Alubabari Desmond Nbete | University of Port Harcourt (original) (raw)
Papers by Alubabari Desmond Nbete
AFRREV IJAH: An International Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2020
The Nigerian state is deeply polarised along ethnic and religious contours, with a widening gulf ... more The Nigerian state is deeply polarised along ethnic and religious contours, with a widening gulf between the poor masses and the rich few, which reflects the culpability of the ruling elite. However, the actual character of the class struggle is often blurred by the politicization of ethno-cultural and religious differences in a manner that undermines political order and national unity. Ethnicity and religion are thus usedby the political class to manipulate the citizens' consciousness of their ethno-cultural and religious identities to serve the masked parochial class interests. This has made the political arena very volatile and conflict-laden. Stemming the tide of this incessant clash of values and violent ethno-religious conflicts requires a creative adaptation of multiculturalism and secularism. This paper defended a sophisticated understanding of state in the globalization era, which includes citizens' appreciation of their cultural differences, mediated by consciousne...
In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that "the state is the actua... more In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that "the state is the actuality of concrete freedom." The logical import of that assertion is that individuals lack concrete freedom outside the civil state. It further implies that the state, for all practical purposes, is meant to protect the freedom of its individual members. All states can thus be understood to be the product of a compact or covenant and the Nigerian state is no exception to this rule. A logical outcome of this contract then is that the citizens of the instituted state must possess an actual freedom which the state is required to protect and preserve at all costs. This paper, therefore, conducts an assessment of the authenticity of freedom as expressed in the Nigerian state, using Kantian political and ethical thought as a guide.
Kiabàrà: Journal of the Humanities, 2012
In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that “the state is the actua... more In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that “the state is the actuality of concrete freedom.” The logical import of that assertion is that individuals lack concrete freedom outside the civil state. It further implies that the state, for all practical purposes, is meant to protect the freedom of its individual members. All states can thus be understood to be the product of a compact or covenant and the Nigerian state is no exception to this rule. A logical outcome of this contract then is that the citizens of the instituted state must possess an actual freedom which the state is required to protect and preserve at all costs. This paper, therefore, conducts an assessment of the authenticity of freedom as expressed in the Nigerian state, using Kantian political and ethical thought as a guide.
Sophia: An African Journal of Philosophy, 2018
Apart from being the most universal and most supreme social institution, the state is also said t... more Apart from being the most universal and most supreme social institution, the state is also said to be necessary for the realization and fulfillment of the human essence. It follows, therefore, that the state must itself satisfy certain fundamental requirements in line with its ideals, notable among which is to promote the common good of its members. The Nigerian state is characterized by conditions that negate the ideals of a state. This work presents a template of an ideal state. Situating the Nigerian state in its proper historical context and adopting the social contract theory of the state as the dominant theoretical framework, this work examines the origin, nature and character of the Nigerian state. It identifies some fundamental anomalies in the mode of formation, governmental structure and institutional frameworks of the state. It recommends restructuring, social justice and massive democratization of the political space as necessary social conditions for national unity and ...
Journal Of The Linguistic Association Of Nigeria, 2012
Kiabàrà: Journal of the Humanities, 2013
Ogoniland is a geo-cultural rural enclave within the Nigerian state, located in the Niger Delta r... more Ogoniland is a geo-cultural rural enclave within the Nigerian state, located in the Niger Delta region. The discovery and commercial production of mineral oil in the area date back to the mid-1950s. Within a period of about 34 years, some 634 million barrels of oil were produced in the area, yielding an estimated thirty billion dollars in earnings for the Nigerian State. Yet, amidst the crisscrossing network of oil pipelines, depleted land and environment, and for all the wealth it generates for the multinationals and the Nigerian state, Ogoniland remains one of the most underdeveloped regions in Nigeria. The region constitutes a periphery within the emerging Nigeria’s capitalist economy, characterized by a dual class structure with the dominant groups constituting the ruling class and the minorities—the majority of them in the South—as subordinates. Worse still, within the South the Ogonis constitute a minority within minority, as they are further exploited by an internal ruling cl...
