Ethno-Religious Identities in Nigeria : Implications for Governance in Nigeria

BACKGROUND The Problem There is evidence of gang violence in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia, and the prevalence of gangs is particularly well documented throughout Central and South America (Decker & Pyrooz, 2010; Gatti et al., 2011). Official estimates of gang membership in Central America estimate approximately 69,000 members, while academic estimates believe this figure to be closer to 200,000 (UNODC, 2007). Some estimates are as high as 500,000 gang members in the region including South America and the Caribbean, and gangs have been identified as “the primary threat to regional stability and security” (Muggah & Aguirre, 2013). While reporting and recording issues make it difficult to estimate rates of gang violence, the homicide rate in Colombia, Brazil, El Salvador and Guatemala are substantially higher than those of European and North American countries (Decker & Pyrooz, 2010; UNODC, 2007). Gangs are also active in South Africa, with an estimate of 100,000 members in Western Cape alone (Reckson & Becker, cited in Decker & Pyrooz, 2010); however, to date, there is limited research examining gangs in Africa and Asia...

This paper examines the trends and underlying drivers of contemporary atheism in Nigeria. Drawing on qualitative data from 76 participants and five waves of World Values Survey (WVS) data, we analyse the historical dynamics of atheist identity and its sociocultural triggers in the Nigerian context. Findings show that the percentage of Nigerians identifying as unreligious has steadily increased since the early 2000s, particularly among male youths under the age of 30. Contrary to classical secularisation theory, which links atheism to scientific and technological advancement, this growth is primarily driven by personal discontent with the doctrines and practices of Nigeria’s dominant religions, as well as their perceived complicity in Nigeria’s socio-political decline. In this context, atheist identity emerges as a subtle form of protest or civic activism against perceived religious dysfunction. The study offers new insights into the complex intersections of belief, identity, and political expression in contemporary Nigeria.

Intergovernmental relations (IGR) constitute a central mechanism through which federal systems operate, influencing governance efficiency, policy coordination, and development outcomes. Nigeria’s federal structure constitutionally recognizes three tiers of government federal, state, and local each with assigned functions and responsibilities. Despite this arrangement, Nigeria’s intergovernmental relations are characterized by persistent tensions, fiscal dependence, constitutional ambiguities, and political interference. This study critically examines the nature, structures, and challenges of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria, focusing on federal–state–local government interactions. Using a qualitative analytical approach based on constitutional analysis, institutional review, and secondary literature, the paper finds that Nigeria’s IGR system remains largely centralized, undermining sub-national autonomy and effective service delivery. The study argues that strengthening cooperative federalism through constitutional reforms, fiscal decentralization, and institutional capacity building is essential for improving governance and development outcomes in Nigeria.

Building on the hypothesis that a country's governance quality is crucial for sustainable development, we examined the human development implications of good governance in Nigeria, focusing on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI). We measured good governance using key World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGIs), including government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption. Data for the variables were sourced from the World Bank and the UNDP Human Development Report. The datasets were analysed using the least squares estimation method, descriptive statistics, and pre-estimation and diagnostic tests. The findings revealed that government effectiveness has a positive, significant impact on HDI in the short term, suggesting that improving government effectiveness is associated with immediate improvements in human development. Similarly, the regulatory quality index has a significantly positive impact on HDI, indicating that improvements in regulatory quality are associated with potential rather than immediate gains in HDI. However, there is evidence of a long-term positive effect of the rule of law on HDI, suggesting that improvements in legal frameworks, judicial independence, contract enforcement, and property rights significantly enhance human development outcomes in Nigeria. Conversely, corruption control has a negative impact on HDI, highlighting the ineffectiveness of anti-corruption strategies in promoting human development outcomes in Nigeria. Given the findings, this study recommends, among other things, that the government should prioritise institutional reforms to improve the quality of public service delivery, particularly in health, education, and living standards, to foster human development in Nigeria.

Desirable sustainable development goals are implemented by policies.However, right from its outset as a sovereign state, Nigeria has had a plethoraof remarkable policies. The essence of these policies has not been sufficientfor delivering good governance. In addition, there have been no major andsignificant developments associated with the implementation of these policiesto date. This scenario rightly suggests that Nigeria's problem is not theformulation of policies in itself, but a structural requirement for dynamicchange that has been lacking in the policy design, formulation, andimplementation. Hence, there is a lacuna in actualising sustainabledevelopment through good governance in Nigeria. This article explores thelogical explanation for policy failure in Nigeria. The recurring decimal of thelack of continuity in governance, corruption, lack of human capacity andresources, lack of standard leadership, and political will to implement policyeffectively are irrationalities in policy implementation. This article argues thatuntil the policies in Nigeria are implemented effectively and taken to theirdesigned conclusion, there will be no sustainable and achievable developmentand good governance in Nigeria. The study contributes to a framework thatintegrates strategic alignment, continuous professional development, adaptivemanagement, and technological integration to enhance the effectiveness andefficiency of the public sector in achieving sustainable governance anddevelopment goals.

