'Prohibited Migrants': Nigerian Labour Diasporas in Liberia in the 1930s

This article interrogates the conditions of Nigerian labour diasporas and intending migrants to Liberia in the inter-war years in the light of the global economic crunch of the late 1920s and early 1930s. While highlighting the necessity of an intra-West African labour highway during the period, the article assesses the conditions which Nigerian labour diasporas and intending migrants found themselves in, the responses of the Nigerian authorities to the pressure from the Liberian government, and the impact of those responses on the migrants

China Returns to Africa: A Rising Power and A Continent Embrace

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“Scapegoats” and “Sacred-Cows”: Reactions to the Immigrant Expulsion of 1983 in Nigeria

The 1983 mass expulsion of immigrants was ostensibly intended to freeNigeria of “extra loads” in response to the aftermath of the global economic crunch that bedevilled the country at the time. Although the exercise was challenging enough for the affected African immigrants, the realisation that they were treated like cannon fodder and scapegoats while their Asian counterparts, received “a pat on the back” made their condition more frustrating. This work revisits the debate on the 1983 mass expulsion with focus on public reactions to the seemingly discriminatory, anti-African and un-African posture of the Nigerian authorities in preference for Asian immigrants. It argues that in pursuing the policy of mass expulsion of Africans, the Nigerian authorities jettisoned the principle of “brotherliness and good neighbourliness” in favour of the law of demand and supply. This dictated what could fairly be described as “sacred cow” treatment for Asian immigrants.Keywords: Nigeria, Immigrants, Discrimination, Favouritism, Repatriatio

A Bulletin Becomes A Journal: A Short history of Lagos Notes and Records

Lagos Notes and Records started as a News Bulletin devoted to reporting contemporary research efforts of academia. Gradually, it evolved into a journal which documents research efforts of academics both at home and in the Diaspora. This short paper chronicles the birth, circumstances and rise of the journal from 1967 through 2005. It examines the changing needs and focus of the journal and includes the titles and names of all past editors

The Somali Conflict: From Irredentism to Clannish War for Unification

This paper examines the Somali conflict, especially how it degenerated from a simple war of ethnic crisis into one of world’s most deadly and persistent crises. The paper investigates the interplay of both local and international factors in the escalation of the war. The paper is of the view that clannish interests and selfish leadership idiosyncrasies more than any other factors had been very critical in the conflict. To this end, the paper has highlighted the issue of clan fragmentation of opposition groups as mainly responsible for the prolongation of the crisis. The work concludes on the note that the role of the international community has not been strong enough to significantly address the conflict. It therefore recommends the operation of a federal or confederal system of government as a possible panacea for the crisis

Matriarchal Primogeniture: A Comparative Study of Islamic and Afenmai Systems of Inheritance since the 1860s

This article explores the nexus between matrimony, matriarchy and inheritance in Afenmailand using a comparative paradigm of traditional and Islamic perspectives. It examines factors that shaped systems of inheritance and succession among Afenmai people and emphasizes the role of polygamy in the decision-making process. It also highlights the inherent weaknesses in the two systems. By exploring related conceptual and definitional issues involved in inheritance, the article points out the difference between the traditional system of inheritance and that based on Islam, and concludes on the note that local peculiarities have affected both systems of inheritance in Afenmailand since the 1860s. It argues the case for an equitable sharing system that would consider the interest of all relevant stakeholders in the estate of the deceased instead of the current matriarchal primogeniture that excludes the wives of the deceased, the sons other than the first born as well as the daughters