Experienced Research Fellow with a demonstrated history of working in Research Institutes and the University environment. Strong education professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) from Jilin University, China, with specialization in International Relations and Strategic Studies (IRSS). Area of focus includes but not limited to, International Relations, International Economic Relations, African Political Economy, Political Economy and Development Studies, Conflict Studies and Analysis, Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development, China and Asian Studies etc Also Skilled in Negotiation, Politics, Policy Analysis, Political Science. Have also gained tremendous experience working in a professional training & coaching industry.
The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eritrea over... more The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the borders and territory around Badme. It delved into ways of understanding and managing border conflict by taking an excursion into the early history and treaties entered into by the two nations beginning from the period when Eritrea was a colony of Italy. The study argues further that, aside the improperly delimited and demarcated boundary line, territories and resources are in some cases the overt reasons why nations fight each other. In another vein, some international territorial dispute cases prove that they might be other latent reasons that may take nations to war. In that stead, symbolic value of territory is also a major reason why some nations would want to go to war, as our case study - the Ethiopia-Eritrea war over Badme portrays. However, the emotions and passion attached to the territory and the non-implementation of the decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission has tended to lead to the recurrent tension in the region as well as forestalled the peace process.
Global Trends and China in the Coming Decade , Mar 2014
The issue of development is so tied to life that it must be consistently reexamine. Development i... more The issue of development is so tied to life that it must be consistently reexamine. Development is about the qualitative and quantitative improvement in the material, social and emotional condition of human existence, which must incorporate all aspects of the individual well-being, from their health status to their economic and political freedom, and also factors such as labor, physical capital, and technology (including improvements in efficiency). However, in recapitulation, countries that make up the international system are often dissected into two distinct categories; developed and developing, rich and poor, industrialized and non-industrialized, the North and South, all this in a bid to depict levels of progress attained by these countries. One most important factor in this categorization is that, it tends to show the inherent inequality and disparities in the global economy, where nations in the North have remain wealthy and developed at the expense of the South. However, dissatisfaction with the status quo on the one hand, has raised epistemically many questions and has prompted the need to address the inherent inequality and disparities between the wealthy North and the developing countries of the South. And, on the other hand, emerging issues and trends such as ‘globalization’, ‘win-win development’, ‘economic interdependence’, ‘sustainable development’, ‘development cooperation’ and as well the new actors and players (emerging Economies) within the system are beginning to shape and reshape the development landscape by injecting new methods and thinking about reevaluating and restructuring of the global economy in ways that will bring about win-win development and mutual benefits. Thus the focus of this discourse is to advocate a paradigm shift leading to a creation of a global economy that will guarantee development, eradicate poverty, and give room for equality and win-win development.
Organisation of African Unity/African Union at 50: Challenges and Prospects of Self Reliance in Africa - Volume One, 2013
Today, wars, famines, ruinous and barbaric political practices, environmental despoliation and HI... more Today, wars, famines, ruinous and barbaric political practices, environmental despoliation and HIV/AIDS etc have condemned many Africans to lives of misery and in certain cases, threatened the very existence of the state. The disposition of the African environment has made the task of promoting and maintaining peace and security very complex. When the Cold War ended, it was expected that the UN would play decisive role to ending Africa’s wars, but unfortunately, disasters in Somalia and Rwanda open bare the deficiency and limitations of UN peace missions, thus necessitating a renewed need and drive by Africans themselves to proffer solutions to their problems, by intervening timely to forestall conflict through early warning and preventive action. Consequently, this led to African leaders, in July 2002, to established the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), which also provided for through the Peace and Security Council Protocol (PSC), the establishment of the African Standby Force. However good the initiative of an African standby force, certain questions still looms, can African Union (ASF) succeed where the United Nations has failed, being cognizance of the contradictions in the prevailing African situation and the inherent limitations of peace operations in Africa? Is the ASF an obligatory mechanism that will remedy Africa of conflict? Nonetheless, the mere fact that crisis and conflict will continue to exist, peacekeeping and intervention will still remain an obligation for Africa and because this is so, the establishment of the African standby force will also remain a desideratum, however, not without concessions by national governments like financial contribution, training, and the upgrading of men and materials to meet the 21st century demands of peacekeeping and interventions.