The majority of the Nigerian population either live in or depend substantially on the economies o... more The majority of the Nigerian population either live in or depend substantially on the economies of rural communities for their livelihood. Yet, these communities are often neglected. This neglect has led to poverty and underdevelopment, which combined with other factors to ignite various dimensions of social conflict, including intra-community and communal wars, insurgency and terrorism. This paper launches an excursion into the history of a cluster of local communities in the southern part of Tai Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State, Nigeria and their neighbours in other LGAs with the aim of explaining their rise, prosperity and eventual fall. Our study utilizes the political economy approach to investigate the interconnectedness of social psychology, politics, and economics in the analysis of the metaphysics of historical causation. It reveals that in the past, traditional authorities and institutions in the communities were strong, the core values and norms of society were...
The moral evaluation of political power is justifiably a central subject in political philosophy.... more The moral evaluation of political power is justifiably a central subject in political philosophy. In its most important manifestation, political power is found in the state with its laws and government, which are formally and for the most part effectively supreme over all the other rules, institutions, and persons in any society. Political philosophy deals with the criteria for bringing this supreme instrument of political control under moral scrutiny, by subjecting them to moral requirements concerning their sources, limits, and purposes. This paper critically examines Aristotle’s idea of constitutionalism as an alternative model to Plato’s utopianism. It explores the interrelatedness of the concepts of constitution and constitutionalism. It attempts an exposition of Aristotle’s political philosophy with particular attention to his analysis and understanding of the rule of law. Methodologically, this work employs the qualitative research method; it is descriptive and adopts a textu...
The film industry in Nigeria is receiving increasing public patronage, which has led to significa... more The film industry in Nigeria is receiving increasing public patronage, which has led to significant growth and expansion of the industry. This is due largely to awareness of the important role films play in socialization, in promoting national integration and in the advancement of civilizations. This growth and expansion is, however, not without serious challenges. The challenges arise from the lopsided influx of foreign films, which has had only marginal positive impacts, but colossal negative effects on the Nigerian culture, moral architecture, and economy. This is a negative fallout of globalization, with its inherent capitalistic logic that tends to favour the developed economies to the disadvantage of the less developed ones, such as Nigeria. This work is a critical assessment of the hegemonic influence and imperialistic impact of Western films on Nigerian media, culture and economy. It argues that the content and packaging of Western films are essentially designed as a powerfu...
The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies
Communication is an interactive activity. It requires adherence on the part of the communicator t... more Communication is an interactive activity. It requires adherence on the part of the communicator to certain basic rules, and understanding of those rules by the receiver who is further required to analyse the content of the information in line with the same basic rules in order to avoid a communication gap. It is, therefore, misleading to assume that the other person would understand what one intends to say unless one does actually says the correct thing. Although it is always right to apply the right principles and rules in analysing statements and actions, the analysis may yield to error, not of logic but of meaning, if the statements and actions were not predicated on the same rules as those by which they are analysed and interpreted. This work argues that although values and preferences differ among individuals, social classes, cultural groups, and over time, correct reasoning is trans-cultural, and transhistorical. It is based on a universal logic that is available to the human species through critical thinking. Regrettably, many people tend to approach issues with some sort of complacency which forecloses any further inquiries about the object of thought or discourse. Such a presumptuous disposition often leads to dogmatism and to what Francis Bacon disapprovingly regards as contentious learning, both of which are dangerous to learning. Often times, confused meaning, inadequate evidence, or self-contradictory beliefs lurk beneath smooth but largely empty rhetoric. This tendency has brought us to "the watershed of our cognition crisis" (Nkanginieme, 2005, p. 5). Hence, it becomes necessary that we seek to establish evidence by closely examining the logic of our reasoning and assumptions, analyzing basic concepts and considering the implications of our assertions and actions. This study establishes the strategic and important role which critical thinking plays in enhancing effective learning and communication.
