Department of Sociology
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Browsing Department of Sociology by Author "Adisa, W.B."
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- ItemOpen AccessArms Proliferation, Boko Haram Extremism and Insecurity in Nigeria(Springer, 2019-07-24) Adisa, W.B.Armed conflict is opaque in most of the third world, but Boko Haram extremism is a new dimension to the security threats facing the peace and stability of the African continent. The chapter argues that the problem of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria is caused by a multiplicity of factors, but the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons (SALWs) is responsible largely for the spread and lethality of the sect’s conflicts. The chapter traces the origin and political economy of this arms proliferation in Africa to the 1970s and 1980s, when many African leaders began to seek military assistance of foreign nations to end armed insurrections in their countries. With the neglect of this illicit arms transfer, coupled with the inability of the Nigerian government to effectively control its borders, the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram exploited the existing criminal networks by conniving with other radical Islamist sects in the Islamic Maghreb to get a cache of arms and ammunition used in its eight-year insurrection against the Nigerian state. The chapter suggests that an effective border control system is inevitable in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency efforts and attempts to cut off the sources of arms supply to armed groups in the country.
- ItemOpen AccessColonialism and the military: a discourse on the history of judicial corruption in Nigeria(2016-01-01) Adisa, W.B.Since independence, many African countries have suffered and continue to suffer from extremely high levels of bureaucratic and political corruption. Many have linked the problem to colonial rule while others have argued that the causes are internally generated. This paper argues that the problem of judicial corruption in contemporary Nigeria is a problem that is caused by the combined forces of colonialism and military intervention in Nigerian politics. The paper sustains this argument by citing instances of executive recklessness that impaired the independence of the judiciary in post-colonial Nigeria. The paper rests its discourse largely on Peter Ekeh's two publics which explains the role of colonialism, colonial ideologies and the African post-colonial ideologies in the legitimation of corruption in post-colonial public service. The paper concludes that a reform of the judiciary must take into consideration many of the outcomes that the contradictions of colonialism and military rule have caused to the judicial system in Nigeria.
- ItemOpen AccessCorruption on the Road: a Test of Commercial Drivers’ Encounters with Police Extortion in Lagos Metropolis(Springer, 2018-09-03) Adisa, W.B.; Alabi, T.A.; Adejoh, S.O.Over the past three decades, the public outcry over the incidence of police corruption in Nigeria has increased despite concerted efforts to reform the police and improve their service delivery. Of recent, the public resentment of police involvement in street corruption, abuse of crime suspects, and extra-judicial killings has caught the attention of the international community and led to human rights groups’ agitation for the overhauling of the police particularly the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). This study was conducted to investigate the experience of police corruption, specifically extortion and victimization, among commercial drivers in Lagos metropolis. The study sought to know whether the nature of service rendered by the commercial drivers and their level of education are associated with police extortion and victimization. It also investigated other possible predictors of exposure to police extortion. The study was carried out among taxi drivers, commercial bus drivers, motorcyclists, and tricyclists in Ikeja, Mushin, and Somolu local government areas of the state. The study adopted cross-sectional survey design and mixed method of data collection. Multi-stage sampling and convenience sampling techniques were adopted. A sample size of 300 was chosen. Structured questionnaire, observation, and in-depth interview guide were used to gather data from participants. It was found that the nature of service rendered by the commercial drivers were associated with both experience of victimization (χ2 13.229; p = 0.004) and police extortion (χ2 = 9.630; p = 0.022), while the level of education was not significant. Ethnicity and encounter with police were other significant predictors of exposure to police extortion.