Boundary relations and their management are as old as human existence, while boundary and border ... more Boundary relations and their management are as old as human existence, while boundary and border issues have been major sources of disputes and disaffection between neighbouring peoples, communities and states. It has however been observed that this phenomenon is particularly common with developing nations of Asia, Latin America and Africa. And that this is so because of the unique historical evolution of these states into modern international system. In particular, African states are faced with boundary related problems that have often escalated into full-scale conflicts because of their historical evolution from the vagaries of colonial partition, domination and manipulation. Accordingly, the international boundaries inherited by these states at the end of the colonial era and on their emergence into the international system as sovereign and independent states were not only flawed in many cases, but were arbitrarily created, forced on the peoples and communities and do not reflect critical historical and or sociological factors of the communities in question. Consequently, African international boundaries are major sources of disputes that have been managed through the application of internal African mechanisms as well as within the context of the principles and methods embodied in international law.
Nigeria Beyond 2007: Issues, Perspectives and Challenges, 2008
Today, women constitute at least half of the human race, yet on the basis of three recognized dim... more Today, women constitute at least half of the human race, yet on the basis of three recognized dimensions of inequality – class, status, and political power, women occupy a secondary place in relation to men, a position comparable in many respects with that of minorities. In Nigeria, a woman enjoys less political and economic power compared to the men. The paper is a contribution to gender discourse in political economy by investigating the place of sex differentiation and its impact on gender. It further explores the feminist model of political economy in relations to women empowerment in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic - a debate on the expansion of the agenda of gender equality in Nigerian politics. Thus the paper stands to question the existing political economy approach, which has inadequately explained class distinctions and inequalities, oppression and alienation of the under-privileged class as well as the discrimination of women in the economic and the socio-political realm. The argument is aimed at a reconstruction and redefinition of the term “political economy” that does not begin from the accumulation of capital, but from the situation of people in their actual lives. When the main business (of political economy) is redefined as the enhancement of peoples lives, rather than accumulation of profit, women’s work becomes, not peripheral, but central to the analysis. In conclusion, the paper argues that since the existing political and economic institutions seem increasingly incapable of solving many global problems, feminist perspectives by going beyond an investigation of market relations, state behavior, class, labor, basic need, development strategies, etc will help us to understand how global and national economy affects those on the fringes of the market, the state, or in households as an attempt to build a more secure Nigeria where inequalities based on gender and other forms of discrimination are eliminated.
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the first global catastrophic appearance of nuclear bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It has also given rise to a series of treaties on a wide range of regulatory and disarmament initiatives and a number of international test ban and proliferation agreements, including Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (NWFZ), etc. These treaties were initiated as a safeguard against the extinction of life on earth and to regulate, prevent excessive production and proliferation of nuclear weapons among states with/without nuclear capability, and non-state actors alike, and also as an agreement to stop the test of nuclear weapons in the world. Today, some countries in Africa have also...
Among studies on prospects and challenges of democratization in the developing world with particu... more Among studies on prospects and challenges of democratization in the developing world with particular reference to issues of democratic sustenance and consolidation, a very limited body of work understudies Africa. Today, some states in Africa where liberal democracy was thought to be taking root have witnessed its truncation either through military putsches and/or social revolution. In some instances, many of these countries unconsciously have found themselves in crises so severe that they herald a bleak future for democratic practice. Accordingly, this study considers the problem with the consolidation of liberal democracy in Africa dual focused. It assumes that liberal democratization presents a systemic dilemma in the legitimation crisis that it poses for Africa. And, as a result, a set of endogenous factors, which over time have characterized contemporary African socio-political dynamics, nurse the consequent problem of a lack of democratic consolidation. However, experts and po...