Governance is a series of public activities that entail making choices in the public interest for the well-being of a nation. Corrupt practices have polluted these activities. Corruption in Nigeria is not just widespread but also systemic and responsible largely for the country’s underdevelopment. The main objective is to probe the implications of governance and corruption on development in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic utilizing qualitative research design and content analyses. The paper is guided by Social Learning Theory (SLT) propagated by Albert Bandura arguing that corruption is pervasive in Nigeria because people watch and learn from those in positions of governance. The study traces the foundation of corruption in governance from the colonial era and relates with the dimensions of corruption to governance in Nigeria, from where the justifications, motivations and implications of corruption are identified and discussed, and concludes that corruption in governance has undermined economic growth and development, worsened social services, neglected environmental pollution, challenged peace and security, heightened electoral frauds and scared foreign investments. It recommends the reappraisal of the anti-corruption strategy among others.

Youth violence and gang involvement are severe public health issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles and benefits of recreation in the prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation programs addressing youth gang involvement and violence. Data collection involved 39 interviews with former gang members and practitioners working with current or previous gang members, predominantly from the Chicago metropolitan area. The data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. The findings revealed key qualities boosting the preventative, interventional, and rehabilitative capacities of recreation in programs addressing gang involvement. These qualities included attractiveness, affordability, cooperation, consistency/perseverance, structure/supervision, mentoring/coaching, and targeting. Programs that share these qualities offer numerous benefits, such as exposing youth to positive role models, nurturing prosocial relationships, teaching life skills, offering diversion and safety, and leading to meaningful reappraisals among youth. This study emphasizes that recreation can be used effectively in a multiapproach toolkit addressing youth gang involvement and violence.

This article draws on a study which explored youth gang violence amongst male high school learners in Khayelitsha. A qualitative research design and a snowball sampling were applied. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to conduct in-depth face-to-face individual interviews. The study found that most learners start engaging in gang activities between the ages of 12 and 14 years. The respondents wanted the gang violence to end because it interfered with their educational attainment. Respondents also perceived the community to be consciously and unconsciously promoting youth gang violence. Recommendations are proposed regarding the management of youth gang violence.

Youth gang violence has continued its upward trend nationwide. It was once thought that gangs convened only in selected areas, which left churches, schools, and hospitals as "neutral" territory. Unfortunately, this is a fallacy. The results of gang violence pour into hospitals and into intensive care units regularly. The media portrays California as having a gang violence problem; however, throughout the United States, gang violence has risen more than 35% in the past year. Youth gang violence continues to rise dramatically with more and more of our youth deciding to join gangs each day. Sadly, every state has gangs, and the problem is getting much worse in areas that would never have thought about gangs a year ago. These "new generation" of gang members is younger, much more violent, and staying in the gang longer. Gangs are not just an urban problem. Gang activity is a suburban and rural problem too. There are more than 25 500 gangs in the United States, with a total gang membership of 850 000. Ninety-four percent of gang members are male and 6% are female. The ethnic composition nationwide includes 47% Latino, 31% African American, 13% White, 7% Asian, and 2% "mixed," according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice. As a result of the ongoing proliferation of youth street gangs in our communities, it is imperative that critical care nurses and others involved with the direct care become educated about how to identify gang members, their activities, and understand their motivations. Such education and knowledge will help provide solutions to families and the youth themselves, help eradicate the problem of gang violence, and keep health care professionals safe.

The concern for good governance and its role in development process has increased since 1980s. Nigeria has experienced uninterrupted democracy since 1999. This study carryout a test of good governance in Nigeria using the six indicators of good governance used by World Bank. Specifically, the study determine the effect of voice and accountability, political stability and absence of violence and terrorism, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law and control of corruption on economic development in Nigeria using per capita GDP as a proxy for economic development. Inflation rate and oil price were included in the model in order to produce a robust model. Annual data covering 1999 to 2022 were collected from World Bank website. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data while Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model and Bound tests were used to estimate relationship. Findings revealed that the performance of governance in Nigeria in all the six indicators during the period of study was weak. This consequently affect per capita income negatively both in the short-run and long-run. It was concluded that governance has negative effect on economic development in Nigeria. It was recommended that the government should use worldwide indicators to conduct self-evaluation and carry out reforms that will help to improve governance in Nigeria for the purpose of achieving development or improving the wellbeing of Nigerians.

