DOCSLIB.ORG

UNITED NATIONS REFORMS in This Issue: a Colloquium at NIIA

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
UNITED NATIONS REFORMS in This Issue: a Colloquium at NIIA niianews Newsletter of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Volume 1 No. 3 July - September, 2005 UNITED NATIONS REFORMS In this issue: A Colloquium at NIIA Security, Poverty, Infectious Diseases, - The UN Reforms: A Colloquium (HIV/AIDS), Environmental at NIIA Degradation, Conflict between and within states; Nuclear, Radiological, - Presentations at the Chemical and Biological Weapons, Terrorism, Transnational Organized Colloquium Crime, Use of Force, Peace - Reform of the Security Council Enforcement, Peace-Keeping, Post- Conflict Peace-Building and Protection - Why Nigeria deserves a of Civilians. Permanent Seat in the UN In addition, the Report has a section on how to have a more effective UN for Security Council the twenty-first century. This aspect - Exhibition covers reform proposals on all the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, organs of the UN and its charter. All - Founders' Day President and Commander-in-Chief, members were invited to debate the Federal Republic of Nigeria submission thoroughly so that informed - On-going Book Projects decisions could be made about the Reforms. The UN Reforms Challenges Before the UN he United Nations (UN) has been Colloquium on the United Nations Tand still remains the most important or decades now, there have been AReforms was organized by the platform for nation-states to pursue Fcalls for the reorganization and Institute from the 23rd – 25th June, their foreign policy interests and reform of the UN to make it more 2005. The event, which was meant to objectives. The UN, being a vast global relevant to the needs of its members, sensitize the Nigerian public, organization with functional more effective in facing the many particularly members of the involvement in virtually every challenges confronting it and more open intelligentsia, was sponsored by the important sphere of human endeavour and democratic. Committee on National Awareness on provides enormous benefits and UN Reforms. The well attended event, advantages to its members states now The challenges include the problem of which was chaired by Ambassador numbering 191. The UN has no doubt development and poverty. The UN has Arthur Mbanefo, a former Permanent served as a very effective global stage adopted the Millennium Development Representative to the UN, attracted because it commands the attention of Goals (MDGs) as a guide to its shared participants from the academic and the international community. vision of development and eradication diplomatic communities, the armed of poverty. forces, the corporate world and media The world has gone through organizations. fundamental changes since the UN was formed in 1945. These changes have Among the distinguished participants been even more dramatic in the last were Ambassadors Akporode Clark, few decades. Against this background, Gabriel Olusanya, O. Falola, and Alaba the UN Secretary-General following the Ogunsanwo. Others were Fingap UN Millennium Declaration of 2000, set Njinga, Director, UN Information up the High-Level Panel on Centre, Professors Alele Williams, Threats, Challenges and Change to Charles Alade, Paulina M. Adebusoye, offer informed opinion on the Reform A. Uchegbu, Remi Anifowoshe, and Agenda of the organization. Yomi Akinyeye, Drs. O.B.C. Nwolise, Paul Adogamhe, Franca Attoh, and The Panel submitted its Report titled Rev. Fr. G. Ehusani to mention a few. “A More Secure World: Our Shared Teachers and students of King’s Responsibility” to the UN Secretary- College, Queen’s College, St. General in December, 2004. The Gregory’s College, Holy Child College Report covered a whole range of issues Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, Chairman, which pose challenges for the world all of Lagos, were also in attendance. Committee on National Awareness on body. These include Collective UN Reforms at a Dinner organised by BSG at Eko Le Meridian, Lagos 1 Secretary-General's Vision n the basis of this, the UN OSecretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, prepared a statement under the title, “In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All”. This L-R., Mr. Fingap Njinga, Director UN Information Centre and Prof. U. Joy Ogwu, DG NIIA. General Ike Nwachukwu, Prof. U. Joy provided greater clarity on the way Ogwu, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and a guest. forward for the UN and it was against together all the members of United this background that President Nations. The MDG has set targets in critical Olusegun Obasanjo set up the A third aspect of the Freedoms which the areas including global trade and Committee on National Awareness on UN Reform is being designed to address financial system within the context UN Reforms under the chairmanship of is the “Freedom to live in Dignity”. of liberalization. African countries former Head of State, General This is a declaration of commitment to welcome this and have also Abdulsalam Abubakar. It was this human rights and fundamental freedoms. requested Multilateral Institutions to Committee which sponsored the adapt their policies to be in Colloquium. A total of twenty-two This is a redefinition of the traditional conformity with the objectives of the papers were