In Africa, territories have always been known to cr eate enmity between nations, because the exac... more In Africa, territories have always been known to cr eate enmity between nations, because the exact boundaries of many states at independence wer often not known. However, territories and resources are in some cases the overt reasons w hy nations fight each other. While, some international territorial dispute cases also proved that they might be other latent reasons. This study first tries to enhance territorial theor y by constructing symbolic value attached to territory as an approach. Further using territorial theory, the study portends that symbolic value of territory is also a core reason why some n ations would fight each other. Hence, Ethiopia-Eritrea territorial war is the resultant o f symbolic value attached to territory. The study is also focused on ways by which Ethiopia-Eri trea conflict can be managed or resolved. In that case, the paper contends, though, the futur e seems bleak between the two countries, however, there are guarantee that the territorial c onflict can b...
The states of 21st century differ from the states created and known during the Peace of Westphali... more The states of 21st century differ from the states created and known during the Peace of Westphalia. This is the resultant effect of the processes of the forces of globalization and global transformation. The present changes inherent in the international system have adversely impacted states by gradually eroding their sovereignty and their effectiveness. These have manifested in the form of conflict, the inability of most states to provide adequately for the social needs of its citizens, and above all, states' losing their autonomy and authority. These processes of change have also brought to the forefront alternatives like international and multilateral institutions, most of them taking up issues that previously preoccupied states. This paper, therefore, argues that in recent times, factors of globalization such as information technology (IT), markets, international and multilateral organizations, and international humanitarian intervention have to a considerable extent undermin...
Since independence, the guiding principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the pursuit of its nati... more Since independence, the guiding principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the pursuit of its national interests, in both its bilateral and its multilateral relations, have remained a reflection of its perception of the international environment. A constant feature that has remained central to Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture has been Africa, with preoccupations concerning fighting colonialism, apartheid and the discrimination of black peoples in the African continent and elsewhere in the world. Moreover, in all of those endeavors, Nigeria is argued to have never benefited from its external relations with states and nonstate actors alike. However, in 1988, Nigeria officially announced its commitment to economic diplomacy, a result of the lingering economic crisis and structural adjustment program at the time. This essentially led to not only certain shifts in the analysis of Nigeria’s foreign policy after 1988, but also a recap that also triggered a review of current policies in...
Recently, some emerging economies are beginning to challenge the existing international developme... more Recently, some emerging economies are beginning to challenge the existing international development architecture by doling out huge amounts of aid, both in cash and kind to countries in Africa, thereby playing a prominent role in the development of Africa. Amongst these new donors, China tops the list. There is great optimism about the potential benefits of China–Africa aid co-operation despite the doubts expressed by “Sino-skeptics or sinophobes.” This trust stems from two points: first, it is because China, which shares history of oppression and underdevelopment with Africa, deemed itself in a better position to be of veritable assistance to Africa, and second, Africa has plenty of lessons to draw from China’s development experiences. It is important that Africa must use the events of the past to shape the future, that is, draw lessons from its past history and experiences with the West and at the same time emulate the Chinese experiences in growth, development, poverty reduction ...
The Iup Journal of Governance and Public Policy, 2008
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the ...
Page 1. 1 Territorial Theory and The Resolution of African Territorial Conflicts: The Case of Eth... more Page 1. 1 Territorial Theory and The Resolution of African Territorial Conflicts: The Case of Ethiopia/Eritrea Boundary Conflict By Efem N. Ubi WORKING PAPER NO. 9 MAY, 2010 PUBLISHED BY THE GUILD OF INDEPENDENT ...
ABSTRACT The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eri... more ABSTRACT The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the borders and territory around Badme. It delved into ways of understanding and managing border conflict by taking an excursion into the early history and treaties entered into by the two nations beginning from the period when Eritrea was a colony of Italy. The study argues further that, aside the improperly delimited and demarcated boundary line, territories and resources are in some cases the overt reasons why nations fight each other. In another vein, some international territorial dispute cases prove that they might be other latent reasons that may take nations to war. In that stead, symbolic value of territory is also a major reason why some nations would want to go to war, as our case study - the Ethiopia-Eritrea war over Badme portrays. However, the emotions and passion attached to the territory and the non-implementation of the decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission has tended to lead to the recurrent tension in the region as well as forestalled the peace process.
