Nigeria and the Dilemma of Global Relevance: Foreign Policy under Military Dictatorship (1993-1999)

This paper examines the metamorphosis of Nigeria‘s foreign policy from its traditional posture of a responsible nation in the international community, to a reckless player under the military between 1993 and 1999. Nigeria‘s reputation as a respectable state diminished under the Abacha regime, whose tyranny led to multiple violations of human rights and breaches of international moral and legal codes. This infamous posture eroded Nigeria‘s track record of provision of regional and global leadership. Its mineral and oil wealth had naturally imposed extra burdens of leadership in the continent of Africa and the world. The paper critically appraises this significant transition and departure from traditional foreign policy posture and international image during the Abacha era; and using the decision-making model of analysis, it discovers that with the Abacha intervention, a new chapter of domestic trava ils (anti-democracy activities, state-sponsored terrorism, poor human rights records, large-scale corruption and financial crimes, and the creation of artificial insulation against the world), coupled with an unorthodox manner of dealing with the international community commenced, which clouded the good image of the past. Nigeria thus got alienated in the global system. This paper identifies the pacifist role of the successive Abubakar regime, but submits that despite that approach, the grey areas such as the sudden death of Chief MKO Abiola (winner of the June 12 presidential elections) in his (Abubakar‘s custody), did not allow for a complete restoration of Nigeria‘s golden era of internationalism. Both regimes had thus bequeathed to the nation an unorthodox foreign policy and an unusual image, a development that compels a curious enquiry. The paper adopts a theoretical approach and relies exclusively on secondary data for analysis

Examining the Impacts of Covid-19 on Refugees and IDPS

The Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) which started out in Wuhan China and from there spread out to other parts of the world is leaving some devastating effects in its trail. Like the rest of the world, the humanitarian setting is not left out but, those in the humanitarian setting, refugees and IDPs, are amongst the most vulnerable groups in the world. As a result, this study examines the impact the on-going global pandemic has had, and is having on the humanitarian setting with focus on the refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The qualitative research method was employed in achieving this, and data was derived from secondary sources like organisational reports, journal papers, and publications on credible websites. Findings of the study show that the state of lack of facilities, congestion, and poverty that characterises many refugee and IDP camps, makes them more susceptible to the effects of the crisis. The health, education, and basic day to day living of these refugees have been affected. Also, some refugees have had their rights violated by countries under the guise of covid-19 preventive measures. The lockdown adopted as a preventive measure and the testing requirements by governments of some refugees have prevented those who want to return home from doing that. Additionally, the humanitarian sector needs more than ever, all the donations it can get at a time when donor countries are experiencing reducing donating power. The study concludes that in the face of a global pandemic, the refugees and IDPs are plunged into deeper humanitarian needs. Among the recommendations put forward by this study, while prevention and treatment facilities are being made available to address the outbreak of the virus among these groups, host countries should be given more support than ever by various humanitarian organisations

Institutional histories, seasonal floodplains (mares), and livelihood impacts of fish stocking in the Inner Niger River Delta of Mali

The Community-based Fish Culture in Seasonal Floodplains and Irrigation Systems (CBFC) project is a five year research project supported by the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF), with the aim of increasing productivity of seasonally occurring water bodies through aquaculture. The project has been implemented in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Mali and Vietnam, where technical and institutional options for community based aquaculture have been tested. The project began in 2005 and was completed in March 2010. The seasonally flooded depressions in the Inner Niger Delta (known as mares) represent a critical fishery resource for the inhabitants of the village of Komio, and at present, access is open to all residents. A proposal to build stocked fish enclosures in the main village mare presents potential benefits and risks. On one hand, overall productivity in the mare could be significantly increased, providing important sources of protein and cash during the annual drought period, when few livelihood activities can be performed and when village livelihoods are at their most vulnerable. Enhanced productivity in mares may also decrease local household pressures for seasonal labor migration. On the other hand, a resulting increase in the value of these mares may encourage elite capture of project benefits or rentseeking by certain village leaders of the landowning Marka ethnic group. Using qualitative interviews and focus group discussions, the study provides evidence of how local institutional and leadership capacity for equitable common property resource management have evolved since the introduction of irrigated farming systems (known as PΘrimΦtres IrriguΘs Villageois or PIVs) in the 1990s.Fishing rights, River fisheries, Livelihoods

BEIJING DECLARATION AND WOMEN’S PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

In Nigeria, women have suffered various forms of discrimination and oppression during property sharing, especially in terms of land for economic purposes and other physical assets. The challenge has been that, in patriarchal societies, like Nigeria, women are regarded as subservient to men and are never considered in property sharing. Rather, the woman is often regarded as part of the property to be shared especially during the loss of her spouse. Most disturbing is that, though statutory law and international laws have affirmed women’s rights to land and other property, women are often denied access and ownership to property due to unfavorable customary practices. This paper examines women’s property rights in Nigeria. In doing so, it looks critically into Nigeria’s compliance with the 1995 Beijing Platform of Action. It also identifies some factors such as customary and statutory laws as responsible for the discrimination of women vis-à-vis their rights to property and inheritance. In addition to these, it concludes that, the 1995 Beijing Declaration is yet to be fully integrated and domesticated in the national legislations that protect women and their rights to property. In carrying out this research, secondary sources were consulted. Recommendations were made bordering on equality between men and women and gender-sensitivity in legal institutions

