Browsing by Author "Afolabi, A.S"

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11
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    Arms Trafficking in Nigeria and its Implications for Peace and Security in the West Africa Sub-region since 1900
    (2015) Afolabi, A.S
    The movement of arms across the world, the threat to security, stability and development, the existence of militant groups, organised criminal gangs and the nexus between them are not new phenomena. It was however not until a few years after the 9/11 attack in the United States that the question of susceptibility of Nigeria and the West African sub-region began to take the centre stage in policy and academic debates. This article examines the implications of trans-border arms trafficking on the socioeconomic development of Nigeria as a country, and the West African sub-region. It argues that trans-border arms trafficking is growing in scale and momentum without a corresponding and clearly coordinated strategy for dealing with this hydra-headed monster, which significantly affects the economy of Nigeria in particular and West African sub-region in general. This growing trend, if uncontrolled, has the potential of undermining and fueling insecurity across the region, which consequently has the likelihood of affecting the join security, stability, economies and core democratic values of the region. The paper concludes that the extent and magnitude of the problem require a definitive strategy within the broad frame of the sub-region.
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    Ethno-ornithological knowledge and uses of birds in Omi aro and Labaka villages, Kwara State, Nigeria
    (West African Ornithological society, 2015) Weliange,W.S; Kolawole, R.A; Prasannajith,N.S; Afolabi, A.S; Amaechi,E.C
    Information was gathered in two villages of western Nigeria on the vernacular names, food value, ornamental value, use in traditional healing, associated superstitions and augury, folklore, proverbs and quotes, and behavioural aspects such as feeding, mating, nesting and vocalizations, of 21 species of bird. Guided interviews using a questionnaire were employed to elicit responses from the informants, complemented by photographs of the 21 species. The villagers provided vernacular names and information on the cultural significance of the 21 bird species shown to them. Thirteen of the 21 species are common food sources, four species have magico-medicinal uses, feathers of six species are used in ornamentation and ten species are objects of superstitions. Birds are important in the language, with proverbs, idioms, wise sayings and poems rich in local bird names. The villagers in Omi-aro and Labaka have a strong relationship with birds, which have considerable cultural and economical significance to them. Further studies on traditional healing practices using birds, hunting methods and seasonality in hunting, are needed to improve understanding of the harvesting of birds for these purposes.
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    Holdings and Challenges of Archives in Africa: The Case of the National Archives of Nigeria
    (2016) Afolabi, A.S
    Not many know about the current deplorable state of records in the National Archives of Nigeria. Although the institution was established in 1954, the policy thrusts of the organization have continued to attract challenges, which have remained unresolved decades after its inauguration. The attempts made by stake holders that would have translated into concrete development have, more often than not, resulted in near successes or abysmal failures. This is because institutional structures which were intended to leverage and place her on a firm footing have only succeeded in serving both the interests of the stake holders within and outside the department. This paper argues that the National Archives records would remain under threat for as long as the organization remains subsumed under a federal ministry arrangement. Implementing the Records Management Programmes with a view to enhancing storage, preservation, protection and retrieval would continue to fail as a result of opportunism, insincerity, ineptitude and self centeredness, which remain the bane of archives administration in the National Archives Nigeria today. Consequently, our national heritage will continue to slide and sink into wretched state. The paper advocates that the idea of retaining the National Archives Nigeria under the federal ministry arrangement should be jettisoned without further delay while the commissioning process be reviewed and fast tracked. It concludes that if the National Archives is to continue to enjoy the patronage of its documents by both local and international scholars, then, irregularities associated with using the archives must be addressed. If not, scholars may begin to look for alternative sources of writing.
