Olawale Olaopa - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Olawale Olaopa

Lecture notes in networks and systems, 2024

International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development

International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, Feb 28, 2012

This article discusses how economic reforms, as a reaction to the effects of the global financial... more This article discusses how economic reforms, as a reaction to the effects of the global financial crises, have intensified popular unrests and redefined the composition, interests, and socioeconomic and political attitudes of Nigeria's increasingly complex social strata. We relied basically on secondary data to analyze some of the fundamental domestic and international issues facing the country in the course of implementing reforms and their accompanying social, economic and political problems. It was discovered that the past and present economic reform policies failed to guarantee the dividends of democracy and worsened the socioeconomic situation of the citizenry. The people, as a result of the untold hardship and unfulfilled expectation meted out by the reform became apathetic with loss of confidence in government and resolved to avoid the state and now found solace in socioeconomic and political menace for their survival. Successive governments, through various policies, though with little success, have responded to these challenges and been forced to undertake more active socioeconomic and political reforms or face an even greater loss of its authority. The paper then suggested the need for concrete transformative empowerment policy agenda to really meet these challenges.

Journal of Social Sciences, Jul 1, 2002

Fiscal problem is the most severe problem facing public institutions in Nigeria particularly the ... more Fiscal problem is the most severe problem facing public institutions in Nigeria particularly the local government. This problem had been provoked by a number of factors including "over dependence" on statutory allocations from both the state and federal governments; deliberate tax evation by local citizenry, creation of non-viable local government areas, differences in the status of local governments in terms of ruralness and urbanism; "inadequate revenue and restricted fiscal jurisdiction". These factors and their attendants' problems, implications and effects are examined within the purview of fiscal federalism in this paper in line with the provision of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria's constitution. We went further to argue that for a financially healthy local government to exist, there is need for the allocation of responsibilities and functions in accordance with their taxing power and ability to internally generate fund. The constitutional provision that recognizes local governments' power in this regard must give them full freedom to operate and this must be well guaranteed and adequately protected. These, coupled with the need to review revenue sharing formula, granting of fiscal autonomy, fiscal discipline as well as making local government responsive, responsible and accountable to the people will, in our view, set our local government free from the manacle of fiscal stress promoted and strengthened by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Journal of Social Sciences, Jul 1, 2003

In this joint work, we discussed the mercantilist, liberal and Marxist frameworks in political ec... more In this joint work, we discussed the mercantilist, liberal and Marxist frameworks in political economy, pointing out the peculiar features of each approach. In conclusion, we contend that political economy involves a reciprocal relationship, whereby politics determines the framework of activities, on the one hand, and economic processes transform the power relationship among groups, on the other.

African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development

The effective promotion or utilization of the ingenuity from African indigenous knowledge and inn... more The effective promotion or utilization of the ingenuity from African indigenous knowledge and innovation (AIK&I) has great potential for reducing some of Africa’s interrelated development challenge...

DergiPark (Istanbul University), Jun 1, 2016

Evidence abounds in both developed and newly-industrialising economies that the success of any na... more Evidence abounds in both developed and newly-industrialising economies that the success of any nation hinges on the ability to collaborate, generate and deploy knowledge to solve socioeconomic problems. This is evident in the rate at which these nations churn out intellectual assets (goods and services) into the global market. Diverse strategies and policies, most especially effective collaboration and linkages, have been employed by these nations to build firms' technological competence (absorptive capacity through adequate investments in STI, research and development (R&D) and Innovation capabilities) that ensures perpetual competitive advantage. However, these strategies among others are lacking in Nigeria's efforts at gaining competitive edge and generate revenue from the new knowledge and technologies emanating from focused research and development (R&D) within the university and Research subsystem. Oblivious of the need to provide innovation infrastructure for spin offs and technology commercialisation, improve funding of research system, and strengthen intellectual property and technology transfer offices across the country to make available commercialisable research outputs for small businesses through SMEDAN and MSMEs, more is still required in the area of effective collaboration, linkages and commitments among the elements of Nigeria's innovation system. This paper, through qualitative analysis, provides suggestions on the need for robust interaction and linkages among the elements of national innovation system (governmentindustry-academia).

African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, Apr 30, 2009

Given the current harvest of political assassinations that characterized the Nigerian political l... more Given the current harvest of political assassinations that characterized the Nigerian political landscape and its worrisome nature, this paper, using a retrospective analysis of events, accepts the thesis that "the emergence of the Nigerian Colonial State is a by-product of a 'fraudulent social contract' and not of a 'negotiated will' of the wielded parts" (Ajetumobi, 1991). As a result of this, the colonial state, in order to be able to protect the commercial interests of the colonialists, imposed a patrimonial system of administration by enlisting the dominant group in their services as co-conspirators. Nigerian post colonial state inherited this mode of administration and its vices from their colonial master, Britain. Thus, the relationship between the political leaders and the led masses was that of domination and exploitation. Governance deviated from a call to service, but avenue for corruption and accumulation of wealth. A system of patronage in public offices and the practice of political intolerance became the order of the day. This actually led to political assassinations because professional, economic and political elites sought political power as a condition to fulfilling and furthering their economic interests. The control of instrument of the state gave them access to a share in the profitable opportunities offered by the Neo-colonial economy. It is against these matrices of historical deformities amidst the seeming privatization of political power by few in both the colonial and post colonial state that shape the nature and character of our Nigerian Political Elites, actors and office holders in the current democratic dispensation, their implications on democratic good governance as well as the way out, can be understood. The prevalent 'loot and warfare' approach to politics, the opposition phobia, the preoccupation with interests of politics of survival and personal security (African leadership forum, 1990) and political killing/assassinations due to sit-tightism seek expression in this paradigm and our leaders keep drawing inspirations from Machiavelli political thought, with emphasis on his slogan, the end justifies the means.

