USA Africa Dialogue Series - TOFAC: FULL PROGRAM AND ABSTRACTS

 TOYIN FALOLA ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AFRICA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

(TOFAC 2012)

 

 

 

 

 

THEME

 

Cultures, Identities, Nationalities, and Modernities in Africa and the African Diaspora

 

 

 

SPONSORS/HOST

Centre for Black Arts and African Cultures (CBAAC), Lagos

 

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

ALL CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS TO NOTE !!!

Accreditation of Participants: From Sunday 1July on arrival - 8.00pm at the Conference Secretariat; and Monday 2 July on arrival at the Conference Venue.

The Venue for the Opening Ceremony; All Keynote Lectures &  Plenary is the Main Hall.

Three Parallel Sessions will hold each day. The venues are Seminar Rooms I - III

TIME MANAGEMENT IS ESSENTIAL

(Conference Participants are advised to keep to time. Panel Chairs are to ensure strict compliance)

Duration of each Session is 120 minutes (max.)

Breakfast is from 7.00am Conference each day

Tea/Coffee Break duration is 15 minutes. Lunch is 45 mins. (max.)

 

DAY 1: MONDAY, JULY 2

 

 9.00am-          CBAAC Director's Brief Welcome.

 

                         -  Introduction & Citation on Keynote Speakers by

                        Prof. Ayo Olukotun, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria.

 

9.25am - 9.55am Conference First Keynote by Prof. Michael Vickers, Emeritus Director , Parliamentary and Public Affairs, The Hillfield Agency, United Kingdom.

 

10.00am - 10.35am. Conference Second Keynote by Prof Timothy Stapleton, Department of History,  Trent University, Canada.

 

10.35am - 11.00 am. Tea/Coffee Break

 

11.00am - 1.00pm      -                  Opening Ceremony

                        -                               The National Anthem

-           Welcome Address by the  Convener, Coordinator, Ibadan Cultural Studies           Group (ICSG), University of Ibadan, and            Chairman, TOFAC Board –  Prof. Ademola O. Dasylva.

 

Welcome Address by the Chief Host of TOFAC 2012, Prof. Tunde Babawale, Director General, CBAAC, Lagos.

-   Introduction of Prof. Toyin Falola (Honoree  & Special Guest of TOFAC)

    Remarks/ Declares open TOFAC 2012 :

Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation (FMTC & NO) & Special Guest of Honour, High Chief Edem Duke.

-  Formal transfer of the TOFAC Plaque to CBAAC, current Host/Sponsors of TOFAC 2012 by the Hon. Minister.

Conference Third Keynote by Prof. Barbara Harlow, Department of English, The University of Texas at Austin.

 

                                    Plenary Session Speaker/Chair:

 

Topic:  "Rethinking the African Diaspora in the Era of Globalization: Building Economic Capacity for the 21st Century and Beyond."

 

By   Prof. (Chief) Bessie House-Soremekun

 Director, Africana Studies Program, Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies; Founding Executive Director,  Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

 

Introduction and Citation by Dr Taiwo Abioye, Head, Department of English, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.

ICSG/TOFAC AWARDS

Citation on Recipients by Doyin Aguoru, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.

 

1.00pm                                                Tea/Coffee Break

 

 

TOFAC PANELS SHORT LIST

1.50pm - 3.50pm                        DAY 1: AFTERNOON SESSION

 

Panel A.1. ACCULTURATION/AFRO CENTRICITY/ GLOBAL AFRICANITY/ATLANTIC                            AFRICA

Venue: Seminar RM 1;  Panel Chair: Prof. Segun Ogungbemi (Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo State, Nigeria)

i.                    Babalola O.E, Department of History, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti. & Fasiku, M. A Department of Social Studies, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti.

Topic: Acculturation and Its Effects on African Culture: Yoruba as a Case Study

 

ii.                  Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Topic: The Quest for an African Identity

 

iii.                Ann Albuyeh, Ph.D. Universidad de Puerto Rico HC-02 787-559-9361

Topic: "Uncovering African Identities through Language and Culture in the Caribbean"

 

iv.                Professor Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob Department of Philosophy University of Calabar, Nigeria.

Topic: The Transatlantic Slave trade: Gainers and losers from the Perspective of Technology

 

v.                  Cassandra R. Veney, Ph.D. Associate Professor 1 LMU Drive Department of Political Science Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, California   

Topic: The African Diaspora in the United States and Its Response to the War on Terrorism

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.50pm - 3.50pm                        DAY 1: AFTERNOON SESSION

 

PANEL A2:  CITIZENSHIP/ CREOLIZATION/ MULTICULTURALISM

 

Venue: Seminar RM2; Panel Chair: Christina N. Bazzaroni (Florida International University)

 

i.                    Dr Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan Ibadan, Nigeria.

Topic: Between African Migrants in Search of Opportunities and Their Nervous European Hosts: Divergent Attitudes to Migrant Labour and International Prostitution in Selected African Novels.

 

ii.                  Eteete Michael ADAM (LL.M, MIRSS, BL), Department of International Law and Diplomacy, School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Topic: Ethnic Nationalism, Statism, Citizenship and the Right to Non-Discrimination Under the Nigerian Constitution.

 

iii.                iii. Richard Agbor Ayukndang Enoh (Ph. D), Senior Lecturer, Department of History, University of Buea, South West Cameroon,  Topic: The Repatriates and Creolization Processes in West Africa: The Case of Victoria in British Southern Cameroons.

 

iv.                Ademola Olayoku, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, Peace & Conflict Studies Program  University of Ibadan,

Topic: Internal Diasporic Emergence in Nigeria: A Quest for the Resuscitation of Culture  and Identity.

 

v.                  Agbo Joshua,  Department of Languages and Linguistics, Benue State University, Makurdi,  Nigeria,  

Topic: Redefining Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Cultural Studies.

 

vi.                Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117 Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria. Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.

Topic: Multiculturalism: Enriching cultural enterprises for national development

 

 

1.50pm - 3.50pm                        DAY 1: AFTERNOON SESSION

 

Panel A3: COMMODIFICATION OF CULTURE /CONTESTED IDENTITIES/ MODERNITIES

 

Venue: Seminar RM 3; Chair: Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D,

(Vanderbilt Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville)

Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern Nigeria's  Political Elite, 1955-61.

 

 

i.                    Ajani O.A. PhD Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafe3mi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Topic: Aso ebi : The Dynamics of Fashion Nationalism and Cultural Commoditization  in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife

Topic: Non- Economic Factors and the Phenomenon of Cross Border Sex Trade among the Benin Women of Southern Nigeria.

 

iii.                Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117, Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria. Department of Theatre and Media Arts Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.

Topic: Commodification of Culture: Marketing Ethno-national identities

 

iv.                Ajayi Adewale The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro Ogun State

Topic: Performance, Identity and Fictionality in Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence"

 

v.                  Ibrahim Daniel Department of General Studies, Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Topic:          Globalisation and Identity Contestation in Hausa Visual Literature

 

  vi.          Oladotun Ayobade, The University of Texas at Austin, 6010 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin,     TX. 78752 (512) 903-7590,  dotunayobade@utexas.edu, dotunayobade@gmail.com

           "Poor Performances": Poverty, Survival and Creativity in the Performances Stand-up    Comic Acts in Urban Nigeria.

 

3.50pm - 4.35pm                                     LUNCH

 

CULTURAL PERFORMANCES

 

DAY 2                                  (Tuesday 03/07/12)

 

MORNING SESSION

(9.00am - 11.00am)

 

PANEL B.1: CULTURAL PATRIMONY/ POWER/ PROPRIETY/CUSTOM AND THE CUSTOMARY/ POLITICS AND CULTURE

 

Venue: (Seminary RM 1); Chair: Prof. Cassandra R. Veney  (Loyola Marymount University, LA, California)

 

  i.        Dr. Olubayo Oladimeji ADEKOLA Senior Research Fellow (Anthropology) Institute                of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria;   

            Topic:   Integration, Dis-Integration and Re-Integration of Yoruba Kinship Ties:  A Case Study of Ethnic Unions in Southwestern Nigeria

 

ii.      Sandra Ochieng'-Springer, Jackman Road, Orange Hill, St. James, Barbados.                  BB24020. 1-246-432-9410. Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work,         University of the West Indies, Cavehill Campus.

         Topic: Accommodating ethnic         interests in post-colonial societies: A            comparative study of political development in     Kenya and Trinidad and Tobago

 

iii.   Lawrence O. Bamikole (PHD) Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy,        University of the West Indies, Mona campus, Jamaica.

         Topic: David Hume's Notion of Personal Identity:  Implications For Identity   Construction and Affective Communal Living In Africana Societies.

 

iv.    Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D Department of English, University of Mississippi.    

         Topic:  Wole Soyinka, Autobiography, and the Nigerian Academy

 

v.      Christina N. Bazzaroni Florida International University 1986 Biarritz Drive, #104           Miami Beach, FL USA 33141

         Topic: Dangerous Zones of Intimacy: Transgressive White Female Desire, or Fetishization of the Black Male Body?

 

  vi.      Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne,   University of Maroua, Cameroon.

            Topic: The Endless  Plight of African masses in the Twentieth  First Century.

 

 

 

 

DAY 2: Tuesday (03/07/12) Morning Session

(9.00 am – 11:00 am)

 

PANEL B.2: DIASPORIC AFRICAN/ ETHNIC IDENTITIES

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 2): Chair: Prof. Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob (University of Calabar, Nigeria)

 

i.                    Okpara, Chukwuemeka Vincent (Ph.D) Dept. of Fine & Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Topic: Contemporary African and the Diaspora Art: The Contributions of El Anatsui and Yinka Shonibare to the Growth of African Art on the Global Stage.

 

ii.                  Sarah Anyang Agbor(PHD), Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Letters And Social Sciences (Falss), University of Yaounde 1, P.O. Box 755 Yaounde, Centre Region, Cameroon. 237-77223677,

Topic: Diaspora Encounters and Shifting Paradigms in Selected Works of Isidore Okpewho, Anita Desaiand,  Barack Obama.

 

iii.                Kunirum Osia 11704 Hickory Drive Fort Washington, MD 20744301-292-6626 Department of Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling Coppin State University 2500 West North Avenu Baltimore, MD 21216

Topic: The Contextuality of Ethnic Identity: The Anioma People of Nigeria

 

iv.                Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D Associate Professor of African History Department of History 2301 Vanderbilt Place Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37235-1802

Topic: Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern Nigeria's Political Elite, 1955-61

  v.          Miriam Pahl, (Student) Department of Literature Studies, University of Bremen,                          Germany.

              Topic: Decoloniality and Border thinking  in Chimamanda Adichie's Half of a           Yellow Sun,

 

 

DAY 2: Tuesday (03/07/12) Morning Session

(9.00 am – 11:00 am)

 

PANEL B. 3.          GENDERED IDENTITIES

 

 

Venue: (Seminar RM3); Chair: Panel Chair: Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne,   University of Maroua, Cameroon.

i.                    Dr (Mrs) Gloria Eme Worugji BA (Uniport), MPA, MA, Ph.D (Unical), Department of Theatre and Media Studies University of Calabar, Calabar

Topic: A Critical Analysis of Marriage and Female Oppression in Akachi Ezeigbo's Fiction

 

ii.                  Eunice E.OMONZEJIE, PhD Dept. of Modern Languages, Ambrose Alli University,  Ekpoma  

Topic: Interpretations of African Migrant Masculinities in Contemporary Francophone Prose Narrative

 

iii.                Gee A. Yawson M.S. 4820 N. Miami Ave Miami, Florida33127 609 553 1267 Florida International University Department of Global and Socio cultural Studies  

Topic: Que dança é essa?: Reflections of gendered power relations and socio cultural expressions of sexuality in agarrado dancing to Roots reggae in São Luis do Maranhão, Brazil.

 

iv.                Mobolanle Ebunoluwa Sotunsa Dept. of languages and literary studies, Babcock University Nigeria Topic: African Women in Drumming: The Case of the Art and Performance of Ayanbinrin

 

v.                  Moshood Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Topic: Cultural Upturn and Women Involvement in Politics: An Appraisal

 

vi.                Okafor Nneka (Mrs.) PhD Student. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg Campus. Republic of South Africa. Faculty: School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (Ethics Dept.)

Topic: Feminist ethical investigation on the role of culture and gender with specific reference to their impact on development in post-colonial Igbo Nigerian Society.

 

vii.              Omoregie Pat Iziengbe Department of History University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.   Ifra research fellow Topic: Heroines in Pre-Colonial Benin: Their Lives, Activities and Transformations in the Kingdom

 

11.05am - 11.35am                  TEA/COFFEE BREAK

DAY 2: Tuesday 03/07/12) Afternoon Session (11:40 am - 1.40 pm)

 

PANEL C. 1:  ETHNO-NATIONALISM

 

Venue: (Seminar RM 1); Chair: Prof Gloria Chuku (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)

 

i.                    Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D, AIA. Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, College of      Design,        University of Minnesota.

Topic:  Fractal Geometry in Indigenous Yoruba and Benin, Nigerian Architecture

 

ii.                  Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, PhD. Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of  Ilorin,Ilorin, Nigeria. Topic: Ethnic Minority, Politics of Alienation and Political Instability In Nigeria.

 

iii.                Israel Meriomame WEKPE Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. & Ms. Owens Patricia ONI-EDIGIN Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Topic: Indigenous Names, Indigenous Acts and the Re-Construction of the Edo Identity: A Post-Colonial Discourse

 

iv.                Maiyaki M. Mejida Department of History Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria  Topic: Ethnic Identity and Nation-Building in Nigeria: A Case Study of the Bassa and their Neighbours in Toto Area

 

v.                  Timothy Aduojo Obaje & Prof. Okeke Uzodike, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Private Bag X01 Scottsville, 3209,

Topic: Traditional Components of Conflict Transformation: An Appraisal of its Application in the Management of Ethno-Political Conflicts in Nigeria

 

 vi.          Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D, Associate Professor of African History, Department of History, 2301       Vanderbilt Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1802, 614-322-3349,                                  Moses.ochonu@vanderbilt.edu.

              Topic: Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern                         Nigeria's  Political Elite, 1955-61.

 

DAY 2: Tuesday 03/07/12) Afternoon Session (11:40 am - 1.40 pm)

 

PANEL C 2:            INTERNAL  DISPLACEMENT/   ETHNO-RELIGIOUS/IDENTITY CONFLICTS/  MATERIAL CULTURE

 

Venue: (Seminar RM 2); Chair: Dr. Bola Sotunsa (Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State, Nigeria)

 

i.                    Awosika, B. I. (Mrs.), Department of Home Economics, Adeyemi College of Education P.M.B. 520, Ondo. Visiting Lecturer: Federal College of Education (Special), P.M.B. 1089, Oyo. Nigeria. Topic: Relevance of Material Culture –Clothing and Foods in the Traditional Management of Family and Communal Disputes in Nigeria.

 

ii.                  Victor Iyanya, : viiyanya@yahoo.com

Topic: Rural Poverty in Nigeria

 

iii.                Adé Egún Crispin Robinson, MMus (Distinction), Phd candidate (Ethnomusicology), Music Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 4 Wray Crescent, London N4 3LP. Topic: Technicians of the Sacred: negotiating authenticity and maintaining identity in modern Cuban Batá drum culture

 

iv.                Bashiru Akande LASISI (PhD) University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria Department of Theatre Arts University of Ibadan  

Topic: Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense: African Child, Motion Picture and Identity Crisis

 

v.                  Bojor Enamhe (PhD) Department of Visual Arts and Technology Cross River university of Technology Calabar, Cross river State, Nigeria.  

Topic: Costumes and Apparels of popular Masquerades in Cross River State, Nigeria

 

 

 

 

DAY 2: Tuesday 03/07/12) Afternoon Session (11:40 am - 1.40 pm)

 

PANEL C.3:  NEO-TRADITIONALISM/ INDIGENEITY/ TRADITIONAL MODERNITIES

 

Venue: (Seminar RM3); Chair: Donald O. Omagu, PhD College of Staten Island, City University of New York State Island

 

i.                    Nwaolikpe, Onyinyechi (Mrs.) Babcock University Academic Planning Unit, Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State. Topic:          New Media and the Cultural Identity of Young Adults in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Michael Olusegun FAJUYIGBE Department of Fine & Applied Arts,  Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: Contemporary Paintings as Reflectors of (Yoruba) Cultural Values

 

iii.                Ohwovoriole, Felicia. Ph.D Department of English University of Lagos Akoka-Lagos

Topic:       The Bride in the Market Place: Performance in Ilugbedjo Bridal Chants

 

iv.                John Okpako Department of Architecture, ObafemiAwolowo University, Ile-Ife  Topic: Impact of Technology on the Yoruba House: Focus on Osogbo

 

v.                  Yasu'o MIZOBE, PhD School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University

1-9-1 Eifuku, Suginami, Tokyo 1688555 JAPAN,

Topic: Japanese Newspaper Coverage of Africa (African soldiers) during World

War II

 

            vi.  DAUDA, Bola, PhD, Managing Director, The Early Years' Education Foundation                             (EYEF) P.O Box 30864, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Phone:                                                +234 808 639 2371  E-mail: daudabola@hotmail.com

 

 

1.45pm - 2.30pm                                          LUNCH

 

 

DAY 2 (Tuesday 03/07/2012); Evening  Session. 2.35pm - 4.35pm

 

 

PANEL D.1:                                         MIGRATION

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 1); Chair: Dr. Adetayo Alabi (University of Mississippi)

 

 

i.                    Aluko Odunayo Phd Economics Student of SMC University, Switzerland  

Topic: Entrepreneurship as A Pull Factor for Returnees in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife & Dupe Taiwo Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife

Topic: From Disempowerment to Empowerment? A Study on the Trajectory of Cross Border Sex Trade among Benin Women of Southern Nigerian.

 

iii.                Odunayo Aluko Phd  Economic student of SMC University, Switzerland C/o Dr Bola Sotunsa, Babcock University, Ilisan OgunState

Topic:          Returning as Entrepreneur

 

iv.                Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan, Nigeria Topic: Return to the Motherland and Coming to Terms with Exile: The Motif of Homecoming in Yema Lucilda Hunter's Road to Freedom and Isidore Okpewho's Call Me by My Rightful Name

 

v.                  Taiwo Adetunji Osinubi, Department of English, Université de Montréal,

Topic:  African Trans-worlds: Autobiography, Critique and Trans-national Kinship.

 

 

 

DAY 2 (Tuesday 03/07/2012); Evening  Session. 2.35pm - 4.35pm

 

 

PANEL D2:               NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS/PAN-AFRICANISM

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 2); Chair: Dr. Sarah Anyang Agbor (University of Yaounde, Cameroon)

 

i.                    Babalola Ademola Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: Reclaiming and Reinvigorating African Culture: How Appropriate?

 

ii.                  Doyin Aguoru, Ph.d  English and Performing Arts Department, Olabisi Onabanjo  University, Ago-Iwoye.

Topic: Theatre and National Identity; The Tiv Example, The Tiv Success

 

iii.                Halimat Somotan  Fairfield University Box 3146 1076 North Benson Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824 Institutional Affiliation: Fairfield University.

Topic:  The Reassessment of Nigeria as a Territory Rather than a Nation-State

 

iv.                Prof. Gloria Chuku. University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Topic: Nigerian Intellectuals, History, Ethnicity and Nationalism

 

v.                  Donald O. Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island New York.

Topic: On 'Globalization and its victim': Marriage and Emerging trends among Bekwarra people.

 

vi.                Lawrence Ogbo Ugwuanyi, Ph.D Department of Philosophy and Religions, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria Telephone:+2347026349575

ugwuanyiogbo37@yahoo.com University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

   Topic:  Towards a Meta-African Critique of Pan-Africanism

 

DAY 2 (Tuesday 03/07/2012); Evening  Session. 2.35pm - 4.35pm

 

PANEL D 3.  POSTCOLONIAL DYSFUNCTION

Venue: (RM. 3); Chair: Prof. Belkacem Iratni (University of Algiers)

 

i.                    Adedipe Adesoji, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, M A. Peace and Conflict Studies, University      of Ibadan,  

Topic: A holistic view of post-colonial dysfunction in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Idayat Hassan Centre for Democracy and Development in West Africa. E-mail: hidahassan@yahoo.com Topic: Creation of a State-within- a State: Analysing the Boko-Haram Uprising in Nigeria.

 

iii.                Ijaola Samson Oluwatope, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Samuel Adegboyega University,  PMB.001 Ogwa Edo State.

Topic:       From Colonialism to Neo-colonialism, Cultural Demythologization and Ecological Crises in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria.

 

iv.                NNACHI, Joseph; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife  

Topic:  Postcolonial Dysfunction and the Military Question: Interrogating Frank Mowah's Eating by the Flesh

 

v.                  Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne  (University of Maroua, Cameroon).

Topic:  The Endless Plight of African masses in the Twentieth First Century.

      vi.        JOHN OBAFEMI SOTUNSA, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE, ILISAN                                     REMO OGUN STATE, NIGERIA. johnsotunsa@yahoo.com. +234 8036009740

                   Topic:     The role of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Prevention of Mother to                              Child  Transmission of HIV

 

 

5.00PM:                                                  DINNER

 

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012)

 

MORNING  SESSION  9.00am - 11.00am

PANEL E. 1:             SOCIOLINGUISTICS/SYMBOLISM

 

Venue: (Seminar RM 1);  Chair: Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D, AIA.

                                  (University of Minnesota.)    

 

i.       Adetunji Adegoke & Esther Ajiboye, Department of Languages, Covenant         University,      Ota, Nigeria

      Topic: Declarations as Markers: A Linguistic Investigation of Nigerian             Pentecostal Discourse

      ii.         Busayo Ajayi (Miss) General Studies Department, Federal University of                                 Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

                  Topic: The Role of Language in the Conflict among The Plateau People of                        Nigeria.

 

iii.           Taiwo Abioye, PhD, Department of Languages, Covenant University.

      Topic: Stylistic Peculiarities and Pragmatic Expression of Compliments in        Nigerian Church Settings

 

iv.           Donald O.Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City                              University of New York Staten Island New York

               Topic: "Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water"? :Globalization and   

               Traditional Africa Family Patterns in Bekwarra.

 

v.            Emmanuel Saboro PhD Candidate Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery                       and Emancipation University of Hull, UK

               Topic: Memory Representations of Resistance to Slave Raiding in Northern                   Ghana  and the (Re) Construction of a Cultural Identity.

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012); Morning  SESSION  9.00am - 11.00am

PANEL E. 2:                               RELIGIOUS CULTURE

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 2); Chair: Dr Ibigbolade S. Aderibigbe (University of Georgia, Athens)

 

 

i.                    Aisha Balarabe Bawa Department of History Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Topic:  Culture, Islam and Women in Northern Nigeria: Some Historical Investigation

 

ii.                  Chika Okeke-Agulu (Princeton University) 305 McCormick Hall, Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeton, NJ08544; 609-258-7456;  

Topic: Mbari International: Transacting modernism in post-Independence Nigeria

 

iii.                Afolayan, Bosede Funke, Dept of English, University of Lagos, Nigeria.  

