Grace Umezurike | Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki (original) (raw)

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Papers by Grace Umezurike

This research aims at understanding dream, causes and interpretation from an African background a... more This research aims at understanding dream, causes and interpretation from an African background as influenced by the African cosmology of spirito-triangulation and as distinguished from the European and American individuocentric cosmology. Using the method of cultural hermeneutics, this paper studies the dynamism in the understanding of causes and interpretations of dreams both in the European and American psychological discoveries and African cosmogony. In the bid to actualize the stated aim, this paper studies the tenets of one irology minding the individuocentric interpretation of western psychologists. Also, the paper studies African intersubjective/triangulation and transcendental interpretations of dreams. Our findings reveal that dream occurs for some reasons such as physical/biological, emotional, mental, spiritual, processes. In the same vein, dream presents opportunity for growth, health, creativity, fear, excitement, adventure, etc. On appraisal, it is obvious that both t...

This paper aims at exposing the ills of corruption in leadership and suggesting logical prospects... more This paper aims at exposing the ills of corruption in leadership and suggesting logical prospects for a better Nigeria. Towards achieving this stated aim, the paper employs the philosophical methods of exposition and hermeneutics to understand the degree of harm corruption in leadership has done to Nigeria and prospects for a better Nigeria. The paper studies corruption as abuse, unlawful appropriation, diversion of public wealth or power for some private reasons. It studies the qualities of leadership as following; good character, vision, prudence, exemplary life, integrity, truth/honesty, firmness, good sense of justice, competence, e.t.c. Our finding shows that the history of Nigeria since independence has been a chronology of corruption records both by civilian and military regimes leaving the entire nation underdeveloped. Also, our finding reveals that the government does little to stop this atrocious act of corruption and these leaders go unpunished after swindling the nation’...

The concept of poverty is explicated by UN as those for whom „a minimum, nutritionally adequate d... more The concept of poverty is explicated by UN as those for whom „a minimum, nutritionally adequate diet plus essential non-food requirements are not affordable‟. This definition is not all encompassing as many aspects of what constitutes a poor state is excluded. For instance, some scholars argued that social exclusion, in the form of being discriminated against, despised or disrespected, should be made part of the definition of poverty because poverty is not just about having less in quantitative terms, but also involves a qualitative difference, such as fear of the future, shame, etc. The task of this paper therefore is to review the different opinions of several scholars concerning the concept of Poverty and relate it to how it encourages or discourages insecurity in a nation (Nigeria in Perspective). The paper will conceive poverty in two ways. Poverty used to describe a state of affairs in an absolute sense or to describe a state of affairs relative to another. When one is describ...

This paper seeks to address the question of “to what extent is the right of a nation to seek self... more This paper seeks to address the question of “to what extent is the right of a nation to seek self determination within a sovereign state without violating the international principle of the territorial integrity of the country”. It conceives sovereignty in accordance with Leon Duguit (1859-1928) definition of sovereignty as the, “commanding power of the state; it is the will of the nation organized in the state; it is a right to give unconditional orders to all individuals in the territory of the state.” It is on the premise of this definition that this paper takes a critical reflection on the principles of self determination as enshrined within the International Laws vis-à-vis the concept of a sovereign state as an independent entity with absolute authority over its territory. The paper posits that despite the several charters of the United Nations concerning the right of individuals to self determination, the idea is still operational at the level of theories as its tenets are yet...

INTRODUCTION Generally, conflicts are accepted as inevitable phenomenon in human relationship and... more INTRODUCTION Generally, conflicts are accepted as inevitable phenomenon in human relationship and society. It is a natural incidence among human beings. Hence, whenever people gather in social, political, religious, communal, ethnic and family groups, the possibility of conflicts abound. Alagoa noted that such conflicts could lead to struggle of various levels of intensity extending to violent combat which could lead to the destruction of the group. Since, man is competitive and aggressive in nature, there will always be conflicts among them [1], especially when according to A. A. Muhamed, scarce resources are unequally distributed among competitors and inequity is reflected in cultural and political relationship between groups [2]. Oguntomisin agrees with many history scholars that there were various means of mitigating in inter and intra individual and community conflicts [3]. Igbo people like every other pre-colonial African societies are known to hold secrets of peacemaking and ...

