Olusegun Adeyeri | Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria (original) (raw)
Papers by Olusegun Adeyeri
The Thinker, 2021
Opinions are divided on the conduct and nature of the 1967–70 Nigerian civil war, occasioned part... more Opinions are divided on the conduct and nature of the 1967–70 Nigerian civil war, occasioned partly by the Igbo secession and declaration of the Republic of Biafra. Some believe that the Nigerian government adopted a genocidal war strategy characterised by mass violence against civilians, aggressive blockade of the eastern region, artificial famine, and hateful/threatening utterances by many military commanders, accompanied by about one million civilian casualties. On the other hand, some are of the view that the actions of some Nigerian military officers and men were not in consonant with the position of the Nigerian government during the war, but were influenced by their animosity towards the Igbo. In post-civil war Nigeria, Igbo-Hausa/Fulani relations and political discourses are increasingly tense and indicative of a fearful resurgence of mass violence due to prevalent lies, propaganda, and misrepresentations –verbally, on paper, and online/on social media – particularly among t...
NETSOL: New Trends in Social and Liberal Sciences, 2021
Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria and economic hub of the country, is a mirror of complex ... more Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria and economic hub of the country, is a mirror of complex ethnic and religious configuration of the Nigerian federation. This diverse ethnic and religious character, among other factors, makes Lagos a hotbed of violent ethnic conflicts. This condition is exacerbated by mutual fear and anxiety among various ethnic groups, particularly Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, about domination, coupled with the pervasive feeling by some groups that other groups are the cause of their socio-economic and political misfortunes. In this setting, hopes and aspirations that antagonism and possible triumph may guarantee socio-economic benefits have often turned minor disagreements into violent conflicts, in which ordinary people are foot soldiers and greatest victims. The core problematic of this research is to investigate the fundamental causative factors and implications of ethno-religious conflict in modern Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. Thus, this paper is a historical in...
The age-old intellectual and 'pedestrian' controversy over the meaning and societal significance ... more The age-old intellectual and 'pedestrian' controversy over the meaning and societal significance of history is bound to persist for yet a long time. However, the strong reliance on historical information, particularly in the Third World countries in recent times underscores the acceptance of history as reality and an outcome of objective research. Yet, the writing of history is beset with a legion of problems. Significantly, these problems to a large extent are domiciled in the nature of history itself. This paper is a critical discourse of the major challenges the historian of today encounters in his task of reconstructing the past. The study examines the nature of history as it relates to the problems of historical research, and concludes that the continued relevance of history and historians can only be guaranteed if the latter consistently and diligently address these challenges through appropriate measures.
Federalism is often regarded as the appropriate governmental principle for countries with huge et... more Federalism is often regarded as the appropriate governmental principle for countries with huge ethno-cultural diversities. Nigeria, with over two hundred and fifty ethnic groups inherited a federal system from Britain in 1960 and successive governments have attempted, with varying degrees of sincerity and commitment, to operate federal institutions that can accommodate the country"s ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic diversities and nurture a sense of national unity. However, the leaders of these governments, at all levels, have failed to fulfil their obligations to offer good governance anchored on equitable political arrangements, transparent administrative practices and accountable public conduct. Indeed, failure to encourage genuine power sharing has triggered dangerous rivalries between the central government and the thirty six states governments over revenue from the country"s oil and other natural resources. The defective federal structure has also promoted ...
Controversy generated by oil minority rights and agitations in the Niger Delta is as old as the N... more Controversy generated by oil minority rights and agitations in the Niger Delta is as old as the Nigerian State. On the eve of Nigeria's independence, even before the exploitation of oil commenced in the Niger Delta, a colonial government commission of enquiry, the Willink Commission of 1957/1958, acknowledged its peculiar developmental needs and thus recommended a developmental board. The Niger Delta Development Board (NDDB) that was consequently established by the Tafawa Balewa administration in 1961, which hardly made an impact before the chaotic political situation culminating in the 1967 to 1970 civil war which finally truncated the prospects of its success. About three decades later, on account of serious discontent over growing conditions of socio-economic and political deprivations, agitations by the Niger Delta peoples turned militant, violent and ultimately degenerated into an armed struggle that threatened the stability and progress of the country. Various Nigerian ad...