Topic:  Religious Complexities in Selected Plays of Ahmed Yerima

 

iv.                Lady Jane Acquah, University of Texas At Austin, Department of History The University of Texas at Austin,1 University Station B7000, Austin TX 78712-0220,

Topic:  Sweet Islam: The Case of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement in Ghana

 

    v.        Adelowo Felix Adetunji, Ph.D.  and  Adefemi Samuel Adesina, Ph.D

                Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

                Topic:  Universal Cultural Correspondences of Initiation Rites

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012); MORNING  SESSION  9.00am - 11.00am

PANEL E. 3: THE MODERN IN QUESTION/ POSTCOLONIALITY/PARALLEL MODERNITIES

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 3); Chair: Dr. Remy Oriaku

(University of Ibadan, Nigeria)

 

i.                    Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne  (University of Maroua, Cameroon).

Topic: Modernism and its Impact in Contemporary Society in Anthony Akerman's  A Man Out of His Country (2000) and John Kani's Nothing But the Truth (2002).

 

ii.                  Dr Mike Adeyeye Department of Local Government Studies Faculty of Administration Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria.  

Topic: Africa's Decentralization Reforms: Context and Conditions

 

iii.                Ogunnubi Olusola (Olusola.ogunnubi@yahoo.com) School of Social Sciences; University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Topic: South Africa's Democratic Re-Enactment: From Post-Apartheid to Neo-Apartheid Construction

 

iv.                Tunde Onikoyi, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, Nigeria,

 Topic: An Auteurist and Post-colonialist Reading of Tunde Kelani's Cinematography.

 

v.                  FASASI Rasheed Adekunle Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan.

Topic:       Yoruba Cultural Beliefs, Modern Science Beliefs and an Ethnoscientific   Beliefs Database- The Meeting Point.

 

 

 

11.30am - 12.00 NOON                                   TEA/COFFEE BREAK

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012); AFTERNOON  SESSION  12.05pm - 2.00pm

PANEL F. 1: GLOBAL AFRICANITY

Venue: (Seminar RM. 1); Chair: Dr. Yasu'o Mizobe (Meiji University, Japan)

 

i.                    Segun Ogungbemi Department of Philosophy Faculty of Arts Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba PMB 01 Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State Nigeria.

Topic: Global Cultural Consciousness, Social and Religious Transformation

 

ii.                  Chijioke Odii Samuel Adegboyega University KM1, Ehor Rd, Ogwa, EdoState Phone: 08030880896,  divinechiji@yahoo.com :

Topic: Implications of Quantitative and Qualitative Imbalances in Global News Flow on Pan-Africanism.

 

iii.                Christian Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Nigeria.

Topic: Pan Africanism: Problems and Propects in the 21^st Century

 

iv.                Donald O.Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island New York. Topic: On 'Globalization and its victim': Marriage and Emerging trends among Bekwarra people.

 

****************

 

 

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW FAR AND HOW FAIR, TOFAC 2012?

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF TOFAC 2013 !!!

 

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Bio-Data

 

Professor Michael Vickers

Professor Michael Vickers - Taught Political Science at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) Nigeria; and has taught and conducted research at universities in America, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  Author (with Ken Post) of Structure and Conflict in Nigeria, 1960-65 (London & Madison, 1973), Ethnicity and Sub-Nationalism in Nigeria (Oxford, 2000), Odes of Forest and Town, (Sussex, 2002), Phantom Trail—Discovering Ancient America, (New York, 2005), A Nation Betrayed—Nigeria and the 1957 Minorities Commission (Trenton, NJ,  2010), and Phantom Ship (Trenton, NJ, Forthcoming); he holds a doctorate in Political Science and West African Studies from the University of Birmingham. He is Emeritus Director of Parliamentary and Public Affairs, The Hillfield Agency (UK).  

 

ii.  Barbara Harlow

Barbara Harlow is a Professor in the Department of English at The University of Texas at Austin and has also taught at the American University in Cairo (1977-83 and again in 2006-7 as Visiting Professor and Acting Chair of English and Comparative Literature), University College Galway (1992), University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1994), University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg (1998) and University of Natal in Durban (2002). She is the author of Resistance Literature (1986), Barred: Women, Writing, and Political Detention (1992), After Lives: Legacies of Revolutionary Writing (1996), and co-editor with Mia Carter of Imperialism and Orientalism: A Documentary Sourcebook (1999) and Archives of Empire: Vol 1: From the East India Company to the Suez Canal and Vol 11, The Scramble for Africa (2003). She is currently working on an intellectual bio-bibliography of the South African activist, Ruth First. Her teaching and research interests include "imperialism and orientalism" and "literature and human rights/social justice."

 

iii.  Timothy Stapleton

Timothy Stapleton is professor of History at Trent University in Canada, and has taught at Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare in South Africa.  He has also been a research associate at the University of Zimbabwe and the University of Botswana.  His published books include Maqoma: Xhosa Resistance to Colonial Advance, 1798-1873 (1994); Faku: Rulership and Colonialism in the Mpondo Kingdom (c1780-1867) (2001); No Insignificant Part: The Rhodesia Native Regiment and the East Africa Campaign of the First World War (2006); A Military History of South Africa: From the Dutch-Khoi Wars to the End of Apartheid (2010) and African Police and Soldiers in Colonial Zimbabwe (1923-80) (2011).

 

PLENARY SESSION SPEAKER & CHAIR

Topic: Enhancing Entrepreneurial Capacity and Sustainable Development Initiatives in Southwest, Nigeria:  A Pilot Study of Abeokuta (Ogun State) and Akure (Ondo State) in Nigeria .

Professor Bessie House Soremekun

Professor Bessie House Soremekun is the Director of the Africana Studies Program, the Public Scholar in African American Studies, Civic Engagement and Entrepreneurship, Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies, and the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. She is also an award-winning author, inventor and entrepreneur, as well as an internationally-recognized scholar, expert, and advocate on entrepreneurship and economic development.

She is the author/editor of 6 books including, Class Development and Gender Inequality in Kenya, 1963-1990; African Market Women and Economic Power: The Role of Women in African Economic Development; Confronting the Odds: African American Entrepreneurship in Cleveland, Ohio, 1^st and 2^nd editions; Gender, Sexuality and Mothering in Africa; and Globalization and Sustainable Development in Africa.

She is currently working on developing partnerships between Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and two Nigerian Universities, which include the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (Ogun State) and Adekunle Ajasin University (Ondo State) Nigeria.    

She has also received critical acclaim for her successful creation of 5 entrepreneurial centers over the past 15 years which include the Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, the National Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., the Center for the Study and Development of Minority Businesses at Kent State University, the Entrepreneurial Academy of the Cleveland Empowerment Zone, and the Entrepreneurial Academy of Youngstown, Ohio. These centers produced award-winning research, business training curriculums, and business training programs. Soremekun created the business training modules used in the centers. More than 400 individuals attended the business training classes offered in Ohio and more than 51 businesses were established to create new jobs and wealth for the economy. Through the years, she has written and received more than 20 grant awards totaling more than $1.3 million dollars from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Cleveland Foundation, the Ohio Urban University Program, the Ohio Board of Regents, the Shell Foundation, Kent State University, Indiana University, the Mahoning Youngstown Community Action  Partnership, and others.

She was the host of her own television show, "Let's Talk Business" and was featured on the cover of Northern Ohio Live Magazine and several Cleveland newspapers.  She has discussed her research findings on affiliate stations of ABC TV, Fox 8, NBC TV, Work and Money Program, Kaleidoscope, National Public Radio, and 107.9 FM.  She has three chieftaincy titles, including the title of Erelu Bada Asiwaju of Egbaland which was conferred on her by His Royal Majesty, Oba (King) Michael Adedotun Aremu  Gbadebo, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland. She is also the Iyalaje of Bakatari and the Erelu Mayeigun of Keesi.

 

 

THE BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

 

1.  Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D. Department of English, University of Mississippi

Wole Soyinka, Autobiography, and the Nigerian Academy:  Contemporary African autobiographers are bedeviled by several issues ranging from identitarian concerns to filial relationships, to issues of resistance against various levels of inequalities, to encounters with different world religions, to the role of Africa in global issues, among others.  What we have in some of Wole Soyinka's autobiographies, particularly Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years A Memoir 1946-1965 and You Must Set Forth At Dawn, is not just a focus on the above issues but on the nation-state Nigeria, especially the role of the intellectual community in Nigerian politics, governance, and general development.  This paper will focus on how Soyinka writes the history of the Nigerian nation in relation to role of the academic world in politics and nation building. The paper will consider Soyinka's sociological, historical, and literary evaluation of the major roles that the academic world, as typified by different schools, including Nigeria's premier university, University of Ibadan, where he worked during part of the period covered by Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years, and the role of the academy and the University of Ife that he narrates in You Must Set Forth At Dawn.  The paper will pay particular attention to how what was ordinarily supposed to be Soyinka's own story becomes that of a nation, a nation-state, and the role of the academic community in the country.  How the life of Soyinka the activist equates that of the struggling country and its people's acceptance and resistance to the role of the academy will be addressed.  The paper will also attempt to answer the question of whether the nature of the Nigerian nation-state makes the role of the school system unavoidable in our socio-political evolution or whether there are alternatives to the roles of the intellectual world in the Nigerian nation-state.

 

2.  Abdul-Gafar 'Tobi' Oshodi, Department of Political Science, Lagos State University

& Bukola Ajayi, Independent Researcher, China in Africa.

CAN PAX NIGERIANA SURVIVE CHINESE AFRICANA?:  Within the context of "state identity" as against "sub-state identities," the historical trajectory of Nigeria's foreign policy shows that the country has created a Big Brother identity at sub-regional and regional levels. This identity, which is marked by some sort of "manifest destiny"(often referred to as Pax Nigeriana), assumes that Nigeria has a significant role to play in the socio-economic and even political development of states in Africa. This manifest destiny therefore explains Nigeria's involvement within the region in a milieu that often meant the spending of its revenue (to keep peace, pay civil servants, build infrastructure, export manpower, and stabilise budget among others) in sister countries. But even as its manifest destiny still remains intact, the increasing presence of China in Africa and the attendant calls for a continent-wide engagement plan (earlier conceptualised as Chinese Africana) holds some implications for Nigeria's historical identity. Thus, while situating China's presence in Africa within three interrelated realities (that speaks to Chinese Domestica, Chinese Internationa and Chinese Africana), this paper interrogates the survival changes of Pax Nigeriana while identifying salient issues, incentives and dangers in the emerging configuration. It further engages three interrelated questions. First, what Chinese mechanisms or actions undermine Pax Nigeriana? Second, what explains China's actions? Third, what policy options are open to Nigeria? It concludes with some policy recommendations that relates to strategic engagement that will argue that both Pax Africana and Chinese Africana does not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive phenomena.

 

 

3.  Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D,AIA. Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, College of Design, University of Minnesota

Fractal Geometry in Indigenous Yoruba and Benin, Nigerian Architecture:  The notion that African cultures demonstrate principles of rational planning has often not been widely accepted. This paper discusses fractal geometry in Yoruba and Benin Nigerian spaces. Fractals are swirling patterns for modeling in biology, geology, and the natural sciences. The five components of fractal geometry are recursion, scaling, self-similarity, infinity, and fractional dimension. Fractals occur in a loop, the output for one step is the input for the next step. Fractals also consist of similar shapes in different scales. Eglash in his book African Fractals: Modern Computing and Indigenous Design notes "while fractal geometry can indeed take us into the far reach of high science, its patterns are surprisingly common in traditional African designs, and some of its basic concepts are fundamental to African knowledge systems (p. 3). Eglash finds the self-similarity of fractals in what is characterized as "circles of circles of circular dwellings, rectangular walls enclosing smaller rectangles" were the basis of planning in many African ethnic groups. In Yoruba settlements, fractals are seen in rectangular walls enclosing rectangles with streets that branch down to tiny footpaths with striking geometric repetition. Fractals are also seen in carvings, architecture, ornamentation, jewelry and women's hairstyles. In Yoruba cities, houses are grouped in compounds according to lineage, occupation, and position in town. The center and the most important part of every Yoruba town is the afin, Oba's palace (King's palace). Yoruba traditional dwellings consist of four rectangular units facing a central courtyard, this style is commonly referred to as Impluvium style. The entrance facade is defined by a series of columns. Several rooms surround the central courtyard. A set of grandiose columns emphasizes the entrance facade. The courtyard is surrounded by a large verandah for congregation. In the Yoruba and Benin monarchial system, the Oba's (king's) palace was designed as a larger version of the impluvium style house. This configuration consisted of rectangular walls enclosing smaller rectangles. The palaces also included elaborately carved columns that supported gable roofs along the courtyard perimeter. Yoruba palaces sometimes had as many as a hundred courtyards that were often larger than an ordinary house. The largest palace in the Yoruba Oyo Empire was larger than a football field. Each of its courtyards was reserved for special functions. The largest was for public assemblies or dancing at festivals, the smaller ones for private activities of the king. The Impluvium style dwelling in traditional Nigerian architecture illustrates some aspect of fractal geometry, which is also more evident in the Yoruba and Benin palace architecture. The palaces are larger scale versions of the dwellings and have been described as rectangular fractals, which possess self-similar patterns of different scales occurring recursively. The palace design illustrates various shapes, volumes, and planes assembled together to create the form of the palace. These elements can be characterized as vocabularies of form from traditional Yoruba spaces. The shapes, volumes, and planes are organized around a courtyard and/or entrance axis in varying scales and fractional dimension.

 

4.  Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, PhD. Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin,Ilorin, Nigeria. Email:bose_babatunde@yahoo.co.uk Phone: +234 8085046103

TETHNIC MINORITY, POLITICS OF ALIENATION AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN NIGERIA. Africa social formation was characterized by fratricidal struggles for state power, group domination and counter domination. Nigerian state is no exception. Nigeria's authoritarian leadership faced a legitimacy crisis, politicalintrigues, in an ethnically-differentiated polity, where ethnic competition for resources drove much ofthe pervasive corruption and profligacy. Oil wealth enriches Nigeria as a country, but it has not alleviated the poverty, neglect and deprivation experienced by the ethnic minority in the region that produces it. The dominant ethnic group and the political gladiators constantly manipulated the other ethnic groups, particularly the ethnic minority and the political processes to advance their own selfish agenda.This study examines the contradictions inherent in the nature of citizenship and belonging, which constitutes an impediment to national development but foster political instability within the context of the Nigerian state, with specific reference to the ethnic minority in the Niger Delta. The study argues that the politics of alienation of the ethnic minority by the dominant ethnic group is a causal factor in the conflictual and unstable nature of political interaction in Nigeria and posed grave implications for Nigeria's National security and development. Methodology adopted to elicit data for this study includes direct observation, interviews with key informants, Focus Group Discussion and the use of secondary sources. The understanding of the roots causes of these conflicts and political instability and finding means of arresting the conflictual situation are essential to the full development of democratic structures as well as the economic, social and political survival of Nigeria.

 

5.  LADY JANE ACQUAH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station B7000, Austin TX 78712-0220, ljane26@gmail.com

 

Sweet Islam: The Case of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement in Ghana.  In the last decade of the nineteenth century, a Punjabi Indian Muslim, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founded a new Islamic sect, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement, in India. In spite of the controversial nature of its theology and doctrines, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement made it across the Indian and AtlanticOceans to the West African region in the 1920s.  In Ghana, the report of a 'casual' dream by a peasant farmer, Yusuf Nyarko, set in motion a series of events that eventually led to the arrival of Ahmadi missionaries and the subsequent introduction of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement to Ghanaians. The Movement has grown remarkably over the decades, and it was recently described as the "Sweet Islam." This paper seeks to look at the introduction and spread of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement in Ghana, their activities, and their relationship with other religious groups in the country. The paper also looks at the response of Ghanaians to the Movement. It also assesses among many others, the unique practice of proselytizing using the Quran and the Bible as well as the indigenous language of the communities they enter to achieve success. Using archival documents, oral history, Ahmadi official documents, published books and journals, this paper aims at highlighting the success of the Movement in Ghana.

 

6. ADAM, Ezinwanyi E, Departments of Languages and Literary Studies, ezinwanyimark@yahoo.com, +234 8063533265  & Michael Adam E, Dept. of International Law and Diplomacy of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria, m_adam02@yahoo.com,  +234 8023106339

 

LITERARY ART AS A VEHICLE FOR THE DIFFUSION OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM IN THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY: THE EXAMPLE OF CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE'S PURPLE HIBISCUS.  This paper takes a cursory look at the conceptual framework of what cultural imperialism entails with particular study of its socio-political consequences in contemporary Nigerian society, and a closer look at the transportation and importation of western cultural values and the implantation of same in Nigeria thereby almost completely eclipsing the hitherto African cultural conservatism of the Nigerian State. Clear examples of this cultural transplant are given in this work, including but not limited to the use of English language in place of the indigenous languages for communication even when there are no foreigners, smoking of cigarettes, ladies putting on trousers, abortions as a means of birth control, free premarital and extramarital sexual relationships, homosexuality and gay practices – all which were an anathema to Nigeria's cultural values have supplanted the traditional conservatism of the Nigerian people. This work particularly looks at Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and distills classical cases of cultural imperialism. Adichie through the character Eugene, captures cultural imperialism as seen in the life of this vastly brainwashed 'been-to' who is clearly portrayed as an imperial lackey, capitalist and apologist, and also in the character of Rev. Father Benedict, a Briton that would not accept any indigenous songs in St. Agnes Parish. The work also captures cultural imperialism in the ironical contempt with which the catholic devotee, Eugene, treats his own father, Papa Nnukwu, steeped in the traditional African cultural values, viewed by Eugene as Godlessness. The essay concludes by identifying the cultural crises that cultural imperialism creates in the Nigerian State, and recommends ways of diluting and diffusing the present cultural imperialism as a solution to the myriad of socio-political crises currently experienced by the Nigerian society.

 

7. Adé Egún Crispin Robinson, MMus (Distinction), Phd candidate (Ethnomusicology), Music Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 4 Wray Crescent, London N4 3LP, UK, tel: +44 7958000173, email: cr32@soas.ac.uk

 

Technicians of the Sacred: negotiating authenticity and maintaining identity in modern Cuban batá drum culture. Batá drumming is one of the most important and symbolically loaded percussion traditions of the Yoruba peoples. Carried across the Atlantic as sacro-musical knowledge capital by enslaved drummers in the 19^th century, batá were uniquely reconstituted in Cuba as material culture (the drums and their sacred accoutrements) and ritual performance (rhythms, song texts and music ritual). Batá drumming is now a central feature of the Cuban expression of Orisha devotion called Santería. Batá are vessels of the Orisha Aña and drummers must be initiated in order to play in ritual music ceremonies. Initiated drumers ("omo Aña") command respect within the religious community for their sacred knowledge and ability to invoke spirit possession. Most examinations of Santería focus on Olorishas (Orisha priests and priestesses) and conclude that Santería is syncretic and infused with Catholic elements. When surveying batá drum culture, however, one discovers a deep dedication to maintaining religious action and utterance that is wholly Yoruba or African in origin. Knowledgeable omo Aña consider themselves to be custodians of sacred 'deep knowledge' and guardians of authentic ritual praxis. The Spanish terms fundamento (foundation) and invento (invention) distinguish between acceptable ('Yoruba') and unacceptable ('Cubanised') ritual action. Knowledge contests frequently occur in the daily lives of omo Aña as they negotiate the tensions between stability and creativity in serving the religious community. Cuban batá drum culture is an excellent site for illuminating the struggles of African Diaspora peoples as they forge modern identities that value both original inheritance and creative improvisation.

 

8. ADEAGBO OLUWAFEMI ATANDA, AFRICAN CENTRE FOR MIGRATION & SOCIETY, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, Email: femiadex@yahoo.co.uk  Cell: +27785826991

 

Perceptual factors and Nigerian immigrants in Johannesburg: A Study of the role of Nigerian-South African Intermarriages in Social Integration. This study seeks to understand how the general assumptions, perceptions, and representations of Nigerian immigrants shape marriages between Nigerian men and South African women in Johannesburg. That is, the study looks at the impact of prejudice on marriages between Nigerian men and South African women in an environment of generalized xenophobia and anti-Nigerian sentiments. The study finds that despite the discriminations and prejudices directed against Nigerian immigrants, Nigerian-South African couples often adopt love and humour to negotiate such discriminations in their private lives. Further, the study finds that despite different contacts between Nigerian immigrants and South Africans through intermarriages, Nigerian  husbands are subjected to close scrutiny to prove their innocence or confirm their guilt. Accordingly, the levels of integration differ among couples.  Finally, the study finds that this contact between Nigerian immigrants and South Africans is changing the perceptions and pre-conceived generalisations that all Nigerians are bad. The study uses Alba and Nee's (2003) 'intermarriage and assimilation theory' which was originally applied in America to show the importance of intermarriage as the major indicator of integration. Although, this theory also works in the South African context by promoting more personal contacts between Nigerian immigrants and South Africans (particularly black South Africans), but the continuous scrutiny of identity and integrity of Nigerian husbands make its operation different from where it was originally applied. Therefore, there were no absolutes in applying this theory in a South African context because intermarriage does not depict integration since other factors like employment and legal status play important roles in the integration process.     

9.  Adedipe Adesoji, Ifra-Nigeria Research Fellow, M A. Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan,  +234 806 8903 589, Email:adesojiadedipe@yahoo.com

 

A holistic view of post-colonial dysfunction in Nigeria:  From about 1850 till 1960 when Nigeria eventually gained independence, Nigeria was under the control of British colonialists. The collapse of the colonial era was accompanied by a great sense of promise. The pre-existing unity of purpose originating in liberation movements that fought and gained independence at first suggested that everything would move in the direction of progress. But within a short while, it suddenly seemed grim, divisive problems of reality were ushered up to the fore: the waste of natural resources, strangulating massive poverty, uncontrollable birth rates, and, later, HIV/AIDS, amongst a medley of other challenges came to the fore. This paper seeks to at least offer answers to the questions that have pre-occupied the minds of post colonial theorists of why and what exactly went wrong in Nigeria. How did we find ourselves in this situation where a lot of Governance issues are not addressed, there is a steady economic decline, there are lots of cultural distortions, ethnic conflicts are on the rise and most recently terrorism has reared its head. All these concerns around the country eclipse the dysfunction the Nigerian state has been through after colonialism. This paper seeks to bring to the fore the post-colonial dysfunctions mentioned above among others while coming up with far reaching suggestions on how to come of this gridlocks and forging ahead as a united front by submerging this dysfunctions and coming out as a greater  Nation than we are today.