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the ...
Until recently, literatures dealing with economic and development studies, has often left out Afr... more Until recently, literatures dealing with economic and development studies, has often left out Africa in emerging market/economies discourse. This is because Africa has long been seen as a neglected continent. However, since the turn of the millennium, African economies have been showing great promises. This is much more evident in Nigeria; where over the past decade has sustained superior economic growth on an average of 7 percent a year. And recently, as a result of the rebasing of its economy, Nigeria has declared a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 80.3 trillion Naira ($510 billion), overtaking South Africa as Africa’s biggest economy and the world’s 26th biggest economy. Today, Nigeria can be considered a frontier market as well as an emerging economy of the future. However, taking note of the fact that, P. R. China represents the most attractive growth opportunities in the world today, and with Nigeria’s new attainment and Africa’s rising status, it therefore behooves on China, which is the world’s fastest growing and second largest economy, with a great deal of experience to complement Nigeria growth by revitalizing and intensifying its economic engagement and cooperation. Through an extensive survey and in-depth analyses of empirical literature, this paper will explore how China, the second biggest economy in the world and Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy can fashion a renewed strategic agenda for sustainable economic engagement into the future, and how Nigeria can draw from China’s own experience of sustained economic growth and development.
The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eritrea over... more The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the borders and territory around Badme. It delved into ways of understanding and managing border conflict by taking an excursion into the early history and treaties entered into by the two nations beginning from the period when Eritrea was a colony of Italy. The study argues further that, aside the improperly delimited and demarcated boundary line, territories and resources are in some cases the overt reasons why nations fight each other. In another vein, some international territorial dispute cases prove that they might be other latent reasons that may take nations to war. In that stead, symbolic value of territory is also a major reason why some nations would want to go to war, as our case study - the Ethiopia-Eritrea war over Badme portrays. However, the emotions and passion attached to the territory and the non-implementation of the decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission has tended to lead to the recurrent tension in the region as well as forestalled the peace process.
Global Trends and China in the Coming Decade , Mar 2014
The issue of development is so tied to life that it must be consistently reexamine. Development i... more The issue of development is so tied to life that it must be consistently reexamine. Development is about the qualitative and quantitative improvement in the material, social and emotional condition of human existence, which must incorporate all aspects of the individual well-being, from their health status to their economic and political freedom, and also factors such as labor, physical capital, and technology (including improvements in efficiency). However, in recapitulation, countries that make up the international system are often dissected into two distinct categories; developed and developing, rich and poor, industrialized and non-industrialized, the North and South, all this in a bid to depict levels of progress attained by these countries. One most important factor in this categorization is that, it tends to show the inherent inequality and disparities in the global economy, where nations in the North have remain wealthy and developed at the expense of the South. However, dissatisfaction with the status quo on the one hand, has raised epistemically many questions and has prompted the need to address the inherent inequality and disparities between the wealthy North and the developing countries of the South. And, on the other hand, emerging issues and trends such as ‘globalization’, ‘win-win development’, ‘economic interdependence’, ‘sustainable development’, ‘development cooperation’ and as well the new actors and players (emerging Economies) within the system are beginning to shape and reshape the development landscape by injecting new methods and thinking about reevaluating and restructuring of the global economy in ways that will bring about win-win development and mutual benefits. Thus the focus of this discourse is to advocate a paradigm shift leading to a creation of a global economy that will guarantee development, eradicate poverty, and give room for equality and win-win development.