- ItemOpen AccessCultural impediments to socio-economic development in Nigeria: Lessons from the Chinese economy(2012-06-28) Adisa, W.B.; Fadeyi, A.O.This paper attempts to describe how human environment is an important determinant of socio-economic development. Over the past three decades, Nigeria has been confronted with deep-seated socio-economic crisis evident in high level of poverty, inflation, foreign debt overhang, closure of industries, epileptic power supply, budget deficit, absolute lack of good governance at the grass root, environmental degradation and high unemployment. In the early part of the 21st century, there was high hope among Nigerians that the emergence of democracy and the increasing global capitalist markets feasible in the oil and telecommunication sectors will result in high level of accelerated development. Elsewhere in Asia, globalization and world capitalist market have changed the faces of fundamental problems of underdevelopment. Studies have even confirmed that the successes recorded by China in the global markets confirm that a country’s economy does not grow in vacuum; it exists within the environment and thrives therein. The failure and crises experienced in Nigeria today have been linked with cultural factors such as corruption, leadership failure, lack of entrepreneurial skills, over dependence on western values and culture, insincerity and weak bureaucracies. Using quantitative data and content analysis, the paper concludes that Nigerian government at all levels must rise up to the challenges posed by the problems of underdevelopment in the 21st century
- ItemOpen AccessAn empirical investigation of court users’ encounters with bribery, judicial extortion and corruption victimisation in Lagos State(Springer, 2021-01-07) Adisa, W.B.; Alabi, T.A.This article examines the problem of corruption in the judicial system of postcolonial Nigeria using Lagos State Judiciary as a case study. The study is informed by the fact that, despite several decades of justice sector reforms in the country, some judges and court staff are still found culpable of abuse of the oath of their office. The study adopted direct encounters of court users to measure judicial corruption using a total sample of 827 litigants selected across the High and Magistrate Courts in Lagos State. The quantitative method of data collection was adopted. The study found that regularity at the court, type of court case, and category of litigant were significant predictors of vulnerability to judicial extortion, bribery and corruption victimisation in the court. Specifically, the study found that litigants with criminal cases were three times more likely to be asked for bribes and denied justice than those with civil cases. The implication of these findings for justice sector reform in Nigeria is that, the government, National Judicial Council and State Judicial Commission must deliberately block avenues and opportunities for bribery in criminal prosecution so as to protect the rights of the less privileged in the justice system.
- ItemOpen AccessICT Utilisation and Associated barriers in Teaching among Middle-level Academics in Nigerian Universities(CODESRIA, 2022-01-25) Oyefara, J.L.; Adejoh, P.E.; Adisa, W.B.; Abdulsalam, K.A.; Alabi, T.A.This article seeks to understand the barriers to information and com- munications technology (ICT) utilisation among middle-level academics in Nigerian universities. It makes use of a cross-sectional survey and key informant interviews to interrogate the problem. A total of 1,325 middle- level lecturers drawn from 12 South-western Nigerian universities took part in the study. Because of the nature and character of the Nigerian state and the historical contexts of its higher education, the political economy approach was adopted along with ICT utilisation resistance theory to explain barriers to ICT utilisation in Nigerian universities. The article finds that there is a significant relationship between the availability, utilisation and quality of teaching in Nigerian universities. Specifically, it finds that in universities where lecturers had tablets they were 1.5 times more likely to deliver quality teaching. It also finds that in universities where lecturers used multimedia projectors, students were 2.7 times more likely to receive quality teaching. On the barriers to ICT utilisation, the article finds that lack of funding, lack of strong institutional policy and support infrastructure such as broadband internet connectivity and constant electricity supply are among the major constraints to ICT-based higher education. It therefore suggests the development of a comprehensive policy on ICT-based education and massive investment in university education in Nigeria.
- ItemOpen AccessJudicial Corruption, Institutional Reform and the Electoral Process in Nigeria(2017) Adisa, W.B.Shortly after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the demise of several African oneparty regimes, leaders of a number of African countries began the process of reconstructing the postcolonial African state by embarking on policy and political reforms. This decision was informed by the fact that, since independence, many African countries have been wracked by political and economic crises that have prevented the state from pursuing the rapid growth and economic development needed to fight poverty and material deprivation on the continent. This study argues that while corruption has contributed largely to the development crises in postindependence Nigeria, the problem of judicial corruption is a major impediment to the attainment of sustainable electoral reform in Nigeria. The study substantiates this hypothesis by citing instances of corruption in the Election Petition Tribunals of the 2003 and 2007 general elections in Nigeria. It is submitted that corruption in the judiciary helps to undermine electoral reform by ensuring that the decisions of the Election Petition Tribunals are compromised and the mandate of the people is subverted. Suggestions are offered to reform of the Nigerian electoral process with a view to fighting corruption in the judiciary.