presented on several human rights protection pursuits of the MDGs. The management and aspects of the UN Reforms. The United Nations. In promoting this resolution of the debt burden of participants generally welcomed the Freedom to live in Dignity, action is many developing countries was UN reform programme. They required in the area of the Rule of Law, another challenge before the UN. expressed the hope that the reforms broad promotion of human rights and would lead to greater involvement and fundamental freedoms and the Human Security in view of the many participation of African states in the promotion of democracy. threats to peace around the world is work of the organization with greater another challenge before the UN. benefits for the cause of African Another critical dimension of the UN Related to this is the growing threat development. Reform Agenda is the reorganization of to human rights. Of particular the UN generally. This is, however, concern to Africans are the problems overshadowed by the attention given to The issue of development has been the expansion of the UN Security Council of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, abject presented in the Reform Agenda as poverty, international organized by all members. Here the enthusiasm of “Freedom from Want”. This is part the participants to contribute to the debate crimes, women and child trafficking of the new shared vision of among others; economic, cultural was understandable because Nigeria is development and a powerful way of in consideration for one of the two and social rights and the threats of evoking the desire and efforts aimed nuclear, biological and chemical permanent seats on offer for Africa at eliminating want and poverty. according to one of the two Security weapons as well as that of small Participants also examined the issue arms and light weapons. Council Reform models. This is closely of development in relation to related to the possible future role of financing, production and trade, while There was also the need to promote Nigeria in a reformed United Nations and the factor of environmental the national aspiration of being one of the gender equality and pay more sustainability and the special needs of attention to the role of women in two permanent members expected to Africa were also looked at. Importantly, represent Africa in an expanded United development and their Nigeria’s national strategy on this whole representation in the UN. The reform Nations Security Council. issue of development was critically Observations of the of the UN and its organs and examined. It was concluded that there agencies including the General is a lot of work for Nigeria to do Participants at the Colloquium Assembly, the Economic and Social particularly in meeting the general Council, the Human Rights Council, developmental challenge, achieving ome of the observations made by the Security Council constitute key freedom from want and meeting the Sparticipants at the Colloquium are as issues and fundamental Millennium Development Goals (MDG). follows: development concerns to all UN members. Another aspect of the challenges of the * The decision to reform the UN is era which attracted the attention of the necessary in view of its many participants, was the issue of security inadequacies in relation to the needs of Publications Committee now presented as “Freedom from the current era; Alli, W.O. - Chairman Fear”. This is actually a new vision of the whole concept of Collective * These reforms, it is hoped, will improve Onoh, C. - Secretary Security. Here, new elements and the democratic content of the sources of insecurity were identified organization; Oni, J. A. Oche, O. and analyzed. Among such were the problems of use of force to resolve * Development and eradication of Nwume, A. Agbu, O. disputes, the threats of Nuclear, poverty and the achievement of the Biological and Chemical Weapons; the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Inyang, R. Agwu, F. A. menace of terrorism, international are major challenges before the world George, F.O. Egom, P. A. organized crime and women and child body; trafficking, and the spread of Small Emmanuel, B.S. Wiltshire, L. Arms and Light Weapons. * Growing wave of intra-state conflicts in developing states jeopardize sustainable Design & Layout It was understood that as the character development; of threats to peace and security in the Emmanuel, B.S. world is changing so also should be the * Social, economic and political injustices George, F.O. responses to them. Accordingly, the act as triggers for conflicts; key issue in confronting these threats niianews is published by: is Collective Security: that, more than * Continued accumulation of nuclear, ever should have a truly collective biological and chemical weapons NIIA Publications Committee content and framework, which bring threatens world peace; 2 niianews - Newsletter of the NIIA * Unilateralism in the UN is a veritable Exhibition threat to collective security and global of other groups outside her borders.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Abuja Follow-Up Ministerial Conference on Security 3 Sept in Abuja : Rand Njanja-Fassu, Katrin Alexandra Barahona Posada To: � � 19/08/2014 06:30PM