Organisation of African Unity/African Union at 50: Challenges and Prospects of Self Reliance in Africa - Volume One, 2013
Today, wars, famines, ruinous and barbaric political practices, environmental despoliation and HI... more Today, wars, famines, ruinous and barbaric political practices, environmental despoliation and HIV/AIDS etc have condemned many Africans to lives of misery and in certain cases, threatened the very existence of the state. The disposition of the African environment has made the task of promoting and maintaining peace and security very complex. When the Cold War ended, it was expected that the UN would play decisive role to ending Africa’s wars, but unfortunately, disasters in Somalia and Rwanda open bare the deficiency and limitations of UN peace missions, thus necessitating a renewed need and drive by Africans themselves to proffer solutions to their problems, by intervening timely to forestall conflict through early warning and preventive action. Consequently, this led to African leaders, in July 2002, to established the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), which also provided for through the Peace and Security Council Protocol (PSC), the establishment of the African Standby Force. However good the initiative of an African standby force, certain questions still looms, can African Union (ASF) succeed where the United Nations has failed, being cognizance of the contradictions in the prevailing African situation and the inherent limitations of peace operations in Africa? Is the ASF an obligatory mechanism that will remedy Africa of conflict? Nonetheless, the mere fact that crisis and conflict will continue to exist, peacekeeping and intervention will still remain an obligation for Africa and because this is so, the establishment of the African standby force will also remain a desideratum, however, not without concessions by national governments like financial contribution, training, and the upgrading of men and materials to meet the 21st century demands of peacekeeping and interventions.
Boundary relations and their management are as old as human existence, while boundary and border ... more Boundary relations and their management are as old as human existence, while boundary and border issues have been major sources of disputes and disaffection between neighbouring peoples, communities and states. It has however been observed that this phenomenon is particularly common with developing nations of Asia, Latin America and Africa. And that this is so because of the unique historical evolution of these states into modern international system. In particular, African states are faced with boundary related problems that have often escalated into full-scale conflicts because of their historical evolution from the vagaries of colonial partition, domination and manipulation. Accordingly, the international boundaries inherited by these states at the end of the colonial era and on their emergence into the international system as sovereign and independent states were not only flawed in many cases, but were arbitrarily created, forced on the peoples and communities and do not reflect critical historical and or sociological factors of the communities in question. Consequently, African international boundaries are major sources of disputes that have been managed through the application of internal African mechanisms as well as within the context of the principles and methods embodied in international law.
Nigeria Beyond 2007: Issues, Perspectives and Challenges, 2008
Today, women constitute at least half of the human race, yet on the basis of three recognized dim... more Today, women constitute at least half of the human race, yet on the basis of three recognized dimensions of inequality – class, status, and political power, women occupy a secondary place in relation to men, a position comparable in many respects with that of minorities. In Nigeria, a woman enjoys less political and economic power compared to the men. The paper is a contribution to gender discourse in political economy by investigating the place of sex differentiation and its impact on gender. It further explores the feminist model of political economy in relations to women empowerment in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic - a debate on the expansion of the agenda of gender equality in Nigerian politics. Thus the paper stands to question the existing political economy approach, which has inadequately explained class distinctions and inequalities, oppression and alienation of the under-privileged class as well as the discrimination of women in the economic and the socio-political realm. The argument is aimed at a reconstruction and redefinition of the term “political economy” that does not begin from the accumulation of capital, but from the situation of people in their actual lives. When the main business (of political economy) is redefined as the enhancement of peoples lives, rather than accumulation of profit, women’s work becomes, not peripheral, but central to the analysis. In conclusion, the paper argues that since the existing political and economic institutions seem increasingly incapable of solving many global problems, feminist perspectives by going beyond an investigation of market relations, state behavior, class, labor, basic need, development strategies, etc will help us to understand how global and national economy affects those on the fringes of the market, the state, or in households as an attempt to build a more secure Nigeria where inequalities based on gender and other forms of discrimination are eliminated.
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the first global catastrophic appearance of nuclear bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It has also given rise to a series of treaties on a wide range of regulatory and disarmament initiatives and a number of international test ban and proliferation agreements, including Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (NWFZ), etc. These treaties were initiated as a safeguard against the extinction of life on earth and to regulate, prevent excessive production and proliferation of nuclear weapons among states with/without nuclear capability, and non-state actors alike, and also as an agreement to stop the test of nuclear weapons in the world. Today, some countries in Africa have also...
