ECOEXIT: On The Rationality of a Disintegrating ECOWAS Bloc, 1975-2025 (Published)
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) evolved gradually since 1975. Its creation was intended for cooperation and an envisaged eventual integration in trade, security, unified tariff systems and legalities in a common court and parliament. Did these expectations come to fruition? Did the signatories reap optimal benefits from the ECOWAS? What were the cost-benefit implications for the exiting nations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger vis-à-vis their economies, politics, security and, generally, freedom of movements and migrations? These nations exited seemingly because the ECOWAS failed in the implementation of the ideals for which it was conceived. Moreover, bigger member-nations, such as Nigeria and Ghana that made more financial contributions to the association immediately wielded the big stick of suspension. This action nexus the coups d’etat in the nations was overreaching especially since the ECOWAS failed in the overall purpose of regional integration, promotion of intra-national trade and in ensuring security in the West African subregion. Additionally, the exiting nations accused former colonists, majorly France, of meddlesomeness in the internal affairs of the ECOWAS and conceived that the ECOWAS was no longer a safe haven vis-à-vis the insecurity that characterized the Sahel region of West Africa. Insecurity was exemplified by the activities of al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) that competed with each other for footholds in the region. It was concluded that ECOEXIT portended greater danger since freedom of movements of the people; goods and capital which underpinned integration, were curtailed. That border controls, tariff and customs’ checks were reintroduced and further complicated intra-regional businesses and activities that flowed to some extent before ECOEXIT. Primary sources were used extensively while secondary sources served complementary purposes.
Keywords: ECOEXIT, Ecowas, Failures, Freedom, Insecurity, Nations, exiting, interregional, movements, rationality, suspension.
Influence of Security Challenges on Data Gathering in Social Sciences Research in Nigeria (Published)
This paper examined how insecurity has negatively affected the data collection process in Nigeria with its overall negative implications for socio-economic development. It established that insecurity has raised both local and international concerns. Locally, socioeconomic interaction has remained under siege as a direct consequence of unabated incidents of insurgencies, kidnappings and robberies that have continued to intercept and disrupt major socio-economic growth-oriented processes. Internationally, images of insecurity in Nigeria as portrayed in the various media have continued to discourage foreign investors and other forms of inflow of foreign investment opportunities. Findings established that the process and quality of data collection have been largely affected as a result of insecurity which makes it difficult for committed researchers to access relevant sites and physical locations to secure reliable and valid data that would have supported objective research results and conclusions in the social sciences. The paper recommends that synergy among the various arms of the local security agents and commitment of the government towards the elimination of corruption in the war against insecurity will assist in enthroning the right research environment for the collection of reliable and valid data that can inspire growth-oriented socio-economic policy.
Keywords: Cybercrime, Herdsmen, Insecurity, Security, Social sciences, data collection, kidnapping, research outcome
United States-Nigeria Diplomatic Ties and Control of Insecurity in Nigeria (Published)
For more than 50 years, the United States and Nigeria have enjoyed a strong security partnership and friendship. These diplomatic ties are focused on increasing cooperation on maritime and border security, military professionalization, counterterrorism efforts against Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa, defense trade, and strengthening governance of the security sector. However, due to the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, the study explores United States-Nigeria diplomatic ties in the control of insecurity in Nigeria. It assesses whether supports received so far are potent to yield a significant decrease in the spate of insecurity in Nigeria. This study uses ex-post factor design. It obtained data cutting across number of reported kidnapping cases, Ransom demanded from victims and value of supports from the US government Nigeria has received in the last six years i.e. between 2015 and 2021. Line charts were used in the presentation of data as well as show graphical relationships among the variables of study. It is found that intervention programme by the US government in terms of financing to support maritime security, military professionalization, and counterterrorism efforts, training, equipment, and advisory support for counterterrorism efforts, institutional and technical assistance to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Excess Defense Articles program have not significantly reduced insecurity in Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that Nigeria should seek support and build stronger ties with neighbouring countries that are also ready to support in the fight against banditry and unrest and possible causes of kidnapping should be addressed by the Nigerian government through job creation which is critical to ensuring a safe society with progressive and productive individuals working hard to make the country great.
Citation: Odeyemi, Adeola Precious (2022) United States-Nigeria Diplomatic Ties and Control of Insecurity In Nigeria, International Journal of International Relations, Media and Mass Communication Studies, Vol.8, No.2, pp.25-32
Keywords: Insecurity, US-Nigeria, diplomatic ties, kidnapping