- ItemOpen AccessLand Use Policy and Urban Sprawl in Nigeria: Land Use and the Emergence of Urban Sprawl(IGI Global, 2020) Adisa, W.B.Land use policy is central to the development of urban life and the emergence of cities. In many developed capitalist societies, both the planning and expansion of the cities are usually anchored on sustainable urban land policies such that the growth of urban sprawl is effectively controlled. In most developing countries, land use policies are not only disparate, they are usually not connected to the growth of cities because policy makers are after the money they could make from private investors. This chapter argues that though the coming of the Land Use Act 1978 ended the era of disparate land law regimes, it has, over the years, sealed the control of urban lands to state governors, a development that has created massive corruption and arbitrariness in the allocation and utilization of urban lands. This approach to land administration has also hindered effective and sustainable urban and regional planning in many Nigerian cities. This study suggests the review of the 1978 Land Use Act and effective utilization of modern technologies in the monitoring of urban sprawls.
- ItemOpen AccessMeasuring Corruption Victimization and Strengthening Corruption Cleanup in Developing Countries: What Has Worked for Anti-Corruption Reforms and What Has Not Worked in Africa(IGI Global, 2020) Adisa, W.B.Corruption is one of the greatest challenges of development in developing countries particularly in Africa where the state is run like a personal enterprise. Since the end of the Cold war, the international community has shown considerable interest in the study and control of corruption in developing societies leading to billions of dollars investments in anticorruption cleanups. This chapter argues that although there has been considerable success in the measurement of corruption using corruption perception index, BEEPS, PETS, case studies, and direct observation, and despite the sub rosa nature of the problem, only marginal success has been achieved in measuring corruption victimization in many of these societies. The consequence of this is a lack of synergy between corruption victimization data sets and anti-corruption programs.
- ItemOpen AccessThe Middle Class and Political Transformation in Nigeria: An Appraisal of the Role of Asuu and Nba(2014-10) Adisa, W.B.Since the end of the Cold War in 1989 and the collapse of one-party regimes in the Third World, many African countries have come to the conclusion that, political transformation is an inevitable process of attaining economic and political development. This process is expected to engender economic growth, improve citizens’ access to national politics and create conducive environment for wealth creation. Using cross-sectional survey and key informant interview methods, this study found that, the middle class is one of the strong agents of political change and development in contemporary Nigeria. It however, found weak involvement and participation of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Nigerian Bar Association in matters relating to party formation, economic growth and development, international politics and international relations contribute to limited progress made by Nigeria on the democratization process. The study found that, despite some progress made by the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) and the Nigerian Bar Association in the democratization process, the middle class still remains one of the most marginalized classes in contemporary Nigeria.
- ItemOpen AccessMoney-bag Politics, Rent-seeking and Flawed Elections in Nigeria: A Theoretical Statement(2012-04-18) Adisa, W.B.The history of Nigerian politics is replete with money-bag politics. Although, there is hardly any country in the world where instances of bribery or political corruption are not present in their national politics, researches on Africa‟s postcolonial history, have however shown that, in Africa, corruption is an institutionalized and a systemic practice affecting not only the postcolonial state itself, but also the majority of the citizenry. Using Nigeria, as a case study, this paper argues that since the 1964/1965 Western Region elections to the 2007 general elections, there has hardly been any election conducted in Nigeria without associated cases of corrupt practices such as vote buying, ballot snatching, election rigging, election violence, political and legislative lobbying etc. The aftermath of this or its cumulative effective, is better seen when the number of years spent by Nigeria under the military is weighed against the number of years it spent under civilian administration. Using the peripheral political economy approach, this paper opines that the problem of flawed elections in Nigeria should be traced more to the nature and character of the Nigerian colonial state, prebendal politics among Nigerian politicians, imperial capitalism, primitive accumulation of capital as well as the nature and character of class contestations among various interest groups in contemporary Nigeria . The paper adds that the fierce struggle for state powers and the accompanying prosecution of elections with illicit money, is an indication of the peripheral nature of Nigerian politics.
