), and drug and substance abuse (66%) (VALD), while they are vandalism (89%), examination malpractices (83%), drug and substance abuse (77%) and fraud (73%), (VEDF) among male students. Alcohol is more popular among female students than males. Across age groups, drug and substance abuse and examination malpractices seem to increase with age. Alcohol offences and drug and substance abuse (committed by at least about 70%) are both very high among the age groups. Nine of the 16 listed offences are committed ‘very often’. These are theft (100%), drug and substance abuse (95%), possession of hard drugs (90%), vandalism (87%) and tobacco offence (87%), loitering (85%), simple assault or battery (79%), possession of stolen property (78%), disorderly conduct (76%). Examination malpractices (73%) and alcohol offences (63%) are committed ‘often’, while the others are committed rarely. Peer influence, reported as the reason for committing 75% of listed offences and crimes, and low moral value constitute the main major drivers of offences and crimes in private universities. This confirms the propositions of the theoretical framework of the study. The rate of offences and crimes in AA University is very high, most of them are committed very often, and are mainly driven by peer pressure and poor moral value among the students. Curbing the menace of offences and crimes among undergraduate in private universities, therefore, requires collaborative effort by parents, universities, and the larger society. Parents need to instil in their children a healthy ego in order to prevent the bad peer influence. Also, they need to instil in them good moral values. Universities need to put in place mechanisms to discourage, prevent and punish offences and crimes. The society needs to promote right values through appropriate punishment and reward.