ECOWAS and Democratic Reversal in West Africa: Re-visiting Military Incursion on the State Leadership

This paper explores the major impediments to democracy in West Africa as some states are trapped in a reversed democratic experience where the military have consistently made efforts to take over power. It examines the character and nature of democracy in West Africa using system theory as a tool of analysis. It also assesses the role of Economic Community for West African State (ECOWAS) in promoting and protecting democracy in West Africa considering various interventions and conferences held to safeguard it. Methodologically, it employs the use of descriptive analysis relying solely on secondary information for data generation and articulation. It discovers that despite all the efforts ECOWAS is making, African leaders are not living up to their mandate. It is in line with this that the research states that the problem remains a systemic one. It thus, recommends that there should be a concerted effort to commit concerned bodies into employing legal means in addressing similar reversal whenever it occurs. Keywords; ECOWAS, Democracy, Democratic Reversals, Military Coup d’état, West Africa

The role of cultural values in understanding the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Nigeria

This article is (c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here (http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/4036). Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.Purpose: This paper examines the challenges female entrepreneurs face in the development of their business in the context of Nigeria. In so doing, it addresses a gap in the literature on the experiences of female entrepreneurs in a non-Western context and acknowledges the contribution that women make in this area of work. Design: It draws on survey data from 274 female entrepreneurs currently engaged in their businesses in three states—Lagos (Nigeria’s largest city), Ogun, and Oyo within the south west of Nigeria. Findings: Results indicate that female entrepreneurs are generally confident and resourceful and that they enjoy the challenge of entrepreneurial activity. As in the West, they experience difficulties relating to family commitments and access to finance – as well as problems gaining acceptance and accessing networks. Originality: It is argued that cultural values specific to the situation mean that these challenges, while common to female entrepreneurs in other national contexts, ‘play out’ differentially and that they are experienced with different levels of depth and ‘intensity’. It is also argued that future research might uncover at a deeper level and drawing on qualitative methodology how some of the factors identified are experienced in women’s day to day lives. The paper suggests some policy implications in the form of support for female entrepreneurs in this context

Government Policy Approach to Environmental Conflicts among the Niger Delta Communities: Implication to 2015 and Post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals

The present study is focused on the public perception of government approach to the environmental challenges in the region of Niger Delta and its implication to environmentally-related conflict resolution and inclusive society. Four states were randomly selected while eight local government areas, 24 communities and 500 respondents (18+) were randomly selected for data collection. Our evaluation and analysis were focused on the public perception of the government policy approach in resolving the environmentally-related conflict in the region, support to this approach and the likelihood of youth involvement in violent agitation in the region. From our data, we pinpointed and demonstrated the weaknesses and unpopular nature of the dominant policy approach in the region as well as the latent energy of environmental conflict in the region. For policy relevance of the study, we ran a statistical cross examination on prevailing sociological issues in the region relevant to sustainable environmental and conflict resolution policy in the region. Our study established some factors relevant to inclusive society policy in achieving sustainable peace in the region such as public perception of government approach to their environmental challenges, socially-inclusive mode of consultation, age etc. in view of the strength of our data, the findings and suggestion of the study will help the Nigerian government to the threshold of people oriented and sustainable policies in dealing with the ceaseless conflict agitations in the region. The study aims to contribute in the current social scientific literature, the point of individual involvement in environmental conflict in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Power, Participation, and Private Regulatory Initiatives: Human Rights Under Supply Chain Capitalism (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021) Edited by Daniel Brinks, Julia Dehm, Karen Engle and Kate Taylor

Book revie

Perceptions of Loss and Grief Experiences within Religious Burial and Funeral

Abstract The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore perceptions of loss and grief experiences within religious rites and rituals vis-à-vis the context of counseling. Literature indicated the need for a better understanding of grief and loss experiences from bereaved individuals’ perspectives and the context within which loss and grief experiences occur (Dillenburger & Keenan, 2005; Stroebe, Hansson, Schut, & Stroebe, 2008). Participants for this study included 10 purposefully selected Catholic members from two Catholic Church parishes in Nigeria, Africa. All participants had experienced loss and grief, had participated in Catholic burial and funeral rites and rituals, and were 21 years or older. The main research question was: How do bereaved individuals perceive their grief experiences within the context of Catholic burial and funeral rites and rituals? Data collected to answer the research questions consisted of observations, semi-structured interviews, and documents. A cross-analysis approach was used that identified 63 themes, which were collapsed into 11 major themes. depicted in three areas; bereaved participants’ grief experiences, bereaved participants’ experiences of rites and rituals, and implications for counseling. The findings of this study indicated that loss of a relationship was a dominant preoccupation in grief and grieving process. Additional themes reflected by bereaved individuals’ grief and grieving experiences were; time and nature of death, religious rites and rituals, family and community support, family frictions, financial stressors, positive memories, belief system, finding meaning, ongoing traumatization, and counseling. Overall, the conclusion from this study was that three areas conceptualize loss and grief experiences: bereaved participants’ grief experiences, bereaved participants’ experiences of rites and rituals, and implications for counseling

Foreword of UBC Special Issue

In 1997, the first graduate law student conference ever to be held at the University of British Columbia (UBC), and perhaps in all of Canada, was convened at its Green College. It was primarily organized by the present author (now a professor at the Osgoode Hall Law School) and Jaye Ellis (currently a professor of law at McGill University. Jaye and I also had the dedicated help and support of a number of other graduate law students. Critically, both of us profited immensely from the robust support, extraordinary commitment and expert guidance of Professor W. Wesley Pue, who at the time held the Nemetz Chair in Legal History and also served as the Director of Graduate Legal Studies at UBC. Professor Pue’s highly imaginative mind, his highly developed communication skills, his wise advice, and his steadfastness were extremely helpful as my collaborator and I plotted, planned and executed on what began its eventful life in a conversation between Jaye and I while we sat in the then graduate law student’s lounge at UBC. Ever the committed mentor, Professor Pue enthusiastically threw the full and considerable weight of the graduate law program behind us – two young graduate students who were still green in the business of conference organizing. Since there was at the time no Canadian precedent for what we planned to do, no model to follow, and no manual to read out of, Professor Pue’s expertise, experience and sage advice was a critical factor in shaping the success that the event eventually was. The financial generosity shown to this first conference by the Pue-led graduate program was extremely helpful as well. It is, thus, safe to say that we could not have done it without his support. Professor Karin Mickelson, who was a key member of my doctoral supervision committee, was also a committed and able adviser, and an invaluable source of support

Report of the Independent Expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity

This is the first report prepared by Obiora Chinedu Okafor in his capacity as Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity. In the report, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 35/3, the Independent Expert sets out his vision for the mandate, summarizes the work undertaken so far by his predecessors, outlines his objectives and methods of work, and discusses possible thematic priorities for the mandate