Steel development as a panacea for a nation socio-economic development cannot be overemphasised as steel is the bedrock of industrialization. Arising from this understanding, most developed nations of the world harnessed their steel potentials deploying government apparatus to achieve its goal. This paper therefore examines the role of governments in furthering steel production for national development using China and India as case studies.
Read MoreNortheastern Nigeria has been at the centre stage of violent conflicts between the deadly Boko Haram sect and the Nigerian government. Many people have lost their homes, means of livelihood and lives as a result of this conflict. The Nigerian security forces have been instrumental in combating the heinous activities of this sect. The massive onslaught carried out against the activities of Boko Haram members in recent times has made some of them to surrender their weapons while some of them have been arrested and detained in various prisons across the country. The paper argues that in as much as the de-radicalisation efforts of operation safe corridor have yielded some positive fruits,
Read MoreWritten sources are part of various other sources that make up for what historians use in the reconstruction of history. The art of writing on its part is a civilization that developed at different times in different societies. Societies that developed the art of writing early enough committed most of their history to writing while those that did not develop such craft early, committed theirs to memory. In the reconstruction of history, historians make use of all sources available, as no single source is immune to human manipulation, consciously or unconsciously. The coming of the Europeans with their colonial rule was not the beginning of the history of Africa, for they claim to have introduced the art of reducing the history of Africa to writing. The Egyptians had for a long time developed the art of writing known as hieroglyphs, which contributed immensely to the knowledge of their past as well as some other societies they met.
Read MoreCultural festivals are important historical activity that involves various activities showcasing several aspects of people’s living, they are not only a part of life, but also have fundamental impacts on the behaviour, traditions and histories of the people. Using existing oral tradition, and secondary data analysis, the paper discusses the importance of traditional festival and the need to historically study existing traditional festivals such as the Ijakadi festival of the Offa people, by looking at brief origin of the people, the geographical location and the emergence of the festival, using written and oral
Read MoreThis article is intended to generate arguments to legitimise and rationalise international peace operations. Although some writers have discounted the usefulness of peace operations in mitigating international conflicts and the accompanying complex emergencies, the paper argues that ‘international intervention’ still represents a core instrument in the resolution of international conflicts. The justification for international peace operations is built on a number of compelling grounds, which include military cum strategic, political, humanitarian and economic. In conclusion, the paper points out that the values or benefits of international peace operations overbalance the possible objections or contradictions about them; without discounting the need to erect structures and regimes that will enhance peace operations and address the misgivings surrounding them. The paper relied principally on the secondary sources of data and thematic analysis.
Read MoreSince the inception of Museum in Nigeria from about 1945, Museums have been in the form of physical buildings where people visits for research, excursions and recreations. However, the introduction of the internet and the breakthrough in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the 21st century permeated all spheres and sectors of the society
Read MoreThe West African region is undeniablya strategic and important Sub-region in Africa. However, it has become one of the most volatile regions in Africa today. Amidst these challenges emerged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975 with the laudable goal of economic integration. However, the economic integration efforts of ECOWAS have been challenged by new global dynamics and regional challenges. Since integration requires an organisation of socio-economic activities on a much larger scale, the study finds out that trans-border crimesremain a fundamental challenge to the regional multilateral economic paradigm. Trans-border crimes prevalent in the West Africa region include the smuggling of small arms and light weapons, armed robbery, money laundering, smuggling of contraband goods and commodities, human trafficking, trans-border terrorism and insurgencies, and drug trafficking. The study argues that the proliferation of trans-border crimes has posed a significant challenge to integration agendas such as Free Trade Area, Free movement, Customs Union, Monetary Union, and economic integration. The study, using historical methodology relies on content analysis of secondary data, sourced from peer-reviewed journals, books, and official publications of ECOWAS and other relevant multilateral institutions.The study finds out that trans-border crimes have contributed to the challenges facing the regional integration agenda in West Africa. Given the above findings, concludes the need for a joint collaborative multi-stakeholder approach to tackling these crimes which will help in deepening regional integration.
Read MoreBoko Haram, an extremist Islamic sect which transformed into a terrorist group, has been an albatross on the peace and development of the North-Eastern States and Nigeria at large since its emergence. The menace of this sect has negatively impacted on the local farmers and businessmen as a whole. This act no doubt has caused severe hardship for the law enforcement agencies that toiled day and night to curtail their activities and restored peace to the affected parts. Although Bornu in the North-East is the epicentre of the insurgency, its effects have reverberated through the entire country with negative impact on the lives of both Christians and Muslims. The invisibility of the sect has raised fundamental questions not only about the national security, but also on the sincerity of government in tackling the sect. Hence, the solution proffered to the devastating effects of these inhuman activities of Boko Haram by the affected
Read MoreSeveral articles and books have been written on the Buhari/Idiagbon’s military regime. However, these articles have not directly hinged on the economic policies of the administration. It is this missing link that prompted the intervention of this study. With the use of secondary data from diverse academic disciplines, the study traces the pedigrees of the two administrators emphasizing their career. It thereafter, assesses the administration’s economic policies. The study argues that those policies were solely aimed at protecting and growing the local economy of Nigeria. The paper evaluates those policies ranging from labour force, external reserves, fiscal discipline, River Basin Authorities (RBA), and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), among others. In evaluating the aforementioned policies, their strengths and
Read MoreAN ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRADICTIONS OF PEACE OPERATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Jude K. Cocodia Department of Political Science, Niger Delta University, Nigeria and Department of Political Studies and Governance, University of the Free State, South Africa Email: jcocodia41@gmail.com Abstract Authors are of different views on what the aims of peace operations really are. One group…
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