The aspirations of the founding fathers of Nigeria at independence to build a stable and virile c... more The aspirations of the founding fathers of Nigeria at independence to build a stable and virile country were hinged upon the perceived efficacy of the federal principle. But within a few years of independence these aspirations and great expectations dissipated into national confusion and ultimately, crisis. The various crises of nation-building (the 1967 -70 civil war being the gravest) experienced by Nigeria since 1960, coupled with current demands for a general redefinition of the Nigerian federation via a sovereign national conference all go to show that federalism has not worked successfully in the country. Clearly, the clamour for resource control by federating units has been a dominant aspect of the problematic federal system in Nigeria. Significantly, in the Niger Delta, agitation for resource control has given rise to another phenomenon, namely militant nationalism. We argue in this paper that the failure by successive Nigerian governments to abide by the core principles of ...
Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion
Throughout the world, there is a vast remapping of media laws and policies. This important moveme... more Throughout the world, there is a vast remapping of media laws and policies. This important movement for building more democratic media is attributable to rapid-fire geo-political changes. These include a growing zest for information, the general move towards democratization, numerous pressures from the international community, and the inexorable impact of new media technologies. Whatever the mix in any specific state, media law and policy is increasingly a subject of intense intellectual debate. The institutionalization of an effective democratic society anchored upon the rule of law and fundamental human rights, especially in plural societies requires many measures of which the formation of media law and institutions is one of the most crucial. Too often, this process of building media that advances democracy is undertaken without a sufficient understanding of the many and varied factors involved. Indeed, laws are frequently looked at in isolation and as interchangeable parts that ...
A normal, entirely peaceful and conflict-free world though, ‘generally ’ desirable, is indeed uto... more A normal, entirely peaceful and conflict-free world though, ‘generally ’ desirable, is indeed utopia. Through the ages it has become increasingly manifest that war and peace are two sides of a coin. Put bluntly, wars of different kinds and degrees are common elements in human societies. To be sure, war is an organized, armed and usually prolonged conflict between groups, states and some other parties characterized by huge aggression, social disruption and normally, high mortality. However, sex-related crimes especially against women have increasingly become a regular feature in theatres of war across the world, particularly in Africa. This paper is a historical reconstruction of the trajectory of war time sex-related human rights violations in Africa, using the Congolese, Rwandan, Liberian and Libyan conflicts as case studies. The study shall examine the nature and dimensions of such violations, as well as their implications for sustainable development.
Nationalism and the struggle for political independence in Africa have spanned the pre-colonial, ... more Nationalism and the struggle for political independence in Africa have spanned the pre-colonial, colonial and postcolonial epochs, with the nature and character of struggle determined by the aspirations of the people and peculiarities of each period. On the eve of European imperialist incursion into Africa from the last quarter of the nineteenth century, pre-colonial African kingdoms and states staged resistance against the invaders in order to preserve their respective local independence. Nationalist struggle and eventual independence from colonial rule was achieved in some parts of Africa (such as British West Africa) through constitutional and relatively peaceful means, while the road to independence in Lusophone Africa and the Maghreb was marked by considerable violence and bloodshed. The chapter concludes that the nature and travails of colonialism, nationalism and independence in Africa have continuously negatively affected nation-building and national development in most post...