AFRREV IJAH: An International Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2020
The Nigerian state is deeply polarised along ethnic and religious contours, with a widening gulf ... more The Nigerian state is deeply polarised along ethnic and religious contours, with a widening gulf between the poor masses and the rich few, which reflects the culpability of the ruling elite. However, the actual character of the class struggle is often blurred by the politicization of ethno-cultural and religious differences in a manner that undermines political order and national unity. Ethnicity and religion are thus usedby the political class to manipulate the citizens' consciousness of their ethno-cultural and religious identities to serve the masked parochial class interests. This has made the political arena very volatile and conflict-laden. Stemming the tide of this incessant clash of values and violent ethno-religious conflicts requires a creative adaptation of multiculturalism and secularism. This paper defended a sophisticated understanding of state in the globalization era, which includes citizens' appreciation of their cultural differences, mediated by consciousne...
In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that "the state is the actua... more In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that "the state is the actuality of concrete freedom." The logical import of that assertion is that individuals lack concrete freedom outside the civil state. It further implies that the state, for all practical purposes, is meant to protect the freedom of its individual members. All states can thus be understood to be the product of a compact or covenant and the Nigerian state is no exception to this rule. A logical outcome of this contract then is that the citizens of the instituted state must possess an actual freedom which the state is required to protect and preserve at all costs. This paper, therefore, conducts an assessment of the authenticity of freedom as expressed in the Nigerian state, using Kantian political and ethical thought as a guide.
Kiabàrà: Journal of the Humanities, 2012
In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that “the state is the actua... more In the 19th century, G. W. F. Hegel in his Philosophy of Right wrote that “the state is the actuality of concrete freedom.” The logical import of that assertion is that individuals lack concrete freedom outside the civil state. It further implies that the state, for all practical purposes, is meant to protect the freedom of its individual members. All states can thus be understood to be the product of a compact or covenant and the Nigerian state is no exception to this rule. A logical outcome of this contract then is that the citizens of the instituted state must possess an actual freedom which the state is required to protect and preserve at all costs. This paper, therefore, conducts an assessment of the authenticity of freedom as expressed in the Nigerian state, using Kantian political and ethical thought as a guide.
Sophia: An African Journal of Philosophy, 2018
Apart from being the most universal and most supreme social institution, the state is also said t... more Apart from being the most universal and most supreme social institution, the state is also said to be necessary for the realization and fulfillment of the human essence. It follows, therefore, that the state must itself satisfy certain fundamental requirements in line with its ideals, notable among which is to promote the common good of its members. The Nigerian state is characterized by conditions that negate the ideals of a state. This work presents a template of an ideal state. Situating the Nigerian state in its proper historical context and adopting the social contract theory of the state as the dominant theoretical framework, this work examines the origin, nature and character of the Nigerian state. It identifies some fundamental anomalies in the mode of formation, governmental structure and institutional frameworks of the state. It recommends restructuring, social justice and massive democratization of the political space as necessary social conditions for national unity and ...
Journal Of The Linguistic Association Of Nigeria, 2012
Kiabàrà: Journal of the Humanities, 2013
Ogoniland is a geo-cultural rural enclave within the Nigerian state, located in the Niger Delta r... more Ogoniland is a geo-cultural rural enclave within the Nigerian state, located in the Niger Delta region. The discovery and commercial production of mineral oil in the area date back to the mid-1950s. Within a period of about 34 years, some 634 million barrels of oil were produced in the area, yielding an estimated thirty billion dollars in earnings for the Nigerian State. Yet, amidst the crisscrossing network of oil pipelines, depleted land and environment, and for all the wealth it generates for the multinationals and the Nigerian state, Ogoniland remains one of the most underdeveloped regions in Nigeria. The region constitutes a periphery within the emerging Nigeria’s capitalist economy, characterized by a dual class structure with the dominant groups constituting the ruling class and the minorities—the majority of them in the South—as subordinates. Worse still, within the South the Ogonis constitute a minority within minority, as they are further exploited by an internal ruling cl...
