In Botswana, there is a saying that even the greatest calamities can induce laughter (24). Unity Dow and Matt Essex capture this dissonant spirit of tragedy and hope in their new book Saturday is for Funerals. The title of the book derives from the alarming regularity with which the people of Botswana attended funerals in […]
The Dynamics of Nigeria’s Population Policies
ABSTRACT Since her attainment of political independence in 1960, Nigeria has experienced a number of demographic experiments. These experiments were designed to facilitate good governance, strengthen her economy, assist in poverty reduction and provide meaningful data for the uplifting of the lives of her populations. Also since the 1963 census, administrative changes in the number […]
Pan-Africanism and the Challenges of Development in the 21st Century
ABSTRACT Some people maintain that Africa cannot unite because it lacks the ingredients necessary for unity including a common race, culture and language. Yet, the forces that unite Africa greatly outweigh the forces that divide it. In practical terms, this deep rooted unity has been demonstrated in the development of Pan-Africanism and, more recently, in […]
Representation of Religion and Religious Issues in Zimbabwean Mass Media
ABSTRACT The fact that the mass media has power in constructing and shaping reality is hardly disputable. Through its representation of issues and people, the mass media can influence what people think about and how people think about other people and issues. The media is a medium for raising awareness and understanding about various social […]
The Impact of Mass Media on the Posterity of African Cultures: A Mozambican Case Study
ABSTRACT Culture is a central aspect of any human society. Once affected, positively or otherwise, the society’s way of living changes. Like other Southern African cultures, Mozambican culture is facing a new set of challenges, coupled with classic hindrances as it joins the global community. One of these challenges is the uncertain trajectory of mass […]
Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP): Issues and Challenges
ABSTRACT This paper examines the emerging concept of the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), which is being orchestrated by ILO and the matrix of issues and challenges that confront the implementation of this programme. This paper presents perspectives on decent work from experiences in countries such as Nepal, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Moreover, it tries to […]
A Critical Analysis of Funding Strategies for Repositioning Higher Education in Nigeria
ABSTRACT There has been continuously declining budgetary allocations to higher education in most countries in the midst of increasing demand and awareness of its important contributions to global competitiveness, economic growth and sustainable development. This new trend has remained a contending challenge to educational planners and development economists to develop sustainable strategies and techniques for […]
Politics of Rumour and Rumour in the Power Dynamics
ABSTRACT Rumour is generally viewed as suspect evidence because, it is supposedly, communication constructed on unverified information. However, rumour, has seemingly transcended this generalized negative connotation and has acquired some air of importance with news value placed on it. This paper attempts an examination of rumour as a political manipulation tool, its social relevance and […]
Money Politics, Political Culture of Godfatherism and the Future of Democracy in Nigeria—Lessons from the 2007 Gubernatorial Election in Edo State
ABSTRACT Nigeria is one of the African countries that is responding to Western pressures to make its states acquire a liberal and democratic culture. Over the years, Nigeria has practiced what can be described as fraudulent democracy. This democracy has been characterized by obnoxious acts such as indiscriminately using money and by very powerful and […]
Patron-Client Politics: Democracy and Governance in Nigeria, 1999-2007
ABSTRACT: This paper will examine patron-client politics in the context of democracy and governance in Nigeria with special focus on the first phase of the Fourth Republic, 1999-2007. This paper, which is essentially based on study of secondary source data, reveals that the politics is neither historically new nor peculiar to Nigeria. Its evidence abounds […]
