A Jurisprudential Anatomy of the Legal Status of the Concept of Sustainable Development in Nigeria (Published)
The foundation of sustainable development was first laid as “eco development” in the 1972 Stockholm conference at Sweden, which was held following the problems associated with the anthropogenic over exploitation of natural resources for demographic and economic growth that was facing both industrialized and unindustrialized states. However, it was given prominence by the report of “Our Common Future” published in 1987 after the convocation of the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) chaired by Mrs. Harlem Brundtland, and was continuously amplified by subsequent international instruments, regional treaties and national laws respectively, notwithstanding the seeming uncertainty of its legal status which varies from state to state. The fundamental purpose of this paper is to x-ray the legal status of the concept of sustainable development under the Nigerian corpus juris.
Citation: Agwor D.O.N (2022) A Jurisprudential Anatomy of the Legal Status of the Concept of Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Global Journal of Politics and Law Research, Vol.10, No.7, pp.43-59
Keywords: Nigerian jurisprudence, Sustainable Development, legal status
Aboriginal Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom of Niger Delta in the Framework of its Primordial House System of Governance and Natural Law towards Sustainable Development in the Kingdom (Published)
The Primordial House System of Governance of Primaeval Niger Delta’s Bonny Kingdom, enhanced by natural law, features as the bedrock of the civilization and good governance (GG) in the Kingdom. The Primordial House System of Governance of Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom (Ibanise), which is comprised of present-day Bonny Kingdom and Opobo Kingdom, was originated and institutionalized by the Founding Ancestors of the Ancient Kingdom, led by three hierarchical categories of paramount natural rulers of the three tiers of government of the Kingdom, during the Kingdom’s aboriginal era. The hierarchical categories are Ikpangi-Sibidapu (Institutionalized Lineage Heads), Amadapu (Community/District Heads and thus helpmates to Kings/Monarchs [Amanyanapu]), and Amanyanabo (owner of the land/King). The posts, positions or offices of these hierarchical categories, which have been in existence from time immemorial in Bonny Kingdom, are those of honour, traditional public service, trust, social responsibility and statesmanship, which were originated, systematized and institutionalized by the Founding Ancestors of the Kingdom towards the wellbeing of the people, Houses and entire Kingdom. This study employs socio-legal methodology to examine the Primordial House System of Bonny Kingdom and the role of natural law, namely proto-natural law, during the aboriginal era of the Kingdom, before Opobo Kingdom was established from it parent Bonny Kingdom, during the Kingdom’s Civil War of 1869/70. It discusses the premier natural rulers of aboriginal Bonny Kingdom, as well as four generations of Okoloama Ingie KiriFajie, namely Bonny Kingdom (Ibanise), comprised of Fourteen Lineages/Families/Houses. On this note, from a historiographical background, the study makes a case for GG, fair play, social justice and harmonious ways of life in Bonny Kingdom, based on the good, transparent, responsible and accountable stewardship of traditional rulers, towards the wellbeing of the people and sustainable development of the Kingdom, particularly in the realm of apex, peak or paramount traditional rulership of the three tiers of government of the Kingdom, namely the Lineage, Country-House and overall Kingdom-wide tiers of traditional governance in the Kingdom. Besides, this study demonstrates how the aboriginal era of Bonny Kingdom underscores the Kingdom as a classic African primordial sovereign state and civilization, as well as a pride of Ancestral Ijaw nation, which contributed to the development and advancement of Primaeval Niger Delta region and beyond.
Citation: Edward T. Bristol-Alagbariya (2022) Aboriginal Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom of Niger Delta in the Framework of its Primordial House System of Governance and Natural Law towards Sustainable Development in the Kingdom, Global Journal of Politics and Law Research, Vol.10, No.3, pp.1-32
Keywords: Aboriginal Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom, Bonny Kingdom, Duawaris, Good Governance, Natural Law, Niger Delta Region, Opuwaris, Primordial House System of Governance, Sustainable Development, Wellbeing
The Impact of Human Rights on Good Governance and Sustainable Development in Nigeria (Published)
Human rights and good governance are the salient elements of a well-functioning state and society. They are also mutually reinforced; for human rights principles provide a set of values to guide the work of government and other political and social actors. Good governance on the other hand is a key to sustainable development and without good governance human rights cannot be respected in a sustainable manner. The three concepts thus work hand in hand. However in countries like Nigeria where democracy and rule of law have not been fully nurtured the move towards implementing human rights and good governance principles into the daily functioning of state institutions can be a huge challenge. The probability that a nation will achieve the aims of sustainable development and participative democracy are all the greater if human rights are respected. The aim of this article is to ascertain the level of observance of respect of the human rights in Nigeria by the government authorities and other social actors and the impact such observance or otherwise has on governance and development in Nigeria. It is observed that though the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) makes an elaborate provision on human right, and that Nigeria has acceded to numerous international instruments on human rights, the problem of bad governance with the resultant inadequate development has a link with failure of the authorities that be, to adequately appreciate the requirements of human rights and apply them in governance. Furthermore a lot of the basic human rights as contained in Chapter II of the Nigerian Constitution are not enforceable, thus failure of the authorities to observe them cannot be questioned. It is advocated.
Keywords: Democracy, Good Governance, Government, Human Rights, Sustainable Development
Chinese Investments in Africa and the Politics of Unsustainability: A Case Study of the Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (Published)
Chinese FDIs into Africa have been on an upward trend for the better part of 21st Century and are ubiquitously spread all over the continent. Certainly, the investments have not been devoid of both the positive and negative impacts but most importantly, debate on the sustainability [or otherwise] of these investments rages. In fact, there is an emerging but inimitable view that the claim that the investments are unsustainable is skewed in favor of the westerners, who are also keen on locking in investment opportunities in Africa. This, therefore, does not rule out the fact that global or at least local politics do on occasion, play a role in shaping debates meant to depict Sino- Afro FDIs as habitually unsustainable. Notably, bad politics, especially in Africa, hold the potentiality of suppressing development. To prop up this hypothesis, the paper delves into the Chinese built Kenya’s SGR- a mega project that was on the brink of collapse after a politically instigated civil case seeking to stop it was filed. Ultimately, the court’s ruling on the matter, Parliamentary Committee Report on the project and a host of existing literature has ably debunked a politically initiated myth that Chinese investments in Africa customarily thrive on inaptness.
Keywords: Bilateral Investment Treaty, Sino- Afro FDIs, Standard Gauge Railway, Sustainable Development