- ItemOpen AccessPolitical opportunism, corruption and underdevelopment in Africa(2013-12-03) Adisa, W.B.Barely fifty years after many African colonies gained their independence from the Europeans, every effort to develop in the continent has been constrained by the political opportunism and corruption of African leaders. This is happening at a time when many developing nations such as China, Brazil and India are making a strong macroeconomic impact on the global economy. This study found that the major determinant of underdevelopment in Africa is political opportunism aggravated by massive corruption and looting of government treasuries. While the effect of corruption on development has not shown clearly in the Corruption Perception Index of countries like Libya, Algeria and Tunisia, it has presented many African countries as low human development nations. This is evident in the Human Development Report of year 2013.
- ItemOpen AccessSchool and Parental Factors Associated with One-Night Stand, Condom Use at Sexual Debut and Multiple Sexual Partners(2020-08) Alabi, T.A.; Oyefara, J.L.; Adisa, W.B.In many countries, risky sexual behaviour appears to have become more common among sexually active young adults due to increasing acceptance of pre-marital sexual behaviour. This poses threat to the sexual and reproductive health of those who engage in same. This study investigated the possible influence of school and parental factors such as time of sexual debut (before or after admission), institutional type, accommodation type (whether campus or off-campus), parental marriage type, parental counselling and family of socialisation on three risky sexual behaviours. These are one-night stand, condom use at first sex and multiple sexual partners. The study adopted cross-sectional survey method. A total of 433 respondents were selected from three stratified tertiary institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study found that institutional type and parents' marriage significantly influenced involvement in one-night stand. The age at sexual debut and parents' marriage type are associated with the use of condom at first sex. Also, while students of polytechnic had more sexual partners than their counterparts in the university and college of education (F: 16.849; p: 0.001), those living inside campus were significantly more likely to have multiple sexual partners than those outside campus (T: -1.995; p: 0.047). The study recommends the need for the management of institutes of higher learning and accommodation providers to improve their physical environment to discourage risky sexual behaviours, and to sensitise young people. Also, parent-child discussion on sex-related matters from both parents especially in polygynous homes is encouraged.
- ItemOpen AccessSchool and Parental Factors Associated with One-Night Stand, Condom Use at Sexual Debut and Multiple Sexual Partners(2020-08-08) Alabi, T.A.; Oyefara, J.L.; Adisa, W.B.In many countries, risky sexual behaviour appears to have become more common among sexually active young adults due to increasing acceptance of pre-marital sexual behaviour. This poses threat to the sexual and reproductive health of those who engage in same. This study investigated the possible influence of school and parental factors such as time of sexual debut (before or after admission), institutional type, accommodation type (whether campus or off-campus), parental marriage type, parental counselling and family of socialisation on three risky sexual behaviours. These are one-night stand, condom use at first sex and multiple sexual partners. The study adopted cross-sectional survey method. A total of 433 respondents were selected from three stratified tertiary institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study found that institutional type and parents’ marriage significantly influenced involvement in one-night stand. The age at sexual debut and parents’ marriage type are associated with the use of condom at first sex. Also, while students of polytechnic had more sexual partners than their counterparts in the university and college of education (F: 16.849; p: 0.001), those living inside campus were significantly more likely to have multiple sexual partners than those outside campus (T: -1.995; p: 0.047). The study recommends the need for the management of institutes of higher learning and accommodation providers to improve their physical environment to discourage risky sexual behaviours, and to sensitise young people. Also, parent-child discussion on sex-related matters from both parents especially in polygynous homes is encouraged.