10. ADEGBOLA GBEMINIYI MUJAHEED, DEPARTMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN, gbeminiyiadegbola@yahoo.com, 08055464779, 08189942932

SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM AS A PANACEA FOR TERRORISM AND VIOLENCE:  A STUDY OF BOKO HARAM IN NIGERIA. Violence and terrorism are cankerworms that have eaten deep into the peaceful atmosphere of human interaction provided by nature and over the years posed a threat to the social-economic functioning of individuals and survival of human societies. Meanwhile, the prevailing political tussles, economic dislocation, social injustice, ethnocentrism, religious extremism and ambivalence of power brokers who, though did not actively embark on violence either did nothing to stop it from fomenting (perhaps profitable), or feebly condemned it on political grounds, are, unarguably some of the factors that have driven insurrections in human societies. These factors coupled with the inability of concerned authorities to respond to the massive amount of poverty and delivery of efficient social welfare system, which does not only include the provision of human needs but inextricably social control, make a highly volatile society prone to violence as evidenced by the Boko Haram in Nigeria. Given the approach of the Nigerian state vis-a-vis increase in poverty and unemployment, these insurgencies may remain a recurring problem. Hence this paper, using the uprising of Boko Haram of Nigeria as a study, attempts to attribute the incessant violence especially in the developing countries to unavailability of workable social welfare services as a response to meeting human needs and instituting quality social control that take care of the frustrated people and as well segregates the troubled individuals from the general society.

 

11.   Adelowo Felix Adetunji, Ph.D.  and  Adefemi Samuel Adesina, Ph.D Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.  08033705097 or 08066124904,  afadesta@yahoo.com   OR   asadesina@gmail.com delowodetunji@gmail.com;femiadesina@hotmail.com 

 

Universal Cultural Correspondences of Initiation Rites: Generally speaking, members of a given religion are believed to possess certain experiences and knowledge that set them apart from others who do not belong to the religion.  As a result of these, gaining membership into a religion usually require rites of passage in the form of initiation through which the new members are introduced to the religion and receive trainings in such esoteric experiences and knowledge. In this paper, an attempt is made to analyse such ritual in the three major religious practices in Nigeria, namely: Islam, Christianity, and African traditional Religion.  To do this, ritual theories are employed to examine the structures of the rites of initiation ritual in the three religions. Comparative and phenomenological approaches are also used to ensure objective data presentations and analyses. The research discovered similar structures in the rites of initiation as practiced by each of the three religions under discussion. The work, as a way of conclusion, reaffirmed the universal applicability of the ritual theories.

 

12. Ademola Olayoku, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, Peace & Conflict Studies Program                        University of Ibadan,  +234 807 7242 363,  iyanda22000@yahoo.co.uk    

 

Internal Diasporic Emergence in Nigeria: A Quest for the Resuscitation of Culture and Identity. The foundational Socratic maxim of self knowledge, "man know thyself", though spanning through ages, has retained its relevance down the years. This relevance cannot as well be underestimated in our age as the world struggles to keep covering thousands of miles within milliseconds. Nonetheless, there exists the danger of self loss amidst the rush which characterizes the continual discoveries and developments in a highly technological global space. Subsequently, the persistent developmental distinctions between nations and cultures with reference to developed, developing and less developed countries; and the latest addition of the fourth world to the  earlier categorization of first, second and third worlds, has led to the shift in the definition of what it means to be developed, civilized and advanced. The resultant effect of this is the unhealthy wholesome consumption of what is regarded as civilization by nations who have been made to believe that all there is about them is backward. The author of this paper therefore seeks to situate the gradual loss of identity which is insidiously eating deep into the cultural ambience of the Nigerian geo-political space. While espousing the importance of culture in the creation of identity and alluding to the Asian experience, he proposes the need for a sort of cultural resurgence to preclude further alienation of Nigerians from their cultural heritage. This is in the bid to pave a way forward by adapting modernity to our unique Nigerian situation.

 

 

13.  ADERIBIGBE M.O PhD, Federal University of Technology, General Studies Department

School of Sciences, P.M.B 704, Akure – Ondo State, Nigeria. Mobile Number- 2348035414235

Email- mosesaderibigbe@yahoo.com

 

TETHNO-DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION: AN EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF JUSTICE.  In all nation-state in the world over there is one problem or the other to contend with, common to almost all developing nations, especially in Africa is the problem associated with ethnicity. This problem, which has to do with the active sense of identification with some ethnic units, or more appropriately a strong feeling of allegiance to one ethnic group or the other, has contributed immensely to the various setbacks in the socio-economic and political conditions of these nations. There had been series of cases of war, clashes, political instability and social disorder in the continent ever since most nations gained independence. The cause of most of the ethnic crises was largely attributed to the way the colonialist set the boundaries without taking into consideration the uniqueness of each group. Various attempts, towards ensuring reconciliation among these groups have not adequately addressed the fundamental issues which borders on individual identities and the question of integration. This paper therefore, is an attempt to examine the role justice can play in ensuring social integration and national unity among the different ethnic groups in Africa. Justice is considered as a spider's web that has the ability to network different component of the society together. The paper argues that equality, freedom and fairness which justice preaches could sustain social integration in any given society.  

 

14. Adesote Samson Adesola, Department of History, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. solaade2007@ymail.com Tel: 08062293355 & 08056472224; & Ajishola Omojeje, Department of History, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo,  08182199377&08067653189E- mail:jejeojo@ymail.com

 

Violence and Internal Population Displacement in Nigeria, 1999-2011.  This paper is an exposition on the growing challenge of internal population displacement in Nigeria since the return to civil rule in 1999. It argues that the major cause of this great human tragedy which not only led to the disruption of human lives and property but also constitutes a major threat to national peace and security is violence. The paper contends that the root causes of violence which could be ethno-religious, inter-ethnic, political and inter-communal are hinged on a decade of poor governance, underdevelopment of peripheral areas populated by ethnic minorities, mismanagement of identity conflicts, chronic abuse of power resulting in egregious violations of human rights, gross inequities in the shaping and sharing of power, national wealth and so on. It concludes that there is need for adequate management of various conflicts, ensuring equitable resource allocation, the practice of true federalism, the promotion of good governance, and national security.

 

15.  Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Mississippi, MS 38677, Tel.: 662 915 6948,  <mailto:aalabi@olemiss.edu>aalabi@olemiss.edu

 

Wole Soyinka, Autobiography, and the Nigerian Academy. Contemporary African autobiographers are bedeviled by several issues ranging from identitarian concerns to filial relationships, to issues of resistance against various levels of inequalities, to encounters with different world religions, to the role of Africa in global issues, among others.  What we have in some of Wole Soyinka's autobiographies, particularly Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years A Memoir 1946-1965 and You Must Set Forth At Dawn, is not just a focus on the above issues but on the nation-state Nigeria, especially the role of the intellectual community in Nigerian politics, governance, and general development.  This paper will focus on how Soyinka writes the history of the Nigerian nation in relation to role of the academic world in politics and nation building.  The paper will consider Soyinka's sociological, historical, and literary evaluation of the major roles that the academic world, as typified by different schools, including Nigeria's premier university, University of Ibadan, where he worked during part of the period covered by Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years, and the role of the academy and the University of Ife that he narrates in You Must Set Forth At Dawn.  The paper will pay particular attention to how what was ordinarily supposed to be Soyinka's own story becomes that of a nation, a nation-state, and the role of the academic community in the country.  How the life of Soyinka the activist equates that of the struggling country and its people's acceptance and resistance to the role of the academy will be addressed.  The paper will also attempt to answer the question of whether the nature of the Nigerian nation-state makes the role of the school system unavoidable in our socio-political evolution or whether there are alternatives to the roles of the intellectual world in the Nigerian nation-state.

 

16.  Adetunji Adegoke & Esther Ajiboye, Department of Languages, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

 Declarations as Markers: A Linguistic Investigation of Nigerian Pentecostal Discourse.  Though Pentecostalism was initially introduced to Nigeria by European missionaries, the Pentecostal movement has in recent times been donned in new overalls with observable domestication and creolization of Christian culture.  A new wave of the Pentecostal faith is sweeping across Nigeria and it could be conceived as a fresh manifestation of popular or public culture. This new form of Christian faith is largely backed up with and evidenced by language use.  An investigation into Pentecostal discourse stirs the question of how contemporary Pentecostal Christians project their evolving identities, ideologies, Christian beliefs and perspectives through their use of language. The paper has a prismatic focus on the identity-markers observable in Nigerian Pentecostal discourse. To draw empirical conclusions, data for this study have been gathered from three Pentecostal churches that have been able to glean large congregations in Nigeria: the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Living Faith Church, and Christ Embassy. The theoretical approach for the study was drawn from sociocultural discourse analysis. This discourse perspective explains the conception of language as a cultural and psychological tool. Using this approach enhances the interpretation of Pentecostal Christian discourse and socio-cultural realities. Themes of various conferences on handbills and posters, and complimentary conversational discourse amongst members of the selected churches were observed and recorded through participant observation method. The findings reveal that various ideologies of the current Pentecostal Christians could be understood through language.

17.  Afolayan, Bosede Funke, Dept of English, University of Lagos, Lagos. bafolayan@unilag.edu.ng; afolayanbosede@gmail.com

RELIGIOUS COMPLEXITIES IN SELECTED PLAYS OF AHMED YERIMA:  A recurrent theme in the drama of Ahmed Yerima is religion – religious conflict, religious contradictions, hypocrisies, fanaticism, the issues of conversion and salvation. These issues are explored in varying degrees in the following plays: The Bishop and the Soul, The Liman, The Angel, The Portraits and Thank you Lord. Yerima's predilection for this tissue is not unfounded bearing in mind, his personal experience as a born-Muslim who attended Christian schools and is married to a Christian. Thus the personal contradictions in which he finds himself get a way of escape in his creative explorations. In the light of this, this paper interrogates Yerima's attitude to religion, the effects of religion on people and how characters are able to manage religious pluralisms in their lives and live peaceably in the society. What are the various conflicts the character faces in a multi-religious, multi-lingual, and multi-ethnic setting like Nigeria? What are the different strategies adopted by the characters to resolve the various manifestations of fanaticism and hypocrisies noted in the plays? These are the many questions this paper seeks to answer.

 

18.   Agbo Joshua,  Department of Languages and Linguistics, Benue State University, Makurdi,  Nigeria,  +2347039009763 or +2348151865901; joshua.agbo@yahoo.com

 

 Redefining Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Cultural Studies: By way of responding to the dire need of cultural re-growth in Africa particularly as a result of the competing global forces ; the paper shall discuss one of the salient, conceptual grids of the theme which is culture. Though globalisation provides an avenue for two or more different cultures to have a hand shake. But the discipline called Cultural Studies is a large body of thought in scholarship, a cross-disciplinary field which houses diverse philosophies, arts, artefacts, belief systems and world-views of a people. As to this, there isn't much problem because the paper has a narrow and well-defined matrix of framework which harps on redefining the concepts of multilingualism and multiculturalism in cultural studies from a different dimension. The effort is however to redefine the key issues from a new perspective and not from the perspective of the old. This is possible because culture itself is a constant  navigation of doing things and of course, there is no limit to the kinds of things and modes of behaviour  the people practise. Culture in this sense is dynamic and fluid. This gives us the leverage to establish similarities between multilingualism and multicuturalism through the concept of cultural relativism, using  'mosaic metaphor' as a matrix of framework  by laying to rest the argument of the so-called 'superior cultures' dominating the 'inferior  ones.' There is no room for this kind of value judgement as far as mosaic metaphor is concerned.

 

19. AISHA BALARABE BAWA, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, USMANU DANFODIYO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO, NIGERIA. ayshabawa@gmail.com

 

CULTURE, ISLAM AND WOMEN IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: SOME HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION.  Cultures all over the world have always given the verdict that women were less than men. Culture has dealt such blows on women that to affirm their plight as pathetic is an understatement. In Northern Nigeria especially among the Hausa people there still exist a syncretistic blend of Islam and the Hausa culture. The dominant perception or understanding of Muslim women in this region is their subordination by men arising from the intersection of a patriarchal Islam and Hausa cultural values. This paper argues that the complete fusion of these identities has contributed in reinforcing traditional, religious and cultural prejudices against women. It has further placed women in a more politically disadvantage position, resulting in their unequal access to education and health, as such exposes them to vulnerability of poverty,prostitution,human trafficking, HIV/AIDS etc.

 

Ajani O.A. PhD, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. 08052908232; oajani@oauife.edu.ng, delejani@yahoo.com

Aso ebi : The Dynamics of Fashion Nationalism and Cultural Commodification  in Nigeria. In recent years, research and theory on socioeconomic development have given rise to two contending schools of thought. One school emphasizes the convergence of values as a result of "modernization". This school predicts the decline of traditional values and their replacement with "modern" values depicted by rationality, tolerance, trust and participation. The other school of thought emphasizes the persistence of traditional values despite economic and political changes. This school assumes that values are relatively independent of economic conditions. Consequently, it predicts that convergence around some set of "modern" values is unlikely and that traditional values will continue to exert an independent influence on the cultural changes caused by economic development.  One of the cultural traditions that have endured despite modernization among the Yoruba in Nigeria is aso ebi practice. Aso ebi originally refers to uniformed dress worn by family members during social events in Nigeria. However, this practice now includes a larger network of unfamiliarity, transcended the Yoruba ethnic group and is gradually becoming an integral part of a national culture. Using archival records, books, journals,  interviews, observation and oral tradition, this paper tests the thesis that socioeconomic development is linked with both massive cultural change and the persistence of distinctive cultural traditions. The paper critically examines the origin and functions of aso ebi as a social phenomenon for solidarity and identity among families and friends. It also explores emerging problems and benefits associated with cultural commodification in a rapidly changing society.

 

20. Akande, Joshua Olusola, Ph.D., Department of Continuing Education, Faculty of Education, Obafemi  Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

 

THE ROLE OF ADULT EDUCATION IN ENHANCING THE CULTURE OF CITIZENS' PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN NIGERIA: A REFLECTION. Culture of citizens' participation in community development projects is not unprecedented in Nigeria.  It has been the practice of community members at the grassroots level to come together in an attempt to find solutions to the problems hindering their development. This has fostered the development of related skills, self-reliance and attitudes of a people that enabled them satisfied their basic needs and minimized precarious dependence on control external to them.  However, observations show that the culture of citizens' participation in community development projects is waning at a fast rate in the face of prevailing high technological innovations.  The objective of this study is to examine the role of adult education in fostering cultural stimulation geared towards enhancing citizens' participation in community development projects.  This is with a view to bringing the culture into play as a strategy to achieve the MDGs in Nigeria.

21.  AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe  PhD, Department of History, and Diplomatic Studies, College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001,  Ogwa, Edo State. akubor4ever@yahoo.com; +234-803-825-7384, +234-802-373-8676

Women and Economic Development in Sub Saharan Africa: Historicizing the Neglect Theme. Until recently, traditional attitudes towards the respective sex role of women and men wrongly permeated the entire system of human thinking reinforcing the false belief that women are to a large extent unimportant and that national development are described as being the  consequences of raising of the level of social consciousness of man.  In the case of Nigeria, in discuss relating to Society, women and Development in history, most historians are quick to point to the achievement o Emotan, Sarauniya Amina of Zauzau, Inikpi and other established names that were either queens, Kings Mothers or leaders of revolutions. No mention is made to the ordinary woman and her contributions in the area of agriculture, manufacture and trade. These are central to any historical process. This therefore gives some the false impression that a woman is at best a counterfeit man underlies society's lack of appreciation of women. It is in line with this, that this paper seeks to historicize the role of women in economic development, especially as it relates to the area of agriculture, manufacture and trade, leading to the development of strong economic ties established in the pre colonial period, some of which are relevant today. It also goes on to argue that one of the reasons for fall in the level of agricultural development is as a result of women being relegated to the status of manpower reserve which is tapped only in the case of necessity

 

22. AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe, B.A, M.A, PhD (Zaria), Department of History and Diplomatic Studies, College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State. akubor4ever@yahoo.com +234-803-8257-384

 

Willink's Report, Niger Delta Region and the Nigerian State Fifty Years After: Any Hope for the Minority?:  In 1957, the Willink's Commission was established to look into the authenticity of the fears and agitations of the Minority and to find means of allaying their fears. In 1958, the Henry Willink's Minority Commission Report characterized the Niger Delta infrastructural and generally as poor, backward and neglected, it advised the Government to establish a Federal Board to address the problems of the area. However, over 50 years after the Commission made its recommendations; the Niger Delta Region is yet to witness, the much needed peace and the level of development. It is therefore, in line with this that this paper seeks to examine the recommendation(s) of the Willink's report vis-à-vis happenings in the Niger Delta Region of the country, with the aim of making an analysis of the report as well as look as some of the issues which may have prevented its implementation as well as see if there is really hope for the minority of the region.

 

23.  Aluko Odunayo, Phd Economics Student of SMC University, Switzerland, Telephone: +234 7066561803,  ayolayo1@yahoo.co.uk

 

ENTREPRENEURSHIPAS A PULL FACTOR FOR RETURNEES IN NIGERIA: Events in the contemporary world encourage and promote migration globally. Migration involves the movement of people from one place to another for a continuous period of time, usually a minimum of one year. The purpose of such movement differs from person to person and it could be either internal (within the country) or international (outside the country). Many researchers have examined various reasons for migration, particularly from Africa to the Western world. This paper however explores the "Pull Back" factors that can encourage migrants from Nigeria to return home from the Diaspora. It argues that opportunities for entrepreneurship are an effective and valuable attraction which can encourage many migrants in Diaspora to return to Nigeria in order to impact the country for greater economic and social development.  This is because of the potential embedded in the migrants' return as more resourceful individuals with greater experiences and accumulation of finical resources which can be utilized as capital for investment as compared to their initial status before migration out of the country. The research is an insider research because the researcher belongs to the group being studied. The research employs the use of questionnaire and interviews to ascertain the long term plans of Nigerian migrants in the United Kingdom. Participants in the study were polled to identify pull factors that can encourage their return to Nigeria and their preference for either paid employment or becoming entrepreneurs on returning home. Findings reveal that opportunities for entrepreneurship is a significant pull factor although many discouraging factors militating against the actualization of potential returnees' plans were also identified. The paper then concludes that there is the need for the federal government to put in place an enabling environment that will encourage migrants to come back home as returnees to a new life of entrepreneurship that will eventually help in alleviating poverty in Nigeria (one of the Millennium development goal targeted for 2015).

24.  Ann Albuyeh, Ph.D. Universidad de Puerto Rico, HC-02 Box 13459, Humacao, PR00791, USA, ann.albuyeh@gmail.com, 787-559-9361

Uncovering African Identities through Language and Culture in the Caribbean": "Leading authorities on slavery in North America produce with impunity tome after tome, with little regard for the fact that their subjects came out of specific social and political contexts, that they had collective identities, and that they participated in recognizable cultures."  Michael Gomez (1999, 111) Michael Gomez's comment underscores the fact that we have not learned all that we can about who the Africans were who contributed to Caribbean culture and how these cultures developed. In this paper, I will focus on Caribbean dance forms which seem to be considered the most "African," and which have been attested through the historical record, whether in contemporary description or artwork.  I will then analyze cultural links to music and dance forms in West and Central Africa.  I will further investigate the etymologies of the names of these dances, evaluating claims made for the African provenance of each, The primary objective of this research is to find more linguistic and cultural evidence regarding the identity of the Africans who lived in various areas of the Caribbean, and to examine whether the findings support the current voyage data of The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database.  A second objective is to present another perspective on the issue of creolization as applied to culture by attempting to offer a more nuanced model.  Despite the passing of time and the incomplete record, we can come closer to unraveling what Julian Gerstin (2004) calls these "Tangled Roots."

 

25.  Anthony C. Ajah, Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, +234-8037371839,  anthonyajah@aol.com

 

Which Identity? Which Culture? Questions for Nigeria: This paper presupposes that a certain validly holding-centre must exist before we can reasonably talk about a shared identity. This pre-requisite centre - whose validity and holding-ability make identity conceivable, and sustainable, if conceived - is culture. In the case of the state called Nigeria, the paper wonders whether there is any such validly holding-centre. If there is such a centre, then arguments about national consciousness can, hopefully, be successful. If there is no such centre, the paper wonders why we are wasting our time and the future of our children trying to wake a dead lion in the name of "national consciousness" for the citizens of the colossal mistake called Nigeria. Employing a qualitative and interpretative methodology, the paper establishes meanings from the different spheres of meaning in the Nigerian state (economic sphere, political sphere, and cultural sphere). For data collection, this paper employed the document analysis technique and relied on both historical and contemporary sources, namely passages from scholarly books, journals, national dailies, and Internet sources. Based on the meanings emerging from these spheres, and coded in these sources of data, the paper submits that there is no such holding-centre.For this reason, the paper argues that no matter how long we try, the Nigerian state cannot be improved, rather, lives will continue to be wasted on this deadly altar called 'one Nigeria'.

 

26.  ANYADUBA, Chigbo Arthur (M. A. Student),  Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,  07065383510,  macabees24@yahoo.com

 

'Love of Liberty': Manu Herbstein's Poetics of History.  This essay will present a criticism of Manu Herbstein's Ama. The novel is a historical narrative of the Atlantic Slave Trade that focuses on the slave experience and migration of Africans from the former Gold Coast (Ghana) to Brazil. It presents a crucial insight into the history and dynamics of modern cultures of Africa and the Caribbean, showing several complications in the formation of an African's contemporary consciousness and relationship with the world. This essay will further show that Herbstein's novel is one of the emergent twenty-first century African historical novel that revisits the themes of identity and postcoloniality from a historical rather than a mythical and social realist imagination. In so doing, Herbstein's novel may suggest relationships between historical fiction, postcolonial slave narrative and the new postmodern novel that breaks the bounds of rigid genre differences, and which reveals an emergent poetics of an African historical fiction.

 

27.  Awosika, B. I. (Mrs.), Department of Home Economics, Adeyemi College of Education, P.M.B. 520, Ondo. Visiting Lecturer: Federal College of Education (Special), P.M.B. 1089, Oyo, Nigeria. +234-8034066306, bridgetawosika@ymail.com

 

Relevance of Material Culture –Clothing and Foods In The Traditional Management of Family and Communal Disputes in Nigeria. Culture is the accepted way of life and behavior of a group of people for a considerable length of time. Part of the culturally accepted norms and values in Nigerian culture are foods, clothing and costumes of the major tribes and over one hundred and fifty other minority groups. This paper reviews the relevance of material culture in the aspects of foods and clothing as used in the resolutions of family and communal disputes among three major tribes in Nigeria: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Common family and communal conflicts are categorized into generational, matrimonial, rivalry and contemporary. Traditional strategies used in  conflict resolution that are peculiar to the three major tribes in the country as  executed in family courtyards, palaces of chiefs and monarchs as well as during traditional festivals with the use of songs, clothing, foods and other forms of appeasement are discussed. The symbolic use of costume foods and ornaments in conflict resolutions and their symbolic importance and effectiveness are all enunciated in the paper.

