Editorial: Restructuring Nigeria, True Federalism or a Journey towards Confederacy?
Olalekan Moyosore Lalude
Nigeria’s Ratification of International Human Rights Instruments and the Question of the Non-Justiciability of Chapter II of Its 1999 Constitution
Francis Ohiwere Oleghe
Abstract :
This paper examined the implication of Nigeria’s ratification of international human rights instruments in relation to enforcement of socio-economic rights in the country and debunked the age-long postulation that Chapter II of the Nigerian Constitution is non-justiciable. The paper proceeded to show that even if Chapter II of the said Constitution was to be held to be non-justiciable as generally believed, which the study argued against, it will not in any way affect the enforceability of socio-economic rights contained in international instruments binding on Nigeria. This is more so against the backdrop that the Nigerian Constitution places no limitation on the enforceability of socio-economic rights.
Keywords: Socioeconomic rights, Enforceability, Justiciability, Human Rights
Protection of the Global Commons: Challenges and Prospects
Nimibofa Paul Bemini
Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to examine the concept of global commons, identify these global commons through the lens of international law and assess the challenges facing the governance of these global commons as well as the inherent benefits that can accrue by virtue of proper governance of these resource domains. The study revealed that there are governance systems in place for these global commons, nevertheless, the effectiveness of these governance systems have been retarded on the part of the states (especially the Global North)through lack of commitment to progress towards achieving environmental sustainability. This revelation is demonstrated in the exhibition of non-compliance, greed and dichotomy on the part of states.From the foregoing, the study safely concluded that in order to drastically reduce the adverse effect of global environmental challenges like global, warming, trans-boundary pollution. The protection of the global commons must be pursued by states, with all sense of commitment to achieving global sustainable development.
Keywords: Global commons, Environmental sustainability, Transboundary pollution, Global warming
International Media Campaign on Human Rights Abuses and Extra-Judicial Killings in the Ongoing Nigerian Military’s Counter-Insurgency: The Victor, the Victim and the Abused
Olawale Akinrinde
Abstract:
The unsettled and subjective nature of what constitute human rights abuse and extra-judicial killing affords most western nations and international media to misconstrue security-related matters in most developing world. More problematic is how such misconstrued reality on the ground and publicity inform policy decisions of these nation, thereby, undermining military counterinsurgency operations in the North East. In particular, the consistent labelling of most Nigeria’s military counter-insurgency operations in the North East as constituting human rights abuse or extra-judicial killing had denied Nigeria foreign assistance and collaborations against the insurgency. Regrettably, this situation had left the military starved of weapons and equipment which these Western countries refused to sell to Nigeria. Unfortunately, this is yet to receive adequate academic attention. Hence, this paper attempts to examine the strategic effects of continued labeling of the Nigerian Military as human rights violators on Nigeria’s ongoing COIN operations.This paper therefore contends that the real abused in the on-going Nigeria’s counterinsurgency operations are the Nigerian military personnel, the people and the Nigerian state that had had to continually suffer repeated terroristic attacks in the hands of terrorists.
Keywords: International media campaign, Human rights abuses, Extra-judicial killings, Counter-insurgency, Nigeria.
TRADITIONAL COUP D’ÉTATS IN THE BAMENDA GRASSFIELDS OF CAMEROON CHIEFTAINCY INSTITUTION: A HISTORICAL EXPLORATION
Narcisse Saturnin Kaze Tindo, PhD
Abstract:
One of the most noticeable features of the social-cultural heritage of the Cameroon Grassfields is the chieftaincy institution. Chiefs are a permanent feature of the Cameroonian Grassfields society. Throughout history, Grassfields chiefs have been at the center of the political, social-economic and cultural life of their respective societies. This paper reveals that the violent dethronement of chiefs in the Grassfields region of Cameroon is not necessarily a new dimension in the institution. From the structure and organization of chieftaincy in the Grassfields, removing chiefs from office was usually done using traditionally prescribed methods which by and large excluded forceful dethronement. Exploring the numerous existent cases on the violent destitution of some Bamenda Grassfields traditional rulers from office, the study concludes that the traditional mechanisms for the exercise of chiefly power and authority have not changed. The apparent changes in the methods used for the dethronement of chiefs are the response by the community to reclaim and re-establish communal rights, privileges and mechanisms which are increasingly confiscated by disrespectful chiefs. The study suggests that the desire by the population to use republican principles to exercise power and authority endangers the survival of traditional authority in the Bamenda Grassfields of Cameroon and further undermines the chieftaincy institution.
Key words: Chieftaincy, Chiefs, Fons, Fondom, Dethronement