Category Archives: International Journal of Social Sciences and Conflict Management 2017

Boko Haram and the Conspiracy Theory in Nigeria

Linus Ugwu Odo

Department of Public Administration

IBB University, Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria

Email: dr.odolinus1@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The continued resilience of Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari contrasts heavily with the belief among many Nigerians that his emergence would bring an end to the Boko Haram hostilities in the country. This belief had been anchored on the conspiracy theory that the Boko Haram sect was being sponsored by some prominent northern politicians to undermine the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and make the country “ungovernable” for him. The paper interrogates this prevailing conspiracy theory and the continued Boko Haram attacks, which had remained a potent threat to many Nigerian communities especially in the northern parts of the country with particular reference to the north eastern states. The paper made use of secondary sources for the study obtaining data from both published and unpublished works on insurgency and terrorism at local and global levels. The paper found that the continued attacks by the Boko Haram terrorists against the Nigerian state and people even under President Muhammadu Buhari’s government had invalidated and jettisoned the prevalent conspiracy theory. Finally, the paper concluded with far-reaching recommendations on how to bring an end to the heinous activities of the Boko Haram sect on the Nigerian soil and allow people in the affected areas return to their homes to resume normal lives.

Keywords: Boko Haram, Conspiracy, Theory, Resilience, Insurgency, Terrorism

Analysis of Spatial Distribution of Public Primary Schools in Kirfi Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Nigeria

Adam Modu Abbas; Abubakar A. Jajere & Yam, Abdullahi Department of Geography

Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State Email: dradamabbas28@gmail.com Corresponding Author: Adam Modu Abbas

ABSTRACT

This study analyses the spatial distribution of public primary schools in Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches as well as descriptive cross sectional survey were employed to make an investigation of the phenomenon. Data were collected from 100 respondents by using in-depth interviews, measurements and observations.  Nearest Neighbour analysis was used to determine the spatial distribution pattern of the public primary schools in the study area where the result reveals that schools are clustered and the value of Nearest Neighbour index (Rn) was computed and was found to be a Z-Value -7.124643 at 1887.595660 Meters Observed Mean Distance and 3608.025269 Meters Expected Mean Distance. The Z-Score of -7.124643 indicates less than one percent (≥1%) likelihood that the distribution pattern exhibits clustering because, the schools are located close to settlements. The result further reveals ‘closeness to the schools’ as the major factor, the longer the distance that pupils walk from home to schools the lower the level of patronage/enrolment. The influence also brings about dropouts and absentees. The study suggests strategies for improving accessibility of primary education to pupils in the study area and areas for further researches on the roles of geographic locations of schools.

Comparative Analysis of the Incidence of Corruption or Fraud in the Cities of Yaoundé and Douala in Cameroon and Perspectives

Francis A. Fuaneya

Department of Economics and Management

University of Buea, P.O.Box 63, Buea, Cameroon

Email: fuanenyaf@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT

The Cameroonian public and private sectors have experienced considerable growth and changes since independence in 1960. Though both sectors are generally well regulated and supervised by the state institutions, the paradox is that both sectors and public still suffer from numerous challenges such as corruption, bribery and fraud. In Cameroon, it is simply the order of the day or way of life as one has no choice. This visible absence of governance culture through corruption or fraud leads to adverse economic, social and political consequences. As such, this study aims at covering corruption or fraud issues using a comparative analysis of its incidence in the cities of Douala and Yaoundé in Cameroon. To achieve the objectives of the study, primary and secondary data were used. Five hundred questionnaires were administered to the study respondents that were purposively selected from the two cities (Douala and Yaoundé, Cameroon). The findings show that the incidence of corruption in the cities vary very significantly with adverse social, political and economic consequences.

Keyword: Comparative analysis, incidence, corruption, fraud, Douala, Yaoundé and Cameroon

The Impact of Delayed Emoluments on Local Government Administration in Nigeria: Outlining the Crisis and Solutions

Eseosa E. Aimuan & Joseph Unufe

Department of Public Administration

Faculty of Social Sciences

University of Benin

Email: eseosa.aimuan@uniben.edu; joseph.unufe@uniben.edu

Corresponding Author: Eseosa E. Aimuan

ABSTRACT

Prompt payment of salaries and wages has always been a major challenge facing local government administration in Nigeria since the 1976 local government reforms. The paper reveals that the problem of delayed salaries and wages in Nigeria is wide spread and according to the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) no fewer than 23 states owe local government employees their hard earns entitlements spanning a period of one (1) to sixteen (16) months.  It is on this premise that the study is set to evaluate and highlight the significance of prompt payment of salaries and wages as crucial factors towards achieving the aims and objectives of any local government in the country. The employers of labour are aware of the fact that delay in payment of emoluments is also one way of de-motivating workers in an organization and this also have adverse effects on the smooth process of administration at the local level. The major conclusion of this study is that employee’s play key role in enhancing grassroots’ developmental growth and sustainability; therefore it is important that they are paid adequately and promptly. In view of the above, the study therefore recommends that local government councils across the country must give the necessary attention that emoluments deserve, as this will help boost the morale of employees which will in turn result in higher productivity.