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    HOLDINGS AND CHALLENGES OF ARCHIVES IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF NIGERIA, 1954 - 2015
    (University of Cape Coast Press, Cape Coast, Ghana., 2016) Afolabi, A.S
    Stake holders, particularly researchers, are concerned about the current deplorable state of records in the National Archives of Nigeria. Established in 1954, the organization’s policies have attracted challenges that remain unresolved decades after inauguration. Adopting historical method, the paper argues that records in the Archives repositories would remain threatened for as long as the organization remains subsumed under the federal ministry arrangement. Implementing Records Management programmes with a view to enhancing storage, preservation and retrieval would continue to fail as a result of opportunism, insincerity and ineptitude on the part major stake-holders. The paper advocates that retaining the National Archives of Nigeria under the federal ministry arrangement should be jettisoned without further delay while the passage of the National Archives Bill should be revived and fast tracked. It concludes that patronage of National Archives documents by scholars will drop if the issue of irregularities associated with using the archives remains unaddressed.
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    Interrogating the 1924/55 Anti-tax Movements in Colonial Ogbomosho
    (University of Ilorin Library and Publications Committee, 2015) Afolabi, A.S
    This article drew attention to the introduction of some debilitating British tax policies that led to the 1924/55 anti-tax disturbances in colonial Ogbomoso. Adopting both primary and secondary sources, the study explored the causes/course of these tax movements while attempting a comparative study of both crises. The article also underpinned the reasons behind the struggles between representatives of an urban-oriented policy by looking at how the western educated elite in Ogbomoso contested the imposition of high taxes on their personal incomes and strongly asserted themselves. The exorbitant taxes and issues that arose from theft and defalcation of tax monies were also identified as significant factors that led to the 1955 riot. The paper found that the British introduction of its taxation policy in order to source for revenue to finance its administration engendered fierce opposition from the indigenous people; it not only led to disruptions in the traditional system and peaceful coexistence that was prevalent before their arrival, it also resulted in unmitigated disharmony in the economic activities of the indigenous people. The article concluded that the struggle between the peasants/elite and those seeking to extract taxes led to people's defiance of British tax legislations in movements that were powered by rational and innovative ideologies; and philosophies that were disruptive necessities to the British colonial tax policy that had no human face. Finally, it also concluded that taxation and tax related considerations were significantly responsible for the altercations between the British colonial government and the Ogbomoso people in 1924 and 1955.
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    Justice Olu Ayoola Commission and the Agbekoya Riots of 1968/69: An Assessment.
    (Obafemi Awolowo Press, Ile-Ife, Nigeria., 2012) Afolabi, A.S
    In 1968/69, the Yoruba enclave of southwestern Nigeria was engulfed by socioeconomic upheavals engineered by the poor resource farmers. The Agbekoya Riots that rocked the Yoruba speaking parts of southwestern Nigeria to its foundation ushered in tension, disaster, chaos and total insecurity in the entire length and breadth of the Yoruba land. Due to the seemingly unending havocs that were wrecked on the people and polity, the military government of Western State found it expedient to find out the root causes of the spontaneous riots organized, supervised and executed by the peasant farmers whose action pervaded the entire Yorubaland. This need led to the setting up of the Justice Ayoola Commission of Enquiry. Therefore, this paper is written to address the constitution, mandate, finding and recommendations of the said Commission, which was the brainchild of the military government of the affected State. Thereafter, a critique of the Commission’s findings is undertaken.
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    Na Name We Go Chop?’ Public Response to Human Rights Abuses and Government Reforms of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria.
    (UNIUYO Journal of Humanities, 2020) Thompson, O.O; Afolabi, A.S; Onifade, A.C
    The activities of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), especially one of its units, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), has been frequently criticised lately for its unfriendly conducts with the general public and persons suspected to be criminals. This article analysed developments in the SARS unit of the NPF, focusing on its origin, roles and problems, which are manifestations of the SARS activities, reform measures by successive governments as well as public reactions to these circumstances. The study revealed that in spite of some successes recorded by the special unit in curbing crimes and criminalities, it is still constrained by massive cases of human right abuses even when several attempts have been made to reform it. Some of the suggested recommendations included, among other considerations, the need for political will from the government to implement effective reforms.
