NANJI R UMOH | UNIVERSITY OF JOS, NIGERIA (original) (raw)
Papers by NANJI R UMOH
Indeed a tree cannot make a forest. My beloved husband, I love you for always. I greatly apprecia... more Indeed a tree cannot make a forest. My beloved husband, I love you for always. I greatly appreciate my children-Emem-obong, Edidiong, Enobong, Ekikere-obong and Akwamfon-for their understanding and support. Emem and Edidiong, thank you because you always say, 'Mummy Na, you can'. My mother and my siblings-Nanpon, Nanle and Nanre for their 'cover', I thank you for filling in the blank spaces and for going the extra mile especially when I had to be away from home even at short notice. My mother in-law, thank you for your 'word in season' and to my sisters and brother in-law, I appreciate your support.
The Nigerian political leadership had been unstable and underdeveloped since independence in 1960... more The Nigerian political leadership had been unstable and underdeveloped since independence in 1960. This is evident in the history of coups and counter coups that were results of a seemly failed leadership at the formative years of self-governance. Achebe (1983) boldly pointed out that leadership is the problem with Nigeria. In addition, many scholars blame this political instability and underdevelopment on corruption and misappropriation of public funds, thus, pointing to persistent cases of corruption at the top. Others opined that the political actors seem to have been psychologically withdrawn from the political system, and therefore felt less need to fight for the collective interest of all Nigerians. We contend that at the root of these leadership crises, instability and underdevelopment is a self that has given up its autonomy, thus, playing the role of “agent” to the system of corruption as implied in the agency theory of obedience and the groupthink model. These theories sug...
Developing Country Studies, 2018
One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the c... more One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the candle lights that lead and provide guidance to the majority of the electorate when general elections are imminent. Through their manifestos, they raise national consciousness by shedding more light on the activities and plans of the incumbent or in-coming governments. Despite the performance of these functions by political parties in Nigeria, democratic governance over the years has reflected a divergence from the promises made to the electorate while mirroring the deeply ingrained partisan voter alignment that asserts the interests and dominance of the ‘few’ to the detriment of those of the majority. The propositions of the elite theory and the dominant-ideology and sociological models provide the basis on which the renegation of campaign promises by the elected individuals thrives. The paper reiterates the calls for professional political education to improve the status quo . The proce...
PanAfrican Journal of Governance and Development (PJGD)
Successive governments in Nigeria have failed to curtail the downward spiral of the sectors of he... more Successive governments in Nigeria have failed to curtail the downward spiral of the sectors of her economy. The deepening socio-economic and political crises are assessed as occasioned by the dysfunctionality of the arms of government that jeopardizes essential service delivery to the detriment of the polity at whose behest they occupy the public offices. Despite the changes and institution of new administrative leadership through democratic processes, the quality of governance continues to dwindle. Poor policy formulation, implementing non-target-specific measures to deal with the malaises bedeviling the economy, and/or outright government inaction define the practical realities of Nigeria’s sociopolitical landscape. These plausible facts have driven wedges between the elected representatives in government and the polity who bear the brunt of the leadership failures in all spheres. The study determined whether a contagion effect birthed by non-administrative criteria underlies the ...
Developing Country Studies, 2018
One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the c... more One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the candle lights that lead and provide guidance to the majority of the electorate when general elections are imminent. Through their manifestos, they raise national consciousness by shedding more light on the activities and plans of the incumbent or in-coming governments. Despite the performance of these functions by political parties in Nigeria, democratic governance over the years has reflected a divergence from the promises made to the electorate while mirroring the deeply ingrained partisan voter alignment that asserts the interests and dominance of the ‘few’ to the detriment of those of the majority. The propositions of the elite theory and the dominant-ideology and sociological models provide the basis on which the renegation of campaign promises by the elected individuals thrives. The paper reiterates the calls for professional political education to improve the status quo . The proce...
Humanities and social sciences, 2020
Original Research Article In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengage... more Original Research Article In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengagement which reflect a retrogressed sense of personal responsibility to nationhood owing to perceived corruption. We argue that both the leaders and the led, reinforce these undemocratic behaviors rather than challenge them collectively and individually. Our position therefore is that the participation or non-participation of individuals in Nigerian party politics is a function of moral confusion whereby the individual is unable to decipher right from wrong but depends on real or imagined hunger and or resource-backed signals from others to act. Data collection using Political Participation Scale and Ethical Moral Self Inventory, and data analyses using Pearson Correlation yielded significant negative correlation between ethical moral self and partisan political participation, p< .05. The results were discussed in terms of their relevance in building strong political institutions in Nig...
Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions ... more Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions in which they have to work and are still expected to perform maximally. The purposes of the research are the evaluation of the general work environment of the Nigerian worker and the determination of the extent to which it contributes to worker apathy and the dearth of productivity in the public sector. To do this, the methodology involved the use of both the primary and secondary data sources which entailed both participant observation and the use of documentations on related matters. It utilized the experiences of other developing nations at reorienting their workers and improving their output through innovative governance by implementing remedies derivable from and reflective of the characteristics of the work environments in their public sectors as a template for analyzing and developing remedies for the Nigerian case. These, alongside the tenets of good governance, formed the basis of the suggested remedies for adaptation to the Nigerian instance to ensure positive changes in the work environment and by extension, the optimal productivity of the workers.
Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2015
Nigeria is battling its worst level of insecurity since the civil war which ended in 1970. The ne... more Nigeria is battling its worst level of insecurity since the civil war which ended in 1970. The need to reform and reposition the Nigeria Police Force has been topical in debates to improve security in the country. In fact, several high-powered committees have been set up and dozens of reports churned out on this subject. These efforts have been geared towards developing a formidable police force that will perform its constitutional duties of maintaining law and order and securing the lives and properties of all Nigerians. However, results have shown that the efforts of government have not delivered the desired results. The objective of this study therefore was to highlight the urgency in the need to establish a state police that will be capable of tackling the current challenge of gross insecurity in Nigeria. The study relied on secondary data in evaluating the feasibility of state policing in Nigeria. The analysis centred on variables like the reorientation of the force, insufficient budgetary allocation and judicious use of security vote, the practice of true federalism, the creation of employment opportunities and so on, in drawing its conclusions. Findings revealed that the current centralised system of administering the police force may not be tenable in adequately curbing the menace of insecurity in Nigeria. Recommendations proffered include the need to decentralize the police force forthwith. It is expected that the adoption and implementation of this among other suggested strategies will boost the operative capacity of the Nigerian Police Force to effectively carry out its designated roles and bring the mounting insecurity in the country under control. It is hoped that the results from this study will encourage Nigerian policy makers in formulating the right policies for national security. Besides, the results from this study will be useful to other researchers and students of public policy.
Elections and Electoral Violence in Nigeria, 2021
Insecurity stemming from varying acts of violence by men against their fellow humans has been on ... more Insecurity stemming from varying acts of violence by men against their fellow humans has been on a steady rise in Nigeria. Most of these violent crimes are perpetrated by youth who constitute one of the vulnerable groups in society and are those on whom our posterity is expected to depend. Sadly, some of the fodder on which this violence thrives is provided by the failures on the part of stakeholders like the family, civil society, lawmakers and the government or its law enforcement agencies to undertake measures to effectively stem the tide. The paper attempts to provide a framework for analyzing and tackling youth engagement in violence and criminal activities. The framework derives from an overview of the prevalent types of violence within the Nigerian society and the mechanisms for nipping them in the bud based on the postulations of the violence prevention perspectives. Data for this paper were derived from primary and secondary sources. Furthermore, the paper proffered recomme...
African Journal of Gender, Society and Development (formerly Journal of Gender, Information and Development in Africa)
Debates about women’s rights and the challenges of social exclusivity, gender inequality and huma... more Debates about women’s rights and the challenges of social exclusivity, gender inequality and human insecurity, are front-burner issues in discourses on the sociopolitical and socioeconomic landscapes in Nigeria. Despite constituting about fifty percent (50%) of the population of most modern societies, women are traditionally shortchanged at negotiation tables. This premise is fundamental to evaluating the threats posed to viable debates on the rights of women as ‘minority’ groups in society. Unfortunately, the church under the influence of the socio-culture, inadvertently establishes their pared positions through the misinterpretation of some doctrinal bases of Christianity, which allow rationality give way to ‘more superior’ extrapolations that hamper in-depth introspections on reasons for biblical positions and consequences of actions. Riggs’ fused-prismatic-diffracted model of society describes the processes capable of sustaining this dire situation as embedded in ‘non-administra...
The quest for positive transformation at all levels of human existence whether individual, corpor... more The quest for positive transformation at all levels of human existence whether individual, corporate, societal or national is endless. This quest also reflects the needs of the public who are the customers of the government, the scarce resources available to satisfy these needs and the role of the leadership in determining what ends to pursue to ensure service delivery and customer satisfaction for posterity sake. Doing this entails the evaluation of the desired outcomes in the light of the situations at hand, the formulation of relevant policies based on available alternatives, human and material resources and a commitment to human and environmental sustainability. These bring to the fore, issues relating to the administrative behaviour of policy makers with regard to their actions or inactions as determined by the value systems or premises and idiosyncrasies they choose to uphold. The theoretical base of the paper is derived from aspects of Herbert Simon’s decision making theory a...