 

28.  Ajayi Adewale, The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State. deawale@yahoo.com, Telephone: 08056976180.

 

Performance, Identity  and Fictionality in Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence." Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence" is a novel that uses performance elements and strategies in the presentation of man's struggles across time in personal, social, historical, mythical and fictional contexts all of which the novelist assert are contributory and intrinsic parts of human existence. The novelist deploys the performance of identity and oral forms as strategic elements in deepening fictionality. With these resources, he also shows the human condition and survival strategies that human elements, the weak and powerful, the aspiring and the successful employ to meet the complex challenges of existence in a world shaped by competition and disfigured by negative colorations of rivalry. Rushdie hinges his peculiar narrative style on depicting the palpably unreal and unlikely as events. Suppositions, make-belief, figments and artifices of the imagination, made up characters, assumed identities, unreal events constitute fictional elements that the novelist deploys in a novel with an historicist temperament utilizing ample space to represent a non-oriental civilization. 

 

29.  Babalola Ademola, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

 

Reclaiming and Reinvigorating African Culture: How Appropriate? Suffering from a sense of lost past, Africans since the subjugation of the continent from the nineteenth century till the present day are clamouring for Africa for Africans and a reclamation and re-invigoration of the culture(s) of Africans. However, within the broad frame of what is considered human culture, its evolution and growth, in this paper, we seek to know or find out which really is the African culture(s)? Moreover, within the context of a globalized world, how appropriate is it to demand for a reclamation and reinvigoration of what is considered the African culture.

 

30.  BABALOLA O.E, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IKERE- EKITI. Tomide4christ@yahoo.com & FASIKU, M. A.,  DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IKERE- EKITI.

ACCULTURATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON AFRICAN CULTURE: YORUBA AS A CASE STUDY. Culture is the totality of people's way of life as well as the device and method that a group of people adopts to tame and subdue their physical environment, in attempt to provide for their economic, religion, social, political and protective needs. Africa, one of the largest continents of the world portrays diversified cultural traits, this has made this continent to be grouped into cultural areas. This division therefore depends on geographical area occupied by people of distinct levels of cultural similarity. Yoruba as our case study in this paper is one of the organized ethnic groups in Africa that is noted for her distinctive and rich culture. Today, most of these cultural traits of Yoruba has been modified or even eroded by acculturation. It is against this background that this piece intends to examine different ways that acculturation had affected the culture of Africa with specific reference to the Yoruba. The paper made clarifications of some concepts such as acculturation and culture. The causes of acculturation as well as its effects were equally examined. The paper explored thematic and descriptive methods in approaching issues arise.

 

31.  Babayemi J. B., Department of Languages, College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria. +2348034834487, passoversch@yahoo.com, OR

babayemicomfort@yahoo.com

 

The Use of Symbols in the African Setting: A Case Study of the Yorubas:  The use of Symbols, especially among African, have been part of the Culture and education of the people. However, with the emergence of Christianity and Islam among the people, Symbols usages among the Yorubas are actually going into extinction. The paper highlights the Use of Symbols in the African Settings: A Case Study of the Yorubas. In an African culture, messages were then communicated through the forgotten means i.e. Symbols. This paper adopts the realism approach to access and examine how symbols were been used in the pre-colonial period among the Yorubas at home and the Diaspora. For theoretical validations, assertions are made into some pre-colonial practices among the Yorubas. The paper canvassed for the reawakening of these symbols as means of Instructional materials in our society

 

32.  Abdul Karim Bangura. Howard University 7532 Eighth Street, NW Washington, DC 20012 USA Home: 202.882.8228 (Preferred) The African Institution:  202.829.6554 Howard University Office:  202.806.6720 or 9388 or 6850

 

Religious Tolerance in Mwalimu Toyin Falola's Work: Intercultural Philosophical Correspondences in the Classic Allegory of The Parable of the Three Rings. If we understand intercultural philosophy as an endeavor to give expression to the many voices of philosophy in their respective cultural contexts and, therefore, generate a shared, fruitful discussion granting equal rights to all, we can then envision a philosophy that facilitates an attitude of mutual respect, listening, and learning among the major faiths in Nigeria: Yoruba religion, Christianity, and Islam. Employing a qualitative methodology, this essay examines Mwalimu Toyin Falola's work that highlights the unity that is embedded within the diversity among the three major Nigerian faiths. One of the most challenging theological issues of our time, how to account for the great number and diversity of world religions and at the same time to acknowledge their correspondences, is also one of the most troubling social issues confronting humanity. Disputes and disagreements over religious beliefs have been and continue to be sources of conflict around the world. Yet upon careful observation of the basis or foundation of most religions, one will find correspondences among the basic beliefs behind them. This paper hypothesizes, therefore, that the three major Nigerian religions have common values; and that while religious persecution is built on ignorance, peace can only be achieved by knowledge and understanding. The study presented here bases its hypothesis on The Parable of the Three Rings, a classic allegory for religious tolerance and understanding. For data collection, this study employed expert interviews and the document analysis technique, and relied on both historical and contemporary sources, namely passages from the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an, as well as scholarly books, journals, and Internet sources. The findings elucidate the fundamental correspondences among these religions and suggest that religiously inspired terror is unwarranted and unjustified.

33.  Abdul Karim Bangura. Howard University 7532 Eighth Street, NW Washington, DC 20012 USA Home: 202.882.8228 (Preferred) The African Institution:  202.829.6554 Howard University Office:  202.806.6720 or 9388 or 6850

 

Fractal Complexity in Mwalimu Toyin Falola's A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: A Pluridisciplinary

Exploration of Cultural Power. While my elaborate search yielded 48 scholarly citations and more than half a dozen scholarly book reviews on Mwalimu Toyin Falola's A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: An African Memoir (2005), no systematic analysis has been done on the text, even though such potential exists. This study is an attempt to fill this gap. Specifically, I employ the mathematical concept of Fractal Dimension and Complexity Theory to explore the idea of spectrum progressing from more orderly to less orderly or to pure disorder in terms of cultural power in the text. This called for the utilization of the Pluridisciplianry approach that helped me to mix linguistics and mathematical approaches—more precisely, Linguistic Presupposition and Fractal Methodology. The results generated after the MATLAB computer runs suggest that the combination of negative and positive feedback loops, which form the basis of several African knowledge systems, also form a key mechanism of general self-organizing systems of cultural power discussed in A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: An African Memoir.

 

34.  Bashiru Akande LASISI (PhD), Department of Theatre Arts University of Ibadan, University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria, 08033884648, bashbalga@yahoo.com, bashbalga@gmail.com

 

TEACHER DON'T TEACH ME NONSENSE: AFRICAN CHILD, MOTION PICTURE AND IDENTITY CRISIS:  An African child is in a state of perpetual crisis as he is faced with conflicting images of Africa and Africans. In this state of confusion, his attempt at finding out the authentic African image is usually faced with failure and frustration. The objective of this paper therefore is to examine the contribution of the motion picture to the distortion of African identity and disorientation of an African child. The paper highlighted the position of scholars with regards African identity and conducted a sociological analysis of the contents of drama and films on local and satellite television stations that are indicative of what an African image is all about.  Findings showed that relegation of African oral tradition, limited knowledge of content providers about Africa and Africans, Eurocentricity, economic factors, using the western world as denominator and low self esteem are some of the major factors that are responsible for the distortion of an African image. It therefore recommended conscious efforts by African culture experts to build the capacity of content providers, Africans to spend more time in learning about Africa and Africans and imparting such on the younger ones and also for culture promoters to live by examples by consistently projecting the authentic image of Africa and Africans through their actions and deeds.

 

35.  BAYO AMOLE, DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, NIGERIA.

THE BOYS QUARTERS:  AN ENDURING COLONIAL LEGACY IN NIGERIA.  There are many features of the Nigerian environment, today, that are legacies of the British colonial history in Nigeria.  One of the most notable, perhaps because of its visibility are some physical features of those cities which were administrative centers under the colonial rule and have remained in that capacity in one form or the other after independence.  These cities have retained segregated residential districts as in the 'colonial city' and in particular have maintained a system of residential estates for which the colonial government residential area (GRA) has been the model; together with its 'bungalow compound-complex' as the main feature.  Outside these residential estates and an old traditional core-housing, the rest of the city is divided into small and large plot sizes of which a sizable proportion has replicated the basic form of the 'bungalow compound-complex' with one main house and a servants' quarters behind it. The focus of this paper is the servants' quarters popularly called, "Boys Quarters", in the context of one of the modern residential estates, the Obafemi Awolowo University campus estate in Nigeria.  The study compares the estate with the colonial G.R.A. and examines the uses of and attitudes of residents towards the Boys Quarters.  The aim is to examine ways in which the same spatial-physical organization has been adopted in different socio-cultural context and explore those issues which can explain the enduring presence of the "Boys Quarters".  It is hoped that the understanding gained from this study may inform future policies towards the "Boys Quarters" as an element of the dwelling unit, especially in Government subsidized housing estates such as the one under study.

 

36.  BLAVO, E.B., Department of Classics, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State.tundeblavo@yahoo.com, +2348162746193

 

PATRON-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP IN ANCIENT ROME AND GODFATHERISM IN NIGERIA

Godfatherism, as a concept, has long been a constant issue in the socio-political space of many societies of the world. Hardly is there any society that does not have traces of godfatherism either in its socio-political, economic or religious life. The concept 'Godfatherism' connotes different meaning to different people. As a result, many societies have different appellations to describe the concept. In antiquity, particularly in ancient Rome, Godfatherism is represented in Patron-client relationships; a relationship between two unequal parties in which the weaker party looked to  the stronger for protection and the stronger expected the weaker to show gratitude, loyalty and respect.  In Nigeria, nevertheless, Godfatherism has a socio-cultural root in almost all the ethnic groups of the country. But it is more pronounced in Nigeria Politics due to its controversial nature. Activities of the so called 'godfathers' are vehemently condemned because of the claim that it has a 'negative impact' on the socio-political space of the country. Thus, this paper, however, simply traces the concept of Godfatherism to ancient Roman society, particularly to the Republican Rome, and attempts to elucidate on the patterns and resemblances which it has taken in recent times in Nigeria. Exploring the parallels between the two concepts, the paper concludes by briefly explaining the ingredients or contractual elements in both patronage and Godfatherism in Ancient Rome and Nigeria respectively.

 

37. BOJOR ENAMHE (PhD), DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, CROSS RIVER UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, CALABAR, CROSS RIVERSTATE, NIGERIA.

Blossomenamhe@yahoo.com, 08023020086

Costumes and Apparels of popular Masquerades in Cross River State, Nigeria.  Masquerades perform throughout Africa, practically in most cultures of the world. Origin traced as early as when man began to participate in ceremonies and festivals. Today, masquerades still perform with great artistic value connected to some functional expressions. They have become an essential part of the people's way of life. This study focuses on some popular masquerades in Cross River state. The state is acknowledged for the beauty of its culture, and a heritage of tourism and hospitality. A comprehensive study is yet to be undertaken in this area. The present study is an attempt towards providing the artistic context of the variety of costumes, apparels and masks found in this part of the country. The visual grandeur of the very expressive art form is rich and colourful, drawn from local resources. This study was prompted by a fascinating interest in the skillful artistic display of colours and other design elements. It is the view of the researcher that, to fully understand and appreciate the immense artistic work done, as noticed on the masquerades, a study of the costumes and apparels is a fruitful and necessary one. Costumes and apparels as important aesthetic elements of masquerades cannot be over emphasized. These elements determine the overall performance of the masquerades, this paper makes the point with literature, photographs and interviews.

 

38.  Busayo Ajayi (Miss), General Studies Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. 0803 234 4965; bushine2004@yahoo.com

 

THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN THE CONFLICT AMONG THE PLATEAU PEOPLE OF NIGERIA: Language plays an important role in the culture and identity of a particular people.  A group of people can be identified by their language, that is one can identify a particular group of people by the language they speak. Language is regarded as one important factor in the identification of a particular tribe, culture or ethnic group. Language, culture and identity are inter-related such that their relationship can be seen in clear terms. The Plateau people have a variety of dialects, but their unifying language is Hausa Language. Even though the Plateau people speak Hausa as their common language, they do not like to be referred to as Hausa people. Overtime, there has been conflict among the Plateau people of Nigeria and several attempts have been made to look at the source of the conflict from different perspectives such as religious and political perspectives. This paper examines the role of language in the conflict among the Plateau people and attempts to look at the ways in which Language can bring about resolution of the conflict among the plateau people of Nigeria.

 

39.  Busuyi Mekusi (PhD), Department of English, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Email: mekusotayo@yahoo.com

 

The Defunct 'Self' and 'Other': Constructing New Identity for Nationhood in Zakes Mda's The Bells of Amersfoort. The construction of boundaries by different groups has helped foster the formation of identity and beliefs, leading to a distinction of one from the other. However, such exclusion achieved, often times through social closure, gets threatened and impaired by the various movements, either forced or self-willed, witnessed across borders. The presence of the Afrikaners, with Dutch ancestry, in South Africa is one of the contemporary reflection of such dislocations and dispersal in both the remote past or and in the recent precinct of contemporary discourses. The racial conflicts as witnessed in the apartheid era find a place in the separate development policy aimed at preserving the language and identity of the Afrikaners as a race, with a claim to a corresponding development of black Africans as a group. Whatever the shortcomings of this social-cultural and political dynamics, people in the new South Africa have found themselves under the imperative of cohabiting together irrespective of their racial backgrounds. This paper examines how Zakes Mda's The Bells of Amersfoort has interrogated the processes of the inclusion and exclusion that aided conflict and designed belongings and how a sheer new experience has precipitated a new attitude and approach from people in their commitment to nationhood through multicultural simulation and cross-cultural mixing. The paper argues that the dissolution of all the borders that establish the 'us' and 'them' paradigm will occasion the integration needed for the building of new nationalism. It, however, identifies, by way of conclusion, abuse of power as one of the great threats to the emerging order. 

 

40.  Dr. Tushabe, Caroline, Kansas State University, USA.  tushabe@k-state.edu

 

Africa, Who Art Thou?: Knowledge, Cultural Identity and Development. Kwasi Wiredu's article, "Our Problem of Knowledge: Brief Reflections on Knowledge and Development in Africa" published in Ivan Karp's and D.A. Masolo's edited collection, African Philosophy as Cultural Inquiry, presents a wide range of problematics as well as challenges, specifically on Africa's failure to take charge of its destiny.  Wiredu's claim that "the most obvious problem is that much of the knowledge we need in Africa is in the hands, and sometimes in the heads, of non-Africans" (181), identifies an outsider-imposed script on Africa as responsible for Africa's "failure" to create conditions under which individuals realize their own and their community's interests.  Although according to Wiredu, Africa's "failure" to "develop" emerges from ill-conceived projects of modernization, the inability to "brand Africa", and assimilation tendencies which denigrate African cultures, it also seems that industrialization is incompatible with African cultural values, since industrialization encourages urbanization and individualism, and motivates self-interest and alienates altruism (184-5).  This paper argues that this common defense of African communal ethics in Wiredu supports colonial identification of Africans: stuck in traditional practices and unable to cultivate the art of living.  This paper shifts responsibility from outsider to insider locales of epistemology in the cultivation of human excellence of mind and body and development without self-denigration or validation of colonial portrait of Africa and Africans.

 

41. Cassandra R. Veney, Ph.D., Associate Professor, 1 LMU Drive, Department of Political Science

Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California  90045, cveney@lmu.edu, (310) 258-5468

 

 

The African Diaspora in the United States and Its Response to the War on Terrorism: In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, new laws were passed to extend laws that were passed during the pre-9/11 attacks.   These new laws are important to analyze, but what is also very important is a better understanding of the pre-existing laws that began to erode the civil liberties of those were had migrated to the country. Pre and post-9/11 laws had a profound effect on African immigrants and refugees.  This paper will examine how both sets of laws affected African immigrants and refugees in the United States in terms of national identities, efforts to gain legal residency or citizenship in an effort to escape various policies and to become more American.  It will also address changing identities of African refugees and immigrants in terms of their daily lives, associations, religious practices, and cultural practices.  It will address basic facts about these two groups in terms of their countries of origin, numbers of men and women, levels of education, and immigration status.  There was great enthusiasm following the election of President Barack Obama and many saw his election as an opportunity to craft fairer immigration and refugee policies.  The paper will examine if after almost three years in office, what has changed by asking several questions that include:  have the rates of deportations for Africans and members of the African Diaspora decreased after President Obama was sworn in?   What are the numbers of Africans and African descended people who have been detained?  Finally, have these factors led to an increase in political identity in terms of adjusting their status to become citizens that will allow them to vote and run for office.

 

42.  Chijioke Odii,  Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria.  08030880896. E-mail: divinechiji@yahoo.com

 

Implications of Quantitative and Qualitative Imbalances in Global News Flow on Pan-Africanism: This paper examines the implications of the quantitative and qualitative imbalances in global news flow for Pan--Africanism. The glaring quantitative and qualitative imbalances in global news flow that appear to have defied all attempts at correction have been in the disfavour of Africa. Very little is said about Africa in the foreign media and the scanty information treasures oddity, portraying the continent in the negative light. More revealing is that the African mass  media have been turned into Trojan horses for the transmission of Western values and for the perpetuation of media and cultural imerialism. The negative images of Africa- poverty, corruption, diseases, famine and war- that swamp the local and the foreign media frustrate attempts at re-discovering and re-defining the African destiny. This paper, therefore, aims to evaluate the consequences of the global news flow imbalances on Pan-Africanism and how to remedy the ugly trend.  It employs the survey research design, with Indepth Interview and Focus Group Discussion as methods of data generation.

 

43.  Chika Okeke-Agulu (Princeton University), 305 McCormick Hall, Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeton, NJ08544, 609-258-7456; cokekeag@princeton.edu

 

Mbari International: Transacting modernism in post-Independence Nigeria. Histories of modern art in Africa often describe the role of European critics and mentors who, having established art workshops, unilaterally chaperoned modernist work in the decade before and after political independence. This paper sidesteps such narratives, examining instead a different, arguably more significant intellectual history of the production and transaction of modernism in mid-20th century Africa. I focus on the intricate networks of African, European and African diaspora artists, critics, and writers convened in the early 1960s under the auspices of the Mbari Artists and Writers Club, Ibadan in Nigeria. The Mbari Club provided unprecedented space and resources for production, presentation and critique of new art and literature, as well as the platform for robust debate on the constitution of postcolonial artistic subjectivity, and the language of its expression. This paper shows the extent to which the postcolonial modernism that emerged in Mbari Ibadan depended on the discrepant mobilization, by an international cast of artists and critics, of African and European artistic resources in order to radically imagine and to articulate their unfolding postcolonial condition.

 

44. Chris Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Nigeria. Email:iafn@yahoo.com

 

PAN AFRICANISM – PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS IN THE 21^ST CENTURY.

The struggle for self-determination and identity are as old as humanity. They are expressions of man's attempt to free himself from a perceived maltreatment and dehumanization. It is on this premise that Pan African Movement was born as a fiery reaction to the obnoxious and unspeakable indignity visited on Africans by European Slave Masters. By the middle of 1940s, the Movement had incorporated Africa nationalism, and became an irrepressible pivot for African Unity. Consequently, this vision became a nationalist ideology that would liberate the continent from colonial thraldom. The paper argues that it was this nationalist impulse that hastened the political independence of the continent ,and the formation of the Organization of African Unity and other continental groups in the  1960s. Unfortunately, from the 1980s to the New Millennium, the Pan African vigor had witnessed a politico- cultural lull and nosedived into the morass of passivity. This was exacerbated by the emergence of needless civil wars, increasing poverty and the widening disconnect between the Global African Diaspora and the continent. No doubt, all these have obviously diminished the sharp focus and mission of Pan Africanism which was formalized by Henry Sylvester Williams in 1900. The paper concludes that with the constant and unpredictable changes that have characterized the global order and its slogan of survival of the fittest, Pan Africanism must restrategize so that it can enhance its prospects and subdue some of the emerging problems in the 21^st century.

 

45.  Christina N. Bazzaroni, Florida International University, 1986 Biarritz Drive, #104, Miami Beach, FL USA 33141, Cbazz001@fiu.edu, 415.702.5099

 

Dangerous Zones of Intimacy: Transgressive White Female Desire, or Fetishization of the Black Male Body?  Can we just like something without fetishizing? Several authors have talked about interracial sexual relationships in the colonial context and the African Diaspora relating to the intersections of sex, race, and power.  These authors speak about the concept of desire and the objectification and fetishization of the black male body.  What is distinctive about these authors is the standpoint from which the "gaze" is perpetrated. In this paper I contribute to the ongoing discussion by engaging in a comparative analysis that looks at the dynamics of interracial sexual relationships under colonial rule versus how we understand and negotiate these types of relationships today.  I suggest that the impact of colonial desire was central to the development of white female fetishization and sexualization of the racialized male other.  From this positionality, I interrogate are the legacies of colonialism for interracial sexual relationships today. How have colonial policies shaped understandings of the "Other"? How do interracial couples today navigate borders and boundaries that are marked by colonial legacies? What are the political implications of white female desire? I will draw on several texts for this analysis, Ann Laura Stoler's Carnal Knowledge and Imperial Power, Erica Chito Childs Navigating Interracial Borders: Black-White Couples and Their Social Worlds, Kobena Mercer's Welcome to the Jungle, Fanon's Black Skin White Masks, Ruth Frankenberg's White Women, Race Matters, and Naomi Zach's Race and Mixed Race. I will look at opposing theoretical viewpoints and positionalities to uncover greater nuances within the US context and its situated histories. 

 

46.  Chuku Umezurike, PhD, Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

+234 (0)703 3676 350, chuku.umezurike@unn.edu.ng or chukuumezurike@yahoo.com

 

The Convergence of Ethno-Religious Conflicts and Violence: An Examination of their Characters and Implications in Nigeria's Fourth Republic.  The conjunctive study of ethnic and religious conflicts and violence has derived from the manner in which the two have converged in most countries of the world today. In Nigeria, it has become possible for ethnic conflicts and violence to take place on their own; but it has always been the case that each time religious conflicts and violence occurred, they wear the toga of ethnic identity. In this manner, the ideological forces of religion and the conflicts and violence that have accompanied these forces have been effectively strengthened by the characteristic persistence of ethnic identities in Nigeria. This study examines the nature of this convergence in Nigeria as a preliminary step for the examination of how they have played out in the country's Fourth Republic. The three general propositions that have guided the study include: the convergence has strengthened the masquerading of the fundamental causes of conflicts and violence in Nigeria and by so doing limited the propensities for solving them; the convergence of ethno-religious conflicts and violence in Nigeria has been responsible for their mutual sustenance and endemic character; and finally, that the convergence has been exploited by political rule in Nigeria's Fourth Republic thereby limiting the scope of solving them. Data for testing the propositions are collected from secondary sources in Nigeria embracing all the ethno-religious conflicts and violence in the country especially over the current Fourth Republic. While the political economy approach is used to define the theoretical framework of analysis, some logical deductions had been used to analyse series of tabular and other related forms of data presentation. 