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    Party Politics and Political Thuggery in Nigeria, 1957 - 2011
    (2016) Afolabi, A.S
    Although thuggery and other forms of political rascality are not new phenomena in the Nigerian political space, they have lately taken the centre stage in national discourse. This article investigates violence in the Nigeria body politics from 1957 to 2011, a situation that has sadly dotted the political landscape and devastatingly affected the peaceful co-existence of the people. The study employed historical methods which includes both primary and secondary source materials. The hiring of youths as thugs and hoodlums, which usually characterized the pre and post-election periods and processes, in order to maneuver, intimidate opponents and legitimize their positions have, continually, resulted in the flow of tears and blood. The "do or die" syndrome, which has continued to hamper the major stakeholders from being transparent and sportsmanly in their conduct and vituperations, have, consequently, made it impossible for Nigeria to achieve a stable polity. It posits that if the Nigerian political environment is to enjoy stability and development, there is the need for the sensitization of the people, particularly the youths, on their roles before, during and after elections.
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    Power and Powerlessness through Changing Scenes: Pre-colonial to 2012
    (2015) Afolabi, A.S
    Although a lot of studies have been carried out on the activities of women in the Nigeria political sphere, there is the need to even do more as new data continue to emerge to supplement the existing ones. Applying the primary and secondary source materials, this article examined the levels of women involvement in the Nigeria government and politics since pre 1900 and found that the extent of their involvement, particularly, between 1960 and 1999, was very disheartening and unfruitfully low. This paper also brings to the fore the forces of insincerity on the part of the men, who remain the major stakeholders, and how these forces could be effectively tackled to ensure an increased level of politico-governmental empowerment of women in Nigeria. The paper concluded that the insincerity of the main stakeholders, who had generally treated women with disdain in their empowerment programmes within the politico-economic enviroment, was responsible for ebb and flow that characterized the Nigerian woman's involvment in politico-governmental affairs.
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    Protest within Compliance in Colonial Nigeria: Revisiting the Egba Women Riot
    (2016) Afolabi, A.S
    What constituted acceptable protest in the colonial Nigeria? Put differently, were there justifiable protests? Addressing these posers, this paper examined the activities of women in colonial Egbaland, against a backdrop of an unfriendly tax regime imposed on them by the British colonial administration. Adopting primary and secondary sources, this study posits that the British parasitic tax impositions on women disrupted the unstable balance between them and traditional authorities. Although taxes were imposed by colonial machineries,exacting the levies was the responsibility of Sole Native Authorities, whose exaction methods were exceedingly demanding for and unacceptable to women. The women revolts showed clearly that the indigenous Egba women, led by Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti, refused to be ignored as they stridently and vociferously demanded for their rights from British colonial administration. the paper found out that the immediate post-colonial Nigerian women did not, sadly build on the modicum of success which was achieved by the indefatigable colonial women. The paper concluded that the colonial government attempts at incorporating the women folks into her taxation policy led to hiccups which, consequently, generated variegated reactions from individuals and women groups in colonial Yorubaland. The women's calculated responses climaxed in concessions, which, though not total, went a long way in ameliorating the socio-economic and political challenges faced by Egba women.
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    Sectoral Approach to Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria, 1980 - 2010
    (2016) Afolabi, A.S
    Poverty is a global phenomenon. United Nation's declaration of 1966 as the international year for the eradication of poverty was a clarion call on the international community to focus on poverty eradication. A survey by the Federal Office of Satistics in 1996 put 65.5% of Nigerians as living in poverty. Though this reduced to 54% in 2014, it remained an unacceptably high percentage. This paper attempted a historical survey of Federal Government efforts at eradication poverty since 1980 up to 2010 through sectoral programmes such as agricluture, health, transport, housing and finance with a view to identifying suitable poverty alleviation programmes in Nigeria. Available secondary and internet sources were synthesisd with oral interviews to examine how successful these programmes had been and how they could be effectively sustained but it discovered that for various reasons, many of the progammes failed to achieve much despite massive investments. Hence, poverty remained endemic. The paper concluded that until there is a genuine government commitment to addressing the root causes of poverty and adhering strictly to the execution of programmes designed with the collaboration of all the relevant stakeholders, government efforts may remain futile.