Federalism and constitutional change in Nigeria

In comparison with established democracies Nigeria is a highly populated and ethnic fragmented state. Therefore after colonial rule and independence a federal constitutional structure was supposed to bring the processes for conflict resolution between the ethnic groups. In 1960 Nigeria started as a highly decentralised state and went through important changes until 1999 towards greater centralisation which found its culmination in regular military governments and open conflicts. Until 1999 each constitution promulgated by the military was considered as a step towards the transition to democracy. After the constitution making process, political actors aspired to constitutional reforms in a democratic way. Those attempts at mega constitutional change were not successful, which lead to military coups once again. This paper traces back mega-constitutional change in Nigeria between 1999 until 2007. After a brief introduction the paper proceeds with the foundations of federalism and constitution making in Nigeria. The following three paragraphs deal with the politics of constitutional change in Nigeria from 1999 until 2007. The final part of the paper compares the failure of Nigerian constitutional reforms with the case of Canada. As in the Canadian case, sub constitutional change in Nigeria is presented as a possible answer to demands of reform, instead of mega-constitutional reform

Migrants in the Throes of Multiple Crises: Fragmented State Authority, Informal Networks and Forced (Im)mobilities in Libya

This article investigates the influence of non-state actors’ activities on migrants' journeys and the resulting phenomena of ‘stranded migrants’ and forced (im)mobilities in Libya. Due to the intense instability in Libya in the post-Gaddafi era and increasing restrictions on EU borders, return migration became a major plank of the EU's migration policy. The article examines the distinct nature of the European Union's externalization policies and practices regarding migration. Specifically, it explores how these policies, when implemented in politically unstable contexts such as Libya, involve armed actors (or militias) who enforce immigration control through the use of violence against migrants. As a result of these practices, distinct dynamics of multi-level governance (MLG) have emerged, in which informal non-state actors play leading roles in the complicated nexus between informality and formality, making migration to Europe and the return of stranded migrants to their home countries difficult

Navigating Between National Unity and Political Expediency: The Federal Government’s Response to Substate Identity Policy in Nigeria and Canada

What factors shape the federal or national governments’ responses to substate identity policies within deeply diverse federal systems? This article answers this question by analysing the role of the President or Prime Minister as ‘bearers’ of national unity, when confronted with (exclusivist) identity policies that may threaten the inclusion of all citizens, in particular minorities residing in jurisdictions dominated by a dominant (ethnocultural, linguistic or religious) group. The empirical evidence draws on the experiences of Canada and Nigeria, focusing in particular on the tension over secularism and the Muslim veil in Québec public institutions, and the adoption of Sharia by twelve Muslim-majority states in Nigeria. The paper demonstrates that while the need to uphold cultural diversity could explain the federal government’s responses to the identity policies implemented in these regions, the primary driver of the responses was the president and prime minister’s political goal of re-election and retaining power. The paper contributes to the literature by stressing the similarities in the political reflexes and strategies utilized by political actors in managing the tension between the constitutional principles of self-rule and shared rule in two federations that are often thought to be so different and, hence, incomparable

Energy regime reconfiguration and just transitions in the Global South: Lessons for West Africa from Morocco's comparative experience

Working on the premise of the importance of comparative lesson-drawing for policy outcomes, and not ignoring the limitations of policy learning in practice as well as the crucial role of context in shaping transition outcomes, this article argues that the case of Morocco - a country at the forefront of renewable energy development in Africa - provides salient lessons for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its design and implementation of the West Africa Clean Energy Corridor (WACEC). Focusing on two key dimensions of energy sovereignty, viz: (1) people’s ownership of the energy transition process, and (2) land use, livelihood issues, and environmental footprints, the paper discusses the implications of Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate (Noor 1) solar project and illuminates the injustices embedded in the process, including their post-colonial ramifications, in order to better grasp the challenges that West Africa must tackle for its energy transition through WACEC to be truly just

Textual inscription in the work of South African photographer George Hallett from the 1960s to 1980s

This research examines the relationship between text and image in the work of South African photographer George Hallett (1942-2020). It proceeds from the first presence of written signs on the walls of the Cape Town neighbourhood of District Six, in scenes photographed by Hallett in the 1960s at the beginning of his career. It then explores how his interaction with African literature informed image-making processes in his practice as he went in exile in London in 1970. Anchoring my research within discourses on iconography pertaining to the work of black artists and the field of black representation, such as those developed by art historian Kobena Mercer, I am proposing an in-depth examination of Hallett’s pre- and exile work, both visually and through the cross-disciplinary interactions from which it emerged. At the core of my interrogation lies the issue of, how does one fill the gaps overlooked by dominant Eurocentric art histories. Especially as it relates to black or brown artists who have lived and worked in the West, in this instance, London. Equally, how does one fill the missing chapters in South African art history, in the case of artists who lived in exile during the years of apartheid and consequently are subject to a double form of erasure. My thesis seeks to contribute to the production of new art historical knowledge by addressing the underrepresentation of Hallett’s work in a context where it has a legitimate place. It also aims to make this research accessible to British and international audiences through a practical component consisting of an exhibition, a public programme, and an online resource