47.  Clement Etim Ekong, Department of Fine and Industrial Arts, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Nigeria. domosehekong@yahoo.com,  08023928171; 08132216503.

OBERI OKAIME'S MEDEFAIDRIN LANGUAGE AND SCRIPT:  AN ARTISTIC LEGACY LOST TO CULTURAL COLONIALISM.  Many traditional societies in the world evolved symbols and scripts because of their early awareness of its usefulness in cultural identification.  Today most of these traditional societies, and cultures especially those in the occidental and oriental world are being remembered world wide for their contributions toward writing and civilization, but some especially those of African origin are not mentioned even at the national level.  This is the fate of oberi okaime's medefaidrin language and script originated by a group of people in what is now known as Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.  The focus is on the script which was developed in the 1920s and later suppressed by the colonial authorities.  Through survey method, the paper re-echos oberi okaime's medefaidrin script with the object of dismissing the myth that traditional African continent was bereft of writing; showcasing Africa's wealth of creativity in the field of letters; countering the claim that traditional Africa was culturally impoverished because it lacked letters/scripts to record its cultural myths, ideas and aspirations.  The paper submits that if the language and the script were allowed to exist and grow naturally, it could have placed its originators and by extension the nation and the continent in a position of global excellence considering the uniqueness of its alphabets. 

 

48.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. 234-0827311048, 234-7065246454, forthspring@yahoo.com

 

Multiculturalism: Enriching cultural enterprises for national development.  This paper strives to extricate multiculturalism which often resulted from the concentration of people of different cultures initiated by geo-political actions of the people or colonialism and it is common in nations and continents. The paper stressed the process through which multiculturalism enriches cultural enterprises for national development as well as took a swirl on each constituent of culture and its economic embodiment that swells national development. It x-rayed the collective strength of multiculturalism and the bountiful enterprises bequeathed on the people of any nation that is multiculturalised. It further substantiated the need for nations to take advantage of enterprise potentials of multiculturalism for national development. It posit that, rather than mirror multiculturalism as differences and allow it inform negative political views, its enterprise advantage should be exploited. This is because it is capable of creating employment as well as enhance choices of cultural products and services. It further held that multiculturally influenced cultural enterprises culminate into multi-economic values for a nation. Therefore, it suggested the exploitation of multicultural enterprises benefits which enriches national development. The paper concluded that the benefits of multiculturalism should be of utmost consideration rather than the differences within the component cultures. It however, insisted on the political management of multiculturalism through a cultural policy mechanism that provides for equality to avoid violence which often stems from violation of cultural rights. It added that multiculturalism goes with multicultural alternatives in resolving cultural conflicts in the event of mutual co-existence.

 

49.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D, Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. 234-0827311048, 234-7065246454, forthspring@yahoo.com

 

Commodification of culture: Marketing Ethno-national identities. This article's aimed at postulating that the commodification of culture is a process of marketing; presenting, advertising and selling the various aspects of culture including ethnic identities which flows into national culture. It argued that each ethnic culture has the potential for the commodification of all the components of its culture. These include dance, music, comic art, drama wood carvings, sculpture, traditional textile materials, leather works storytelling, foods, body accessories, ideas, philosophy, etc. It strives to establish commodification as processed and raw cultural products. It examined commodification of culture in a growing economy, its input into job creation, tourism and government support through cultural policy. It held that culture is commodified to enhance ethnic identities which flows to inform national cultural identity, hence, commodification gives rise to market placement of the culture so commodified along with its ethnic and national identities in local and international markets. It further argued that government should deploy incentives to further advance commodification of culture. It concluded that commodification of culture should be encouraged because it is the only means of marketing ethnic and national identities through cultural products and it gives opportunity for competitive advantage in national and international markets.

 

 

50.  Donald O.Omagu, PhD, Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island, New York. donomagu_01@yahoo.com, 718-404-5786©

 

On 'Globalization and its victim': Marriage and Emerging trends among Bekwarra people. The processes of globalization hasbrought into contactdiverse blendof cultures of different countries and peoples resulting in cultural borrowing and diffusion amongst nations. Africa's socio cultural institutions are believed to be in a cultural dilemma ever since its integration with other nations. With the rise of a global culture, Western norms and practices are adopted as a standard way of behavior. Indeed, globalization has been associated with the destruction of cultural identities and "subverting many local norms and rituals governing such important traditional social institutionof marriage. This paper, therefore, assess the impact of globalization on Bekwarra institution of marriage. In its analysis, the paper concludes that, Africa is fast running the risk of cultural bankruptcy as a result of globalization.

51. Donald O. Omagu, PhD,

"Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water"? :Globalization and Traditional Africa Family Patterns in Bekwarra.  Globalization has been associated with a range of cultural consequences that can be analyzed in terms homogenization, polarization, and hybridization. In the process of International interactions, there is the process of harmonizing different culture and beliefs. The trend toward global culture has been captured in the gradual transformation of African family organizations away from corporate kinship and extended families toward nuclear households. This paper argues that through the process of globalization, Africa has encountered alien processes and practices that are a threat to traditional Africa family patterns in Bekwarra. The paper further proposes strategies to globalize so as to avoid the destruction of Bekwarra cultural identities in the midst of global cultures.

 

52.  Oladotun Ayobade, The University of Texas at Austin, 6010 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX. 78752 (512) 903-7590,  dotunayobade@utexas.edu, dotunayobade@gmail.com

 

 

"Poor Performances": Poverty, Survival and Creativity in the Performances Stand-up Comic Acts in Urban Nigeria. Discourses on poverty and its impact on subsistence in Nigeria have been reduced to gloomy statistics and analytical frameworks that fail to account for the creative energies flexed by Nigerians in evolving model survival tactics. These debates on poverty within and about Nigeriaare mostly devoid of the myriad strategies through which artists refashion themselves and stretch the boundaries of their survival. This paper seeks to analyze the works of three stand-up comedians – Holy Mallam, I Go Dye and Teju Babyface (each selected for their engagement with the socio-cultural ethos of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria)— whose works are inspired of and energized by their individual experiences of poverty, and which have in turn been constituted into viable strategies for survival in urban Nigeria. Within this discursive framework, poverty is conceptualized atypically as an impetus for the empowerment for urban artistes, especially for ghetto acts and stand-up comics; poverty is invoked not in pathological terms as a socio-psychological paralyzant but rather as a stimulant of creativity and economic empowerment. Among other considerations, this paper seeks to explore the following questions: through what embodied artistic practices do stand-up comedians reflect their shave with poverty? What performance paradigms are employed in negotiating poverty as a framework for empowerment among stand-up comedians, and how are these performances reflexive to survival in urban Nigeria? What kinds of connections exist between experiences of poverty and creative agency in Nigeria? By analyzing the various embodied expressions of stand-up comedians, I argue that poverty not only constitutes a potent muse for these stand-up comedians, but it is also essential to the continued flourishing of their work.

 

53.  Doyin Aguoru  Ph.d,  English and Performing Arts Department, Olabisi Onabanjo  University, Ago-Iwoye., 070525987937 & 07035047854; doyinaguoru77@yahoo.com

 

Theatre and National Identity; The Tiv Example, The Tiv Success.  The Tiv of Nigeria is a nation with a strong and dominant ethnic identity. The disposition of the nation within the Nigerian nation distinguishes it amongst several ethnic groups. The theatre of the Tiv people is an aspect of their identity which reflects the ethnic values of the Tiv peoples. Kwagh-hir emerges as a tool of ethnicity in Tivland. It serves as a theatre of mobilization, self realization, preservation of traditional arts; specifically, sculpture, carving and  masquerading. Kwagh-hirfor the Tiv is a resource for unification, wealth creation, technological, religious and political conscientization. This paper  examines and  explicates  the Tiv ethnic  ideology and  success.

54. Dr (Mrs) Gloria Eme Worugji,  BA (UNIPORT), MPA, MA, Ph.D (UNICAL) , LECTURER DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND MEDIA STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, CALABAR.                                           ajieleeme @ yahoo. com; Phone nos. 08035085285 / 08184432542                                                      

 

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARRIAGE AND FEMALE OPPRESSION IN AKACHI EZEIGBO'S FICTIONS.  Marriage and motherhood are the greatest role of every woman in Umuga, Igbo community as revealed by Akachi Ezeigbo in The Last of the Strong Ones (p.37). The Igbo man believes that marriage is the greatest status any woman can acquire.  An unmarried woman in Igbo culture is not regarded as an adult, no matter her age, and she is not respected. Ironically, it is within marriage that the Igbo woman mostly suffers oppression. She becomes a voiceless and often rightless possession.  She loses her name and her identity stands in danger of depending solely on her husband's, while she becomes enamoured of the title "Mrs".  When she becomes a mother, her identity is further altered as she becomes "Nne" X (mother of) thus her identity is completely overshadowed by her experience of wifehood and motherhood.  Nothing identifies a person better than her name; when a woman's name is taken away, she becomes an appendage and a non-person. This paper examines the position of women in marriage in the cultural context, to ascertain the extent to which they are oppressed and denied their identity, even in marriage which is inevitable to every Nigerian woman and the Igbo woman in particular, as it were. It further stresses that polygamy and bride price is an aid to this oppression and calls for a change in attitude from the men who carry out this cultural sentiments and its act against the women.    

55.  Dr Mike Adeyeye, Department of Local Government Studies, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. madeyeye2002@yahoo.com, : +234(0)8037181009

 

Africa's Decentralization Reforms: Context and Conditions.  Advocacy of greater citizen participation in governance isbacked by democratic theorists and social psychologists who underscore that when participation works, it is not only good for government,it can give people a sense of belonging, a sense of control over theirlives and can even be a source of happiness.Yet despite promisingso much, being able to reap the rewards of citizen engagement is a dilemma. The paper argues that one of the most popular state reforms that has opened spaces for a wider and deeper participation of citizens at the local level has been decentralization process. In the last decade, we've seen growing political commitment globally to giving citizens more of a voice in the decisions that affect them. More so, Africa's continued efforts to build and regenerate local government has always placed citizens at the heart of the argument. But while there have been relative successes, the overall result is a crucial paradox. Likewise evolving and involving democratic citizenship in different aspects of governance has become an important part of reinvigorating democracy.Spanning different countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa etc., the paper interrogates the dynamics of citizen engagement in the decentralization trajectories; and the fact that citizens involvement in healthy democracy must be rooted in a culture in which democratic values and practices shape not just the formal sphere of politics, but the informal sphere of everyday life.

56.  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD), Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.  tinaosezua@yahoo.com; +234 8068709984  &  Dupe Taiwo, Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.  dupe4yoth@yahoo.com, +234 8062234960

 

From Disempowerment to Empowerment? A Study on the Trajectory of Cross Border Sex Trade among Benin Women of Southern Nigerian. Extant literature gives inadequate attention to the use of micro theoretical approaches in examining the phenomenon of cross border sex trade among the Benin of Southern Nigeria, a region described as the hub of sex trafficking in Nigeria. This paper therefore, fills this gap by adopting an ethnographic approach in the socio-cultural and historic milieu in which the phenomenon of international sex trade occurs and the current trajectories it is presently undergoing. Qualitative data were obtained from key informants who are the custodians of Benin culture and relevant archival materials were also engaged in order establish the rationale for the pervasiveness of cross border sex trade in the region. The study found that Benin earlier contact with the Portuguese had fifteenth century culminated in a commercial intercourse between them which then established a prestige structure in the traditional Benin Society. Hence, contact with the Europeans, which entailed overseas travel is still perceived among the Benin People of Southern Nigeria as status symbol, thus explaining the prevailing value structure which deifies "traveling overseas". The paper further revealed that, women of the socio-economic stratum of this Benin extraction accept the option provided by lucrative cross border sex trade overseas. The paper concludes that migration to overseas by Benin women is perceived as a form of social and economic empowerment against the backdrop of apparent cultural discrimination which privileges males over females in the region.

 

57. Dr Remy Oriaku,  Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.  roriaku@yahoo.com & roriakudr@gmail.com,  +234-8033237076

 

Between African Migrants in Search of Opportunities and Their Nervous European Hosts: Divergent Attitudes to Migrant Labour and International Prostitution in Five African Novels. Technological innovations in the last fifty years have led to phenomenal improvement of communications facilities, growth of commerce and the movement of people, thus facilitating the mingling of the world's peoples to an extent that had previously not been imagined. While some people have applauded the seeming erasure of state boundaries, the meshing of racial/ethnic identities and closer interactions of the world's peoples and tried to exploit the advantages accruing from this situation, there has been disquiet in some quarters where the new trends are seen in terms of erosion of privileges and threats to the comfort and social security that communities had been used to. International prostitution and human trafficking, as related spin-offs from globalization, are often portrayed by western European state officials and activists as modern day slavery. Echoing this, the mass media frequently report the deportation of aliens and efforts at eradicating what they depict as inhuman and immoral use of people. Underlying this, however, is a European fear of being swamped by people they had regarded as their inferiors and their instinct of self-preservation. This paper will explore the portrayal in five African novels – Amma Darko's Beyond the Horizon, Chris Abani's Becoming Abigail, Ifeoma Chinwuba's Merchant of Flesh, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo's Trafficked, and Chika Unigwe's On Black Sisters' Street – of the divergent perceptions of migrant labour in western Europe.

58. Dr. Taiwo Olunlade, Dept. of African Languages , Literatures and Communication Arts, Lagos State University, Ojoo, Lagos. drolunlade@Yahoo.com

THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION IN YORUBA LITERATURE
The paper attempts to fish out culture of corruption  in some aspects of Yoruba literature. The paper reveals that corruption is  found everywhere in different aspects of the literature as may be found in different  literature of the world. It is also established that human beings are likely to continue to be corrupt, except there is strong determination to punish any corrupt person, so that it can serve as deterrent to others

 

59. Dr TOYI  MARIE- THÉRÈSE, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, BENSON IDAHOSA UNIVERSITY, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA. +234 (0)8101043579;  theresetoyi@yahoo.fr

Ethnic  Conflict in Burundi: Implications on Education, Culture  and Economy.   In spite of the laudable political and humanitarian efforts to tackle the cyclical ethnic-related conflicts in Burundi, the impact of the refugee and returnee phenomena on the culture, the education and the economy of the country and beyond, have not yet received their due attention. This study intends to create awareness about this issue.  It first identifies the refugee and returnee–related new linguistic trends in Burundi, together with their subsequent educational impact. How many Burundians learned Kiswahili in exile in Tanzania or in The Democratic Republic of Congo, not only for educational or professional reasons, but also for survival, but who, back to Burundi, saw their exile language turn into an obstacle to pursue standard education? Why has their plight not attracted as much attention as did war orphans, widows,  and former child soldiers? This study also overviews the Burundian values exported through the refugee phenomenon into countries where they met as big groups.   One case in point is that of Burundians' attachment to land and to farming activities, which has impacted on the economic activities of their host countries, namely Tanzania, Congo, and Cameroun.

 

60.  Dr. Anya U. Egwu, Department of Languages, School of Human Development, College of Developmental Studies, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.  ikechi07@yahoo.co.uk; 08039172267

Concretizing the Drama of the Fourth Stage: the Burden of the Interpretation of Ikpirikpe-ogu Ritual Dance Drama of the Cross-river Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria:  The African mythopoeic consciousness envisions an order of four unseverably linked spaces where the drama of existence is intractably and unendingly being staged. The living enact that drama on the temporal, 'here', stage; the 'living-dead' on the atemporal stage of the luminous in the metaphysical expanse; and the unborn on a metaphysical space of a different divide. The fourth stage, also in the metaphysical turf, is the threshold of 'being', the transitional gulf. This is where the struggle, the drama of existence, (of going and coming} climaxes and is resolved.Soyinka's metaphysics has so well demonstrated with the myth of ogun how this drama (the 'coming' drama) of the fourth stage is played out. In this paper I am set to show how the 'going' drama of that stage is reified by the ikpirikpe-ogu ritual dance of the Cross-river Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria. Victor Turner's ritual theory will be used and adapted to Soyinka's transitional poetics to illustrate this drama of transition – the process of 'becoming' from 'not being'. Again, the aim is to show that the ikpirikpe-ogu ritual dance is a speaking voice which dramatically but concretely narrates the drama of the fourth stage.

61.  Dr. Belkacem Iratni, Professor of Politics and International Relations, Chairman of the Scientific Committee, Faculty of Political Science and Information, University of Algiers, Algeria, +213 (0)556 35 12 75; kacemiratni@hotmail.com

 

The Tuareg dilemma: The search for a Nation, the response of the central States and Regional Entanglements.  The paper looks at the socio and political situation the Targui minorities are facing in Niger and Mali, being torn between the desire to obtain social, political and cultural rights through violent rebellions and the temptations to achieve the hidden dream of a national identity that would transcend the frontiers of established states of all of Niger, Mali, Libya and Algeria. It also aims at scrutinizing the response of these States to Targui irredentism and cultural particularism and questioning the supposed connections of Targui rebels with Salafi ideology, terrorist activism, drug trafficking and smuggling of light arms. The paper raises the recurrent question of the fragile posture of the identity of the post-African State in its dealings with the resurgence of the political and cultural rights of minorities in rapidly changing international and regional contexts. 

 

62.  DR. EMMA OSONNA UGWULEBO,  Department Of Sociology, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. Phone- +2348034373984,  ugwuleboeo@yahoo.com

 

NATIONALITIES, IDENTITIES AND THE NIGERIAN STATE: The Nigerian state, being a colonial creation, is littered with several nationalities and identities. The country has about 350 ethnic nationalities with about 250 languages co-habiting in a not- to-cordial atmosphere. Several identities equally litter the country obtrusively manifesting themselves in the orbit of religion from where they are increasingly causing confusion in the system. The cumulative effect of the existence of nationalities and identities has been the existence of strictures and dissonances which manifest themselves in the form of destructions, underdevelopment, retrogression and other atavistic behaviours within the system. This is interestingly embarrassing to Africans and Africans in  Diaspora. Nationalities negate the unity of the country by striving for its redefinition and have led to the emergence of ethnic militias, among other divisive tendencies. Identities, on the other hand, have visited the nation with death as could be seen in the activities of the Maitasine religious sect, the Boko Haram religious sect, etc. These have led to internal displacements and internal migrations. The government is, therefore, enjoined to be alive to its responsibility by controlling the existence of these rudderless groups and guaranteeing the security of lives and property of her citizenry anywhere. Nigerians should be enlightened on the need for peaceful co-existence in a multi-ethnic and secular state. The information for this work was gathered through library research and personal observations.

 

63.  Dr. Gloria Chuku, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland21250, USA, chuku@umbc.edu

 

Nigerian Intellectuals, History, Ethnicity and Nationalism

  Modern Nigerian intellectuals as producers and purveyors of knowledge, ideas and societal norms, have      always played vital roles in all facets of socio-political life of the country, including the construction of        the ideologies of national liberation, national identity, and national unity. They were involved in the articulation of the project of the Nigerian nation-state and the most suitable political models to manage the diversity of its ethnic constituencies. Largely due to the fragility of the nation-state project and the resilient ethnic roots and sentiments, Nigerian intellectuals have continuously struggled to navigate the delicate balance between loyalty to the country and loyalty to its ethnic components, a situation that has become more daunting than ever before in the face of increased ethnonationalisms. The proposed paper argues that while it is almost impossible to achieve sustained national unity when the process of nation-building remains insensitive to ethnic nuances and local subjectivities, it is imperative that ethnic identities and loyalty are carefully managed in such a way that they do not undermine efforts towards national integration and development. Drawing from the works of such Nigerian historians as Adiele Afigbo, Bolanle Awe, Obaro Ikime, and Tekena Tamuno, the paper will critically assess the contributions of historical studies to nationalism, nation-building and development, as well as in fostering national identity and unity in Nigeria.  It will examine how these works have helped in shaping discussions on the nature of the Nigerian federalism, resource control and allocation, ethnic pluralism and minority rights, religious tolerance, as well as political leadership, values and inclusiveness. The paper will also critic them and suggest how to make historical studies relevant to pressing national and development priorities in Nigeria.

 

64.  Dr. Mojisola  Shodipe, Department of English, University of  Lagos.

 

LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND IDENTITY: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF BILINGUAL SPEECH IN CENTRAL LAGOS. This paper explores the dynamics of bilingual speech in the Lagos Island speech community in Central Lagos. Against the background of the unique social motivations for bilingual behaviour in this cosmopolitan community, this  study explores the various sociolinguistic acts utilized by the Yoruba-English bilinguals  in the expression of their indigenous socio- cultural identity. These devices include the use of slang, code-switching and code-mixing.   Based on the premise that language acts are acts of identity,  (Le page and  Tabouret-Keller, 1985) it is argued that individual and socialidentities  are mediated by language and generally exhibited in the form of language attitudes. This study thus examines a corpus of naturalistic data in the explication of these sociolinguistic features of language use in a non-native English environment.

 

65.  DR. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN MEDIAYANOSE, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCES, OSUN STATE UNIVERSITY, OSHOGBO. l osezuaomo2002@yahoo.com, +2348060837266

 

GLOBALIZATION, CIVIL SOCIETY AND STATE IN AFRICA:  A RETROSPECT.  Globalization is a multidimensional phenomenon. It relates to the lives of people in virtually all spheres - politics, culture, economy and communications.  This paper therefore appraises retrospectively, the scope and different dimensions of globalization and its impact on the African State. It also highlights the need of an engaged civil action to check the negative consequences of globalization in post colonial Africa.  Hence, the paper examines the responsibilities of the various segments of the civil society which the author considers as categorical imperatives in moderating the consequences of a globalized world in post colonial Africa. The civil society framework is engaged in x-raying the phenomenon of globalization and the attendant consequences on both the African State and her peoples. The paper further explores how the  a well engaged  civil society organizations in contemporary African States can mitigate  the adverse effects of globalization on the continent by ensuring good governance and active citizenry participation. The paper concludes by resonating the obstacles against the evolution of a healthy and vibrant civil society in Africa, maintaining that it is an effective tool in countering the delirious effects of globalization in contemporary African State.