    For Advice on Representation: Abuja Follow-up Ministerial Conference on Security_3 Sept in Abuja : rand Njanja-Fassu, Katrin Alexandra Barahona Posada to: � � 19/08/2014 06:30PM . Rommel Maranan, Brenda Vongova, DPA-OUSG-TPs, Siril Herseth, C c. Wook-Jin Chang, ferascu, Aminata Sy Dear DPA Colleagues, The SG will not be able to attend this event. Hence, We would be grateful to receive DPA's recommendation on: (1) The name/title and confirmed availability of the UN Senior Official who should be designated to attend this event on behalf of the Secretary-General (2) Whether it would be necessary for the SG to send a written message to this event. Grateful to receive DPA's advice by 22 August 2014 Many thanks in advance, Alex 14-06539.PDF� r------�·-- ... ·- -·-- •.G, ---- ... --s.... � ... -. Response to invitation to the Secretary-General: Ministerial Meeting on Security in Nigeria, Abuja, 3 September 2014 Rommel Maranan to: permny 05/08/2014 05:39PM Cc: lawsons, Alexandra Barahona Posada, Jackilyn Punsal From: Rommel Maranan/NY/UNO To: [email protected], Cc: [email protected], Alexandra Barahona Posada/NY/UNO@UNHO, Jackilyn Punsai/NY/UNO@UNHQ Dear Sir I Madame, I would be grateful if you could convey the attached formal communication from the Executive Office of the Secretary-General to H. E. Mrs. U. Joy Ogwu, in regard to the above-mentioned subject. Please confirm receipt of this e-mail. The original letter has been sent to the Mission via special messenger service. Thank you and best regards, Rommel Christopher Maranan Scheduling Office of the Secretary-General Executive Office of the Secretary-General United Nations Room S-3804 Tel: 917-367-4726 e-mail: [email protected] Response to lnvitation_Ministerial•t Meeting in Nigeria.pdf - .
    [Show full text]
  • Nigeria: a New History of a Turbulent Century
    More praise for Nigeria: A New History of a Turbulent Century ‘This book is a major achievement and I defy anyone who reads it not to learn from it and gain greater understanding of the nature and development of a major African nation.’ Lalage Bown, professor emeritus, Glasgow University ‘Richard Bourne’s meticulously researched book is a major addition to Nigerian history.’ Guy Arnold, author of Africa: A Modern History ‘This is a charming read that will educate the general reader, while allowing specialists additional insights to build upon. It deserves an audience far beyond the confines of Nigerian studies.’ Toyin Falola, African Studies Association and the University of Texas at Austin About the author Richard Bourne is senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and a trustee of the Ramphal Institute, London. He is a former journalist, active in Common wealth affairs since 1982 when he became deputy director of the Commonwealth Institute, Kensington, and was the first director of the non-governmental Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. He has written and edited eleven books and numerous reports. As a journalist he was education correspondent of The Guardian, assistant editor of New Society, and deputy editor of the London Evening Standard. Also by Richard Bourne and available from Zed Books: Catastrophe: What Went Wrong in Zimbabwe? Lula of Brazil Nigeria A New History of a Turbulent Century Richard Bourne Zed Books LONDON Nigeria: A New History of a Turbulent Century was first published in 2015 by Zed Books Ltd, The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London SE11 5RR, UK www.zedbooks.co.uk Copyright © Richard Bourne 2015 The right of Richard Bourne to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 Typeset by seagulls.net Index: Terry Barringer Cover design: www.burgessandbeech.co.uk All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Timeline of Key Events: March 2011: Anti-Government Protests Broke
    Timeline of key events: March 2011: Anti-government protests broke out in Deraa governorate calling for political reforms, end of emergency laws and more freedoms. After government crackdown on protestors, demonstrations were nationwide demanding the ouster of Bashar Al-Assad and his government. July 2011: Dr. Nabil Elaraby, Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS), paid his first visit to Syria, after his assumption of duties, and demanded the regime to end violence, and release detainees. August 2011: LAS Ministerial Council requested its Secretary General to present President Assad with a 13-point Arab initiative (attached) to resolve the crisis. It included cessation of violence, release of political detainees, genuine political reforms, pluralistic presidential elections, national political dialogue with all opposition factions, and the formation of a transitional national unity government, which all needed to be implemented within a fixed time frame and a team to monitor the above. - The Free Syrian Army (FSA) was formed of army defectors, led by Col. Riad al-Asaad, and backed by Arab and western powers militarily. September 2011: In light of the 13-Point Arab Initiative, LAS Secretary General's and an Arab Ministerial group visited Damascus to meet President Assad, they were assured that a series of conciliatory measures were to be taken by the Syrian government that focused on national dialogue. October 2011: An Arab Ministerial Committee on Syria was set up, including Algeria, Egypt, Oman, Sudan and LAS Secretary General, mandated to liaise with Syrian government to halt violence and commence dialogue under the auspices of the Arab League with the Syrian opposition on the implementation of political reforms that would meet the aspirations of the people.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Analysis of the Gowon, Babangida and Abacha Regimes
