Christianity and Politics: The Experience from Nigeria (Published)
Either directly or indirectly Christians involve themselves in politics. Today, the church interacts regularly with politics or with politicians and governments in three broad areas – in the articulation of its social teaching, in discussions arising from its involvement in schools, hospitals and welfare and in debate over particular moral issues as they arise from time to time. However, there is a common saying in the Christian fold, whether or not a true Christian should participate in politics by vying for a political post. Therefore, this study explores who is a Christian, Christian perspective on politics, reasons why Christians should be involved in politics and effect of Christian virtues in political system. The study concluded that politics is the thought, purpose and intention of God and the will of God for believers to participate in politics. Perhaps, the believer will be able to impart the lifestyle of God over the nation. People should not see politics as blight or bad, it should be admitted that politics in any form is not bad but the political players are bad.
Keywords: Christianity, Experience, Nigeria, Politics
Leadership Styles and the Politics of Institutional Management of State-owned Universities in Nigeria: Empirical Evidence from EBSU, South-eastern Geo-Political Zone, Nigeria (Published)
This study has investigated the nature of leadership styles and the politics of institutional management in State-owned Universities in Nigeria. In the study, descriptive survey design was adopted. Generated data were analysed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) via Special Package on Social Sciences (SPSS). Analysis was based on primary data generated through a structured likert questions administered on respondents. The result of the findings shows the need for the government to grant institutional autonomy to the management of state-owned universities in Nigeria and especially in the various 6 geo-political zones in other to achieve global best practices, organisational performance and sustainable human capital development within the purview of global/ international standards thereby providing relevant manpower training and general performance of its tasks in the areas of teaching, research, capacity building and community services, that will contribute meaningfully in institutional performance and rapid national development attainment in this 21st century.
Keywords: Institutional Management, Leadership, Leadership Styles, Nigeria, Politics, State-owned Universities
TAX AMNESTY FOR DELINQUENT TAXPAYERS: A CLICHÉ IN NIGERIA (Published)
Tax evasion presents a serious problem for a number of countries. Every year, governments lose large amounts of potential revenue because citizens, in some manner avoid paying taxes. To address the problem of tax evasion, many countries have implemented tax amnesty programs over the years. More and more tax administrators are coming up with diverse products and innovations to raise government revenues to meet daunting challenges in the face of slow growth rate in trade and investment. In this paper we shall examined the successes and failures of amnesty in curbing other crimes and also see if it can be applied to cases of taxation in Nigeria.
Keywords: Amnesty, Failures, Nigeria, Revenue, Successes, Tax
GLOBAL COMPANY CRISIS- HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE MERGER SOLUTION IN NIGERIA (Published)
In recent times, the economic depression in the world has affected many companies as every modern business has keyed into the global business world plan. Globalization of the market as such has led to the Global Company Crisis. The problem climaxed when many big companies went into the state of distress or technical insolvency, and were liquidated. Liquidation did not arrest the Global company crisis till the device of Merger was introduced to sanitize the company distress syndrome. The aim of this paper is to assess the efficiency of the merger mechanisms in general and Nigeria in particular as to whether it has totally insulated companies from the economic recession. It will also consider the implication and challenges of the merger devices. The paper will adopt the doctrinaire and analytical methods. The paper finds that mergers are a viable economic reform device, but has some limitations from insulting the world economy from global company crisis. The paper will make some recommendations that can assist in making mergers more effective economy remedy for Global company crises and the Nigeria situation.
Keywords: Global Company Crisis, Merger Solution, Nigeria
CHALLENGES OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN YOBE STATE, NIGERIA AND THE PROSPECTS FOR 2015 AND BEYOND (Published)
This study titled: challenges of the Implementation of Universal Basic Eduction programme in Yobe State, Nigeria and prospects for 2015 and beyond has largely been shaped by the recent events in the country, specifically the problems confronting the education sector and the Nigerian government responses; the government efforts in initiating various measures through its policies, programmes and institutions to improve the education sector in Yobe state and Nigeria generally have become a major source of concern to observers and scholars. The study therefore attempted assesses the implementation of the Universal Basic Education in Yobe state and its prospect for 2015 and beyond. To achieve this objective therefore, the study used the primary and secondary sources of data collection. Charts for data analysis were drawn using the 2003 Microsoft Excel XP Version10 package while the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Spearman Rank Order (RHO) were used to test the null hypothesis. A sample of 243 respondents was randomly selected from six local government areas of Yobe. The System theory was used as the main theoretical framework. From the data analyzed, it was found that the programme recorded a very poor performance in the area of pupils’ teacher ratio, where the minimum ratio of 1:40 is abuse. In all the schools visited both primary and junior secondary sections had the minimum of a teacher to fifty pupil (1:50 and above). Again, it was observed that the qualifications of teachers ranged from certificate A- 3-year post-secondary education, certificate A- 4-years post middle, Diploma in Basic Education; Senior School certificate holders and second degree holders with the least number. The study thus recommends amongst others that more qualified teachers should be recruited and special salary structure should be designed for them, by doing that at least many people will develop interest for the teaching profession and shortage of teachers will be overcome in Yobe state, Nigeria
Keywords: Implementation. Universal Basic Education, Nigeria, Programme, Yobe state
CYBER PORNOGRAPHY: AN ANALYSIS OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK (Published)
The focus of the paper is on cyber pornography as a related content of cybercrime and the analysis of legal framework. Cyber pornography is a new set of crimes in cybercrime beneath cyberspace which fundamentally and centrally falls under the application of information and communication technologies. The paper discusses the legal framework of cyber pornography with a view to identify the relevant laws with particular reference to the legal position. The discussion is limited to cyber pornography which covers the use of depict images in the internet. The methodology of the paper adopted is doctrinal approach method wherein relevant data collected were analysed and the finding brought out. The finding of the paper reveals that countries should adapt sex education policy for both the children and the parents on the existence of using internet in circulation of unpleasant images and further recommends that children should not hesitate to report any incidence of gross indecency against any person to their parents and law enforcement agencies.