Among studies on prospects and challenges of democratization in the developing world with particu... more Among studies on prospects and challenges of democratization in the developing world with particular reference to issues of democratic sustenance and consolidation, a very limited body of work understudies Africa. Today, some states in Africa where liberal democracy was thought to be taking root have witnessed its truncation either through military putsches and/or social revolution. In some instances, many of these countries unconsciously have found themselves in crises so severe that they herald a bleak future for democratic practice. Accordingly, this study considers the problem with the consolidation of liberal democracy in Africa dual focused. It assumes that liberal democratization presents a systemic dilemma in the legitimation crisis that it poses for Africa. And, as a result, a set of endogenous factors, which over time have characterized contemporary African socio-political dynamics, nurse the consequent problem of a lack of democratic consolidation. However, experts and po...
In Africa, territories have always been known to cr eate enmity between nations, because the exac... more In Africa, territories have always been known to cr eate enmity between nations, because the exact boundaries of many states at independence wer often not known. However, territories and resources are in some cases the overt reasons w hy nations fight each other. While, some international territorial dispute cases also proved that they might be other latent reasons. This study first tries to enhance territorial theor y by constructing symbolic value attached to territory as an approach. Further using territorial theory, the study portends that symbolic value of territory is also a core reason why some n ations would fight each other. Hence, Ethiopia-Eritrea territorial war is the resultant o f symbolic value attached to territory. The study is also focused on ways by which Ethiopia-Eri trea conflict can be managed or resolved. In that case, the paper contends, though, the futur e seems bleak between the two countries, however, there are guarantee that the territorial c onflict can b...
The states of 21st century differ from the states created and known during the Peace of Westphali... more The states of 21st century differ from the states created and known during the Peace of Westphalia. This is the resultant effect of the processes of the forces of globalization and global transformation. The present changes inherent in the international system have adversely impacted states by gradually eroding their sovereignty and their effectiveness. These have manifested in the form of conflict, the inability of most states to provide adequately for the social needs of its citizens, and above all, states' losing their autonomy and authority. These processes of change have also brought to the forefront alternatives like international and multilateral institutions, most of them taking up issues that previously preoccupied states. This paper, therefore, argues that in recent times, factors of globalization such as information technology (IT), markets, international and multilateral organizations, and international humanitarian intervention have to a considerable extent undermin...
Since independence, the guiding principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the pursuit of its nati... more Since independence, the guiding principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the pursuit of its national interests, in both its bilateral and its multilateral relations, have remained a reflection of its perception of the international environment. A constant feature that has remained central to Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture has been Africa, with preoccupations concerning fighting colonialism, apartheid and the discrimination of black peoples in the African continent and elsewhere in the world. Moreover, in all of those endeavors, Nigeria is argued to have never benefited from its external relations with states and nonstate actors alike. However, in 1988, Nigeria officially announced its commitment to economic diplomacy, a result of the lingering economic crisis and structural adjustment program at the time. This essentially led to not only certain shifts in the analysis of Nigeria’s foreign policy after 1988, but also a recap that also triggered a review of current policies in...
Recently, some emerging economies are beginning to challenge the existing international developme... more Recently, some emerging economies are beginning to challenge the existing international development architecture by doling out huge amounts of aid, both in cash and kind to countries in Africa, thereby playing a prominent role in the development of Africa. Amongst these new donors, China tops the list. There is great optimism about the potential benefits of China–Africa aid co-operation despite the doubts expressed by “Sino-skeptics or sinophobes.” This trust stems from two points: first, it is because China, which shares history of oppression and underdevelopment with Africa, deemed itself in a better position to be of veritable assistance to Africa, and second, Africa has plenty of lessons to draw from China’s development experiences. It is important that Africa must use the events of the past to shape the future, that is, draw lessons from its past history and experiences with the West and at the same time emulate the Chinese experiences in growth, development, poverty reduction ...
The Iup Journal of Governance and Public Policy, 2008
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the ...