The politics of recycling, a political system where the same set of people continue to dominate the political affairs of a given country, is one of the challenges undermining political development and good governance in Nigeria. The study, therefore, analyzes the effects of the politics of recycling on Nigeria's governance and administrative system. The qualitative study covers Nigeria's Second Republic from October 1, 1979, to Nigeria's Fourth Republic, which commenced on May 29, 1999 – 2022. The data for the study were gathered from primary and secondary sources. Primary data were gathered through interviews with a number of respondents comprising a Journalist, Engineer, Lecturer, Doctoral Student, Administrator, Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, and Businessmen. A convenience sampling technique was used to select the available and willing respondents to participate in the study. In addition, the researcher's close observations of events in Nigeria form part of the data for the study. The secondary data were gathered through official documents, textbooks, journals, and internet sources. The data collected were analyzed using the content analysis method. The study adopted the Recycling Theory of Abiku to analyze recycled politicians and their antecedents in Nigeria's political activities. According to African mythology, Abiku personifies a child who dies and is reborn repeatedly into the same family and causes pain to its hosts each time the child comes. Nigeria's political class, in a similar manner to Abiku, has continued to play recycling politics without offering anything towards the progress and development of the country, thereby repeatedly leaving a cycle that causes pain to Nigerians. The study concluded that recycling or parading the same set of politicians in the governance and administrative affairs of the country is inimical to the country's political, social, and economic development. The study recommended that the electorates must rise to crush the recycled politicians' antics and tactics and vote for new-breed politicians with impeccable character and proven integrity. Pressure should be mounted on the Independent Electoral Commission by journalists, civil society, national and international observers, as well as other stakeholders on the need to conduct free and fair elections in the country.

The study investigated the challenges confronting preparation of financial report of selected state governments in Southwestern Nigeria. Financial reporting in the Nigerian public sector is marred by a host of challenges that hinder transparency, accountability and effective governance. The study used a descriptive survey research design and primary data were collected from three states of Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun through structured questionnaires. The target population consisted of the Office of the Accountant General and the Office of the Auditor General within government departments. The total population of the study was 763 individuals, including 276 participants in Ondo State, 256 participants in Ekiti State and 231 participants in Ogun State. The sample size was 262 participants, selected using the Taro Yamane formula. The online survey was completed with 100% validity and a reliability test coefficient of 0.929 using Cronbach's alpha statistics. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study examined the lack of technical expertise, inadequate accounting systems, complex regulatory environment, transparency and accountability concerns, inadequate funding and political interference. To address these challenges, it was recommended that Nigeria must invest in capacity-building, modernize its technology infrastructure, establish effective regulatory mechanisms, enhance transparency measures, allocate adequate resources and safeguard financial reporting from political interference. By doing so, Nigeria can pave the way for accurate, credible financial reporting, fostering trust, good governance and economic development.

This paper discussed plurality in urban governance in Nigeria and its implication on delivery of urban environmental services, with a focus on water supply, sanitation and solid waste disposal. Conceptually, it explained urban governance as the sum total of the ways of achieving an inclusive city and expressed the urban governance system of Nigeria based the legal framework set for them. The paper explored the environmental implications of urban governance in Nigeria. It concluded that urban governance has several implications on delivery of urban environmental services in Nigeria. The dualism in urban governance is a factor contributing towards inefficient delivery of environmental services such as water supply, sanitation and solid waste management in Nigeria. The paper recommended, among others, a constitutional reform that will guarantee efficient urban governance and delivery of environmental services in Nigeria.

This paper examined the implications of inter-party defections by the APC and PDP elites in the National Assembly on law making and governance in Nigeria. It has been observed that emerging political coalitions may not always reflect policy preferences or philosophical differences since they are mostly based on personalities and agreement among political leaders. Political parties are widely acknowledged to have a significant impact on the oversight and accountability of governmental operations and policies. Political parties’ refusal to impose such rules stifles efficient public representation at all levels. The survey research method was employed to gather data, while the elite theory was found useful in explaining the study. For the purpose of analysis, the Simple Linear Regression was executed with the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for the testing of the hypothesis at 0.5 significance level. The finding of the study revealed that the APC and PDP elites’ inter-party defections in the National Assembly had a substantial influence on the enactment of laws for good governance in Nigeria. Consequently, the study suggested, among others, that political parties in Nigeria should be established on ideologies and not pecuniary benefits and primitive accumulation as it is being witnessed even in the current administration. Besides, being a member of a political party should not be determined by the collection of ticket to vie for elective political office.

In Nigeria, people are no longer suffering and smiling, as Fela sang, but, suffering and dying. Hence, the growing incidences of poverty and concomitant problems in Nigeria are, indeed, critical issues of concern and contention. The bulk of the matter hinges upon finding apt solutions and strategies to open up and unburden human beings form abject poverty. Thus, numerous ways are sought, to rapidly and timely enhance human capacity. The National Poverty Alleviation Programme (NAPEP) is yet another effort, by the Federal Government, in this direction. Accordingly, NAPEP has had its generous footage in Enugu State of Nigeria, in the course of its confident voyage across the country. This paper is, therefore, a genuine effort to evaluate the implementation of NAPEP programmes in Enugu State and its overall outcome and impact on human capacity enhancement. The descriptive survey method of data collection is adopted. In this way, we obtained our primary data through the distribution of questionnaire, which was designed for selected beneficiaries of NAPEP programmes in the three major zones in Enugu State. In addition, our method of data analysis was based on the use of simple frequency and percentages. We argue, principally, that the implementation of NAPEP programmes, including the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES), has not tangibly reflected upon high feasibility of human capacity enhancement in Enugu State. We conclude that there is urgent need for different levels of governments in Nigeria to exhibit more political will and commitment in the fight against poverty and its attendant problems in the country.