Political Economy: Government Expenditures & Related Policies eJournal, 2015
The phenomenon of anti-state militant movements is not new to the Nigerian federation. Just a few... more The phenomenon of anti-state militant movements is not new to the Nigerian federation. Just a few years after the birth of the Nigerian State, a militant group under the leadership of Adaka Boro, an ex-police officer, attempted to create the Niger Delta Republic out of the nascent federation. From 1967 to 1970, the Federal Government was locked in a devastating civil war with eastern region secessionists intent on carving out the State of Biafra out of Nigeria. Between 1980 and 1983, the Maitasine uprising unleashed large-scale terror and destruction of lives and property in the northern part of the country. Previously peaceful agitations in the Niger Delta over economic and political marginalization snowballed into an armed conflict between militant groups and the Federal Government from the 1990s, and only began to simmer down in just about two years ago. During the same period, the Oodua People Congress (OPC), a Yoruba ethnic militia emerged as a protest movement against General ...
Shifting Forms of Continental Colonialism, 2019
Literature on worldwide colonialism by Europeans is pervasive, unlike scholarship on the colonial... more Literature on worldwide colonialism by Europeans is pervasive, unlike scholarship on the colonialism of Africans by Africans that predated the European model. This chapter tests the applicability of colonial theory by focusing on internal and external colonialism in the Old Oyo Empire (ca. 1430–1836). Though pre-modern, this state’s characteristic trajectory and hegemonic legacies in Yorubaland fit well into the colonial paradigm. Colonialism in the African context, as in the Old Oyo case, is similar to Western colonialism in many respects differing in degree, not in kind. This article argues that Old Oyo rule was indeed colonial in nature and consequences, exhibiting internal colonialism within Yorubaland and external colonialism outside Yoruba territory in relatively distant places.
Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research, 2013
This paper examines the social and economic development of Ibaland up to 2000. The focus of this ... more This paper examines the social and economic development of Ibaland up to 2000. The focus of this study is on the people of Ibaland, one of the multifarious Awori settlements on the southern part of Yoruba land, who had developed an elaborate system of socio-economic structures prior to the coming of the Europeans in the mid- 19th century. This became imperative in view of erroneous perceptions of some European writers that Africa had no history prior to their contact with African societies. The work also examines the development of one of the Awori settlements in the coastal region of Lagos, whose societies may not in any way be seen as one of the mega-states of pre-colonial Yoruba land, but as one of the mini-states that possesses some of the accoutrements of the mega states. The paper is structured into six parts namely, introduction, background/origin and geographical location of Ibaland, socio-religious activities, architecture, role of women, economy and conclusion
The age-old intellectual and ‘pedestrian’ controversy over the meaning and societal significance ... more The age-old intellectual and ‘pedestrian’ controversy over the meaning and societal significance of history is bound to persist for yet a long time. However, the strong reliance on historical information, particularly in the Third World countries in recent times underscores the acceptance of history as reality and an outcome of objective research. Yet, the writing of history is beset with a legion of problems. Significantly, these problems to a large extent are domiciled in the nature of history itself. This paper is a critical discourse of the major challenges the historian of today encounters in his task of reconstructing the past. The study examines the nature of history as it relates to the problems of historical research, and concludes that the continued relevance of history and historians can only be guaranteed if the latter consistently and diligently address these challenges through appropriate measures.
International Journal in Management and Social Science, 2014
Russia's status as a major European power was already established by the dawn of the 19th cen... more Russia's status as a major European power was already established by the dawn of the 19th century. The foreign policy of France (another big European power) under Napoleon Bonaparte who ruled between 1799 and 1815 was dominated by warfare. In the Napoleonic wars, Napoleon at different times had to take on Russia, Britain, Austria and Prussia who had formed coalitions against her. Russia's refusal to join the Continental System, an economic warfare mechanism initiated by Napoleon in 1806 to weaken British power by destroying her trade, led to Napoleon's attack against Russia in 1812. Due to a combination of military resilience and diplomatic cum strategic savvy on the part of Russia, Napoleon eventually lost the war, recording one of the costliest retreats in military history. Russia proceeded to play a pivotal role in the post-Napoleonic wars diplomatic and international cooperation arrangements hatched by the great powers after the fall of Napoleon. This paper is an eva...
