Browsing by Author "Apeloko O. D."

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Deradicalisation of Boko Haram Insurgents and Bandits: A Soft-power Approach in Sub-Saharan Africa
(African Renaissance Vol. 2023, No. si1, 2023-10-01) Aluko Abayomi J.; Apeloko O. D.; Chukwudi Ekene Celestina; Paimo Oluwatunmise T.
Insecurity has made the state government unproductive, aggressive, and unable to protect its citizens and territory. Insurgency activities like Boko Haram and banditry are common in the sub-Saharan region, particularly in Nigeria, Lake Chad, Cameroon, and the Niger Republic. The perpetrators of these numerous crises have notably targeted victims and state institutions in northern Nigeria. These incessant attacks have stimulated a deradicalization response; however, despite the deradicalization measures to end the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry, the attacks still continue unabated. It raises concerns about the effectiveness of the deradicalization strategy against insurgencies. This brings to the fore the importance of soft power deradicalization strategies such as pardoning, socio-economic empowerment, and re-integration of insurgents and bandits into society. Although the soft-power deradicalization initiative often draws attention and commendation, it also raises doubts about sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on the theory of deradicalization and the systematic qualitative method, this article examines a soft-power deradicalization strategy against Boko Haram and banditry insurgencies in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings expand discussion on the dimensions of deradicalization strategy and its potential in promoting positive outcomes against insurgency in sub-Saharan Africa. It suggests the deployment of soft power as a deradicalization strategy to locally tackle insurgency in Sub-Saharan Africa.
From ‘citizen diplomacy’ to ‘harsh border diplomacy’: Debating the relevance of Afrocentrism in Nigeria’s contemporary Foreign policy
(Ikenga International Journal of Institute of african studies Vol. 25, No. 3, 2024) Omotuyi Sunday; Apeloko O. D.; Bello Moruf A.; Chukwudi Ekene Celestina
Nigerian political leadership at independence crafted an African-centred foreign policy as an aspiring regional hegemon. It relentlessly pursued this ‘Manifest Destiny’ by mobilizing its human, and material resources to several African states in a bid to carve a putative regional influence in the continent. Though successive governments have internalized this unique foreign policy thrust over the years, the return to democratic governance in late 1999 has, however, seen a decline in Nigeria's commitment to the ideals of Afrocentrism. While Yar’Adua’s ‘Citizenship Diplomacy’ and Buhari’s ‘Border closure’ are a response to the plethora of domestic challenges, they nonetheless present a challenge to Nigeria’s traditional African diplomacy. This study, which relies on secondary data, contends that Nigeria’s contemporary foreign policy thrusts represent the irrelevance of Afrocentrism. It also argues that the relegation of the Africafocused external relations would have implications for Nigeria’s continental leadership aspiration, and peace in West Africa specifically. Therefore, the findings of the study revealed that the erosion of the Nigerian hegemonic leadership in the ECOWAS region will encourage interventions of extra-African actors in the African crises.
Impacts of Cyber Crimes on the Image of Nigeria in the International Community: A Case of the Perceptions of Ghanaians
(Journal of African Films & Diaspora StudiesVol. 7, No. 4, 2024-12-01) Apeloko O. D.; Chukwudi Ekene Celestina; Atobatele Abolaji; Chiamaka Chidiebere Sussan
The study examined cybercrime and the image of Nigeria in the international community, especially the perception of Ghanaians. Cybercrime is becoming rampant in the language of scholars and agencies in the international community, and this can affect the image of Nigeria and other international communities. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of cyber terrorism on the perception of Ghanaians on Nigeria’s image, investigate the impact of cyberbullying on the perception of Ghanaians on Nigeria’s image, and examine the impact of spam on the perception of Ghanaians on Nigeria’s image. This research is necessary because of the realisation that if Nigeria does not pay attention to the growth of cybercriminal activities in the country, its image in the international community can be affected in areas of socio-economic relations, such as trading. The time frame for this research is from 2019 to 2022. The research design adopted for this research is inferential. The data obtained were analysed through theordinal regression in which the data analed were reflected in the research objectives. The findings of this study show that there is fairly a significant impact between cybercrime and the image of Nigeria. The study suggests that the government should work on tackling the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime and create an enabling environment for the business to thrive, as this will discourage most Nigerians from committing cybercrimes.