Page 1. 1 Territorial Theory and The Resolution of African Territorial Conflicts: The Case of Eth... more Page 1. 1 Territorial Theory and The Resolution of African Territorial Conflicts: The Case of Ethiopia/Eritrea Boundary Conflict By Efem N. Ubi WORKING PAPER NO. 9 MAY, 2010 PUBLISHED BY THE GUILD OF INDEPENDENT ...
ABSTRACT The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eri... more ABSTRACT The Management of African Boundary Dispute probes the interface between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the borders and territory around Badme. It delved into ways of understanding and managing border conflict by taking an excursion into the early history and treaties entered into by the two nations beginning from the period when Eritrea was a colony of Italy. The study argues further that, aside the improperly delimited and demarcated boundary line, territories and resources are in some cases the overt reasons why nations fight each other. In another vein, some international territorial dispute cases prove that they might be other latent reasons that may take nations to war. In that stead, symbolic value of territory is also a major reason why some nations would want to go to war, as our case study - the Ethiopia-Eritrea war over Badme portrays. However, the emotions and passion attached to the territory and the non-implementation of the decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission has tended to lead to the recurrent tension in the region as well as forestalled the peace process.
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the ...
Until recently, literatures dealing with economic and development studies, has often left out Afr... more Until recently, literatures dealing with economic and development studies, has often left out Africa in emerging market/economies discourse. This is because Africa has long been seen as a neglected continent. However, since the turn of the millennium, African economies have been showing great promises. This is much more evident in Nigeria; where over the past decade has sustained superior economic growth on an average of 7 percent a year. And recently, as a result of the rebasing of its economy, Nigeria has declared a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 80.3 trillion Naira ($510 billion), overtaking South Africa as Africa’s biggest economy and the world’s 26th biggest economy. Today, Nigeria can be considered a frontier market as well as an emerging economy of the future. However, taking note of the fact that, P. R. China represents the most attractive growth opportunities in the world today, and with Nigeria’s new attainment and Africa’s rising status, it therefore behooves on China, which is the world’s fastest growing and second largest economy, with a great deal of experience to complement Nigeria growth by revitalizing and intensifying its economic engagement and cooperation. Through an extensive survey and in-depth analyses of empirical literature, this paper will explore how China, the second biggest economy in the world and Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy can fashion a renewed strategic agenda for sustainable economic engagement into the future, and how Nigeria can draw from China’s own experience of sustained economic growth and development.
Since independence, the guiding principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the pursuit of its nati... more Since independence, the guiding principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the pursuit of its national interests, in both its bilateral and its multilateral relations, have remained a reflection of its perception of the international environment. A constant feature that has remained central to Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture has been Africa, with preoccupations concerning fighting colonialism, apartheid and the discrimination of black peoples in the African continent and elsewhere in the world. Moreover, in all of those endeavors, Nigeria is argued to have never benefited from its external relations with states and nonstate actors alike. However, in 1988, Nigeria officially announced its commitment to economic diplomacy, a result of the lingering economic crisis and structural adjustment program at the time. This essentially led to not only certain shifts in the analysis of Nigeria’s foreign policy after 1988, but also a recap that also triggered a review of current policies in the Fourth Republic, which raised the following question: can Nigerian foreign policy be said to be consistent with economic development or does it more or less remain altruistic in character and essence? The focus of this article therefore, is first of all, to explore the connection between foreign policy and economic development, and the role that foreign policy should play in guaranteeing a nation’s development. Secondly, the article further examines Nigeria’s foreign policy in the Fourth Republic (from 1999 to 2013) with a view to noting if there has been any critical shift in Nigeria’s African-centered altruistic foreign policy to that of economic well-being and development. Thirdly, the article is a conscious effort to steer (in case of any laxity) Nigeria’s foreign policy toward economic growth and development and the well-being of the citizenry.