    University of Pretoria etd - Hoogenraad-Vermaak, S THE ENVIRONMENT DETERMINED POLITICAL LEADERSHIP MODEL: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE GOWON, BABANGIDA AND ABACHA REGIMES by SALOMON CORNELIUS JOHANNES HOOGENRAAD-VERMAAK Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER ARTIUM (POLITICAL SCIENCE) in the FACULTY OF HUMAN SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA January 2001 University of Pretoria etd - Hoogenraad-Vermaak, S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The financial assistance of the Centre for Science Development (HSRC, South Africa) towards this research is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at, are those of the author and are not necessarily to be attributed to the Centre for Science Development. My deepest gratitude to: Mr. J.T. Bekker for his guidance; Dr. Funmi Olonisakin for her advice, Estrellita Weyers for her numerous searches for sources; and last but not least, my wife Estia-Marié, for her constant motivation, support and patience. This dissertation is dedicated to the children of Africa, including my firstborn, Marco Hoogenraad-Vermaak. ii University of Pretoria etd - Hoogenraad-Vermaak, S “General Abacha wasn’t the first of his kind, nor will he be last, until someone can answer the question of why Africa allows such men to emerge again and again and again”. BBC News 1998. Passing of a dictator leads to new hope. 1 Jul 98. iii University of Pretoria etd - Hoogenraad-Vermaak, S SUMMARY THE ENVIRONMENT DETERMINED POLITICAL LEADERSHIP MODEL: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE GOWON, BABANGIDA AND ABACHA REGIMES By SALOMON CORNELIUS JOHANNES HOOGENRAAD-VERMAAK LEADER: Mr. J.T. BEKKER DEPARTMENT: POLITICAL SCIENCE DEGREE FOR WHICH DISSERTATION IS MAGISTER ARTIUM PRESENTED: POLITICAL SCIENCE) The recent election victory of gen.
    [Show full text]
  • The Onward Migration of Nigerians in Europe
    A University of Sussex PhD thesis Available online via Sussex Research Online: http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/ This thesis is protected by copyright which belongs to the author. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Please visit Sussex Research Online for more information and further details Imagined Futures: The Onward Migration of Nigerians in Europe Jill Ahrens Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD in Geography School of Global Studies University of Sussex June 2017 ii Summary of Thesis Dynamic mobility and migration patterns, including forced migration, have always formed part of the complex social, cultural and economic relationships between Africa and Europe. Like other Africans, Nigerian migrants live in countless locations around the world and are connected to their homeland through contingent transnational networks. This thesis explores the onward migration of Nigerian migrants towards, within and beyond Europe and analyses the motivations, patterns and outcomes of their multiple movements. Six cities in Germany, the UK and Spain are the main research locations for the fieldwork that took place over 17 months. The three countries are important destinations for Nigerian migrants in Europe and also the principal destinations of intra-European onward migrants. The cities included in this study are the capital cities Berlin, London and Madrid, as well as Cologne, Manchester and Málaga.
    [Show full text]
  • Issue Papers, Extended Responses and Country Fact Sheets File:///C:/Documents and Settings/Brendelt/Desktop/Temp Rir/Country Fact
    Issue Papers, Extended Responses and Country Fact Sheets file:///C:/Documents and Settings/brendelt/Desktop/temp rir/Country Fact... Français Home Contact Us Help Search canada.gc.ca Issue Papers, Extended Responses and Country Fact Sheets Home Country Fact Sheet NIGERIA August 2007 Disclaimer This document was prepared by the Research Directorate of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada on the basis of publicly available information, analysis and comment. All sources are cited. This document is not, and does not purport to be, either exhaustive with regard to conditions in the country surveyed or conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. For further information on current developments, please contact the Research Directorate. Table of Contents 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 2. POLITICAL BACKGROUND 3. POLITICAL PARTIES 4. ARMED GROUPS AND OTHER NON-STATE ACTORS ENDNOTES REFERENCES 1. GENERAL INFORMATION Official name The Federal Republic of Nigeria. Geography Nigeria is located in Western Africa . Bordering the Gulf of Guinea, its neighbouring countries are Cameroon to the east and southeast, Benin to the west, Niger to the north, and Chad to the northeast. The Niger, West Africa's largest river, passes through Nigeria and empties into the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria has a total area of 923,768 km². The country's topography is diverse with swampy coastlands 1 of 18 9/17/2013 9:03 AM Issue Papers, Extended Responses and Country Fact Sheets file:///C:/Documents and Settings/brendelt/Desktop/temp rir/Country Fact... and tropical forests in the south, hills and plateaus in the centre, grassy plains and semi-desert in the north, and mountains in the east.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction 1 Nigeria and the Struggle for the Liberation of South