The majority of the Nigerian population either live in or depend substantially on the economies o... more The majority of the Nigerian population either live in or depend substantially on the economies of rural communities for their livelihood. Yet, these communities are often neglected. This neglect has led to poverty and underdevelopment, which combined with other factors to ignite various dimensions of social conflict, including intra-community and communal wars, insurgency and terrorism. This paper launches an excursion into the history of a cluster of local communities in the southern part of Tai Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State, Nigeria and their neighbours in other LGAs with the aim of explaining their rise, prosperity and eventual fall. Our study utilizes the political economy approach to investigate the interconnectedness of social psychology, politics, and economics in the analysis of the metaphysics of historical causation. It reveals that in the past, traditional authorities and institutions in the communities were strong, the core values and norms of society were...
The moral evaluation of political power is justifiably a central subject in political philosophy.... more The moral evaluation of political power is justifiably a central subject in political philosophy. In its most important manifestation, political power is found in the state with its laws and government, which are formally and for the most part effectively supreme over all the other rules, institutions, and persons in any society. Political philosophy deals with the criteria for bringing this supreme instrument of political control under moral scrutiny, by subjecting them to moral requirements concerning their sources, limits, and purposes. This paper critically examines Aristotle’s idea of constitutionalism as an alternative model to Plato’s utopianism. It explores the interrelatedness of the concepts of constitution and constitutionalism. It attempts an exposition of Aristotle’s political philosophy with particular attention to his analysis and understanding of the rule of law. Methodologically, this work employs the qualitative research method; it is descriptive and adopts a textu...
The film industry in Nigeria is receiving increasing public patronage, which has led to significa... more The film industry in Nigeria is receiving increasing public patronage, which has led to significant growth and expansion of the industry. This is due largely to awareness of the important role films play in socialization, in promoting national integration and in the advancement of civilizations. This growth and expansion is, however, not without serious challenges. The challenges arise from the lopsided influx of foreign films, which has had only marginal positive impacts, but colossal negative effects on the Nigerian culture, moral architecture, and economy. This is a negative fallout of globalization, with its inherent capitalistic logic that tends to favour the developed economies to the disadvantage of the less developed ones, such as Nigeria. This work is a critical assessment of the hegemonic influence and imperialistic impact of Western films on Nigerian media, culture and economy. It argues that the content and packaging of Western films are essentially designed as a powerfu...
The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies
Communication is an interactive activity. It requires adherence on the part of the communicator t... more Communication is an interactive activity. It requires adherence on the part of the communicator to certain basic rules, and understanding of those rules by the receiver who is further required to analyse the content of the information in line with the same basic rules in order to avoid a communication gap. It is, therefore, misleading to assume that the other person would understand what one intends to say unless one does actually says the correct thing. Although it is always right to apply the right principles and rules in analysing statements and actions, the analysis may yield to error, not of logic but of meaning, if the statements and actions were not predicated on the same rules as those by which they are analysed and interpreted. This work argues that although values and preferences differ among individuals, social classes, cultural groups, and over time, correct reasoning is trans-cultural, and transhistorical. It is based on a universal logic that is available to the human species through critical thinking. Regrettably, many people tend to approach issues with some sort of complacency which forecloses any further inquiries about the object of thought or discourse. Such a presumptuous disposition often leads to dogmatism and to what Francis Bacon disapprovingly regards as contentious learning, both of which are dangerous to learning. Often times, confused meaning, inadequate evidence, or self-contradictory beliefs lurk beneath smooth but largely empty rhetoric. This tendency has brought us to "the watershed of our cognition crisis" (Nkanginieme, 2005, p. 5). Hence, it becomes necessary that we seek to establish evidence by closely examining the logic of our reasoning and assumptions, analyzing basic concepts and considering the implications of our assertions and actions. This study establishes the strategic and important role which critical thinking plays in enhancing effective learning and communication.