This paper aims at an exegetical exposition and appraisal of the impact of Boko-Haram insurgency ... more This paper aims at an exegetical exposition and appraisal of the impact of Boko-Haram insurgency on women and children in Nigeria. Using the philosophical method of hermeneutics and Turabian documentation, the paper painstakingly studies Boko-Haram insurgency in Nigeria and by critical analysis, states the degree of harm caused to women and children.In an attempt to achieve the stated aim, the paper studies the advent of BokoHaram insurgency in Nigeria. Also, the paper studies the effect of Boko-Haram to Nigerian citizens and national development. Most importantly, the paper studies thedevastating impact of Boko-Haram to women and children in Nigeria. Our findings reveal that women and children bear the greatest brunt of Boko-Haram insurgency in Nigeria minding the vulnerability of this class of persons in Nigerian society and the laisser-faire attitude of the government towards quelling the menace of Boko-Haram insurgency.In the same vein, our findings reveal that Boko-Haram insurg...

This paper aimed at explicating the effects of insurgency on economic development in Africa and p... more This paper aimed at explicating the effects of insurgency on economic development in Africa and particularly in Nigeria. Using historical and hermeneutical methods, the paper studied insurgency in its length and breadth and thoroughly investigated into the devastating effects of insurgency on the economic development of Africa and particularly Nigeria. For the fact of the particular interest of this paper as stated, the paper critically studied narratives on insurgency in African countries with particular attention to Boko-Haram in Nigeria. Also, it studied the economic downturn warranted by these manifestations of insurgency in Africa and most importantly in Nigeria. Our finding revealed that the economic growth status of Nigeria since the inception of insurgencies has remained, tepid, damned and hopeless minding the insincerity and unreadiness of the political class to quell insurgency. On appraisal, the paper boldly opined that economic development and insurgency are negatively c...

The political theories of many philosophers had continued to be an inexhaustible fount of influen... more The political theories of many philosophers had continued to be an inexhaustible fount of influence and inspirational ideas in the histo-political lives of various countries in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Edmund Burke’s political principles have long history of contributing ideas to the boiling political controversies. In his conservative philosophy, Burke presented essential issues more clearly and resonantly than anybody in English political history. His literary genius was his major tool for transmitting political ideas because it has continued to live long after the occasion of its utterance and speaker has passed. Among his many principles, Burke denounced French revolution and pleaded for government that takes public affairs seriously. [1], expressed that Burke opted elements of good governance such as honesty, decency, fairness and required intelligence for the management of public concerns. Most importantly, Edmund Burke’s political ideas were no doubt critical of ...

With the recent quest across African continent for good governance in a democratic setting and de... more With the recent quest across African continent for good governance in a democratic setting and development in a transcultural society, the need to examine the mode of leadership becomes important. Sustainable and strong democracy is dependent on the existence of well-organized and functioning political parties. The institution remains a crucial actor in bringing together diverse interests, recruits and present candidates, and develops competing policy proposals that provide people with a choice. In a democracy world over and Nigeria in particular there is no substitute for open competition between political parties. The objective of the paper is therefore to examine the roles of opposition political parties in Nigeria and its role in sustaining the democratic development in the country. The research adopted expository method, hermeneutics and by its nature generates data from empirical and secondary sources. The finding of the study reveals that the opposition political parties are ...

Legitimacy is the belief that a rule, institution, or leader has the right to govern. It is a jud... more Legitimacy is the belief that a rule, institution, or leader has the right to govern. It is a judgment by an individual about the rightfulness of a hierarchy between rule or ruler and its subject and about the subordinate‟s obligations toward the rule or ruler. The task of this paper therefore is to re-examine the reactions/belief of the citizens of Nigeria state towards the system of governance seen in Nigeria today using the political theories of Thomas Hobbes as a benchmark for assessing that. It is the opinion of this paper that Nigerian state is presently shifting to the level of the state of nature where life is brutish, nasty, short and that the citizens have lost partial (if not total) interest in the social contract that brought them together. Using the methods of hermeneutics and critical analysis the paper synthesised the socio-political theories of Hobbes in line with the present condition of Nigerian showing its relevance and shortcomings. It is the conclusion of this p...

Violence against women has a long history but only recently has it attracted the attention of sch... more Violence against women has a long history but only recently has it attracted the attention of scholars and activists. Statistics shows that nearly one in four women have experienced act of covert and overt violence by someone known to them. Women are not only violated at home, but also in churches and still they are unable to voice their ordeals to church leaders. Even when the cases of violence against them were reported, church leaders ignored such complaints. This attitude and the religious environment that fosters it have left women as perpetual victims, who are incapable of expressing themselves or narrating their predicament. Relying on data drawn from Christian communities in South Eastern Nigeria, where issues of sex, sexuality and related discourses are considered as verbal taboo by women. The paper explores the legitimization of VAW at home and in religious setting in SE Nigeria using the Critical Discourse Analytical approach. This centres on the conceptualization of lang...