 

66.  EBAI  FREDRICK BASIL, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA. +2348099216849, +2348058018580, fred_basil2005@yahoo.com

 

THE PARADOX OF CITIZENSHIP IN POST-COLONIAL AFRICAN STATES: Citizenship identity is perhaps the most controversial and most debated phenomenon in Post-Colonial African States.  Questions of citizenship have been used to prevent specific individuals from challenging for political position or to silence those who criticize the government.  At one time, it seemed as though half the most important opposition politicians in Africa were alleged not citizens of the country where they lived and worked – allegations often based on absurd arguments about ancestral origins on the wrong side of colonial borders that did not exist at the time of the individual's or his parents birth.  The pattern of citizenship crises is not haphazard, but are closely linked to the colonial heritage of each country; and in particular the migration and land expropriation that was implemented or facilitated by the colonial authorities.  It is not a coincidence that the countries where citizenship has been most contentious are often the countries that saw the greatest colonial – era migration; migration not only of Europeans and Asians to the continent, but in even greater numbers of Africans within the continent. Today, however, the children, grandchildren and great-grand children of those who migrated are now regarded as foreigners without a true claim to new polity.  Yet they are in the land of their birth and life long residence and have no claim on the protection of any other state. This paper examines the place of citizenship in contemporary post-colonial African states and how citizenship crises has caused serious harvock that escalated to inter-state and intra-state violence on the African continent. This paper provides a framework for lasting solutions to citizenship crises on the African continent and recommends the appropriate mechanism that can foster peace and unity within the African continent.

 

67.  Ebhote Oseremen, Department of Economics and Business studies, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State. 08037330582;  oseremenebhote@yahoo.com

 

The Effect of Migration on Economic development and business activities in Nigeria: Prospect and Challenges.

Flows from Nigeria to countries beyond the region did not occur on a large scale until after independence in 1960. From the 1950s through the 1970s, the emerging elites moved mainly to the United Kingdom due to the legacy of colonial ties, for educational pursuit, and in a few cases for administrative matters.  The expectation was that Nigerian students would return with valuable skills needed for nation building. Indeed, most Nigerians educated abroad in the 1960s and 1970s readily came home after completing their education to assured plum jobs in the civil service or the burgeoning oil and private sectors of the economy. But today reverse is the case, as most Nigerians prefer to reside abroad instead of coming home to contribute towards economic development and business activities in Nigeria. This paper critically examines the impact of migration on business activities in the country and makes recommendations on how to combat the situation and possible way forward.

 

68.  Emma Arogundade, Occasional Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, South Africa, emmanence@gmail.com

The Names We  Give: Are historical narratives enough?

"Identities are the names we give to the different ways we are positioned by, and position ourselves within the narratives of the past" (Hall, 1994:394).

This paper seeks to examine the subjective constructions of identities within the particular context of Pofadder, a small town in the Northern Cape of South Africa, particularly a small group of people who identify as 'helpers'. It draws on research conducted as part of the Small Towns and Rural Transformation Research Project[1] examining racial transformation in small towns in South Africa which took place in July 2010.  These 'helpers' biographies are examined to identify the dialectical interplay of being positioned by, and positioning themselves, specifically with regards to the global and local narratives of race, class, gender and place. South Africa can be characterised as a country with a strong emphasis on race as a defining narrative, and the particular aspects that find expression in small town Pofadder revolve around historical constructions of white Afrikaner identities, and Khoi-San (indigeneous) and 'coloured' identities. Whilst using Hall's definition of identities as a starting point, in examining the biographies of the research subjects, questions are raised as to the extent of its usefulness in a context of shifting social narratives and power in small town post-apartheid South Africa. The ways that research subjects are positioned by these narratives is examined, along with the ways in which subjects position themselves. However, there is a discrepancy between the narratives that have an impact on positioning these 'helpers' and the extent of the work they do and approaches they take, and the narratives they themselves use in order to position themselves. Subjects use a variety of narratives including 'helping', religion, racial and others to reinforce and transgress the boundaries imposed by historical narratives. Subjects often use their work as 'helpers' to leverage social status and position. This seems to indicate that Stuart Hall's (1994) useful dialectical definition of identities is not enough, and that a more complex, nuanced and context specific approach is needed to examine subjective identity constructions.

 

69.  Emmanuel Saboro, PhD Candidate; Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation University of Hull, UK, saborobest@yahoo.com, E.Saboro@2011.hull.ac.uk,  +44 07879967514

MEMORY REPRESENTATIONS OF RESISTANCE TO SLAVE RAIDING IN NORTHERN GHANA AND THE (RE) CONSTRUCTION OF A CULTURAL IDENTITY: Folklore from Northern Ghana, presents fresh and significant insights into the dynamics of slave raiding and resistance in the general historiography of the slave experience in Africa. During the 18^th and 19^th centuries some communities in Northern Ghana were ravaged with incessant slave raids and the constant threats of enslavement.  The memories of this traumatic event are preserved in the oral traditions of the people. This paper seeks to articulate how the Kassena and the Bulsa of Northern Ghana confronted the daily harassment of their people through aggressive warfare. The paper presents analysis of some memory representations gleaned through fieldwork during 2005 and 2006. A critical evaluation of these memory forms has revealed that the people were not just passive victims who acquiesced with their enslavement, but these forms have come to constitute a way through which the peoples of these communities have carved for themselves a unique cultural identity. Today, this collective triumph gets celebrated during festivals and the heroism of their ancestors re-enacted in traditional dance forms.

70.  Eteete Michael ADAM (LL.M, MIRSS, BL), Department of International Law and Diplomacy, School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

ETHNIC NATIONALISM, STATISM, CITIZENSHIP AND THE RIGHT TO NON-DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION: The concepts of nationalism, ethnicism, and statism are usages in political and constitutional lexicon which compete for attention in the determination of a person's relationship or contact with a geographical, political or racial domain. An individual as a mark of identity holds the citizenship of a particular nation state or the membership of a particular racial enclave. Citizenship can be viewed as the connecting rod between an individual and a particular nation or country. In most countries of the world, the foremost method of determining citizenship is by birth of such an individual within the geopolitical boundaries of a given nation. Sometimes an individual is capable of owing allegiance to a country, ethnic group and state. One country is capable of warehousing many ethnic nationalities or several countries may all belong to a single ethnic nation. These disparate relationships create a milieu of relationships with the citizens. Nigeria is a classical case of a country with over 250 ethnic nationalities with the attendant problem of competing loyalties of citizenship cutting across the 36 state structures, the ethnic groupings and country. It is common to hear of the discriminatory usage of the phrase "State of Origin" as a basis for contacts and citizenship benefits and rights. It is therefore the intention of this work to dissect the interrelationships of ethnicism, statism and nationalism as it affects the right to non-discrimination of citizens under the Nigerian Constitution.

 

71.  Eunice E.OMONZEJIE, PhD, Dept. of Modern Languages, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma                                                                                                                            Nigeriaeuniceomons@yahoo.co.uk

INTERPRETATIONS OF AFRICAN MIGRANT MASCULINITIES IN CONTEMPORARY FRANCOPHONE PROSE NARRATIVE: In this era of transnational displacement and global nomadism, Africa and indeed Nigeria has experienced in considerable dimensions the all-pervasive phenomenon of migration. The attendant shifts in masculinities and nationalism, have found their portrayals in recent literary discourse. This essay seeks an exposition of the literary configurations of migrant masculinities and identities in emerging francophone texts. Our focus will be on four novels, which highlight issues such as migrant integration, transnational disruption and displacement, identity crises, sexualities and the return of the emigrant, written by migrant authors Fatou Diome, Alain Mabanckou, Jerome Carlos and Tierno Monénembo. These authors as migration pessimists, attempt to deconstruct the society's exaggerated utopist images of the successful African male living in Europe, through the portrayal of the negative cultural and psychological complexities involved in the binary relationship between African masculinity and migration. Our readings of these novels are informed by postcolonial theory and concepts of transnationalism in contemporary cultural criticism.

 

72.  F.A OLASUPO, DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES, FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATION, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, OSUN-STATE. mail:faolasupo@yahoo.com, +2348034065576

GENDER BALANCE, GENDER  EQUITY OR GENDER FAIRNESS IN GOVERNANCE: THE EXAMPLE OF NIGERIA. Although United Nations formally began promotion and advocacy of gender equity, fairness or balance, the world over, more than forty years ago, the origin of this, seriously speaking, began in Africa, specifically Nigeria; and more specifically, western part of Nigeria, centuries ago. What led to it could be traced to certain developments in Ife kingdom, the old Oyo Empire as well as other minor kingdoms in Yorubaland to be specific. In short, this paper attempts to construct theories that led to the question of gender balance, equity or fairness that has led to decades of UN global campaigns for restoration of fairness, balance and equity in economic, social and political relations between women and men, using Yorubas of western Nigeria as a case study. 

 

73.  Famakinwa, Yemisi,  Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Nigeria

 

Media Communication and Educational Development in the English as a Second Language Environment.  Communication and communicators are both indispensable. This indispensability is borne out of the necessity to solve life's problems, meet certain dire needs and identify freely with each other/one another. Thus, evolutionary trends in language acquisition and learning. Although mass communicationinvolves a large audience passing across information (messages/themes) to each other/one another, this paper focuses on the English as a Second Language environment (ESL) where educational home videos are considered, a multimedia resource for teaching and learning. Learning is seen as a tri-dimensional affair:it takes place within the microcosm of the home, the school and the society. The paper hopes to explore the different communication theories relating to language acquisition and learning with a view to solving life-posing challenges in an(ESL) environment. The paper therefore concludes on the note that though, communication and language are inseparable, language learnt or acquired, has a way of shaping the identities; positively or negatively of people (children and adult) in a particular society. 

 

74.  FASASI,  Rasheed Adekunle, Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan. rafasasi@yahoo.com,

YORUBA CULTURAL BELIEFS, MODERN SCIENCE BELIEFS AND AN ETHNOSCIENTIFIC   BELIEFS DATABASE- THE MEETING POINT: It is generally agreed that prior knowledge influences learning but opinions vary about how to use this to improve learning. As a component of prior knowledge, learners' cultural belief has been acknowledged as a factor responsible for underachievement in science in countries where differences exist between learners' everyday life and the world of science. There is therefore the need to isolate and study the effects of this factor on learning outcomes in science. This however requires the identification, analysis and documentation of science related cultural beliefs (ethnoscientific beliefs) and structuring them for use in the classroom. The study developed an ethnoscientific beliefs database required for this purpose. The study, carried out in Yoruba states of Nigeria utilized descriptive survey design in development of an Ethnoscientific Beliefs Database. Stratified random sampling was used to select three states used in the study. Three thousand and fifty five students from twelve secondary schools from peri-urban areas of the three cities and thirty one elders and community leaders purposively selected from these areas were involved. Three research questions were answered. About 9.3% of the collected science related Yoruba cultural beliefs were in agreement with identified scientific concepts, 17.3% were in partial agreement while 73% contradicted the concepts. Few science-related cultural beliefs of the sampled population agreed with modern scientific concepts; some are in partial agreement while many others are at variance with modern scientific beliefs. Recommendations were made for the development a framework for the use of the database in the classroom setting.

 

75.  Gee A.Yawson. M.S., Florida International University, Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies, 4820 N. Miami Ave, Miami, Florida 33127,  609 553 1267,  gyawson@gmail.com

 

Que dança é essa?: Reflections of gendered power relations and sociocultural expressions of sexuality in agarrado dancing to Roots reggae in São Luis do Maranhão, Brazil. In the past couple of decades, social scientists whose research foci have concentrated on the musical and dance performance traditions of Afrodescendant populations in Brazil have extensively documented what are deemed to be remnants of "African culture" or variant reproductions of African musical genres. Afro-Brazilian communities that have adapted and acculturated musical and dance performance traditions from other Afro-diasporic populations have been overlooked. This paper, which is part of my ongoing ethnographic research on Roots Reggae culture in São Luis do Maranhão, Brazil, proposes a critical analysis of the agarrado dancing to Roots Reggae. I particularly engage in a theoretical exercise that looks at exceptional performance behavior in agarrado dancing to Roots Reggae that challenges mainstream notions of gender and expressions of sexuality in Afro-Maranhense society. Based on my participant-observation  in various performances in São Luis' dancehalls , I suggest that agarrado dancing to the adaptation of Roots Reggae in this society is an androcentric, phallic-centered performance that reveals particular cultural gender roles. Secondly, I interpret the dance as a physical act that can be best understood as a metaphoric and culturally heteronormative language that evinces gender-power dynamics between any particular two dancers in a dancehall space of radiolas.  Furthermore, I show how the dance performances between any two particular women as well as the adaptational style of the dance by the younger Maranhese population encapsulate exceptional aberrations that simultaneously contribute to and challenge the androcentric power dynamics of the dance.  From this perspective, I focus on several performances of the dance between overtly same-sex-gender and different sex-gender dance partners. My analyses are based on the body language between any two particular dance partners during the performance, and the reactions or lack of reaction of spectators in the space where the dance performance occurs. I conclude by showing that such metaphoric interpretations in the dance performances are symbolic reflections of pre-existing gender relations t has been embedded in the postcolonial Afro-Maranhese society via the  ideological mechanisms of heteropatriarchy and mestizaje. The agarrado dancehall performances provide a paradoxical space where women and Afro-Maranhese youth are able to express contesting agency and creativity by assuming gender and sexual roles in ways that both challenge and contribute to the heteronormative, machismo notions of power.

 

76.   Halimat Somotan,   Fairfield University Box 3146 1076 North Benson Road, Fairfield, Connecticut 06824,  203-543-3141, halimat.somotan@student.fairfield.edu

The Reassessment of Nigeria as a Territory Rather than a Nation-State: The "nation-state" has been understood as a colonial inheritance, and a problematic ideology that African nationalists adopted during colonialism. While this notion has been pervasive in understanding Africa's past, this ideology neglects the erroneous evolution of many African countries as a "nation-state." In an attempt to reassess the understanding of the "nation-state," this paper focuses on Nigeria and seeks to disprove that the nation-state is an inherited colonial legacy and to elucidate how Nigeria has become concretely misunderstood as a nation-state. This paper argues that the understanding of Nigeria as a "nation-state" holds serious implications, such as the expectation of a common identity and culture among Nigerians, which hinders the ability to properly analyze Nigeria's current political structures, as well as the root cause of Nigeria's political instabilities.

 

77.  Ibrahim,  Daniel. Department of General Studies, Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru/Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. danielc_ibrahim@yahoo.com, Phone: 07084839881, 08155287849, 08103434180

 

GLOBALISATION AND IDENTITY CONTESTATION IN HAUSA VISUAL LITERATURE

 The more man advances in science and technology, the more conscious he becomes of his identity. Modern technology has reduced the world to a global village, but it has not stopped man from thinking about his roots, his culture and his origin. Identity contestation today is a big social issue. For example in the United States of America, the current debate is over what should be the proper identification tag for Americans of black descent, - Black Americans, African – Americans, continental Americans or Americans of African descents? In the same vein, what should be the proper tag for the emerging Hausa visual literature: Hausa film? Hausa – Fulani film or Hausa language film? This paper is a preliminary survey of the ideological, philosophical and cultural issues surrounding contested idealities in Hausa visual literature.

 

78. Idayat Hassan, Centre for Democracy and Development in West Africa, hidahassan@yahoo.com

 

Creation of a State within a State: Analyzing the Boko Haram uprising in Nigeria

The bombing of the United Nations Building, Abuja on August 26, 2011 has further raised world attention to the insurgence of terrorism into the Nigerian state especially as responsibility for the attack was claimed by Boko-Haram, a local Islamist group. In the words of its spokesman Abu Darda to AFP:

"Through the wisdom of Allah, we have launched the attack with absolute precision." Boko-Haram (loosely translated as western education is a sin) came into existence in 2002 with the political goal of creating an Islamic nation in Northern Nigeria with an eventual spread to the rest of the country. Capitalizing on the widespread poverty, corruption, security abuse, human rights violation, the sect argues the Nigerian state has failed therefore the need for an Islamic state to lift the people out of penury. Creating its own enclave with its system of governance, educational and financial systems; the state within a state viewed Nigeria as a state run by non-believers and made the government its main target with continuous bombing of its installations and killing of security operatives. This paper will use empirical research methodologies to describe the state of Boko-Haram within the Nigerian state and why the sect conceives the state as evil with focus on the nature, causes, magnitude and consequences of this phenomenon for the progress of Nigeria. Recognizing the trajectory of religious crises experienced in the Nigerian context, this paper argues that the failure to address the root causes of these crises and proper management of the diversity of the state is responsible for the new terrorist approach to violence.

 

 

79.  Ijaola Samson Oluwatope, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Samuel Adegboyega University, PMB.001, Ogwa,  Edo State.

 

From Colonialism to Neo-colonialism, Cultural Demythologization and Ecological Crises in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria.  The sacredness of culture and the non human that constitute the environment defines Africans ecological attitude. Hence, it is typical of an African in the pre colonial era to deify the environment. This sacred eco-cultural relationship was however to give way to colonialism as well as neo-colonialism; through the aid of missionary activities and scientific technology. Since the interest of the western authourity is basically trade and economy of Europe; both African land and water which were under the control of the deities must explored by demythologizing the eco-mythology that were dominant in African minds. The argument therefore is that, ecological crises in Africa are tied to both colonialism and neo-colonialism. The Niger Delta area of Nigeria has over a 100 years suffer tremendously from ecological crises as both land and water of the area were explored from palm oil in the colonial era and petroleum in the neo-colonization era. As typical Africans, the Niger Delta people believe in the sacredness of the non-human such as land and water. Hence, the force of demythologization of culture by reducing African Religion to paganism is the bane of ecological development in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. Hence a descriptive approach to environmental issues and historical approach will be harnessed to drive home these arguments of this paper.

 

80.  IROJU, Opeyemi Anthony, Department of History,  Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife,Nigeria.

 

Origin and Language Diversity in Historical Perspective: The Case of the Apoiin Nigeria.

It is an established historical fact that Human history is embedded in waves of migration. In historical sense, to properly understand   a particular group of people, the exert place of origin as well as the migration pattern of such people needs to be studied. Against this background, this paper gives a historical account on the Apoi .This paper identified the Apoi as one of the ethnic groups in Southwestern Nigeria. The paper opines the view that the Apoi aboriginality is within the central delta of Nigeria. However, migration is a factor for the Apoi to have settled far away from their   orthodox domicile. Be that as it may, considering the place of origin and the language of the Apoi, this paper discovered existence of diversity between the origin as well as the language of the Apoi. Hence this paper seeks to identify migration, geographical location and cultural integration as the factors for such observed diversity between the Apoi origin and their language   

 

81.  Israel Meriomame WEKPE & Ms. Owens Patricia ONI-EDIGIN, Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. + 234-807-793-9525/+234-805-538-3190.

 (israel.wekpe@gmail.com;easerel@hotmail.com ;. (owens_pat@yahoo.com;

 

Indigenous Names, Indigenous Acts and the Re-Construction of the Edo Identity: A Post-Colonial Discourse. The Edo people have an important tradition: Izomo.  Seven days after the birth of a child, the naming ceremony is performed in a gathering of family members. This ceremony, an important social phenomenon, affords each family member the opportunity to name the child. Izomo doubly translates as a rite of initiation and a rite of passage. In the Edo worldview, a personal name locates the individual; it aligns with the well being and health of the individual. An Edo personal name approximates as a representation of where you are coming from, who you are, what you will be and substantially how you must live your life. It is robust and laden with diverse meanings; most times, metaphoric. Indeed, there is a philosophy about Edo personal names and naming. It is appropriate to resonate that religion also underlines their meanings. This paper attempts a critical study of Izomo.The paper submits that Izomo is a veritable affirmation of the Edo people. This Edo naming ceremony latently and saliently contextualises the Edo identity even as it roundly embraces the Edo language. The paper substantiate that the ceremony itself is a performance as it employs the various nuances indicative of a traditional African performance.Thus, Edo personal names in the context of this paper aggregate as an indigenous act/performance of the Edo people; by the Edo people. These writers however observe that certain external influences which border on Christianity and western-centrism have beclouded Edo personal names and naming ceremony which is most times perceived as fetish or conservative or antiquated. This paper reconciles that Izomo offers for posterity an intangible model and representation for upholding and sustaining a veritable aspect of the Edo culture and tradition especially in this era of competing modernities.   

 

 82.  ISREALABAYOMI SAIBU, DEPT OF HISTORY & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, LAGOS STATEUNIVERSITY, (SPTS EXTERNAL SYSTEM), OJO, LAGOS.  adesaibu@yahoo.com;  08029504334

 

MILITANCY AND PAN-AFRICANISM: A SYNTHESIS OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF MALCOLMX. Black Nationalism in America reached its peak, in the 1950s and 1960s. During this period civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King (Jnr), Medgar Evers and Andrew Young had carved out a niche for themselves as being in the fore-front of the struggle for equality of the races. Their main method of struggle was the widely acclaimed 'Non-violence' principle. However, unfolding events seems to suggest that freedom was a long way off as hostilities towards blacks and coloured people increased. It was in the midst of this gloomy setting that a new activist rose up and took the American society by storm with his message and method. His name was Malcolm Little, who became known as MalcolmX. He discouraged the categorization of black agitations in America as civil rights, preferring that activist change their focus to human rights, since according to him, the former depict a domestic issue while the latter portray an international matter that can be brought before the United Nation. MalcolmX had been variously criticized for his 'violent' posture towards activism in the USA. Yet it is a truism that leaders like Martin Luther King (Jnr) achieved so much only because MalcolmX was around and active. The motive was clear, the government would rather uphold Luther as a role model instead of Malcolm. This research aims to examine in detail, the philosophy and significance of MalcolmX in African-American Nationalism.

 

83.  JAIYEOBA Babatunde PhD, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.tundejaiyeoba@yahoo.co.uk; ebjaiye@oau.edu.ng

234 8037880023

 

OPERATIONALISING THE CULTURE OF HOME OWNERSHIP IN THE FATHERLAND FOR URBAN LOW INCOME HOUSING WITH EVIDENCE FROM IBADAN, NIGERIA

Low income people are worse off in the quantitative and qualitative housing problem in the urban areas of Nigeria. Global and local inequality has increased their marginalization from economic, social and political space. Elsewhere in the developed world attempts are made to provide social housing or public housing to alleviate the problem of poor people in home ownership. Also, various subsidy programmes are planned to increase their access to homeownership because of the perceived benefits to health, physical, psychological and financial well -being. In Nigeria, beyond political statements and government proposals to deliver certain number of houses during a period, it is a survival of the fittest in the housing market. In fact, discussions about low cost and low income housing have since taken on the garb of 'affordable' housing. Not even middle income people can afford the 'affordable' homes provided by the privileged private sector. In the absence of mortgage facilities and subsidy, there is no trickledown effect that might  benefit low income people. In spite of their maginalisation and exclusion, low income people have continued to negotiate housing from the difficult social context in legal and semi-legal ways by utilizing all resources they possess. Deploying an approach that seek to understand how people with such socio economic characteristics could produce housing considering all the negative indices necessitated a simultaneous study of the people, the process and the houses that are the product of the process. In the Ogbere case study in Ibadan, the finding is that most of the house owners are indigenes of Ibadan who in spite of having the option of staying on as free housers in the family houses decided to produce personal homes because of the indigenous knowledge of the culture of home ownership in the fatherland.