Corruption has attained an unmatched recognition as an undeniable culprit in the failure of natio... more Corruption has attained an unmatched recognition as an undeniable culprit in the failure of national developmental goals and strategies in t he least developed countries (LDCs). This truth is made more palpable by the realities of infrastru ctural and institutional decay that characterize the socio-economic and political landscapes of the region and hamper the effectiveness of its numerous anti-corruption strategies. The emphasis o f the majority of these strategies has been on curbing the financial impropriety, misappropriation a d embezzlement of funds that are blamed for the non-performance of sectors of the national economies and the policy and social service delivery failures of the governments of these devel oping nations. This paper adopts a distinct entry point that reflects a digression from the age-long perspectives of accountability and the plugging of loopholes through institutional mechanisms as st rategies for curtailing the scourge of corruption. The paper is also a d...
Review of Public Administration and Management
Federalism was adopted for Nigeria to effectively manage her multi-nationalities through negotiat... more Federalism was adopted for Nigeria to effectively manage her multi-nationalities through negotiations and compromises on issues of political and national importance. As a system of government, it allows for the existence, side by side, of a myriad of groups differentiated by culture, history, norms and so forth and necessitates forging a common identity unclouded by ethnic cleavages as a prelude to national growth and development. The paper traces the evolution of Nigeria's federalism through the colonial and post-colonial era to examine the influence of governance or the lack of it over the nation-building processes in Nigeria. This is imperative if the threats to her social, political and economic development posed by problematic nuances including power sharing, ethnicity and religion must be effectively addressed. These have defined Nigeria's history, dotted her sociopolitical landscape, threatened her stability and existence as a federation and defied solutions by her successive military and civilian governments. For Nigeria, a developing country with unique federal characteristics, this paper proposes measures of remediation and social integration deriving from Rokkan's nation-building model. The model is deemed appropriate in view of its procedural qualities through which interest articulation and harmonization can eventually be achieved. The measures, if adopted, will offer a leeway for ensuring more beneficial intergovernmental relations, boost the practice of federalism and improve the tangibility of governmental functions, output and the value of public service delivery to her citizenry.
African Research Review
The study investigated public perception of the judiciary as a fair plank of justice system in Ni... more The study investigated public perception of the judiciary as a fair plank of justice system in Nigeria democracy based on an analysis of the Enugu State Judiciary. Two hundred and sixteen (216) residents of Enugu State from 9 local government areas participated in the study. Participants comprised males and females categorized into 5 social groups - top civil servants above grade level 12, political office holders in the local government and the capital city; petti traders, the unemployed and the underemployed youths. Participants’ age ranged between 25 and 55 years with a mean age of 33.72 years. Data collection was aided by use of Judicial Perception Questionnaire (JPQ) developed by the researchers.Data analysis using two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) indicate significant influence of political class on perception of judiciary as a fair plank of justice system in Nigeria, F(1,212) = 8.15, p
Developing Countries Studies, 2018
One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the c... more One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the candle lights that lead and provide guidance to the majority of the electorate when general elections are imminent. Through their manifestos, they raise national consciousness by shedding more light on the activities and plans of the incumbent or incoming governments. Despite the performance of these functions by political parties in Nigeria, democratic governance over the years has reflected a divergence from the promises made to the electorate while mirroring the deeply ingrained partisan voter alignment that asserts the interests and dominance of the 'few' to the detriment of those of the majority. The propositions of the elite theory and the dominant-ideology and sociological models provide the basis on which the renegation of campaign promises by the elected individuals thrives. The paper reiterates the calls for professional political education to improve the status quo. The processes focusing on voter de-alignment and realignment should engage the electorate through (re)socialization mechanisms that enhance their capacities for the in-depth evaluation of politics and related issues. Further, they should reposition the electorate on the requisite pedestal which on one hand affords effective political exchange, interactions and renegotiations for their future and on the other, does not relegate them. The recommendations of the paper include political counseling proposals for empowering the electorate with modalities for redefining and reestablishing beneficial relationships with their political leaders. The proper implementation of these strategies is expected to elicit tangible political sensitization, value-reorientation of the electorate and a redesign of Nigeria's political landscape that will culminate in the achievement of political-cum-socioeconomic growth and development. Introduction Formal or informal education resonates in all facets of human endeavour and is the bedrock upon which human behaviour is developed. Putnam (quoted in Campbell, 2006) observes: 'Education is one of the most important predictors-usually, in fact, the most important predictor-of many forms of social participation-from voting to associational membership, to chairing a local committee, to hosting a dinner party, to giving blood…' The essence of education of any kind-political education inclusive-is to ensure a degree of behavior modification that determines a relationship between attitudes, behavioral intentions and behavior (Dekker, 1991). Political education as with socialization, is influenced by the family, media, school, religious and peer groups, workplace relationships, and so forth. Pandey and Kumar, (1977) hold that political education is a process whereby people learn several matters including how to socialize within political culture, how to think and act on politics and government, how to adapt to the political process, how to shape political systems and how to make decisions. Dag, Sozer & Sel (2015) describe political education as a process through which citizens internalize the set of values of the political system. Pacho (2014) noted that political education enables the sensitization of individuals to their rights, duties and obligations as enshrined in Article 21 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states the rights of individuals to partake in the government of his or her own country directly or through freely elected representatives. What is paramount in the positions of these scholars is the notion of political education representing a socialization process through which individuals acquire knowledge about the political happenings around them, about responsibilities attached to rights, and about the formation of appropriate responses towards the different political processes. Political education or socialization therefore implies processes for the development of political beliefs and opinions that influence behavior in social spheres. It combines several factors working together to produce belief systems that ultimately guide the attitudes and actions of stakeholders in the political process. These factors engender, define the trajectories and mould the impressions, outcomes and political makeup of individuals in the political arena.
Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 2020
In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengagement which reflect a retro... more In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengagement which reflect a retrogressed sense of personal responsibility to nationhood owing to perceived corruption. We argue that both the leaders and the led, reinforce these undemocratic behaviors rather than challenge them collectively and individually. Our position therefore is that the participation or non-participation of individuals in Nigerian party politics is a function of moral confusion whereby the individual is unable to decipher right from wrong but depends on real or imagined hunger and or resource-backed signals from others to act. Data collection using Political Participation Scale and Ethical Moral Self Inventory, and data analyses using Pearson Correlation yielded significant negative correlation between ethical moral self and partisan political participation, p< .05. The results were discussed in terms of their relevance in building strong political institutions in Nigeria and Africa in general.
In Nigeria, like in many other African countries, gender relations have remained patriarchal in n... more In Nigeria, like in many other African countries, gender relations have remained patriarchal in nature. The Nigerian society has been suffocated by these stereotypes and gender insensitive customary laws have all engendered violence against women. Many women have been killed, exposed to terminal diseases like the HIVAids virus, sold via trafficking in persons or married off against their wishes, brutalised or maimed for life by their male counterparts. The unfortunate reality is that most of the culprits always get away with the crimes, because, those polices formulated for the protection of these women have no inbuilt stringent punitive measures/sanctions to bring them to justice. Other societal issues like stigmatisation also keep the victims away from justice. This study is an attempt to evaluate the many dimensions of sex-based violence in Nigeria, using secondary data. Those data revealed that the menaces have continued to escalate because the policies and institutions established to curb this evil are riddled with distortions and inconsistencies that made their application almost impossible. The polices are vague, and the system lack the political backing to enforce compliance. In the light of these, some recommendations were made towards ameliorating the situation. INTRODUCTION Sex-based violence is a worldwide problem that cuts across cultures, class, ethnicity and age. Globally, it is estimated that over 50% of women have experienced domestic violence and this is more pronounced in Africa (Dienye and Gbeneol, 2008). Like other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, sex-based violence is a problem in Nigeria, probably due to the structures of domination and exploitation often peddled through the concept of patriarchy (Ani, 2012). Women are faced daily with the challenge of sex-based violence which is a rampant thing in Nigeria today. According to Nwanaju (2010), Nigeria is one such country where international human rights instruments have yet to be incorporated into domestic laws effectively. The LSG(2011) noted that Nigeria has well equipped policy frameworks to tackle issues bordering on gender equality and social inclusion. The country is a signatory to a number of key global and regional instruments. Equally importantly, Nigeria's National Gender Policy (2006) was agreed and adopted by all states in Nigeria to promote gender equality and inclusiveness in the national development process.
Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions ... more Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions in which they have to work and are still expected to perform maximally. The purposes of the research are the evaluation of the general work environment of the Nigerian worker and the determination of the extent to which it contributes to worker apathy and the dearth of productivity in the public sector. To do this, the methodology involved the use of both the primary and secondary data sources which entailed both participant observation and the use of documentations on related matters. It utilized the experiences of other developing nations at reorienting their workers and improving their output through innovative governance by implementing remedies derivable from and reflective of the characteristics of the work environments in their public sectors as a template for analyzing and developing remedies for the Nigerian case. These, alongside the tenets of good governance, formed the basis of the suggested remedies for adaptation to the Nigerian instance to ensure positive changes in the work environment and by extension, the optimal productivity of the workers __________________________________________________________________________________________
Indeed a tree cannot make a forest. My beloved husband, I love you for always. I greatly apprecia... more Indeed a tree cannot make a forest. My beloved husband, I love you for always. I greatly appreciate my children-Emem-obong, Edidiong, Enobong, Ekikere-obong and Akwamfon-for their understanding and support. Emem and Edidiong, thank you because you always say, 'Mummy Na, you can'. My mother and my siblings-Nanpon, Nanle and Nanre for their 'cover', I thank you for filling in the blank spaces and for going the extra mile especially when I had to be away from home even at short notice. My mother in-law, thank you for your 'word in season' and to my sisters and brother in-law, I appreciate your support.