Social Media Application within Organisational Productivity in a Democratic Setting: Evidence from the Public Sector in Nigeria
(Journal of African Films & Diaspora Studies Vol. 7, No. 2, 2024-06-01) Chukwudi Ekene Celestina; Bello Moruf Ayodele; Apeloko O. D.; Olawunmi Kunle
In a democratic setting, the participation of people within an organisation is enlarged by the application of social media. This application has become necessary since it strengthens organisations and members’ participation and communication toward productivity and development. This study is to unravel how organisational productivity is being affected by social media in a democratic setting. The study also investigates various challenges that may face the application of social media within organisations. The qualitative method of study is adopted in the analysis of this study. It involves the use of primary and secondary sources obtained from books and journals, newspapers, and internet sources. An in-depth interview was also conducted with key informants who knew the subject matter. The paper concludes that social media plays a significant role in organisational productivity in a democratic setting, despite some challenges such as misinformation, and misinterpretation in the organisational arena. To ensure democracy's success, organisations should implement close monitoring of social media and the protection of people's rights.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Resurgence of Military Coups in West Africa
(Journal of African Union StudiesVol. 13, No. 2, 2024-08-01) Akinyemi Opeyemi; Apeloko O. D.; Osimen Goddy U.; Chukwudi Ekene Celestina
The military is designed to protect the polity, but national occurrences have motivated the same to take over political power via a coup to change the government. This study is set to explore the causes of military incursions in West Africa. The study is also to unravel the challenges that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has faced in the wake of military incursion into politics. Hence, many international organisations and individuals have resolved that the military must accept the authority of civilian rule. In other words, they may be responsible for carrying out a policy decision they disagree with. The rightness or wrongness of a policy or decision can be ambiguous. Civilian decision-makers may be impervious to corrective information. In practice, the relationship between civilian authorities and military leaders must be worked out. The qualitative method of data collection was adopted for this study. Content analysis is adopted in the analysis of this work. The theory of civil-military relations is chosen for the underpinnings of this study. The findings revealed that different countries in ECOWAS states have experienced military incursions whose causes are multifaceted. The causes range from historical government handling of conflicts to acts of impunity, among others. This situation has strained the relationships between member states in their political and socioeconomic engagements. The study therefore concludes that military incursion in politics in West Africa have caused setbacks for ECOWAS in their bid to achieve democracy, integration, and socioeconomic and sustainable development. It is then recommended that democratic institutions should be strengthened, which will help to address the root causes of instability. The leaders of member states should also be held accountable for upholding democratic principles. This study will help policymakers in the West African region foster democratic principles.
The Judgment of Climate Change on Food Availability in Nigeria
(the rest: journal of politics and development vol 14(1), 2024) Apeloko O. D.; Chukwudi Ekene Celestina; Olu-Owolabi Fadeke Esther; Ezennia Samuel
Climate change is a global phenomenon that has significant implications for food security, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. This study is set to explore the nature of the relationship between climate change and food security and the various ways to address the impact of climate change on food availability in Ogun State, Nigeria. Relying on the green theory, this study investigated climate change's impact on the agricultural sector, compromising food security in Ogun State, Nigeria. This study's qualitative data collection methods include primary and secondary data sources. This study adopted the exploratory research design. Interviews were used to gather primary data, and existing literature was used to collate secondary data. This work covered the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture in the selected state, lecturers in the Department of Economics, Covenant University, and the faculty of agriculture at Obafemi Awolowo University. The thematic content analysis was adopted in analyzing the data in this study. The findings from the data revealed that there is a clear relationship between climate change and food security. It also revealed that climate change has a negative impact on food availability in Ogun State, Nigeria. In addition, strategies and policies put in place to address the issues of climate change and food security were discussed. It was concluded that climate change has affected Ogun State's food security between 2019 and 2023.