Keywords: Emoluments, Salaries and Wages, Administration, Local Government

Contemporaneity War Artefacts of Fulani Herdsmen: Mapping Behavioural Footprints, Weapons used and Communities Vulnerable to Attacks in Nigeria

Abraham Abdul Jatto

Independent Scholar

Senior Faculty at Eaton Business School

Leicester, United King dom

E-mail:Fatherabrahamjatto@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT This paper summarizes five years (2012 to 2016) data that maps types of Fulani herdsmen weapons sub-divided into (cultural artefacts weapons, fire, and modern fire power) used, and their characteristic behavioural footprints also sub-divided into (profiled attacks on human dignity, attacks on economic resources and physical properties). It crystallizes into communities that (Christian, Muslim and Non-faith) were more vulnerable to Fulani attacks. The research uses secondary methodology to gather data, and triangulate qualitative and quantitative methods to present the data and subsequently adopts thematic and content research analytical technique to systematically analyze every fragment of the data to answer the stated research questions. The result suggest that most Nigerian Christians believe Muslim Fulani attacks are deliberate attempt by the ethnic group to forcefully establish their presence across Christian communities in Nigeria aided by the fact that their kith and kin hold sway across all Nigerian security apparatus, at the moment. The evidence suggest that within the five years under consideration 807 communities were attacked and of these 680(84%) were in the Christian communities as against 86(11%) and 41(5%) in the Muslim and non-faith communities. Also, profile of their criminal behaviour suggests that the Fulani herdsmen were more likely to be associated with attacks on economic resources followed by attacks on human dignity. The data showed that in five years 416 different behavioural footprint were carefully and chronologically profiled across all the communities and of this 146(35%) were against human dignity whilst 152(37%) were profiled against attacks on economic resources and 118(28%) were against physical properties. The herdsmen were more likely to loot,

Factors Affecting Efficient Processing of Cassava by Micro-Scale Cassava Processing Enterprises in Southwest Nigeria

¹Omonigho T. Okhankhuele; ²Zacheus O. Opafunso; ³O. O. Akinrinola & ⁴O. J. Ojo

¹Department of Business Administration, Federal University of Technology, Akure

²Deparment of Mining Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure

³Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Federal University of Technology, Akure

⁴Department of Project Management Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure

Email:omotonia2013@gmail.com;zopafunso@yahoo.com;ooakinrinola@futa.edu.ng; ojojo@futa.edu.ng

Corresponding Author:Omonigho T. Okhankhuele

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the factors affecting efficient processing of cassava by Micro-Scale Cassava Processing Enterprises (MSCPEs) in Southwest Nigeria. Survey design was used for the study, and multi-stage sampling technique (purposive sampling and proportionate stratified sampling) was used to select respondents. Data were gathered from 292 respondents, with the help of structured questionnaire. The respondents comprised the MSCPEs that benefitted from the Presidential Cassava Transformation Initiative, in the study area. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistic, which included: percentage, mean score, standard deviation and mean ranking. The reliability test was carried out with Cronbach Alpha, while the validation of the research instrument was carried out by a senior lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Federal University of Technology, Akure. The study revealed that, unavailability of adequate fund, high cost of diesel/petrol, and high cost of production, were the highest factors affecting the MSCPEs in the study area, while the least factors were high cost of charcoal, and unavailability of adequate cassava roots for processing. The paper recommends that, necessary policies should be enacted to help drive down the MSCPEs’ cost of production, so that; the enterprises can compete in the national and the international markets. Also, infrastructural facilities and other enabling environment need be made available to the MSCPEs, especially constant electricity. This will drive down the high cost of diesel/petrol, being used by these MSCPEs, and further reduce their cost of production. Financial aid will also support their working capital and help them expand their businesses.

Keywords: Efficient; Processing; Micro-Scale; Cassava; Enterprises

Leadership and Followership – the Bane of Underdevelopment in the 21st Century Nigeria

¹K. U. Omoyibo & ²Ajayi, Olatunde O.

¹Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Benin, Edo State

²Department of Sociological Studies, College of Social & Management Sciences

Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State

Email: ufomaomoyibo@hotmail.com; otunbabobo8191@yahoo.com

Corresponding Author: Ajayi, Olatunde O.

ABSTRACT

Leadership and followership are the twin problem of Nigerian underdevelopment in the 21^st century. No nations can exist and truly carry out the cause of the nationalism without leadership and followership. Someone must lead and someone must follow and what this simply means is that for every leadership, there is a followership and for every followership there must be a leadership. The two are so interwoven that hardly can you talk about one without the other. It is likened to a thread and the needle which are both needed to function in tailoring a cloth without which no proper sewing can be made. In tailoring a nation, leadership and followership must be involved. For where there is bad leadership, the followership will be grossly contaminated and where there is a bad followership, the leaders will be turned sour. Both will lack the necessary inspiration, motivation and encouragement to drive the wheel national progress and keep the nation on the right track. The 21^st century Nigeria is on the threshold of backwardness due to bad leadership and followership. This paper investigates into the leadership and followership structure of the Nigeria at 21^st century, how it undermined development in the nation, with critical analysis and assessment, thus providing solution.

Keywords: Leadership, Followership, Underdevelopment, godfatherism, power