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Stigma: The Perceptions of Tuberculosis in Equatorial Guinea

Tuberculosis remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in Equatorial Guinea, with an estimated incidence of 280 per 100,000 inhabitants, an estimated mortality rate of 96 per 100,000 inhabitants, and a treatment non-adherence rate of 21.4%. This study aimed to identify the factors associated to TB-related knowledge, attitudes, and stigma in order to design community intervention strategies that could improve TB diagnostic and treatment adherence in Equatorial Guinea. A nationwide cross-sectional survey of 770 household caregivers was conducted in Equatorial Guinea about TB knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Knowledge, attitude, and stigma scores were calculated through correct answers and the median was used as cut-off. Associated factors were analyzed calculating prevalence ratio (PR) and a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) through Poisson regression with robust variance. The percentage of women was 53.0% and median age was 46 years (IQR: 33-60). The percentage of caregivers with high TB related knowledge was 34.9%, with a bad attitude (52.5%) and low stigma (40.4%). A greater probability of having good knowledge was observed in those 45 years old or less (PR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), those with higher education level (PR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.8) and higher wealth (PR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-2.0), while sex (PR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6-0.9), religion (PR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-1.8), and good knowledge (PR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.2-1.7) were associated with good attitudes. Wage employment (PR = 95% CI: 1.2-1.4), feeling well informed (PR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.6-0.8), having good TB knowledge (PR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7), and some sources of information were associated with having lower TB-related stigma. This study found that a high percentage of caregivers in Equatorial Guinea lack important knowledge about TB disease and have bad attitudes and high TB-related stigma. Given the epidemiological situation of TB in the country, it is urgent to improve TB knowledge and awareness among Equatorial Guinea's general population.This study was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI18CIII/00023) and the Fundación Estatal Salud, Infancia y Bienestar Social (FCSAI).S

Resist! The 1960s Protests, Photography & Visual Legacy

The book is a collection of the visual heritage of that period and includes some of the most iconic images from that time, making it very clear just how the protest movements left their mark on history and modern-day visual expression

A novel strategy based on genomics and specific PCR reveals how a multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain became prevalent in Equatorial Guinea 15 years after its emergence.

OBJECTIVE: Molecular epidemiology techniques in tuberculosis (TB) can identify high-risk strains that are actively transmitted. We aimed to implement a novel strategy to optimize the identification and control of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB in a specific population. METHODS: We developed a strain-specific PCR tailored from whole genome sequencing (WGS) data to track a specific MDR prevalent strain in Equatorial Guinea (EG-MDR). RESULTS: The PCR was applied prospectively on remnants of GeneXpert reaction mixtures owing to the lack of culture facilities in Equatorial Guinea. In 147 (93%) of 158 cases, we were able to differentiate between infection by the EG-MDR strain or by any other strain and found that 44% of all rifampicin-resistant TB cases were infected by EG-MDR. We also analysed 93 isolates obtained from Equatorial Guinea 15 years ago, before MDR-TB had become the problem it is today. We found that two of the scarce historical MDR cases were infected by EG-MDR. WGS revealed low variability-six single nucleotide polymorphisms acquired by this strain over 15 years-likely because of the lack in the country of a specific program to treat MDR-TB. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel strategy, which integrated WGS analysis and strain-specific PCRs, represents a low-cost, rapid and transferable strategy that allowed a prospective efficient survey and fast historical analysis of MDR-TB in a population

Classical Music and Literature

Laura Marcus argues in The Tenth Muse that literary modernism took on filmic devices. This chapter argues that it did the same with music. Newly conscious of forms, languages, systems, and somatic effects, modernist writers turned to music, particularly Wagner, as a paradigm of artistic expression. Wagner reappears in writing – especially by Joyce, Woolf, Eliot and Ford – that eschewed traditional narrative arcs and literary realism, attempting to re-interpret and re-represent human experience with attention to form and style. Reading Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway informed by Wagner’s conception of the leitmotif as an affective, temporal device, and taking into account what Tim Armstrong calls the modernist ‘preoccupation with the non-linear nature of human time’ , shows how Woolf’s characters are constructed by a complex of affects, contexts, and memories