Perception of Pastoralists on Dairy Production Technologies in Oyo State, Nigeria

This paper assessed the perception of pastoralists on the introduced Dairy Production Technologies (DPTs) in Oyo State, Nigeria. It specifically identified DPTs introduced to the pastoralists and examined their perceptions towards the DPTs. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 216 respondents from 27 pastoral communities across two Dairy Development Programme (DDP) operating locations in the study area. Interview schedule was used for quantitative data collection while in-depth interview and Focus Group Discussion Guides were used to elicit qualitative information. Data were analysed through Software Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 and summarized using means, percentages, frequency counts and standard deviations while Pearson correlation analysis was used to draw inferences on hypothesis. The results showed almost all the respondents indicated they were aware of all the DPTs introduced to them except animal health record. Pastoralists’ perception varied with respect to each of the technological components, however, majority of the respondents (77.3 %) showed indifferent perception to DPTs. Also, positive and significant relationship existed between pastoralists’ household size (r = 0.768), age (r = 0.264), dairy years of experience (r = 0.248) and their perception of the DPTs. It is recommended that the concerns of pastoralists on ‘uncertainties/risk’ and ‘cost’ should be addressed if dairy development efforts are to be meaningful among the pastoralists in Nigeria

SPERMATOZOA- AN UNIQUE REPRESENTATION OF OXYGENANTIOXIDANT PARADOX

Infertility has become a common occurrence in males. Oxidant stress has become one of the most common causes of infertility. X-irradiation, or exposure to environmental toxicants and the physical conditions of varicocele and cryptorchidism have been demonstrated to increase testicular oxidative stress. The resultant oxidant stress may lead to an increase in germ cell apoptosis and subsequent hypospermatogenesis. This may result in changes in the dynamics of testicular microvascular blood flow, endocrine signaling, and germ cell apoptosis. Oxidative stress, therefore, becomes a major and the most probable finding associated with male infertility. This raises a possibility of application of antioxidant therapy that could help alleviate the reduced spermatogenesis

Managing Ethnic and Cultural Diversity for National Integration in Nigeria

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse society that has witnessed conflicts arising from this ethnic and cultural diversity. This paper expounds such conceptual issues as ethnicity, cultural diversity, federalism and national integration and then presents the historical background to ethnic and cultural conflicts in Nigeria. It is argued that national integration in the Nigerian context has been an attempt to forge “unity in diversity”, seeking to wish away socio-cultural differences and imposing uniformity in spite of complex cultural diversity. This has created more conflict and posed obstacles to unity, peaceful co-existence, progress and stable development. It recommends that national integration and its benefits can be realized only with the development and entrenchment of a supportive public culture; understanding, respecting and tolerating differences occasioned by socio-cultural diversity; as well as the development of new institutions and mechanisms that address poverty, revenue allocation and other national issues peacefully. Keywords: Ethnic diversity, cultural diversity, conflict, national integration, Nigeria

Managing Ethnic and Cultural Diversity for National Integration in Nigeria

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse society that has witnessed conflicts arising from this ethnic and cultural diversity. This paper expounds such conceptual issues as ethnicity, cultural diversity, federalism and national integration and then presents the historical background to ethnic and cultural conflicts in Nigeria. It is argued that national integration in the Nigerian context has been an attempt to forge “unity in diversity”, seeking to wish away socio-cultural differences and imposing uniformity in spite of complex cultural diversity. This has created more conflict and posed obstacles to unity, peaceful co-existence, progress and stable development. It recommends that national integration and its benefits can be realized only with the development and entrenchment of a supportive public culture; understanding, respecting and tolerating differences occasioned by socio-cultural diversity; as well as the development of new institutions and mechanisms that address poverty, revenue allocation and other national issues peacefully. Keywords: Ethnic diversity, cultural diversity, conflict, national integration, Nigeria

Federalism and the Arab League: A theoretical synergy

Abstract. The paper is a theoretical analogy of the Arab league as a regional organization. The paper also discusses the objectives, strengths and weaknesses of the league. By adopting descriptive-historical research from library instrument, findings show that, there is no doubt that the league had recorded some appreciable level of achievements since its inception and there have equally been some challenges along the line. The paper concludes that, the Arab league must find a way to reduce the perpetual tension and violence in Palestine by working towards enthroning a peaceful relationship with Israel while retaining their cultural identity. The paper also recommends that, the Arab league should strengthen their relationship with the non-Arab Nations especially in the face of globalization to reap the benefits therein involved as a league. Arab league must ensure that Arab states stop waging needless wars between and among themselves. The Syria and Yemeni crises among others is a disgrace to the Arab world.Keywords: Arab league, Theoretical, Synergy, Federalism, Integration.JEL. A10, F15