    Notes Introduction 1. Kwame Nkrumah, Towards Colonial Freedom: Africa in the Struggle against World Imperialism, London: Heinemann, 1962. Kwame Nkrumah was the first president of Republic of Ghana, 1957–1966. 2. J.M. Roberts, History of the World, New York: Oxford University Press, 1993, p. 425. For further details see Leonard Thompson, A History of South Africa, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1990, pp. 31–32. 3. Douglas Farah, “Al Qaeda Cash Tied to Diamond Trade,” The Washington Post, November 2, 2001. 4. Ibid. 5. http://www.africapolicy.org/african-initiatives/aafall.htm. Accessed on July 25, 2004. 6. G. Feldman, “U.S.-African Trade Profile.” Also available online at: http:// www.agoa.gov/Resources/TRDPROFL.01.pdf. Accessed on July 25, 2004. 7. Ibid. 8. Salih Booker, “Africa: Thinking Regionally, Update.” Also available online at: htt://www.africapolicy.org/docs98/reg9803.htm. Accessed on July 25, 2004. 9. For full details on Nigeria’s contributions toward eradication of the white minority rule in Southern Africa and the eradication of apartheid system in South Africa see, Olayiwola Abegunrin, Nigerian Foreign Policy under Military Rule, 1966–1999, Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003, pp. 79–93. 10. See Olayiwola Abegunrin, Nigeria and the Struggle for the Liberation of Zimbabwe: A Study of Foreign Policy Decision Making of an Emerging Nation. Stockholm, Sweden: Bethany Books, 1992, p. 141. 1 Nigeria and the Struggle for the Liberation of South Africa 1. “Mr. Prime Minister: A Selection of Speeches Made by the Right Honorable, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,” Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Lagos: National Press Limited, 1964, p.
    [Show full text]
  • Commonwealth Secretary-General
    -S7P' COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY-GENERAL C •,-•;• H. E. Chief Emeka Anyaoku, C.O.N. 16 February 2000 As you might recall, the United Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat have worked in close D-operation to advance the status of wqmen worldwide. !n 1995, the Commonwealth P!an of Action on Gender and Development (1995-2000) was presented at the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing as a special Commonwealth contribution to the UN Process. We would similarly like to have our recently endorsed Update to the Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender and Development (2000-2005) presented and spoken to as a Commonwealth contribution to the Special Session of the UN Assembly on the Beijing Platform for Action set for 5-9 June 2000. To this end, the Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Women sent a special message to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in South Africa in November 1999, asking for approval of its presentation as the Commonwealth's contribution to the UN General Assembly. This was soundly endorsed at CHOGM. My successor as Secretary-General, the Rt. Hon. Don McKinnon will take up post in April. We would like to ensure that we put all procedures into place so that this Update can be presented by him as a Commonwealth contribution to the UN process in June. My staff from the Secretariat will be attending the Preparatory meetings of the Commission for Status of Women and the PrepCom for the Special Session, seeking through your Division for the Advancement of Women, the best means of achieving this.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Delegations to the Seventieth Session of the General Assembly
    UNITED NATIONS ST /SG/SER.C/L.624 _____________________________________________________________________________ Secretariat Distr.: Limited 18 December 2015 PROTOCOL AND LIAISON SERVICE LIST OF DELEGATIONS TO THE SEVENTIETH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY I. MEMBER STATES Page Page Afghanistan......................................................................... 5 Chile ................................................................................. 47 Albania ............................................................................... 6 China ................................................................................ 49 Algeria ................................................................................ 7 Colombia .......................................................................... 50 Andorra ............................................................................... 8 Comoros ........................................................................... 51 Angola ................................................................................ 9 Congo ............................................................................... 52 Antigua and Barbuda ........................................................ 11 Costa Rica ........................................................................ 53 Argentina .......................................................................... 12 Côte d’Ivoire .................................................................... 54 Armenia ...........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Institute of Commonwealth Studies