This case study confirms the culture of home ownership in the fatherland common with people who possess the wherewithal to build houses in the village or fatherland among the low income. The low income in this context utilized all the resources in their everyday to achieve the desire of home ownership in Ibadan, their fatherland. The paper posits that, this high end desire to be a house owner in the place of origin may be operationalized in various ways to intervene in low income housing production in Ibadan and indeed many urban areas in Nigeria since this culture is common to all the tribal groups.

 

84.  JamesTarTsaaior, PhD, School of Media and Communication, Pan-African University, Lagos, Nigeria. jtsaaior@smc.edu.ng,  +234-802-371-1378

 

Ritual, Politics and Poetic Performance in Public Spaces in Nigeria. There exists a fluid interaction among ritual, politics and poetic performance in Nigeria in ways that are ignored or not always acknowledged and sufficiently appreciated. However, deeply inscribed in ritual performance in public spaces are trajectories of politics which etch themselves on the poetic texts. In Nigeria, this interaction is constitutive of daily public life through oath-taking and inauguration events of public officers, reception ceremonies, commissioning of projects, political functions, etc. The words embedded in these formulaic recitations, songs, and the acts which accompany them embody a corpus of texts in itself. Their transmission through (new) media processes endows them with a dynamic quality which also adds the flavour of authority as canonising agents. Ritual participates in these events mobilizing poetic performance and its linguistic resources as allies in the political process of legitimizing power and hegemony in postcolonial Nigeria. The present paper negotiates this reality and establishes that the transition of ritual performance from traditional society to the postmodern is consistent with the emergence of alternative political systems in Nigeria. The paper validates the proposition that ritual is culture-specific and argues that in Nigeria, rituals with a political character and content have been appropriated by the political elite as a veritable tool of exercising hegemony over the marginalized and oppressed others.

 

85.  Joe E. Obi, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor of Sociology and International Studies, Univ. of Richmond Richmond, VA 23173, (jobi@richmond.edu),  USA.

 

Wired Nomads: Rethinking Diaspora.

With the convergence of new media and related transplanetary "flatteners" towards the end of the twentieth century, the diasporic experience has undergone mutations. Where, in the past, distance and attenuation informed the relationship to the "homeland," contemporary migrants have greater options to live lives that are framed by connectivity, simultaneity, and in some cases place polygamy, with respect to erstwhile homes. Current information technologies prompt a rethinking of the conceptual and experiential dimensions of the term "diaspora". How valid are spatial binaries? Where and when do diasporas begin? What forms of identity are effectuated in the context of connected diasporic communities? Can one ever go "home"? What is home? What are the consequences of a self-conscious translocal population at both ends of the migratory trail? How do migrants manage ethnic, national, and global imaginaries? What new politics are possible in this moment? This paper, theoretical and exploratory in thrust, is aimed at opening up theoretical space in the discussion of cultural globalization – especially as it plays out in Nigeria and similar places. This is particularly important in view of the reality of  nomadism and migration operating alongside powerful space-framed ethnic and national narratives.      

 

85. John Okpako,  Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,  08034716775Email: jokpako@yahoo.com

 

Impact of Technology on the Yoruba House: A Focus on Osogbo

The Yoruba people have been described as architecturally complex, mainly because they have had a long tradition of simultaneously maintaining both urban and rural residences. Since the 16^th century they have lived in large cities as well as maintained their second dwellings at their farm sites. These houses were all courtyard or compound houses composed of rooms arranged around large open spaces. Their farm houses were fragments of these compound houses usually composed of two-room units. These buildings serve as direct and unself-conscious translation of the culture of the Yoruba people into physical form. However, these house forms have changed over the years, especially in the last fifty years. In this paper I examine one factor responsible for the changes in the Yoruba house form; technology. By analyzing houses built at different times in Osogbo the paper discusses the impact of technology on the Yoruba house. The results show how the Yoruba have managed to co-opt technology in the service of their culture and in the face of rapid social changes.

 

86.  JOHN OBAFEMI SOTUNSA, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE, ILISAN REMO OGUN STATE, NIGERIA. johnsotunsa@yahoo.com; +234 8036009740

 

THE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS (TBAs) IN PREVENTION OF MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HIV

The prevalence of HIV in Nigeria is about three and half million ( 3.5 million) which is an improvement over the previous record of five million. To sustain progressive improvement, the prevention of mother to child HIV is very expedient. It is however noteworthy that sixty per cent (60%) of deliveries in Nigeria are conducted by traditional birth attendants, most of who have not been integrated into the orthodox/formal health system in Nigeria thus generating a situation that might result in the increased prevalence of HIV in parturients and their offspring in the near future. Therefore, this research attempts to investigate the importance of TBAs in the care of pregnant women with the aim of preventing mother to child transmission of HIV. The study is a cross sectional study administering questionnaires to TBAs who have had training on HIV prevention as well as others who have not had training in HIV prevention. The study will assess the knowledge and practice relevant to HIV transmission and care of pregnant women in the prevention and treatment of HIV in the communities in Ikenne Local government in Ogun State, Nigeria. Preliminary findings of the research reveals that TBAs trained in HIV prevention helps in early detection of HIV pregnant women and referrals of such cases to centres where they can have appropriate care. They also ensure drug compliance and follow up at clinics. The trained TBAs adopt universal safety precautions in the handling of sharp objects, delivery process and the care of the new born. The research therefore recommends that it is expedient to incorporate TBAs in the orthodox/formal health care systems in the fight against HIV pandemic in Africa since they practice at the grassroots which mainly lacks primary health care and private clinics.

 

87.  Justina Sunday Nkanga, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. tinachrist01@yahoo.com

 

CULTURAL IDENTITY:  CURBING THE EFFECT OF MODERNITY ON THE NIGERIAN CHILD THROUGH THEATRE-IN-EDUCATION

The challenges posed by modern day Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and globalization has compelled the Nigerian youths to embrace alien cultural ideologies at the expense of our local cultural values.  Thus, there has been and eminence of vicious behavior traits which is an effect of the complete negation of cultural values among Nigerian youths.  This paper attempts to examine the functional role of theatre-in-education in inculcating values in children.  Using the content analysis method of research, the study seeks to restore and sustain Nigeria's cultural heritage through the exploration of the techniques of theatre-in-education.  The thrust is on music, dance, improvisation, puppetry, story-telling and dramatization to children education in schools.  The paper posits that using the techniques of theatre-in-education in the early learning years of the child shall serve as intervention programme to help forestall the possibility of the nation's cultural values being completely eroded.  

 

88.  Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony, Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. +2348036345466; Email: ikee_mario@yahoo.com

THE QUEST FOR AN AFRICAN IDENTITY

The quest for identity embodies the value of the first principle of being: the principle of identity. This principle states that every being is determined in itself, is one with itself and is consistent with itself. The knowledge of the identity of a thing helps you know what the thing in question is and what may be legitimately attributed to it. The quest for an African identity in African Philosophy has the same undergirding principle. In this piece, the researcher responds to such questions as: what is Africa? What is African? Who qualifies as the African? How can an African be characterized? In the past, the experience of slave trade and colonialism were the provenance of such an enquiry, as Africa's encounter with the West beclouded her identity. However, in recent time, the researcher believes that the identity of the African would be better defined from her experience of globalization, or else, she would run the risk of being a nameless actor in the world stage.

 

89.  Kehinde Oluwole Ola, Dept of Economic & Business Studies, Samuel Adegbiyega University,

Ogwa, Edo-State. 08063177785; ko_ola@yahoo.com

 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SOCIO- ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE HOUSEHOLDS

Human trafficking has become a global phenomenon in which countries of the world are putting all necessary mechanism to check its inflows. Studies carried out so far have shown that all efforts to curb its spread amounted to nothing. This paper has the aim of examining the impact of human trafficking on the households and show that the benefits it confers on the households are the main reason for its continuous patronage. The study is designed as empirical research and 500 households are selected in Ogwa City in Edo State. The findings of the study show that there is significant relationship between the number of intending to migrate abroad and the expected improvement in their social- well being of their prospective families. Secondly, the findings of the study reveal that expectations of better standard of living lure many into the hands of human traffickers. Lastly, the findings of the study show that the families of the migrants attain higher standard of living than their counterparts. The study therefore recommends that exodus of people out of the country can be curbed if poverty is reduced in the lands and each household attains a level of well- being.

 

90.  Kunirum Osia, Department of Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling, Coppin State University, 2500 West North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21216,  11704 Hickory Drive,  Fort Washington, MD 20744, 301-292-6626, osiadi@aol.com

 

The Contextuality of Ethnic Identity: The Anioma People of Nigeria

In recent times questions have begun to be asked about the Anioma people of Nigeria. Who are they? Reactions or responses on the one hand verge on the risible, but on the other hand they verge on curiosity. This paper is an anthropological search for a theoretical framework or set of universals in terms of which Anioma history, culture, ethnic identity and its ontology can be described to accord its people the recognition they deserve. The paper will show using anthropological category or classification that Anioma is an ethnic group in any of the following: a group of people who claim a specific ancestry, tracing their own clans and lineage to various parts of Nigeria; a nation of people who are united by cultural homogeneity and value consensus about their universe of experience and who have the same traditions that distinguish them from others; a group of people who live in the same delimited geography, that is, having more or less the same environmental conditions to which they have adjusted their lives for millennia. The paper concludes with vehement protestation against attempts to caricature Anioma as a subset of another ethnic group. Efforts in this vein not only misread history, culture, identity formation and ethnicity but fails to note that a people are who they say they are. The Anioma people live within a context of shared understanding and mutual expectations, and accepted norms as an ethnic group.

 

91.  Larab, Tangshak Ayuba, Department of History and International Studies, University of Jos, Nigeria. 08023570-444, 08139794559

 

CITIZENSHIP AND CONTESTED IDENTITIES ON THE JOS – PLATEAU:  A SURVEY OF

A DECADE OF CONFLICTS. gravesantos@yahoo.comlarab@unijos.edu.ng

The paper "Citizenship and Contested Identities on the Jos - Plateau: A Survey of a Decade of Conflicts", is an investigation and analyses of the manifestation in recent times of the root causes of conflicts as a result of  contested identities associated with the rise of various loyalties to nationalisms as against the constitutional provisions as enshrined rights of citizens. The paper in its evaluation and empirical analyses scrutinizes and traces the historical wave of movement into the area, the harmonious intergroup relations overtime prior to 1994 and attempts a cursory look into actions in recent times of both sides to the various circles of conflicts in the past decade. The main aim of the paper is to attempt to draw a line between the end of the epoch of peaceful and harmonious co-existence to the beginning of hostile and mutual suspicion in the new found relations.  It situates its analyses in a range of factors ranging from the social, political, territorial psychological, economic and demographic perspectives. The interrogation is interdisciplinary in nature, adopting historical methods of critical analysis and presentation alongside the theoretical methodology of the social sciences.  The engagement of these broad methodologies is to blend knowledge and illuminate in a different light the issues of citizenship rights and the contestation of nationalities. The work relies basically on secondary and a bit of primary source materials. It concludes by making far reaching suggestions for a better citizen's relationship as a template for the sustenance of national unity and integration of the Nigerian state.

 

92.  LAWRENCE O. BAMIKOLE (PHD), DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE, LINGUISTICS AND PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, MONA CAMPUS, JAMAICA.

DAVID HUME'S NOTION OF PERSONAL IDENTITY:  IMPLICATIONS FOR IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION AND AFFECTIVE COMMUNAL LIVING IN AFRICANA SOCIETIES.      The notion of personal identity is a topic that is widely discussed in all philosophical traditions-Western, African, Asian, and Caribbean. The thread that runs through the different conceptions of personal identity is that the notion is linked with self consciousness, whether in the metaphysical, epistemological, religious and social contexts. In this paper, I shall focus attention on Hume's conception of personal identity, drawing from it, certain implications for affective communal life in Africana societies. It is a common knowledge among philosophers that Hume denies the ontological and independent existence of the self. For Hume, the self is a bundle of perception. However, in another section of the Treatise of Human Nature, Hume examines the development of what could be considered as self, placing it in a broad social context in which mirroring fellow minds have a critical role (Kupperman, 2010). What is significant in Hume's conception of personal identity is that the self is the locus of multifarious experiences and the social context in which it is placed enables us to relate the self to affective and relational construction of identity. It is then argued that this conception of identity can be used to stress the need for affection, love, compassion, sympathy and empathy among persons; which in turn can promote societal transformation in Africana societies.

 

93.  Lawrence Ogbo Ugwuanyi, Ph.D, Department of Philosophy and Religions, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.  +2347026349575, Email:ugwuanyiogbo37@yahoo.com

 

Towards a Meta-African Critique of Pan-Africanism 

Pan-Africanism is the ideological movement that emphasizes the sameness and oneness of the African family seeking there from to provide a framework for unity and growth of African peoples. Initiated in Paris in1891 by WEB Du Bois, this movement anchored on the idea of the African race believes that the African destiny world-over is inter-linked and that efforts made to improve the lot of Africans at one front must be aimed at improving the lot of Africans elsewhere. The ideals of this movement can be summarized in the words of Sekou Toure, foremost Guinean political icon who held that "Africa should be considered like the human body, when a finger is cut off, the whole body suffers". Pioneers of Pan-Africanism include Marcus Garvey, Wallace Johnson, George Padmore and Ras Makonnen and Kwame Nkrumah. By meta-Africanism I imply a study of ideas that find their origin in the African worldview through the import of these ideas by interrogating the virtues, values, beliefs suggested by the meaning of the idea. It also attempts to interrogate these ideas by transcending the African world in interrogating these beliefs anchored on the fact that these ideas arise from the same stock of the human family where man in the African world finds its origin. This paper sets out to apply the idea of meta-Africanism to study and critique the ideology of Pan-Africanism by examining the meaning and import of the basic ideas such as unity, solidarity, freedom, autonomy,  racism, etc, on which the concept of pan-Africanism  finds its  relevance to see whether Pan-Africanism as it is held in relation to these concepts is justified.

 

 

 

94.  Maiyaki M. Mejida, Department of History, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria, 

maiyakiwinnie@yahoo.com, Phone: 08065863850

 

Ethnic Identity and Nation-Building in Nigeria: A Case Study of the Bassa and their Neighbours in Toto Area.

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic nation with diverse cultural groups that are about three hundred and fifty in number. Toto area is a replica of these polyglot nationalities in Nigeria. The experience in the area is that rather than harnessing these diversities towards viable national development, the area has become slaves to ethnic nationalities contestations with attendant ethnic allegiance and violent inter-group conflicts which is to the detriment of nation building. The pre-colonial harmonious interactions and other forms cooperation amongst the various polities were shattered by the advent of the Sokoto Jihad which created two aggressive Nasarawa and Keffi sub-emirates of Zazzau, and the British colonial conquest. These two external factors created fanatical ethnic consciousness which resulted into ethnic prejudice and mistrust, with often political and socio-cultural colorations. The paper illustrates how and what specific ways the advent of colonialism impacted on the dynamics of group contacts and interactions, and the significance of this in the understanding of the nationality question in post-colonial Toto area. This paper highlights some of the factors needed in nation building and how Toto polities have fallen short in meeting them due to competitive ethnicity. The paper uses both library and oral sources to recommend on how diverse groups could co-exist peacefully and bring about virile nation.

 

95.  Mehdi Solhi, Istanbul University, Solhi.mehdi@gmail.com   & Omid Shokri Kalehsar, Yeditepe University, ushukriki@gmail.com

 

Ethnic Jokes and Subversion of Ethnic Identity of Azerbaijani Minority in Iran.

 Ethnic jokes refer to the jokes addressing a particular ethnic group in a multiethnic society with the aim of fighting, subverting, downgrading or assimilating its members. They are considered as one of the challenges of ethnic groups because the person at whom the joke is directed is depicted as something he or she is not. Hence, the use of ethnic jokes is most likely to threaten and jeopardize ethnic identity of the minorities. Such menace to the ethnic identity of the minorities would result to the creation of two dramatic effects; firstly, it would cause ethnic minority to see and accept themselves as members of a lower class. Such inclination could lead such members of a minority to deny their own ethnic identify and consequently start to belittle and downgrade the members of an ethnic group to which they belong. Such members usually feel too ashamed to speak their first language and prefer to completely abandon using their first language and speak the language of a dominant ethnic group. Secondly, it would challenge the ethnic identity of a group and result in the dissatisfaction, disagreement or possible uprisings. This article looks at the devastating role of ethnic jokes aimed at Azerbaijani ethnic minority who live in Iran.

 

96.  Michael Abiodun Oni & Abidemi Abiola Isola, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State. maabino@yahoo.com, jmineall@yahoo.com.            08036147947, 08035804634

 

Culture of Politics and Political Instability in Nigeria

The nature of the culture of politics in Nigeria gravitating around corruption, election malpractice, assassinations, rudderless leadership has impacted on her polity. Thus, this paper examines the effectsof culture of politics on the Nigerian political system. The paper adopted documentary as method for data collection, therefore relies on secondary sources of data. The paper employed systems theory as a theoretical tool of analysis. The paper discovers that the culture of politics in Nigeria have impacted negatively on the political system. Furthermore, it has also affected the rating of Nigeria among the comity of nations. It has affected its political development and stability. The paper concludes that, the present culture of politics in Nigeria is a serious setback for her political stability and drawing the nation back in the aspiration to remain greater among the comity of nations. The paper recommends reorientation and training programmes for stakeholders to have a change of political attitude with a view to changing Nigerian political orientations.

 

97.  Michael Olusegun FAJUYIGBE, Department of Fine & Applied Arts,   Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife, Nigeria. michofajuyigbe@gmail.com, 08033665333

 

Contemporary Paintings as Reflectors of (Yoruba) Cultural Values.

Every art form reflects the values of the cultural background that produces it; and visual culture as we know it today is based on art and values from the past. Many contemporary artists in Nigeria draw from the wellspring of their social milieu to establish the connectedness of art and cultural ideals. This paper therefore examined selected contemporary Nigerian paintings as visual markers and reminders of Yoruba valued system.  Using the descriptive method in art historical studies, the paintings are purposively selected and analysed, in line with the thrust of the paper. A total of five (5) works, portraying specific values of the Yoruba are used to teach and remind contemporary people of the uniqueness of their cultural heritage. The study showed that the selected paintings - as visual documents of Yoruba indigenous valued system - are rich in iconographical symbols and imagery, and are currency of communication that can create new perspectives and meanings as regards identities and modernity in a culturally-disoriented world. The paper concluded that contemporary paintings (that are rich in visual symbolism) are containers of indigenous values, and have the capacity to reflect profound ideas. Hence, it was recommended that contemporary artists should be consistent, purposeful and creative in their adaptations, for the purpose of commentary, awareness and social control.

 

98.  Michael Sharp, PhD, Department of English, College of Humanities, Universidad de Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico, HC-02 Box 13459, Humacao, PR 00791, USA. michael.sharp1@upr.edu

Telephone: 787-559-9361

 

 

 "Things African": Walter Rodney's Groundings with my Brothers (1969)

After completing his doctoral studies in London, the Guyanese historian Walter Rodney went to teach at the University of Dar-Es-Salaam in Tanzania. The experience was transformative as he discovered a "deepening interest in things African." Before his return, first to Kingston, Jamaica, and then to Georgetown, Guyana, where he was later assassinated, Rodney published Groundings with my Brothers (1969) which was to become the Ur-Text of black political activism in the Caribbean.

Insisting on a dialectic of violence derived from Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth (1961) and a prosecution of the radical ideas of Black Power in the United States, Rodney took his rejection of hopelessness to the newly emancipated by still marginalized "masses" of the slums of Kingston and Georgetown. By encouraging people to "think black" and to break "the chains of their Babylon captivity," Rodney promoted Fanon's conviction that the still-enslaved must "make a new start, develop a new way of thinking, and endeavor to create a new man" in order to be truly free. My paper will look at Walter Rodney's legacy of guerilla activism in the Caribbean and take into account his argument in Groundings with my Brothers that the history and culture of Africa is an essential lesson for the Diaspora to learn; otherwise, in Kamau Brathwaite's words the "monstrous fetter" of received neo-colonialism will "not let us breathe." 

99.  Miss Abimbola Adelakun, Africa and African Diaspora Studies, University of Texas, Austin  +15126579447

 

It's Still a Question of Power: Witchcraft in Contemporary Yoruba Societies

This paper examines the concept of witchcraft among the Yoruba as a consequence of the dynamics of power in gender relations. It foregrounds the understanding of the current ideas in beliefs about the past, and how those beliefs have been retained and redefined among the Yoruba of the present. In traditional Yoruba societies, it is the women who were tagged as witches. They were believed to have spiritual powers and could carry out supernatural activities, both good and evil but their powers were used mainly for the latter. There are many myths surrounding the activities of witches which are articulated in the oral culture such as songs, proverbs and folktales. The beliefs in witches are also expressed in various ritual performances. In some contexts, the witches are referred to as mothers and are rightly deified. Their help is solicited in times of trouble. In some other contexts, being identified as a witch is a stigma that brings violence on the woman. This paradox is generally expressed in the culture. Between the past and the present, there have been a lot of changes but the conception of the witches as women of power who can discharge such powers at will and for diabolical purposes still remain firm. This paper makes use of various materials: urban legends and popular culture such as Yoruba films to examine the persistence of the witch myth; how it has moved from the traditional sites of power: spiritual and gender, to modern sites of power: spiritual, namely, the churches, with the gender domination still very much in tow. I look at this transition to see what has changed, what is retained and the impact modernity has had on the culture of witchcraft in modern Yoruba societies.

 

100.  MOBOLANLE EBUNOLUWA SOTUNSA, DEPT.OF LANGUAGES AND LITERARY STUDIES,

 BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA.  +234 8081644141, bolasotunsa@yahoo.com

 

AFRICAN WOMEN IN DRUMMING: THE CASE OF THE ART AND PERFORMANCE OF AYANBINRIN.

The art of Yoruba drum poetry has traditionally been viewed as a male dominated indigenous art because it is not an ascribed feminine role. Therefore, very few women venture into Yoruba drumming, particularly the performance of the Yoruba talking drum. Furthermore, the art of the talking drummer has remained a predominantly indigenous art with recent excursions into modern performance modes. This study investigates gender dimensions and female creativity in the discourses of the talking drum. It examines the peculiar challenges, distinctive opportunities and typical problematics associated with African women in drumming performances using the example of Tosin Adekanye, popularly known as Ayanbirin. The study further explores the dynamics involved in the fusion of the predominantly indigenous art with modern performance modes as represented in the performances under study.