The Nigerian political leadership had been unstable and underdeveloped since independence in 1960... more The Nigerian political leadership had been unstable and underdeveloped since independence in 1960. This is evident in the history of coups and counter coups that were results of a seemly failed leadership at the formative years of self-governance. Achebe (1983) boldly pointed out that leadership is the problem with Nigeria. In addition, many scholars blame this political instability and underdevelopment on corruption and misappropriation of public funds, thus, pointing to persistent cases of corruption at the top. Others opined that the political actors seem to have been psychologically withdrawn from the political system, and therefore felt less need to fight for the collective interest of all Nigerians. We contend that at the root of these leadership crises, instability and underdevelopment is a self that has given up its autonomy, thus, playing the role of “agent” to the system of corruption as implied in the agency theory of obedience and the groupthink model. These theories sug...
Developing Country Studies, 2018
One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the c... more One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the candle lights that lead and provide guidance to the majority of the electorate when general elections are imminent. Through their manifestos, they raise national consciousness by shedding more light on the activities and plans of the incumbent or in-coming governments. Despite the performance of these functions by political parties in Nigeria, democratic governance over the years has reflected a divergence from the promises made to the electorate while mirroring the deeply ingrained partisan voter alignment that asserts the interests and dominance of the ‘few’ to the detriment of those of the majority. The propositions of the elite theory and the dominant-ideology and sociological models provide the basis on which the renegation of campaign promises by the elected individuals thrives. The paper reiterates the calls for professional political education to improve the status quo . The proce...
PanAfrican Journal of Governance and Development (PJGD)
Successive governments in Nigeria have failed to curtail the downward spiral of the sectors of he... more Successive governments in Nigeria have failed to curtail the downward spiral of the sectors of her economy. The deepening socio-economic and political crises are assessed as occasioned by the dysfunctionality of the arms of government that jeopardizes essential service delivery to the detriment of the polity at whose behest they occupy the public offices. Despite the changes and institution of new administrative leadership through democratic processes, the quality of governance continues to dwindle. Poor policy formulation, implementing non-target-specific measures to deal with the malaises bedeviling the economy, and/or outright government inaction define the practical realities of Nigeria’s sociopolitical landscape. These plausible facts have driven wedges between the elected representatives in government and the polity who bear the brunt of the leadership failures in all spheres. The study determined whether a contagion effect birthed by non-administrative criteria underlies the ...
Developing Country Studies, 2018
One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the c... more One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the candle lights that lead and provide guidance to the majority of the electorate when general elections are imminent. Through their manifestos, they raise national consciousness by shedding more light on the activities and plans of the incumbent or in-coming governments. Despite the performance of these functions by political parties in Nigeria, democratic governance over the years has reflected a divergence from the promises made to the electorate while mirroring the deeply ingrained partisan voter alignment that asserts the interests and dominance of the ‘few’ to the detriment of those of the majority. The propositions of the elite theory and the dominant-ideology and sociological models provide the basis on which the renegation of campaign promises by the elected individuals thrives. The paper reiterates the calls for professional political education to improve the status quo . The proce...
Humanities and social sciences, 2020
Original Research Article In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengage... more Original Research Article In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengagement which reflect a retrogressed sense of personal responsibility to nationhood owing to perceived corruption. We argue that both the leaders and the led, reinforce these undemocratic behaviors rather than challenge them collectively and individually. Our position therefore is that the participation or non-participation of individuals in Nigerian party politics is a function of moral confusion whereby the individual is unable to decipher right from wrong but depends on real or imagined hunger and or resource-backed signals from others to act. Data collection using Political Participation Scale and Ethical Moral Self Inventory, and data analyses using Pearson Correlation yielded significant negative correlation between ethical moral self and partisan political participation, p< .05. The results were discussed in terms of their relevance in building strong political institutions in Nig...
Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions ... more Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions in which they have to work and are still expected to perform maximally. The purposes of the research are the evaluation of the general work environment of the Nigerian worker and the determination of the extent to which it contributes to worker apathy and the dearth of productivity in the public sector. To do this, the methodology involved the use of both the primary and secondary data sources which entailed both participant observation and the use of documentations on related matters. It utilized the experiences of other developing nations at reorienting their workers and improving their output through innovative governance by implementing remedies derivable from and reflective of the characteristics of the work environments in their public sectors as a template for analyzing and developing remedies for the Nigerian case. These, alongside the tenets of good governance, formed the basis of the suggested remedies for adaptation to the Nigerian instance to ensure positive changes in the work environment and by extension, the optimal productivity of the workers.
Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2015
Nigeria is battling its worst level of insecurity since the civil war which ended in 1970. The ne... more Nigeria is battling its worst level of insecurity since the civil war which ended in 1970. The need to reform and reposition the Nigeria Police Force has been topical in debates to improve security in the country. In fact, several high-powered committees have been set up and dozens of reports churned out on this subject. These efforts have been geared towards developing a formidable police force that will perform its constitutional duties of maintaining law and order and securing the lives and properties of all Nigerians. However, results have shown that the efforts of government have not delivered the desired results. The objective of this study therefore was to highlight the urgency in the need to establish a state police that will be capable of tackling the current challenge of gross insecurity in Nigeria. The study relied on secondary data in evaluating the feasibility of state policing in Nigeria. The analysis centred on variables like the reorientation of the force, insufficient budgetary allocation and judicious use of security vote, the practice of true federalism, the creation of employment opportunities and so on, in drawing its conclusions. Findings revealed that the current centralised system of administering the police force may not be tenable in adequately curbing the menace of insecurity in Nigeria. Recommendations proffered include the need to decentralize the police force forthwith. It is expected that the adoption and implementation of this among other suggested strategies will boost the operative capacity of the Nigerian Police Force to effectively carry out its designated roles and bring the mounting insecurity in the country under control. It is hoped that the results from this study will encourage Nigerian policy makers in formulating the right policies for national security. Besides, the results from this study will be useful to other researchers and students of public policy.
Elections and Electoral Violence in Nigeria, 2021
Insecurity stemming from varying acts of violence by men against their fellow humans has been on ... more Insecurity stemming from varying acts of violence by men against their fellow humans has been on a steady rise in Nigeria. Most of these violent crimes are perpetrated by youth who constitute one of the vulnerable groups in society and are those on whom our posterity is expected to depend. Sadly, some of the fodder on which this violence thrives is provided by the failures on the part of stakeholders like the family, civil society, lawmakers and the government or its law enforcement agencies to undertake measures to effectively stem the tide. The paper attempts to provide a framework for analyzing and tackling youth engagement in violence and criminal activities. The framework derives from an overview of the prevalent types of violence within the Nigerian society and the mechanisms for nipping them in the bud based on the postulations of the violence prevention perspectives. Data for this paper were derived from primary and secondary sources. Furthermore, the paper proffered recomme...
African Journal of Gender, Society and Development (formerly Journal of Gender, Information and Development in Africa)
Debates about women’s rights and the challenges of social exclusivity, gender inequality and huma... more Debates about women’s rights and the challenges of social exclusivity, gender inequality and human insecurity, are front-burner issues in discourses on the sociopolitical and socioeconomic landscapes in Nigeria. Despite constituting about fifty percent (50%) of the population of most modern societies, women are traditionally shortchanged at negotiation tables. This premise is fundamental to evaluating the threats posed to viable debates on the rights of women as ‘minority’ groups in society. Unfortunately, the church under the influence of the socio-culture, inadvertently establishes their pared positions through the misinterpretation of some doctrinal bases of Christianity, which allow rationality give way to ‘more superior’ extrapolations that hamper in-depth introspections on reasons for biblical positions and consequences of actions. Riggs’ fused-prismatic-diffracted model of society describes the processes capable of sustaining this dire situation as embedded in ‘non-administra...
The quest for positive transformation at all levels of human existence whether individual, corpor... more The quest for positive transformation at all levels of human existence whether individual, corporate, societal or national is endless. This quest also reflects the needs of the public who are the customers of the government, the scarce resources available to satisfy these needs and the role of the leadership in determining what ends to pursue to ensure service delivery and customer satisfaction for posterity sake. Doing this entails the evaluation of the desired outcomes in the light of the situations at hand, the formulation of relevant policies based on available alternatives, human and material resources and a commitment to human and environmental sustainability. These bring to the fore, issues relating to the administrative behaviour of policy makers with regard to their actions or inactions as determined by the value systems or premises and idiosyncrasies they choose to uphold. The theoretical base of the paper is derived from aspects of Herbert Simon’s decision making theory a...