Keywords: Cyber pornography, Internet, Legal Framework, Nigeria
THE LEGAL ANATOMY OF CULTURAL WIDOWHOOD PRACTICES IN SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA: THE NEED FOR A PANACEA (Published)
Nigeria is a patriarchal society, thus women are regarded as less human beings, especially among the Igbos of South Eastern Nigeria. Against this backdrop women are discriminated against, degraded and dehumanized despite the provisions of our local statutes such as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and various other International Human Rights Instruments which Nigeria ratified. The widow is the fulcrum of this debased treatment. Widows are subjected to agonizing, painful and dehumanizing treatments during their mourning rites and thereafter. This impact negatively on their social, psychological and physical wellbeing. Surprisingly some of these obnoxious cultural practices are tacitly accepted and implemented by fellow women called the ‘Umuadas’. Hence, this paper examines the Igbo widowhood practices in South Eastern Nigeria and how the harmful widowhood rites can be eradicated.
Keywords: Culture, National Laws, Nigeria, Panacea, South-East, Widowhood Practices
DEMOCRACY AND THE COST OF GOVERNANCE: THE NEED FOR NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS PARADIGM IN NIGERIA (Published)
The paper identified globalization as the free-market induced paradigm that brought about the desire to cut the cost of running governments all over the world, and subsequently influenced the emergence of the New Public Management Administrative Reform Paradigm in Britain, USA, Austria, New Zealand and Nigeria in 2003. The paper further traced the development of Public Administration down to New Public Administration; identify and compared the Traditional Administration with the New Public Management. In addition, tables containing the statutory allocations to the National Assembly of Nigeria from 2005 to 2013; the Law Makers Salaries and Allowances; the List of Federal Ministers and their salaries and allowances were conspicuously displayed. Finally, the paper recommended that there is the need for a drastic reduction in the cost of running all the tiers of governments in Nigeria; the salaries and allowances of Legislators, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers and Assistants; a reduction in the number of Federal Ministers to twenty together with the need to abolish the position of the Minister of State because the Federal Ministers can ably be assisted by their respective Permanent Secretaries.
Keywords: Administrative Reforms, Cost Of Governance, Democracy, New Public Management, Nigeria
THE CHALLENGES OF THE NIGERIAN COPYRIGHT COMMISSION (NCC) IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COPYRIGHT PIRACY IN NIGERIA (Published)
The dawn of information age and the advancement of technology in the reproduction of information and intellectual goods created a favourable tool for piracy; copying and selling of another’s intellectual works have become easy and less expensive; copyright theft; production of fake, sub-standard and unlicensed products are on the increase. Hence copyright piracy is a global problem, although more prevalent in developing countries like Nigeria. Copyright piracy has been recognized worldwide as an enemy of creative arts, intellectualism and creativity. It obstructs genuine investments and corrupts cultural value of a nation. Nigeria status as a favourable destination for foreign direct investment and a place where local creative talent can flourish is in jeopardy due to the activities of individuals who unjustifiably infringe on another’s copyright works. It is in recognition of the above fundamental facts that the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC)which is saddled with the responsibility of monitoring, administering and enforcing copyright laws and ensuring proper implementation of set out rules and regulations on the citizenry in the case of default seeks to fight against piracy. In this fight, the NCC are faced with a plethora of challenges which include, poor financing, mobility, insecurity, favouritism, poor enforcement mechanism, poor information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge, poor equipment for the implementation of the anti-piracy policies and so on.
Keywords: Copyright Piracy, Nigeria, Nigerian Copyright Commission
NIGERIA, SHARIA PRAXIS AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION: ANY LESSONS FROM THE SUDAN EXPERIENCE? (Published)
This paper examines critically the implication of wide scale adoption of sharia in a multi religious and pluralistic Nigeria. Specifically, it studies the effect of the legal system on the national integration and unity which paradoxically constitutes mantra in the mouth of almost every Nigerian national. It is discovered that the entrenchment of the criminal and non-personal aspects of Islamic law by the core northern states had become a counter-point on the corporate existence of Nigeria. This is more so as the country’s Constitution had restricted the application of sharia to its personal regime. The Boko Haram menace that ravages the country and its environs may not be unconnected with the much dreamt of islamization of the whole sovereign enclave. Yet, it is further noted that the huge population of southern Christians that virtually constitute half of the nation’s population cannot be cowed into the proselytist agenda. This development is a threat to national unity. A comparative analysis of the socio-legal phenomenon in relation to Sudan before the emergence of South Sudan was a task before the writer, especially as the Muslim/Christian ratio in the pre-divided Sudan resembles that in Nigeria. More still, the comparison is ad rem as the north-south religious divide in both jurisdictions is almost coterminous. This study recommends national dialogue, religious toleration, patriotic spirit, avoidance of fanaticism, inter alia, as antidote to disintegration.
Keywords: Law, National integration, Nigeria, Sharia, South Sudan, Sudan