Unveiling INEC’S Testimonies: A Dive into Digital Technology Engagement and Voters Registration, 2015-2022
(African RenaissanceVol. 21, No. 2 (Online), 2024) Apeloko O. D.; Gberevbie Daniel E.; Excellence-Oluye Uchekwube O.; Oluwatobi Durojaiye John
Beyond the conventional approach to delivering public services, the adoption of digital mechanisms for delivering these services has been advocated. This is to improve how public services are delivered to the general public. INEC is not left out in the search for a better way to provide quality service through digital technology, and they have introduced new technologies over the years to carry out their activities. However, voter impersonation, duplicate registrations, and overcrowding at registration centres are among the problems that have plagued the election system. In light of this, it becomes imperative to identify the effects and challenges of the use of digital technology in INEC activities, specifically in the registration of voters and the distribution of voter’s cards. The scope of the study was Lagos state, specifically Alimosho Local Government. This study relied on the Technology Organisation Environment framework as the theoretical framework of analysis. This study used secondary and primary sources of data collection. The data were analysed thematically based on the research questions and the structured interview that guided the study. This study adopted a case-study research design. The population of the study was 25 staff of the Alimosho Local Government INEC office, and the sample size was 5 staff selected using the purposive sampling technique. The result showed that digital technology has a positive effect on the registration of voters and distribution of voters’ cards in Alimosho Local Government, but they still experience challenges like a shortage of digital devices and staff as well as delays in fixing and replacing damaged devices. The study concluded that despite digital technology having had a positive impact on the registration of voters and distribution of voters’ cards in Alimosho Local Government between 2015 and 2022, there are still some challenges that need to be tackled. The study recommends that INEC should provide more devices to the local government, and adequate staffing and training should be prioritised to ensure the smooth operation and management of digital systems.
Unveiling INEC’S Testimonies: A Dive into Digital Technology Engagement and Voters Registration, 2015-2022
(African RenaissanceVol. 21, No. 2 (Online), 2024-06-01) Apeloko O. D.; Gberevbie Daniel E.; Excellence-Oluye Uchekwube O.; Oluwatobi Durojaiye John
Beyond the conventional approach to delivering public services, the adoption of digital mechanisms for delivering these services has been advocated. This is to improve how public services are delivered to the general public. INEC is not left out in the search for a better way to provide quality service through digital technology, and they have introduced new technologies over the years to carry out their activities. However, voter impersonation, duplicate registrations, and overcrowding at registration centres are among the problems that have plagued the election system. In light of this, it becomes imperative to identify the effects and challenges of the use of digital technology in INEC activities, specifically in the registration of voters and the distribution of voter’s cards. The scope of the study was Lagos state, specifically Alimosho Local Government. This study relied on the Technology Organisation Environment framework as the theoretical framework of analysis. This study used secondary and primary sources of data collection. The data were analysed thematically based on the research questions and the structured interview that guided the study. This study adopted a case-study research design. The population of the study was 25 staff of the Alimosho Local Government INEC office, and the sample size was 5 staff selected using the purposive sampling technique. The result showed that digital technology has a positive effect on the registration of voters and distribution of voters’ cards in Alimosho Local Government, but they still experience challenges like a shortage of digital devices and staff as well as delays in fixing and replacing damaged devices. The study concluded that despite digital technology having had a positive impact on the registration of voters and distribution of voters’ cards in Alimosho Local Government between 2015 and 2022, there are still some challenges that need to be tackled. The study recommends that INEC should provide more devices to the local government, and adequate staffing and training should be prioritised to ensure the smooth operation and management of digital systems.
Visa-on-arrival, ECOWAS-free Mobility and the Securitisation of the Intra- African Migration in Nigeria
(India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs Impact Factor:, 2024-08) Omotuyi Sunday; Apeloko O. D.; Bello Moruf Ayodele; Chukwudi Ekene Celestina
Over the years, Nigeria’s regional hegemonic leadership in (West) Africa, especially within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, has been debated within academic and foreign relations circles. A major component of this regional leadership aspiration was its quest for a ‘borderless Africa’. As an important arrowhead of its pro-African foreign policy, the Nigerian government proactively crafted a benign national border policy to give practical expression to the free mobility of persons and goods within the West African subregion. Despite a demonstrable commitment to free mobility within Africa over the years, Abuja suddenly imposed a restrictive border policy shortly after it signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and approved the contentious visa-on-arrival for African migrants. Considering this context, this study makes three arguments: First, it interrogates the rationale behind the liberal border diplomacy of the Nigerian government. Secondly, the paper contends that the inability to ‘silence the guns’ in Africa despite all efforts has seriously militated against the aspiration for intra-African mobility and borderless Community in West Africa. Lastly, the study examines the dire implications of Nigerian nationalistic border diplomacy and its declining soft power for the future of ‘borderless West Africa’.