SOCIAL CHANGE, CRIMINALITY AND COVID-19: THE NIGERIAN CASE STUDY

This study examine how covid-19 has induced social changes and criminality in Nigeria as a result of economic lockdown, restriction on inter-state movement, closure of international borders, restriction of religious worship, restrictions on all forms of marital rites, ban on all burial and funeral activities, suspension of all educational activities, and social interactions replaced by social distancing. Due to this alteration of the normal human life, and since survival is key, hence the issue of criminality. This paper examined cases of criminality in the country during lockdown, government interventions to mitigate the increase in criminality as a result of the pandemic, implication of covid-19 on fashion, determinant, forms and resistance to social change. The paper is qualitative in nature and relied principally on secondary data to achieved the scope of the study, these includes publications sourced from text books, bulletins, journals, government documents, newspapers and internet. The conflict and conspiracy theory of social change was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. The findings in this study showed that the government with the aim to mitigate the spread of the pandemic in the country restricted the movement of its citizens with compulsory sit-at-home, thus affecting the normal life of its citizens, government intervention at the federal, state and local level is grossly inadequate to cushion the effect of the epidemic on the vulnerable citizens of the country, several structural factors helped triggered Nigeria’s current economic crises such as poor public health infrastructure, institutional corruption, weak and underdeveloped digital economy, lack of social welfare programme, leadership problem, over-dependent on oil sector of the economy, lack of saving culture and, high debt profile of Nigeria. The paper recommends that government should create an enabling environment to increase the standard of living of its citizens as poverty fuels criminality, the government should not politicalize the distribution of relief materials to victims in the face of emergencies, since the protection of the welfare and well-being of the people is the reason for governance, need for good governance and the rule of law, and government should improve capacity-building strategies for adequate security of life and property in Nigeria.

THE IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP CRISIS AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN AFRICA: AN ANALYSIS OF THE GBAGBO-QUATTARA LEADERSHIP CRISIS IN COTE D’ IVOIRE

This study strives to unravel the impact of leadership crisis and political instability in Africa with specific reference to the Gbagbo-Quattara leadership tussle in Cote d’Ivoire. The study relied on secondary sources of data and the post-behavioural theory as its theoretical framework. The study adopted the descriptive research method while data for the study were analysed using qualitative method and content analysis. It was observed that the Gbagbo-Quattara leadership crisis and several others in Africa are driven by personal interest and refusal to accept the result of the presidential election declared by Independent Electoral Commission of Cote d’Ivoire. Further findings from the study revealed that the pressure mounted by the African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations contributed immensely to the early resolution of the leadership crisis in Cote d’Ivoire. To avoid leadership crisis and political instability in Africa, regional and international election observes should be deployed to monitor all elections across the world. In addition, regional and international organizations and agencies should also sanction citizens and leaders whose actions and conduct constitute a threat to peace and security at all levels.

AFRICAN GOVERNANCE: CHALLENGES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS

Accountability and transparency are key principles to fight corruption and achieve good governance in any country, especially in a democratic setting. Accountability and transparency are the criteria for goof governance which bring about legitimacy and popular support from the people. The economy of the country cannot develop when its members lack a sense of duty and accountability. In create an administration that will be responsive to the yearnings and aspiration of the people by the government, the role of accountability and transparency cannot be over stressed. This paper examines the concept of accountability, transparency and corruption in decentralized governance. It highlights the types of accountability and identify that the process of accountability should increase the pressure for more transparent local governance.

THE 2019 SUDAN COUP AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION BY THE AFRICAN UNION

The intervention of the African Union (AU) in the 2019 coup and post-coup crisis of Sudan is the focal point of this study. The objective of the study is to evaluate the peaceful resolution of the 2019 coup and post-coup crisis in Sudan by the African Union. The research questions of the study are: What is the background of the 2019 Sudan Coup? What role did the Forces of Freedom and Change play in the 2019 coup and post-coup crisis of Sudan? How effective is the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) with respect to its mandate to intervene in member states. What are the methods used by the AU as it intervened in the 2019 coup and post-coup crisis in Sudan? The study is guided by the theoretical framework of Collective Security theory with major proponents such as Cardinal Richelieu Immanuel Kant, Woodrow Wilson etc. The study concludes that the prominent role played by the AU in the coup and post-coup crisis in Sudan is highly commendable but the lessons drawn there from can enhance future operations. The study recommends that the military capacity of the African Standby Force should be invigorated with adequate manpower and firepower to effectively carry out peace enforcement operations. Also the AU should draw a template and procedure for interface with the regional organisation of the state engulfed in conflict or crisis that the APSA is to mediate to avoid disjointed and uncoordinated mediation. The qualitative research methodology was adopted for the study.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND FOOD SECURITY SITUATION IN JOS-NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

The current state of food insecurity engendered by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, especially in Jos-North Local Government Area of Plateau State is quiet worrisome and alarming. This paper critically assesses the impact of COVID-19 on food security in Jos-North Local Government Area of Plateau State. This study analyzes the factors responsible for the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, examine the impact of COVID-19 disease on food security, and examine the strategies used by the Plateau State government to avoid food crisis. Based on the objectives, the following research questions were asked to provide answers: What factors significantly influence the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria? How does COVID-19 disease affect food security? What are the strategies used by the Plateau State government to prevent a food crisis? Both primary and secondary data were used for this study. The paper identified an increase in the price of food commodity, loss of job/salary reduction, reduction in food purchase, reduction in food production and distribution, disruption of food availability and accessibility as the main effects of the global pandemic on food security in the Plateau State. It concludes that the inability of government (Federal and State) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has weakened efforts at achieving food security. Based on the above conclusion, the paper recommends that governments at all levels should step up the fight against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Providing testing capacities in all Primary healthcare centres, and security for local farmers to keep the agricultural sector going would be efforts in the right direction.