    University of London INSTITUTE OF COMMONWEALTH STUDIES Key: SO = Sue Onslow (Interviewer) EA = Chief Emeka Anyaoku (Respondent) M = Mary Mackie (Chief Emeka Anyaoku’s Personal Assistant) SO: This is Sue Onslow talking to Chief Emeka Anyaoku on Wednesday, 2nd October, 2013. Chief, thank you very much indeed for coming back to Senate House to talk to me for this project. I wonder if you could begin, please sir, by talking about the preparatory process leading up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings. EA: Well, the Secretariat does essentially three things. First, it consults on a continuous basis with the host government on arrangements and logistics for the meeting. And second, it prepares the preliminary draft agenda in the form of suggestions to governments for their comments and additions if they felt necessary; and then in the light of that, prepares memoranda on the issues involved in the agenda. And then thirdly, it also considers what possible controversies, what possible challenges, particular heads of government meeting will face, and deals with those by consulting the governments concerned and talking to heads who are likely to be involved in resolving what the challenges are. And I must also add to the first point about consulting with the host government that since 1973, when the retreat was introduced, the consultation would also include arrangements for the Retreat. SO: So having identified the host government, then there is close coordination with the Secretariat to ensure the administrative arrangements are as
    [Show full text]
  • Page 1 of 27 Nigeria and the Politics of Unreason 7/21/2008
    Nigeria and the Politics of Unreason Page 1 of 27 Nigeria and the Politics of Unreason: Political Assassinations, Decampments, Moneybags, and Public Protests By Victor E. Dike Introduction The problems facing Nigeria emanate from many fronts, which include irrational behavior (actions) of the political elite, politics of division, and politics devoid of political ideology. Others factors are corruption and poverty, lack of distributive justice, regional, and religious cleavages. All these combine to create crises (riots and conflicts) in the polity, culminating in public desperation and insecurity, politics of assassinations, decampments (carpet crossing), moneybags, and public protests. All this reached its climax during the 2003 elections. When the nation thinks it is shifting away from these forces, they would somersault and clash again creating another political thunderstorm. It looks that the society would hardly outgrow ‘the politics of unreason’ (Lipset and Raab, 1970), which is often politics of extremism, because the political class is always going beyond the limits of what are reasonable to secure or retain political power. During the 2003 elections moneybags (instead of political ideology) directed political actions in political parties; and it also influenced the activities of many politicians. As a result, the presidential candidates of the two major political parties (PDP and ANPP) cliched their party tickets by stuffing the car boots, so to say, of their party delegates with Ghana-Must- Go bags. This frustrated and intimidated their political opponents within (and those in the other minor political parties). Since after his defeat by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in the 2003 PDP primary in Abuja, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • African Studies Quarterly
    African Studies Quarterly Volume 15, Issue 4 September 2015 Published by the Center for African Studies, University of Florida ISSN: 2152-2448 African Studies Quarterly | Volume 15, Issue 4| September 2015 http://www.africa.ufl.edu/asq African Studies Quarterly Executive Staff R. Hunt Davis, Jr. - Editor-in-Chief Todd H. Leedy - Associate Editor Anna Mwaba and Fezile Mtsetfwa - Managing Editors Jessica Horwood - Book Review Editor Editorial Committee Oumar Ba Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim Fred Boaten Merise Jalalal Lina Benabdallah Yang Jiao Mamadou Bodian Therese Kennelly-Okraku Jennifer Boylan Cecilia Kyalo Ben Burgen Nicholas Knowlton Jessica Casimir Eric Lake Amanda Edgell Chesney McOmber Dan Eizenga Collins R. Nunyonameh Ryan Good Caroline Staub Victoria Gorham Donald Underwood Sheldon Wardwell Emily Hauser Joel O. Wao Advisory Board Adélékè Adéèko Richard Marcus Ohio State University California State University, Long Beach Timothy Ajani Kelli Moore Fayetteville State University James Madison University Abubakar Alhassan Mantoa Rose Motinyane Bayero University University of Cape Town John W. Arthur James T. Murphy University of South Florida, St. Clark University Petersburg Lilian Temu Osaki Nanette Barkey University of Dar es Salaam Plan International USA Dianne White Oyler Susan Cooksey Fayetteville State University University of Florida Alex Rödlach Mark Davidheiser Creighton University Nova Southeastern University Jan Shetler Kristin Davis Goshen College International Food Policy Research Roos Willems Institute Catholic University of Leuven Parakh Hoon Peter VonDoepp Virginia Tech University of Vermont Andrew Lepp Kent State University African Studies Quarterly | Volume 15, Issue 4| September 2015 http://www.africa.ufl.edu/asq © University of Florida Board of Trustees, a public corporation of the State of Florida; permission is hereby granted for individuals to download articles for their own personal use.
    [Show full text]