Corruption has attained an unmatched recognition as an undeniable culprit in the failure of natio... more Corruption has attained an unmatched recognition as an undeniable culprit in the failure of national developmental goals and strategies in t he least developed countries (LDCs). This truth is made more palpable by the realities of infrastru ctural and institutional decay that characterize the socio-economic and political landscapes of the region and hamper the effectiveness of its numerous anti-corruption strategies. The emphasis o f the majority of these strategies has been on curbing the financial impropriety, misappropriation a d embezzlement of funds that are blamed for the non-performance of sectors of the national economies and the policy and social service delivery failures of the governments of these devel oping nations. This paper adopts a distinct entry point that reflects a digression from the age-long perspectives of accountability and the plugging of loopholes through institutional mechanisms as st rategies for curtailing the scourge of corruption. The paper is also a d...
Review of Public Administration and Management
Federalism was adopted for Nigeria to effectively manage her multi-nationalities through negotiat... more Federalism was adopted for Nigeria to effectively manage her multi-nationalities through negotiations and compromises on issues of political and national importance. As a system of government, it allows for the existence, side by side, of a myriad of groups differentiated by culture, history, norms and so forth and necessitates forging a common identity unclouded by ethnic cleavages as a prelude to national growth and development. The paper traces the evolution of Nigeria's federalism through the colonial and post-colonial era to examine the influence of governance or the lack of it over the nation-building processes in Nigeria. This is imperative if the threats to her social, political and economic development posed by problematic nuances including power sharing, ethnicity and religion must be effectively addressed. These have defined Nigeria's history, dotted her sociopolitical landscape, threatened her stability and existence as a federation and defied solutions by her successive military and civilian governments. For Nigeria, a developing country with unique federal characteristics, this paper proposes measures of remediation and social integration deriving from Rokkan's nation-building model. The model is deemed appropriate in view of its procedural qualities through which interest articulation and harmonization can eventually be achieved. The measures, if adopted, will offer a leeway for ensuring more beneficial intergovernmental relations, boost the practice of federalism and improve the tangibility of governmental functions, output and the value of public service delivery to her citizenry.
African Research Review
The study investigated public perception of the judiciary as a fair plank of justice system in Ni... more The study investigated public perception of the judiciary as a fair plank of justice system in Nigeria democracy based on an analysis of the Enugu State Judiciary. Two hundred and sixteen (216) residents of Enugu State from 9 local government areas participated in the study. Participants comprised males and females categorized into 5 social groups - top civil servants above grade level 12, political office holders in the local government and the capital city; petti traders, the unemployed and the underemployed youths. Participants’ age ranged between 25 and 55 years with a mean age of 33.72 years. Data collection was aided by use of Judicial Perception Questionnaire (JPQ) developed by the researchers.Data analysis using two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) indicate significant influence of political class on perception of judiciary as a fair plank of justice system in Nigeria, F(1,212) = 8.15, p
Developing Countries Studies, 2018
One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the c... more One of the organs of political education is the political party. Political parties are also the candle lights that lead and provide guidance to the majority of the electorate when general elections are imminent. Through their manifestos, they raise national consciousness by shedding more light on the activities and plans of the incumbent or incoming governments. Despite the performance of these functions by political parties in Nigeria, democratic governance over the years has reflected a divergence from the promises made to the electorate while mirroring the deeply ingrained partisan voter alignment that asserts the interests and dominance of the 'few' to the detriment of those of the majority. The propositions of the elite theory and the dominant-ideology and sociological models provide the basis on which the renegation of campaign promises by the elected individuals thrives. The paper reiterates the calls for professional political education to improve the status quo. The processes focusing on voter de-alignment and realignment should engage the electorate through (re)socialization mechanisms that enhance their capacities for the in-depth evaluation of politics and related issues. Further, they should reposition the electorate on the requisite pedestal which on one hand affords effective political exchange, interactions and renegotiations for their future and on the other, does not relegate them. The recommendations of the paper include political counseling proposals for empowering the electorate with modalities for redefining and reestablishing beneficial relationships with their political leaders. The proper implementation of these strategies is expected to elicit tangible political sensitization, value-reorientation of the electorate and a redesign of Nigeria's political landscape that will culminate in the achievement of political-cum-socioeconomic growth and development. Introduction Formal or informal education resonates in all facets of human endeavour and is the bedrock upon which human behaviour is developed. Putnam (quoted in Campbell, 2006) observes: 'Education is one of the most important predictors-usually, in fact, the most important predictor-of many forms of social participation-from voting to associational membership, to chairing a local committee, to hosting a dinner party, to giving blood…' The essence of education of any kind-political education inclusive-is to ensure a degree of behavior modification that determines a relationship between attitudes, behavioral intentions and behavior (Dekker, 1991). Political education as with socialization, is influenced by the family, media, school, religious and peer groups, workplace relationships, and so forth. Pandey and Kumar, (1977) hold that political education is a process whereby people learn several matters including how to socialize within political culture, how to think and act on politics and government, how to adapt to the political process, how to shape political systems and how to make decisions. Dag, Sozer & Sel (2015) describe political education as a process through which citizens internalize the set of values of the political system. Pacho (2014) noted that political education enables the sensitization of individuals to their rights, duties and obligations as enshrined in Article 21 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states the rights of individuals to partake in the government of his or her own country directly or through freely elected representatives. What is paramount in the positions of these scholars is the notion of political education representing a socialization process through which individuals acquire knowledge about the political happenings around them, about responsibilities attached to rights, and about the formation of appropriate responses towards the different political processes. Political education or socialization therefore implies processes for the development of political beliefs and opinions that influence behavior in social spheres. It combines several factors working together to produce belief systems that ultimately guide the attitudes and actions of stakeholders in the political process. These factors engender, define the trajectories and mould the impressions, outcomes and political makeup of individuals in the political arena.
Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 2020
In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengagement which reflect a retro... more In Nigeria, citizens negate moral values by acts of political disengagement which reflect a retrogressed sense of personal responsibility to nationhood owing to perceived corruption. We argue that both the leaders and the led, reinforce these undemocratic behaviors rather than challenge them collectively and individually. Our position therefore is that the participation or non-participation of individuals in Nigerian party politics is a function of moral confusion whereby the individual is unable to decipher right from wrong but depends on real or imagined hunger and or resource-backed signals from others to act. Data collection using Political Participation Scale and Ethical Moral Self Inventory, and data analyses using Pearson Correlation yielded significant negative correlation between ethical moral self and partisan political participation, p< .05. The results were discussed in terms of their relevance in building strong political institutions in Nigeria and Africa in general.
In Nigeria, like in many other African countries, gender relations have remained patriarchal in n... more In Nigeria, like in many other African countries, gender relations have remained patriarchal in nature. The Nigerian society has been suffocated by these stereotypes and gender insensitive customary laws have all engendered violence against women. Many women have been killed, exposed to terminal diseases like the HIVAids virus, sold via trafficking in persons or married off against their wishes, brutalised or maimed for life by their male counterparts. The unfortunate reality is that most of the culprits always get away with the crimes, because, those polices formulated for the protection of these women have no inbuilt stringent punitive measures/sanctions to bring them to justice. Other societal issues like stigmatisation also keep the victims away from justice. This study is an attempt to evaluate the many dimensions of sex-based violence in Nigeria, using secondary data. Those data revealed that the menaces have continued to escalate because the policies and institutions established to curb this evil are riddled with distortions and inconsistencies that made their application almost impossible. The polices are vague, and the system lack the political backing to enforce compliance. In the light of these, some recommendations were made towards ameliorating the situation. INTRODUCTION Sex-based violence is a worldwide problem that cuts across cultures, class, ethnicity and age. Globally, it is estimated that over 50% of women have experienced domestic violence and this is more pronounced in Africa (Dienye and Gbeneol, 2008). Like other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, sex-based violence is a problem in Nigeria, probably due to the structures of domination and exploitation often peddled through the concept of patriarchy (Ani, 2012). Women are faced daily with the challenge of sex-based violence which is a rampant thing in Nigeria today. According to Nwanaju (2010), Nigeria is one such country where international human rights instruments have yet to be incorporated into domestic laws effectively. The LSG(2011) noted that Nigeria has well equipped policy frameworks to tackle issues bordering on gender equality and social inclusion. The country is a signatory to a number of key global and regional instruments. Equally importantly, Nigeria's National Gender Policy (2006) was agreed and adopted by all states in Nigeria to promote gender equality and inclusiveness in the national development process.
Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions ... more Public sector workers in Nigeria appear to have been dealt a raw deal in terms of the conditions in which they have to work and are still expected to perform maximally. The purposes of the research are the evaluation of the general work environment of the Nigerian worker and the determination of the extent to which it contributes to worker apathy and the dearth of productivity in the public sector. To do this, the methodology involved the use of both the primary and secondary data sources which entailed both participant observation and the use of documentations on related matters. It utilized the experiences of other developing nations at reorienting their workers and improving their output through innovative governance by implementing remedies derivable from and reflective of the characteristics of the work environments in their public sectors as a template for analyzing and developing remedies for the Nigerian case. These, alongside the tenets of good governance, formed the basis of the suggested remedies for adaptation to the Nigerian instance to ensure positive changes in the work environment and by extension, the optimal productivity of the workers __________________________________________________________________________________________