- ItemOpen AccessThe travails and challenges of a post-military state on Nigerian youth(2013-04-01) Adisa, W.B.Nigeria attained its political independence in 1960 amidst hope and optimism that, the attainment of the political independence from the British would bring about good governance, engender the rule of law and allow for popular government through violent-free election and also unfettered rooms for economic growth and sustainable human development. Few years later, the hope of a young and dynamic Nigerian state was shattered through a bloody military intervention. Life that was much more abundant at independence gradually became difficult for many people especially the youths in the late 1970s and 1980s. Crushing economic hardships inflicted sorrow on many Nigerian youths. Thus, the picture of Nigerian youth since independence has been that of a marginalized group. As the military continued to hold on to the country’s political power up till 1999, the life of an average Nigerian youth kept deteriorating. Thus, the fact that Nigeria had a re-entry into liberal democracy in the same year did not change matters. Hence Nigerian youths, in an attempt to safe their future from absolute deterioration disaggregated themselves into different forms of resistant militia groups. Today, some of those whom society looked upon to as youths in the past have turned adults, doing what their predecessors did in government, stealing government money at will and fabricating lies to cover up their illegal deals. What hope do Nigerian youth have in this world of misery, violence, HIV/AIDS, assassination, examination malpractice, sexual promiscuity and joblessness? This paper is directed at providing answers to some of the above questions.
- ItemOpen AccessViolent victimisation in Lagos metropolis: An empirical investigation of community and personal predictors(SAGE, 2021-07-14) Adisa, W.B.; Alabi, T.A.; Ayodele, J.; Attoh, F.; Adejoh, S.O.Violence or its threats have been a part of many African cities since the end of the Cold War, when many African countries transited from military to civilian rule. While the incidence of organised crime and violent victimisation of innocent citizens is not new to many West African cities, the emergence of terrorist organisations, armed bandits, kidnappers and armed gangs in a city like Lagos has created new security challenges. The challenges include the inability of government to cope with the rising number of young people in organised cult clashes and the threats to peace and stability in Lagos metropolis. This study is designed to investigate the influence of socio-demographic (senatorial district, gender, age, ethnic group, marital status, education, employment, duration of residency and type of apartment) and community factors (presence of nightclubs/hotels, use of private security and frequency of police patrol) on residents’ experience of crime victimisation, robbery and organised crime. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and a quantitative method of data collection. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 300 respondents across three senatorial districts of Lagos State. The study found that factors such as location, type of apartment, nightclubbing, duration of residence, employment status and use of private security predicted at least one of the three dependent variables. The implications of the findings are discussed.
- ItemOpen Access“Yahoo Boys” Phenomenon in Lagos Metropolis: A Qualitative Investigation(2019-11) Adejoh, S.O.; Alabi, T.A.; Adisa, W.B.; Emezie, N.M.This study investigated what law enforcement agents, who are saddled with the responsibility of curbing cyber crime, know about the malaise; how young people are initiated into cyber crime; the roles of peer influence, and parents’ approval of cyber crime. The study adopted cross-sectional design and the qualitative method of data collection. The study population comprises four (4) key informants who are law enforcement agents; two (2) “yahoo boys”, seven (7) parents, and seven (7) youths in Lagos metropolis. Purposive sampling technique (snowball) was used to select participants, while indepth interview guide was used to elicit information from participants. The data were analysed using manual content analysis. It was found that law enforcement agents have considerable knowledge of cyber crime and the different methods used by “yahoo boys” to defraud unsuspecting victims. Frequent interaction between “yahoo boys” and young people plays a key role in the initiation of the latter into cyber crime. Peer influence plays some role in cyber crime, but joining the crime is wilful and not by coercion or chicanery. Parents’ unwillingness to report the crime, as well as their acceptance of the proceeds, suggests that they do approve of cyber crime, and thereby contribute to its increased rampancy.