Federalism is popularly acclaimed to be the most appropriate governmental system for plural state... more Federalism is popularly acclaimed to be the most appropriate governmental system for plural states due to its suitability for the management of ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural diversities. However, in practice, several federal experiments have shown that the formal constitutional allocation of powers and functions provide only a partial picture of the reality. This is particularly true of federalism trajectory in Nigeria since the demise of the First Republic in 1966. Specifically, between 1979 and 1999, the period of this study, serious contradictions in inter-governmental power and fiscal relations elicited incessant conflict and crisis in the Nigerian federation thereby causing a negative impact on the quality of governance and service delivery to the people. This article is a critical discourse on the origin, nature and consequences of federal practice in Nigeria during the period under consideration.
Since time immemorial, national interest has been the plank of inter-group and inter-State relati... more Since time immemorial, national interest has been the plank of inter-group and inter-State relations. In the modern contemporary international system, national interest has become the cornerstone of foreign policy formulation and actions of sovereign states. However, in pursuing and advancing national goals and objectives, each state is expected and required to conform to certain norms and standards of behaviour. One such is the respect for and observance of fundamental human rights, including freedom of movement, association, and other socio-economic self expressions. Experience has shown that the pursuit of national interest and preservation of fundamental human rights concurrently can be a daunting task for the state due to political, security, economic and social considerations. This article is a historical analysis of the conflicting postures of Britain’s African policy which in one breath, advocates and affirms commitment to human rights including those of free movement and ...
The Thinker, 2021
Opinions are divided on the conduct and nature of the 1967–70 Nigerian civil war, occasioned part... more Opinions are divided on the conduct and nature of the 1967–70 Nigerian civil war, occasioned partly by the Igbo secession and declaration of the Republic of Biafra. Some believe that the Nigerian government adopted a genocidal war strategy characterised by mass violence against civilians, aggressive blockade of the eastern region, artificial famine, and hateful/threatening utterances by many military commanders, accompanied by about one million civilian casualties. On the other hand, some are of the view that the actions of some Nigerian military officers and men were not in consonant with the position of the Nigerian government during the war, but were influenced by their animosity towards the Igbo. In post-civil war Nigeria, Igbo-Hausa/Fulani relations and political discourses are increasingly tense and indicative of a fearful resurgence of mass violence due to prevalent lies, propaganda, and misrepresentations –verbally, on paper, and online/on social media – particularly among t...
NETSOL: New Trends in Social and Liberal Sciences, 2021
Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria and economic hub of the country, is a mirror of complex ... more Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria and economic hub of the country, is a mirror of complex ethnic and religious configuration of the Nigerian federation. This diverse ethnic and religious character, among other factors, makes Lagos a hotbed of violent ethnic conflicts. This condition is exacerbated by mutual fear and anxiety among various ethnic groups, particularly Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, about domination, coupled with the pervasive feeling by some groups that other groups are the cause of their socio-economic and political misfortunes. In this setting, hopes and aspirations that antagonism and possible triumph may guarantee socio-economic benefits have often turned minor disagreements into violent conflicts, in which ordinary people are foot soldiers and greatest victims. The core problematic of this research is to investigate the fundamental causative factors and implications of ethno-religious conflict in modern Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. Thus, this paper is a historical in...
The age-old intellectual and 'pedestrian' controversy over the meaning and societal significance ... more The age-old intellectual and 'pedestrian' controversy over the meaning and societal significance of history is bound to persist for yet a long time. However, the strong reliance on historical information, particularly in the Third World countries in recent times underscores the acceptance of history as reality and an outcome of objective research. Yet, the writing of history is beset with a legion of problems. Significantly, these problems to a large extent are domiciled in the nature of history itself. This paper is a critical discourse of the major challenges the historian of today encounters in his task of reconstructing the past. The study examines the nature of history as it relates to the problems of historical research, and concludes that the continued relevance of history and historians can only be guaranteed if the latter consistently and diligently address these challenges through appropriate measures.
