Women’s Participation and Representation in Nigerian Politics: Observations from the 2015 General Elections

The paper investigates the conceptual and material bases of women’s exclusion from the formal arena in politics. It discusses the structural barriers within formal institutions, strategies to promote women’s political participation and representation adopted around the world, and identifies internal and external conditions that have both facilitated and hindered women’s political empowerment in Nigeria. Despite their numbers, politics remain an area in public life solely dominated by men. Faced with structural and financial barriers, the paper argues that there is a deeper need to change attitudes and relationships at many levels, including making women’s as well as men’s interests integral to the design of programmes in all political, spheres. Keywords: Women in politics. Political parties. Elections. Sustainable development. Political participation. Political representation. DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/53-03 Publication date:March 31st 201

RELAÇÕES BRICS-NIGÉRIA E OS NEXT ELEVEN: AS DINÂMICAS DE PODER ECONÔMICO ANTES E DEPOIS DAS DISRUPÇÕES DA PANDEMIA DE COVID-19

Since the emergence of the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – there have been lots of changes in the global environment. The BRICS has not only served as a diplomatic platform for their multilateral engagements and negotiations of its member countries, but also as a vehicle to drive the political, economic and socio-cultural interactions of the members with other countries such as Nigeria.Jim O’Neill’s release of the ‘Next Eleven’ report brought into sharp focus the prospects of the emergence of another power group or the future enlargement of the BRICS. Predicated on the earlier proposition that the ‘Next Eleven’ group of 11 countries, were on track to catch up with the BRICS provided they sustained their growth levels, this article examines Nigeria’s position in the Next-11 vis-à-vis the BRICS, with particular reference to the prospects of its emergence as an economic power before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As observed, despite Nigeria’s possession of critical elements of power that include geography, population size, and the economic resources, military strength and diplomatic experience, it is yet to harness them to achieve prosperity and greatness. It therefore concludes that the country’s prospects thereof including the future of its relations with global emerging power blocs, such as the BRICS, are hinged on her overcoming critical challenges that have rendered the country prostrate even before COVID-19-driven disruptions of its economy.Desde o surgimento dos BRICS – Brasil, Rússia, Índia, China e África do Sul – ocorreram muitas mudanças no ambiente global. Os BRICS não têm servido apenas como plataforma diplomática para seus compromissos multilaterais e negociações de seus países membros, mas também como um veículo para impulsionar as interações políticas, econômicas e socioculturais dos membros com outros países, como a Nigéria. O lançamento de Jim O’Neill do relatório dos Próximos Onze (Next Eleven) trouxe à tona as perspectivas do surgimento de outro grupo de poder ou do futuro alargamento dos BRICS. Com base na proposição anterior de que o grupo dos Próximos Onze (de onze países) estão no caminho certo para alcançar os BRICS, contanto que sustentem seus níveis de crescimento, este artigo examina a posição da Nigéria nos Próximo Onze vis-à-vis aos BRICS, com referência particular às perspectivas de seu surgimento como uma potência econômica antes e depois da pandemia de COVID-19. Conforme observado, apesar de a Nigéria possuir elementos críticos de poder que incluem geografia, tamanho da população e recursos econômicos, força militar e experiência diplomática, ainda não conseguiu aproveitá-los para alcançar prosperidade e grandeza. Conclui-se, portanto, que as perspectivas do país, incluindo o futuro de suas relações com blocos de potências emergentes globais, como os BRICS, dependem de sua superação de desafios críticos que prostraram o país antes mesmo das rupturas de sua economia provocadas pela pandemia de COVID-19