The point that African continent has been trying to solve its development challenges will be an o... more The point that African continent has been trying to solve its development challenges will be an overstatement. One of the major efforts was the decision taken at the United Nations (UN) Millennium Summit in September 2000 where the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was adopted as a framework for the continents development strategy. This agenda is to provide all the developing countries of Africa the prospect and motivation to reduce poverty and reverse the deterioration in human developments. Since the Millennium Declaration, the MDGs have become important tools of monitoring and evaluating progress across nations. The eight time-bound goals are aimed at achieving the following by 2015: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV&AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development. Consequently, Afri...

Journal of African Foreign Affairs, 2018

ABSTRACT Evidence abounds in both developed and newly-industrialising economies that the success ... more ABSTRACT Evidence abounds in both developed and newly-industrialising economies that the success of any nation hinges on the ability to collaborate, generate and deploy knowledge to solve socio-economic problems. This is exemplified by the propensity at which they churn out intellectual assets in the form of goods and services into the global market. Diverse strategies and policies, most especially effective collaboration and linkages, have been employed by these nations to build firms’ technological competence (absorptive capacity through adequate investments in STI, research and development (R&D) and Innovation capabilities) that ensures perpetual competitive advantage. However, these strategies among others are lacking in Nigeria’s efforts at gaining competitive edge and generate revenue from the new knowledge and technologies emanating from focused research and development (R&D) within the university and Research sub-system. Oblivious of the need to provide innovation infrastructure for spin offs and technology commercialisation, improve funding of research system, and strengthen intellectual property and technology transfer offices across the country to make available commercialisable research outputs for small businesses through SMEDAN and MSMEs, more is still required in the area of effective collaboration, linkages and commitments among the elements of Nigeria’s innovation system. This paper then suggests a framework for robust interaction and linkages among the elements of national innovation system (government-industry-academia).

Palgrave Communications, 2016

Policy makers both at the national and state levels play a critical role in STI policy making pro... more Policy makers both at the national and state levels play a critical role in STI policy making process. The successful implementation of any development agenda is predicated on formulation and implementation of sound policies. The global best practice is to employ scientific evidences in formulation of policies. One of such is STI Indicators, developed to measure and manage the technological progress of the country. To transit from research to development, policy makers must understand and be equipped to effectively deploy the indicators. This study is therefore based on the need to assess and examine the level of awareness and literacy of STI indicators among policy-makers in Nigeria in order to enhance evidence-based policy making process. The primary respondents are policy makers at the Ministry of Science and Technology as well as cognate Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Health, and Trade and Investment. Others include legislators in Committees with oversight function on the...

International Review of Administrative Sciences, 2002

The most severe problem facing public institutions in Nigeria is the fiscal one, particularly in ... more The most severe problem facing public institutions in Nigeria is the fiscal one, particularly in local government. This problem has been provoked by a number of factors, including ‘over dependence’ on statutory allocations from both the state and federal governments, deliberate tax evasion by the local citizenry, creation of nonviable local government areas, differences in the status of local governments in terms of the rural–urban dimension, and inadequate revenue and restricted fiscal jurisdiction. This article examines these factors and their attendant problems, implications and effects within the context of the fiscal federalism established by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For financially healthy local governments to exist, responsibilities and functions must be allocated in accordance with their taxing power and ability to generate funds internally. The constitutional provision that recognizes local governments’ power in this regard must give them fu...

… in the Niger Delta Crisis of …, 2009

Page 210. Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria 203 Chapter IX: The Politics and... more Page 210. Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria 203 Chapter IX: The Politics and Policies of Oil Deregulation in Nigeria: Implications and Policy Suggestions By Olawale Olaopa, Ibikunle Ogundari, Mike Awoleye ...

Journal of Scientometric Research, 2022

Colonialism brought about an unviable federal system of government where it is practiced in many ... more Colonialism brought about an unviable federal system of government where it is practiced in many African states, which impacts directly on socio-economic development of the continent. African states are a byproduct of the Industrial Revolution in Europe; thus, its political formations were fashioned according to the interest of the metropoles as well as the neo-colonial elites at the expense of the poor local indigenes. As a result of these, the continent is characterized by policy failures; authoritarianism; inappropriate state structures and other vices. Consequently, this paper intends to provide answers to: why has development challenges persistent in Africa when the continent prides itself with differently endowed resources and series of development strategies adopted; how can Africa be salvaged from this development quandary and policy failures; and what roles can Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) play, in this circumstance, to excuse the continent from these doldrums? ...

International Journal of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation, 2017

International Journal of Learning and Change