Federalism is often regarded as the appropriate governmental principle for countries with huge et... more Federalism is often regarded as the appropriate governmental principle for countries with huge ethno-cultural diversities. Nigeria, with over two hundred and fifty ethnic groups inherited a federal system from Britain in 1960 and successive governments have attempted, with varying degrees of sincerity and commitment, to operate federal institutions that can accommodate the country"s ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic diversities and nurture a sense of national unity. However, the leaders of these governments, at all levels, have failed to fulfil their obligations to offer good governance anchored on equitable political arrangements, transparent administrative practices and accountable public conduct. Indeed, failure to encourage genuine power sharing has triggered dangerous rivalries between the central government and the thirty six states governments over revenue from the country"s oil and other natural resources. The defective federal structure has also promoted ...
Controversy generated by oil minority rights and agitations in the Niger Delta is as old as the N... more Controversy generated by oil minority rights and agitations in the Niger Delta is as old as the Nigerian State. On the eve of Nigeria's independence, even before the exploitation of oil commenced in the Niger Delta, a colonial government commission of enquiry, the Willink Commission of 1957/1958, acknowledged its peculiar developmental needs and thus recommended a developmental board. The Niger Delta Development Board (NDDB) that was consequently established by the Tafawa Balewa administration in 1961, which hardly made an impact before the chaotic political situation culminating in the 1967 to 1970 civil war which finally truncated the prospects of its success. About three decades later, on account of serious discontent over growing conditions of socio-economic and political deprivations, agitations by the Niger Delta peoples turned militant, violent and ultimately degenerated into an armed struggle that threatened the stability and progress of the country. Various Nigerian ad...
The aspirations of the founding fathers of Nigeria at independence to build a stable and virile c... more The aspirations of the founding fathers of Nigeria at independence to build a stable and virile country were hinged upon the perceived efficacy of the federal principle. But within a few years of independence these aspirations and great expectations dissipated into national confusion and ultimately, crisis. The various crises of nation-building (the 1967 -70 civil war being the gravest) experienced by Nigeria since 1960, coupled with current demands for a general redefinition of the Nigerian federation via a sovereign national conference all go to show that federalism has not worked successfully in the country. Clearly, the clamour for resource control by federating units has been a dominant aspect of the problematic federal system in Nigeria. Significantly, in the Niger Delta, agitation for resource control has given rise to another phenomenon, namely militant nationalism. We argue in this paper that the failure by successive Nigerian governments to abide by the core principles of ...
Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion
Throughout the world, there is a vast remapping of media laws and policies. This important moveme... more Throughout the world, there is a vast remapping of media laws and policies. This important movement for building more democratic media is attributable to rapid-fire geo-political changes. These include a growing zest for information, the general move towards democratization, numerous pressures from the international community, and the inexorable impact of new media technologies. Whatever the mix in any specific state, media law and policy is increasingly a subject of intense intellectual debate. The institutionalization of an effective democratic society anchored upon the rule of law and fundamental human rights, especially in plural societies requires many measures of which the formation of media law and institutions is one of the most crucial. Too often, this process of building media that advances democracy is undertaken without a sufficient understanding of the many and varied factors involved. Indeed, laws are frequently looked at in isolation and as interchangeable parts that ...
A normal, entirely peaceful and conflict-free world though, ‘generally ’ desirable, is indeed uto... more A normal, entirely peaceful and conflict-free world though, ‘generally ’ desirable, is indeed utopia. Through the ages it has become increasingly manifest that war and peace are two sides of a coin. Put bluntly, wars of different kinds and degrees are common elements in human societies. To be sure, war is an organized, armed and usually prolonged conflict between groups, states and some other parties characterized by huge aggression, social disruption and normally, high mortality. However, sex-related crimes especially against women have increasingly become a regular feature in theatres of war across the world, particularly in Africa. This paper is a historical reconstruction of the trajectory of war time sex-related human rights violations in Africa, using the Congolese, Rwandan, Liberian and Libyan conflicts as case studies. The study shall examine the nature and dimensions of such violations, as well as their implications for sustainable development.
