Political Activities in Ado - Ekiti during Colonial Era

This paper examines the political activities of the people of Ado-Ekiti during the colonial period. It shows the lifestyle in Ado-Ekiti prior to the advent of colonialism when the family compounds were known by the names of the ancestral chieftaincies. The study highlights the nature of the British military officers, the role played by Captain R. L Bower who clamped down on Ekitiparapo war chiefs up till 1894. The control of Ado-Ekiti fell on Mr. G. E. Humphery in January 1st 1913 as the first British political officer of Ekiti District. Basic facilities were provided, native court was established at Oke Barracks, and religious activities were introduced (Islam and Christianity 1894 and 1897 respectively). By 1940s, modern political activities have been extended by politicians took politics to places like Ado-Ekiti. The political activities engendered the grass root development and promoted peace and development in the area of study. Data for this research was obtained through oral interview, focus group discussion complimented with secondary sources obtained through conference proceedings and journal articles. Keywords: Nigeria, Colonial Administration, Politics, Ado-Ekiti, Religio

Expulsion of Nigerian Immigrant Community from Ghana in 1969: Causes and Impact

This paper examines the remote and immediate factors that propelled the expulsion of Nigerian migrants from Ghana in November 1969. While the paper observes that jealousy and xenophobia played important roles in instigating the expulsion order, it notes that the key consideration that informed the Ghanaian action was the economic depression experienced in the country notable in the high rate of youth unemployment within the country. The study further notes that the action brought positive and negative impacts on the Nigerian nation but spelled doom for the cocoa and retail business sectors of the Ghanaian economy in the immediate post-expulsion period. The paper concludes that though Ghana had an inalienable right to expel aliens from her territory, the haste involved in the order and the in-human disposition of Ghanaian law enforcement agents to the deportees left much to be desired. Nigerian migrant stocks are also enjoined to seek necessary clarifications regarding entry and stay permits in their various countries of domicile to avoid similar losses and embarrassment in foreign countries in the future

Democracy in Nigeria: Practice, Problems and Prospects

The purpose of this paper is to attempt a critical appraisal of the pace, practise, pattern, priorities, problems and prospects of Nigerian democracy. While it remains true that Nigeria is governed by democratically elected leaders at the federal and state levels, Nigeria is yet to institutionalise democracy after a century of existence as a political entity. The paper discusses some of the impediments to the institutionalisation of democracy in Nigeria after more than half a century of political independence. Some of these are the country’s colonial background interspersed by vagaries engendered by deep-rooted ethnicity; complacent and spendthrift leadership; incessant intervention of the military in the democratic process; electoral fraud; wide spread poverty and high illiteracy level. The paper argues that the pivot around which most of the factors listed above revolve is corruption which has virtually become a way of life in Nigeria. The paper however contends that the above notwithstanding, the prospect of a politically stable and democratically viable nation is marked by people’s eagerness to participate in the electoral process; the relative stability and sustenance of multi-party system and the general realisation in the country that the only acceptable and popular route to the acquisition of political power is the ballot box. The paper obtains its data from primary and secondary source materials and employs the historical method of data analysis - simple descriptive collation and analysis of historical data

Ughoton: An Analysis of Its Declining State, 1506-1897

This paper attempts to analyse the issue at stake in the decline of Ughoton. It examines the bad climatic condition of Ughoton and the factor of Christianity. It also discusses trade as not producing the expected result and the effect of the British invasion of 1897. Finally it evaluates the rise of Sapele and Itsekiri middlemen as factors that also contributed to the decline of Ughoton. The researcher used primary and secondary sources to obtain date. The primary sources include oral interview and archival materials while the secondary sources were books, newspapers, journal, articles, theses, dissertations. The study found that the issues of bad climatic and the factor of Christianity contributed to the decline. Again the trade at Ughoton did not produce the desired results. It was found that the British invasion of 1897 destroyed all the houses at Ughoton and the political head of Ughoton was killed. The rise of Sapele and Itsekiri middlemen were issues that affected Ughoton negatively. Keywords: Trade, Diversification, Invation, Decline, Effec

PRODUCE BUYING AND MARKETING BOARDS IN NIGERIA: INTERROGATING THE FISCAL ROLE OF WESTERN NIGERIA MARKETING BOARD 1942-1962

Marketing Board system was one of the mechanisms of British colonial policy in Nigeria. Primary products were channeled through the Boards to Europe at the expense of both the Nigerian state and the farmers, the producers of these commodities. This study examines produce buying via Marketing Boards in Nigeria and specifically interrogates the fiscal role of Western Nigeria Marketing Board. It argues that the Marketing Boards, in spite of their exploitative nature was beneficial to the regional governments. In the Western Region, the Western Nigeria Marketing Board (WNMB) became the fiscal arm of the regional governments. It became the major financier of development projects in the region through the region’s development corporations. The paper concludes that the process of development was circumscribed due to misappropriation and diversion of funds derived from the Western Region Marketing Board. JEL:  Q13, E62, O13  Article visualizations