Recently, some emerging economies are beginning to challenge the existing international developme... more Recently, some emerging economies are beginning to challenge the existing international development architecture by doling out huge amounts of aid, both in cash and kind to countries in Africa, thereby playing a prominent role in the development of Africa. Amongst these new donors, China tops the list. There is great optimism about the potential benefits of China–Africa aid co-operation despite the doubts expressed by “Sino-skeptics or sinophobes.” This trust stems from two points: first, it is because China, which shares history of oppression and underdevelopment with Africa, deemed itself in a better position to be of veritable assistance to Africa, and second, Africa has plenty of lessons to draw from China’s development experiences. It is important that Africa must use the events of the past to shape the future, that is, draw lessons from its past history and experiences with the West and at the same time emulate the Chinese experiences in growth, development, poverty reduction strategy, etc. However, for China’s aid to guarantee Africa’s development, it is not only advisable for Africa to maximize and build on the complementarities across the different sectors (trade, investment, aid, etc.), which this relations offer, but that African government must develop good policies, adequate institutional framework and regulations when strategizing for development and engaging with China, as this will enable Africa to benefit in an all round way. The paper concludes, it is only when these factors are taken into consideration that Africa will be on the path to development.
THE GUILD OF INDEPENDENT SCHOLARS AND THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, May 2010
In Africa, territories have always been known to create enmity between nations, because the exact... more In Africa, territories have always been known to create enmity between nations, because the exact boundaries of many states at independence were often not known. However, territories and resources are in some cases the overt reasons why nations fight each other. While, some international territorial dispute cases also proved that they might be other latent reasons. This study first tries to enhance territorial theory by constructing symbolic value attached to territory as an approach. Further using territorial theory, the study portends that symbolic value of territory is also a core reason why some nations would fight each other. Hence,
Ethiopia-Eritrea territorial war is the resultant of symbolic value attached to territory. The study is also focused on ways by which Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict can be managed or resolved. In that case, the paper contends, though, the future seems bleak between the two countries, however, there is guarantee that the territorial conflict can be resolve amicably.
The Icfai Journal of International Relations, Jan 2008
The states of 21st century differ from the states created and known during the Peace of Westphali... more The states of 21st century differ from the states created and known during the Peace of Westphalia. This is the resultant effect of the processes of the forces of globalization and global transformation. The present changes inherent in the international system have adversely impacted states by gradually eroding their sovereignty and their effectiveness. These have manifested in the form of conflict, the inability of most states to provide adequately for the social needs of its citizens, and above all, states' losing their autonomy and authority. These processes of change have also brought to the forefront alternatives like international and multilateral institutions, most of them taking up issues that previously preoccupied states. This paper, therefore, argues that in recent times, factors of globalization such as information technology (IT), markets, international and multilateral organizations, and international humanitarian intervention have to a considerable extent undermined the sovereignty of states.
The IUP Journal of Governance and Public Policy, Mar 2008
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the first global catastrophic appearance of nuclear bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It has also given rise to a series of treaties on a wide range of regulatory and disarmament initiatives and a number of international test ban and proliferation agreements, including Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (NWFZ), etc. These treaties were initiated as a safeguard against the extinction of life on earth and to regulate, prevent excessive production and proliferation of nuclear weapons among states with/without nuclear capability, and non-state actors alike, and also as an agreement to stop the test of nuclear weapons in the world. Today, some countries in Africa have also decided to exploit nuclear energy technology to boost their power supply. Nigeria is one such country. However, in harnessing the technology, Nigeria faces some challenges. How to reduce radiation risk and manage the waste? Does Nigeria have the financial capacity? What about secret weapon production? And, finally, does the country have the wherewithal and ability to set up nuclear energy technology? These are big and very complex challenges that Nigeria has to grapple with. The article concludes that though nuclear energy technology has its uses, Nigeria should prioritise its focus on immediate needs.
Icfai University Journal of Governance and …, 2008
Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and s... more Nuclear energy technology serves dual purposes; firstly, it is of utmost benefit to mankind and secondly, in the form of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism, it poses a great threat to human existence. This negative aspect of nuclear technology has made it contentious since the ...
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Ethiopia-Eritrea territorial war is the resultant of symbolic value attached to territory. The study is also focused on ways by which Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict can be managed or resolved. In that case, the paper contends, though, the future seems bleak between the two countries, however, there is guarantee that the territorial conflict can be resolve amicably.