Nationalism and the struggle for political independence in Africa have spanned the pre-colonial, ... more Nationalism and the struggle for political independence in Africa have spanned the pre-colonial, colonial and postcolonial epochs, with the nature and character of struggle determined by the aspirations of the people and peculiarities of each period. On the eve of European imperialist incursion into Africa from the last quarter of the nineteenth century, pre-colonial African kingdoms and states staged resistance against the invaders in order to preserve their respective local independence. Nationalist struggle and eventual independence from colonial rule was achieved in some parts of Africa (such as British West Africa) through constitutional and relatively peaceful means, while the road to independence in Lusophone Africa and the Maghreb was marked by considerable violence and bloodshed. The chapter concludes that the nature and travails of colonialism, nationalism and independence in Africa have continuously negatively affected nation-building and national development in most post...
Political Economy: Government Expenditures & Related Policies eJournal, 2015
The phenomenon of anti-state militant movements is not new to the Nigerian federation. Just a few... more The phenomenon of anti-state militant movements is not new to the Nigerian federation. Just a few years after the birth of the Nigerian State, a militant group under the leadership of Adaka Boro, an ex-police officer, attempted to create the Niger Delta Republic out of the nascent federation. From 1967 to 1970, the Federal Government was locked in a devastating civil war with eastern region secessionists intent on carving out the State of Biafra out of Nigeria. Between 1980 and 1983, the Maitasine uprising unleashed large-scale terror and destruction of lives and property in the northern part of the country. Previously peaceful agitations in the Niger Delta over economic and political marginalization snowballed into an armed conflict between militant groups and the Federal Government from the 1990s, and only began to simmer down in just about two years ago. During the same period, the Oodua People Congress (OPC), a Yoruba ethnic militia emerged as a protest movement against General ...
Shifting Forms of Continental Colonialism, 2019
Literature on worldwide colonialism by Europeans is pervasive, unlike scholarship on the colonial... more Literature on worldwide colonialism by Europeans is pervasive, unlike scholarship on the colonialism of Africans by Africans that predated the European model. This chapter tests the applicability of colonial theory by focusing on internal and external colonialism in the Old Oyo Empire (ca. 1430–1836). Though pre-modern, this state’s characteristic trajectory and hegemonic legacies in Yorubaland fit well into the colonial paradigm. Colonialism in the African context, as in the Old Oyo case, is similar to Western colonialism in many respects differing in degree, not in kind. This article argues that Old Oyo rule was indeed colonial in nature and consequences, exhibiting internal colonialism within Yorubaland and external colonialism outside Yoruba territory in relatively distant places.
Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research, 2013
This paper examines the social and economic development of Ibaland up to 2000. The focus of this ... more This paper examines the social and economic development of Ibaland up to 2000. The focus of this study is on the people of Ibaland, one of the multifarious Awori settlements on the southern part of Yoruba land, who had developed an elaborate system of socio-economic structures prior to the coming of the Europeans in the mid- 19th century. This became imperative in view of erroneous perceptions of some European writers that Africa had no history prior to their contact with African societies. The work also examines the development of one of the Awori settlements in the coastal region of Lagos, whose societies may not in any way be seen as one of the mega-states of pre-colonial Yoruba land, but as one of the mini-states that possesses some of the accoutrements of the mega states. The paper is structured into six parts namely, introduction, background/origin and geographical location of Ibaland, socio-religious activities, architecture, role of women, economy and conclusion
The age-old intellectual and ‘pedestrian’ controversy over the meaning and societal significance ... more The age-old intellectual and ‘pedestrian’ controversy over the meaning and societal significance of history is bound to persist for yet a long time. However, the strong reliance on historical information, particularly in the Third World countries in recent times underscores the acceptance of history as reality and an outcome of objective research. Yet, the writing of history is beset with a legion of problems. Significantly, these problems to a large extent are domiciled in the nature of history itself. This paper is a critical discourse of the major challenges the historian of today encounters in his task of reconstructing the past. The study examines the nature of history as it relates to the problems of historical research, and concludes that the continued relevance of history and historians can only be guaranteed if the latter consistently and diligently address these challenges through appropriate measures.
International Journal in Management and Social Science, 2014
Russia's status as a major European power was already established by the dawn of the 19th cen... more Russia's status as a major European power was already established by the dawn of the 19th century. The foreign policy of France (another big European power) under Napoleon Bonaparte who ruled between 1799 and 1815 was dominated by warfare. In the Napoleonic wars, Napoleon at different times had to take on Russia, Britain, Austria and Prussia who had formed coalitions against her. Russia's refusal to join the Continental System, an economic warfare mechanism initiated by Napoleon in 1806 to weaken British power by destroying her trade, led to Napoleon's attack against Russia in 1812. Due to a combination of military resilience and diplomatic cum strategic savvy on the part of Russia, Napoleon eventually lost the war, recording one of the costliest retreats in military history. Russia proceeded to play a pivotal role in the post-Napoleonic wars diplomatic and international cooperation arrangements hatched by the great powers after the fall of Napoleon. This paper is an eva...
Federalism is popularly acclaimed to be the most appropriate governmental system for plural state... more Federalism is popularly acclaimed to be the most appropriate governmental system for plural states due to its suitability for the management of ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural diversities. However, in practice, several federal experiments have shown that the formal constitutional allocation of powers and functions provide only a partial picture of the reality. This is particularly true of federalism trajectory in Nigeria since the demise of the First Republic in 1966. Specifically, between 1979 and 1999, the period of this study, serious contradictions in inter-governmental power and fiscal relations elicited incessant conflict and crisis in the Nigerian federation thereby causing a negative impact on the quality of governance and service delivery to the people. This article is a critical discourse on the origin, nature and consequences of federal practice in Nigeria during the period under consideration.
Since time immemorial, national interest has been the plank of inter-group and inter-State relati... more Since time immemorial, national interest has been the plank of inter-group and inter-State relations. In the modern contemporary international system, national interest has become the cornerstone of foreign policy formulation and actions of sovereign states. However, in pursuing and advancing national goals and objectives, each state is expected and required to conform to certain norms and standards of behaviour. One such is the respect for and observance of fundamental human rights, including freedom of movement, association, and other socio-economic self expressions. Experience has shown that the pursuit of national interest and preservation of fundamental human rights concurrently can be a daunting task for the state due to political, security, economic and social considerations. This article is a historical analysis of the conflicting postures of Britain’s African policy which in one breath, advocates and affirms commitment to human rights including those of free movement and ...
NETSOL: New Trends in Social and Liberal Sciences, 2021
Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria and economic hub of the country, is a mirror of complex ... more Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria and economic hub of the country, is a mirror of complex ethnic and religious configuration of the Nigerian federation. This diverse ethnic and religious character, among other factors, makes Lagos a hotbed of violent ethnic conflicts. This condition is exacerbated by mutual fear and anxiety among various ethnic groups, particularly Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, about domination, coupled with the pervasive feeling by some groups that other groups are the cause of their socioeconomic and political misfortunes. In this setting, hopes and aspirations that antagonism and possible triumph may guarantee socioeconomic benefits have often turned minor disagreements into violent conflicts, in which ordinary people are foot soldiers and greatest victims. The core problematic of this research is to investigate the fundamental causative factors and implications of ethnoreligious conflict in modern Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. Thus, this paper is a historical inquiry into the basis and impact of Yoruba-Hausa inter-ethnic violence on human security in contemporary Lagos society. The study also explores the opportunities for the attainment of sustainable peace and security within Nigeria. This study posits that the ethno-religious emotion and conviction that continuous antagonism and ultimate triumph against a particular ethnic group(s) assures socioeconomic progress is false. The paper concludes that the best recipe for sustainable human well-being, peace and security for Nigerians is to collectively launch a sustained legitimate advocacy against corruption and abuse of public office rather than wasting precious human and material resources on divisive and counter-productive violent ethno-religious conflicts. The study adopts the historical method of data collection and analysis.