 

101.  Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D, Associate Professor of African History, Department of History, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1802, 614-322-3349, Moses.ochonu@vanderbilt.edu

 

Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern Nigeria's  Political Elite, 1955-61.

In May 1955, Alhaji Ado Sanusi, a holder of the prestigious royal title of Dan Iya in Kano emirate of Northern Nigeria, traveled to the United States and Canada on a sightseeing and goodwill tour. Upon his return to Nigeria, he dictated his experiences and observations about North American society and politics to Philip Ohiare, a reporter with the Nigerian Citizen, at the time Northern Nigeria's most influential and widely read newspaper. The travel account, with minor reportorial interventions, was later published under the title "Hospitable but Curious," a headline that aptly summed up Sanusi's nuanced impressions of America. Sanusi saw America as a political giant held back by the sociopolitical baggage of racism.  Four years later, Malam J.H Cindo, the Editor of the Nigerian Citizen was among a group of foreign journalists given a tour of America and the Island of Puerto. Mr. Cindo's elaborate narrative of his American experience was published in his newspaper under the title "My Impressions of America." His observations broadly mirrored those of Sanusi from four years earlier, and compared race relations in Puerto Rico and the United States from an outsider's perspective. This paper explores these two travel narratives. It contends that they are a window into a complex, emergent elite culture in Northern Nigeria and a pointer to how overseas travel and its retelling came to constitute a marker of organic intellectualism, political prestige, and modernity in late colonial Northern Nigerian society.

 

 

102.  MOSHOOD ABDUL-WASI BABATUNDE, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE,LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, OJO, LAGOS, NIGERIA. Moshood_tunes@yahoo.com

 

Cultural Upturn and Women Involvement in Politics: An Appraisal

In recent times, part of what modernity has bequeathed on the world is the genderisation of political space. Various conferences and summits tend to advocate women emancipation and empowerment with particular emphasis on political involvement. It is assumed that in ensuring gender equity, various affirmative programmes needed to be implemented by existing government of the world. Resultantly, women have assumed the topmost political positions in India, Pakistan, Liberia, and Mali among others, and are equally captains of industries and ministers in various part of the globe. The questions which beg for answer is that to what extent has women involvement in politics translated to an improvement in the lives of the ordinary toiling women "on the street"? What significant impact has women involvement done to alleviating women sufferings in the world? What important political role has eluded women in their craving for active politics? And in what way(s) does the largely ignored "cultural damage"has this monolithic viewing of politics by women elitist group impacted the quest for development in underdeveloped countries? With a primary focus on Nigeria, the paper intends to interrogate the quintessential role of women in politics, queries the monolithic conception of politics by elitist group, appraises the effect unintended cultural upturn (as against modernisation) and concludes by affirming that women play a very significant role in national development. It is of the position that the misconception of women roles in the society, particularly under the guise of gender balancing, could in itself negatively affect growth and development in developing societies.

 

 

103.  Professor (MRS.) DOROTHY OLUWAGBEMI-JACOB, DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, NIGERIA. 08034417696,  doron32@yahoo.com

 

The Transatlantic Slave trade: Gainers and losers from the Perspective of Technology

The aim of the paper is to do a cost-benefit analysis of the transatlantic slave trade with a view to

showing who gained and who lost from the perspective of technology and its development or under-

development. To realize the main objective of this paper, the following questions are addressed:

whose technology was positioned to benefit most from the trade and why? Whose technology benefited most from the trade and why? Whose technology suffered the most from the trade and why? Besides, the paper looks at the development challenges of the contemporary Africa in light of the contradictions inherited from the slave trade logic. The paper maintains that the logic of the transatlantic slave trade was designed to benefit the senior partners (Europe and the Americas) and that for Africa the losses in terms of technology stagnation and arrest were monumental.

 

104.  Mrs. R.I. Ako-Nai (PhD), Department of International Relations, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.  riakonai@yahoo.com

From Brain Drain to Brain Gain:  How Nigerians in the Diaspora Can Aid Development Back Home.

Since independence in 1960, Nigerians have been concerned with developmental issues, as the much-expected freedom from colonial rule has not brought the people political, economic, and social development anticipated. As a result of bad governance, military rule basic developmental issues are still of major concern after over fifty years of independence. After various attempts and policies that failed, the government is turning to Nigerians in Diaspora for the much needed development. Many Nigerians were forced to migrate to various parts of the world as a result of the harsh economic and political situation at home. As a result of poverty, and insecurity they were forced to seek greener pastures especially during the military rule of Generals Ibrahim Carangid and Sani Abacha between the 1980s and 1990s.There was a brain drain, in which many professionals sought employment away from home especially in Europe, the United of States of America and the Middle East.  However, with the return to democratic governance, the government is romancing with these Nigerians in Diaspora for investment and development in the country.  This study is coming at a time when Nigeria is in dire need of investment and development to end the unending poverty and underdevelopment after the failure of government policies and the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) of the World Bank.  It will depend on both primary and secondary data.

 

105.  NNACHI, Joseph, (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 08066534754,  josnac20@yahoo.com

Postcolonial Dysfunction and the Military Question: Interrogating Frank Mowah's Eating by the Flesh

Critical discourse on postcolonial dysfunction in Africa has mostly held the military responsible for the socio-political woes of the continent. The consensus is that the abysmal state of development in Africa is largely traceable to years of military dictatorship; hence, the general ditty is that the worst civilian administration is better than the best military rule. In this regard, the paper will critically examine postcolonial dysfunction in Africa, using Nigeria as a pedestal, with a view to affirming or debunking this claim. The essay will contend the sheer fallacy inherent in unfounded conclusions as nailing an institution for the impotence and sins of a handful of depraved individuals. The paper will utilise historical and contemporary facts and analyse them from the perspectives of different characters in FrankMowah's Eating by the Flesh in order to bring out their deeper meanings for society.  It will conclude by proving the verity or otherwise of the culpability of the military as an institution. It will equally offer a beacon of hope by calling for an objective and deeper reflection.

 

106.  Babayemi J. B. (MR),    Department of Languages, College of Humanities,  Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria.  +2348034834487, passoversch@yahoo.com, OR

babayemicomfort@yahoo.com

 

The Use of Symbols in the African Setting: A Case Study of the Yorubas

The use of Symbols, especially among African, have been part of the Culture and education of the people. However, with the emergence of Christianity and Islam among the people, Symbols usages among the Yorubas are actually going into extinction. The paper highlights the Use of Symbols in the African Settings: A Case Study of the Yorubas. In an African culture, messages were then communicated through the forgotten means i.e. Symbols. This paper adopts the realism approach to access and examine how symbols were been used in the pre-colonial period among the Yorubas at home and the Diaspora. For theoretical validations, assertions are made into some pre-colonial practices among the Yorubas. The paper canvassed for the reawakening of these symbols as means of Instructional materials in our society.

 

107.  Nwaolikpe, Onyinyechi (Mrs.), Babcock University, Academic Planning Unit, Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State. 08033532794, onyion@yahoo.com

 

New Media and the Cultural Identity of Young Adults in Nigeria

This paper examines how new media affects the cultural identity of young adults in Nigeria. It explores the implications of the new media in the nation's cultural identity among young adults. A random representative sample of 500 young adults is done through the use of questionnaires.  This paper provides information as regards to the frequency of use and the trends in new media use, and shows how an increased focus on video game, internet, cable/satellite TV and computer by young Nigerian adults affects their worldview and lifestyle. It is in this perspective that the media will be seen as pivotal in maintaining or destroying the cultural identity of a community.

 

108.  Odunayo Aluko. PHd Economic student of SMC University, Switzerland, c/o Dr. Bola Sotunsa, Babcock University, Ilisan, OgunState. 07066561803 Email: ayolayo1@yahoo.co.uk

 

Returning as Entrepreneur

The trend of events in the world or the lack of events in the world sees to the movement of people migrating from places to places.  There has been many terms used and the most common ones is economic migrant, social migrant etc.  The school of thought is that there is a trend of event that warrants people to want to move back and when they do, they preferred being self employed. Migration relates to the movement of a person from one place in order to go and live in another place for a continuous period of at least one year.  The purpose of such movement defers from person to person and it could be either internal (within the country) or international (outside the country).  In order to understand why people move or migrate especially in their wider political and economic context, it is important to consider the theories of migration. Ernest Ravenstein is known as a migration theorist and his conclusion is that migration is "governed by a "push-pull" process; that is, unfavourable conditions in one place (oppressive laws, heavy taxation, etc.) "push" people out, and favourable conditions in an external location "pull" them out."  He went on to say "that the primary cause for migration was better external economic opportunities; the volume of migration decreases as distance increases; migration occurs in stages instead of one long move; population movements are bilateral; and migration differentials (e.g., gender, social class, age) influence a person's mobility." This paper is about the pull factors that attract returnees to set up as entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

 

109.  Ogunfeyimi Adeleke, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo, Nigeria. e-mail: yinkaleke2000@yahoo.com. +2348033584926

 

Between Taboo, Erotic Desire and Hypermetropia of Justice: The Ogwa (Esan) Woman                                Du har +1:at detta offentligt. Ångra

 

A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking or transgressing the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by African societies attracting severe penalties. In almost all cultures, restrictions on sexual activities and relationships outside of marriage, (adultery), is one taboo that has and shall continue to generate critical discussions particularly in societies where prudishness and sexual obsession, fear and erotic desire coexist. Ogwa (Esan) society in the present Edo State of Nigeria is a place where extra-marital sex taboo is jealously secured and preserved (by women) in the face of growing western civilization. Whereas, in many cultures, this precept has been vehemently rebelled against and violated (by women), and its consequences apparently rendered vain, thus, compelling husbands to seek "justice" through legal means, jungle-justice or casting spell of magun – a fundamental departure from the tenet of marital chores. As abstains in all cultures, Ogwa (Esan) girls have a very strong natural penchant for sex, get married early but ironically are genuinely and passionately devote to this aspect of their cultures as wives. This paper seeks, among other things, to investigate their experiences in managing the incompatibility of this taboo, their erotic desires and hypermetropia of justice as husbands cast their respites on the ancestors dwelling in erotic oases (sleeping around).

 

 110.   Segun Ogungbemi, Department of Philosophy,     Faculty of Arts,  Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.  seguno2001@yahoo,com. 08033041371 or 08024670952

 

GLOBAL CULTURAL COUNSCIOUSNESS, SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS TRANSFORMATION

Socio-cultural dynamics has its ground in human consciousness. It is a fact that human consciousness responds to all forms of reactions to change and that is why philosophers believe in the proposition that nothing is constant as change. This indubitable proposition is the basis of revolutionary nature of culture. In this paper I want to argue from a philosophical point of view that when cultural consciousness is interfaced with natural phenomenon it is the utilization of human intellect that is always responsible for the transformation that that takes place in human natural habitat-the universe. The moral import that emanates from this is the social implications of how human beings have over the years used the cultural consciousness as a philosophical barometer to measure its accountability to the well-being of humans irrespective of race, gender and colour. I will use a critical methodology of inquiry to navigate from historical, religious and cultural perspectives the need for a global integration of natural and human resources that promote the essence of identity and unification of the positive values in human existence. The paper concludes that without cultural consciousness there cannot be any significant transformation of values that can be attributable to human beings. Therefore the natural place capable for humans to use the intellect to enhance the quality of existence which they can claim to be their own is this universe which I call the permanent abode of their being. Therefore we ought to use cultural consciousness as affirmation of the pluralistic nature of being that makes life to be both individualistic and corporate because the existential cannon finds its full expression in humanity.

 

 

111.  Ogunnubi Olusola, School of Social Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. olusola.ogunnubi@yahoo.com

 

SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOCRATIC RE-ENACTMENT: FROM POST-APARTHEID TO NEO-APARTHEID CONSTRUCTION

The aim of this paper is to interrogate the contemporary and empirical validity of the 'post-apartheid' appellation to democratic South Africa since 1994. In comparatively examining the political-economic dynamics, systems, structures and institutions that existed sequel to the end apartheid rule on one hand and the current democratic South Africa, the paper argues that the 'post-apartheid' label does not effectively capture the reality and nuances of South Africa's democratic experience especially since 1994. The term 'post-apartheid' achieved gained usage following the end of apartheid regime and the subsequent inauguration of a racially inclusive democratic South Africa. Reference to post-apartheid South Africa therefore suggests that the country is gradually moving away from the systems, structures and institutions that the previous apartheid regime represented. However, the empirical reality as evidenced in the lives of the general populace shows unambiguously that what has changed since 1994 is only a transformation of the ruling class/elites (who are custodian of the state) from a white minority management to a black majority administration. This is because the institutional variables of race, class distinctions and spatial arrangements that existed in over 350years of white minority rule are still very much ubiquitous within the public, economic and political sphere. In essence, both whites and blacks in general are still confused about the level of changes they are experiencing. The paper therefore submits that in fact what is often inappropriately referred to as the 'post-apartheid' South Africa should be regarded as neo-apartheid South Africa. The central argument is therefore that South Africa is still caught up in an oscillating and continuing phase of neo-apartheid as the post-apartheid label is only in name and not in reality. In short, South Africa is yet to experience a post-apartheid period.

 

112.  Ohwovoriole, Felicia. Ph.D, Department of English, University of Lagos, Akoka-lagoseruvwe2006@yahoo.com

 

THE BRIDE IN THE MARKET PLACE: PERFORMANCE IN ILUGBEDJO BRIDAL CHANTS

Ilugbedjo are bridal and circumcision songs of Ughievwen people performed when a girl comes of age or when she is betrothed to a particular suitor in preparation for marriage ceremony. It is an annual festival of emeteyavwon (circumcision rites) which culminates in a grand finale of a bridal procession known as eki eruo. This is when performers congregate in the market place to show case prospective brides. Ughievwen clan is in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria.  The mode of transmitting the songs involve total artistry which includes poetry, music, melismic screams, ostentatious costumes and theatrical grandeur.  Characteristic of most songs is their shortness and expression of sadness and joy and these may be improvised or modified in actual performance. Other songs  that are dramatized serve as a warning to the bride to be of good conduct, describe the beauty of the bride in honorific addressives. Certain features stand out in the performance of the songs. There may be a narrative framework in which soloist and chorus recant the bride's family history. At the end of each statement by the soloist, the chorus reiterates, in total agreement the essential point of view of the soloist.  This paper deals with the performative aspects of ilugbedjo bridal chants. It examines women's actions during traditional bridal marches to a market, how the songs work to bring out the effects that the participants intend. 

 

 

113.  OJETOLA, Ayodeji Philip, Graduate Student, Dept of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan. ojetolaphilip@yahoo.com, +234(0)80 6074 9066

 

'IRRESPECTIVE OF CREED, TRIBE OR CLASS?': CHANGE AND THE CHALLENGE OF CONTINUITY IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN'S SOCIETIES (NCWS), NIGERIA

Contemporary gender discourses in historical scholarship (from Baker,1974;Mba,1982;Denzer, 1989; Barber,1991 to Awe,1992;McIntosh,2009; Vaughan and Okome, 2012 etc.) about the changing roles of women in colonial and post colonial Nigeria have clearly demonstrated that beyond the roles that women played and are still playing (though now more passively) in traditional settings as wives, chiefs and mothers, their roles within the colonial and post colonial contexts were based upon the need to mitigate the effects of some of the social changes forced on women under various guises and circumstances by the colonial structure as well new challenges posed by globalization. The new wave, which has been aptly described as 'the first wave of feminism' in the Nigerian context - the second wave being new attempts at taking affirmative actions in the post Beijing Declarations) - was informed by a 'reconfiguration of new gender roles and the notion of female elitism,' and is perhaps one of most outstanding developments under colonialism. In this study, whichis done against the background of attempts by the women of Nigeria to form a joint platform to improve the socio-political as well as the welfare of all women in the country, an attempt is being made to interrogate the past, the present and the future of the National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS),Nigerian the context of change and continuity. NCWS was founded in 1959 as a non-partisan, not–for-profit and non-governmental umbrella body of all women's organizations in Nigeria 'irrespective of creed, tribe or class'. The positions of the paper are two-pronged. On the one hand, the writer posits that the Council is one of the most enduring symbols and legacies of 'the first wave of feminism' and may as well be regarded as one of the landmarks in the contemporary history of Nigeria, in so far as the forging of alliances among Nigerian women across socio cultural boundaries and socio economic classes and, by extension, the integration of Nigerian women (and their feminism) into the mainstream of international feminism, are concerned. On the other, it attempts to identify the structures that sustained the 'accomplishment', and attempts to  test  them against the hypothesis proposed by Nina Mba about the virtues that contributed to the seeming success of women's organizations that thrived in colonial and post colonial Nigeria, namely that  they tended to  thrive better and 'were most independent when mobilized through their own separate communal associations' free from political meddling ,than 'when they belonged to an organization or institution along with men'  In that vein,this paper would keep a tab on the structures that account for the sustainability of  NCWS, such as nonpartisanship, leadership by merit, autonomy of operations, absence of exclusionism, selflessness and philanthropy among others,  and point at how those 'structures 'have come under a deliberate 'attack' by a series of  clauses smuggled into its constitutions and legitimized as 'amendments to the constitution'. One feature of these so -called 'amendments' is that they coincided with political transitions in the country, namely  civilian to civilian, military to civilian or military to military, as the case may be. The questions being asked and to which answers are provided here are: What change and why the change? How and to what extent? In whose interests? The paper concludes that the nexus between change and continuity in NCWS is not complementary. Rather than being inspired by compelling needs to adapt to new development realities in line with the social, economic and political directions of the nation, change and the negotiation of continuity within the Council are motivated by contrasting existentialist interpretations of 'political alignment' 'political loyalty' and 'power negotiation and distribution' as they are determined by forces within government official circles –  the so-called 'powers that be' The paper concludes that the phenomenon stems from a lack of  intergenerational link between the older and the younger generation of leaders and followers of the Council - a challenge that is a reflection of a larger social malaise  that is plaguing corporate Nigeria.

 

114.  Okafor Nneka (Mrs.) PhD Student, School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (Ethics Dept.), University of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg Campus. Republic of South Africa.  nefo202 @yahoo.com.  + (27)738337941

 Feminist ethical investigation on the role of culture and gender with specific reference to their impact on development in post-colonial Igbo Nigerian Society.

Issues of women's development, economic and biological are inseparable from women's wellbeing. What has become spectacular is that many African women are doubly marginalized economically and psychologically by our African neo-colonial culture that perpetuates the oppression of women. The aim of this paper is to ethically interrogate the role culture has continued to play when placed in line with gender. It will  assess the complete interplay of gender and culture in contemporary society and how cultural politics affect development using the historical experience of theIgbo women of Eastern Nigeria as typical of African society in general where cultural practices reinforces male power and portrays the idea of women's inferiority where their rights are being undermined by cultural laws. Culture must be remembered as one of the social factors that explains society and determines gender ideology which defines the responsibility and behavior of both sex and influence access to the control of resources and participation in decision making. The paper will also cross-examine family values which is an important cultural factor whose effect on gender is very significant and cannot be bypassed when gender development and culture are being investigated. The significance of this paper however, is to subsist in revealing the centrality of gender and culture as it pertains to the ongoing call for development strategy to enhance sustainability in Africa which could be achieved by removing various cultural barriers which marginalizes inhibits and subordinates women.

 

 

115.  JAMES OKOLIE-OSEMENE(IFRA Research Fellow), Peace and Conflict Studies, Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. donoykea@gmail.com. 08063965278

& UDECHUKWUUDEKE(PhD), Department of History and International Studies, Imo State University  Owerri. udechukwudeke2011@gmail.com, 08033394104

Mapping the Institutional Responsibility for the Management of Internal Displacement in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects

Since Nigeria's independence in 1960, thousands of people have been killed in violent conflicts that are rooted in ethnic identity or religion. Internal displacement is not only source of food insecurity but also an ingredient of many identity conflicts in the country. Apart from being citizens of Nigeria, internally displaced persons are also entitled to physical safety which sometimes becomes contested where they find themselves. This is where institutional responsibility sets in because the number of internally displaced persons in Nigeria is alarming. Internal displacement in Nigeria not only cause identity-based conflicts but also contribute to already festering ethno-religious conflicts in most parts of the country because of rivalry that follow displacement n terms of struggle over resources, land, and opportunities. With case studies and emphasis on factors that contribute to internal displacement in Nigeria, this paper examines the challenges of managing internal displacement in Nigeria and prospects of effective institutional response mechanisms. The study will use in-depth interviews with practitioners and agencies that are involved in managing internal displacement and designing programmes that are aimed at ameliorating the sufferings of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); and secondary sources to accumulate all relevant information. It concludes that early warning indicators and response mechanisms should be put in place by policy makers to tackle whatever challenges that accompany internal displacement. There is need for proactive approach in handling internal displacement. If not properly handled, internal displacement will undermine Nigeria's Vision 20:2020 quest.

 

116.  Okpara, Chukwuemeka Vincent (Ph.D), Dept. of Fine & Applied Arts,University of Nigeria, Nsukka. +234(0)8037312775 (emeka_okp@yahoo.co.uk)

 

Contemporary African and the Diaspora Art: The Contributions of El Anatsui and Yinka Shonibare to the Growth of African Art on the Global Stage.

With allusions to African indigenous forms, motifs and symbols and through such creative media as Paintings, Sculptures, Textiles, Fashion and Digital Image manipulations, African artists have been able to create forceful visual statements that refer to global, local and their personal histories, as well as address memories and constancy of change. The contributions of the Ghanaian-born El Anatsui and the British-born Nigerian Yinka Shonibare have permanently transformed global expectations of what art is and where it came from. Their works have not only assumed a "pride of place" in the global creative art arena but also revealed the growing prominence of contemporary African art in the world stage. This paper therefore discusses the respective lives and works of these artists and how they can help other Africans and the Diaspora artists increase shared knowledge and opportunities for greater collaborations, and surmount challenges that face the acceptance of their works at global stage. The paper also suggests ways through which other African and the Diaspora artists can surmount the atmosphere of benighted sympathy which the Western scholars have kept us in for decades. It finally recommends ways through which Afrocentric artworks can assume the shape of the circumstances that inspired them and epitomize contingencies for the benefit of the Africans and other people of African descent.

 

117.  OKUNADE, Michael Adeyinka, Department of Architecture, ObafemiAwolowoUniversity,

Ile-Ife, Nigeria. omakid2002@yahoo.com. mokunade@oauife.edu.ng

 

Contemporary Challenges of Yoruba Traditional Pottery Making in Ipetumodu

The practice of traditional pottery making is gradually going into oblivion in contemporary Africa as evident in the Yoruba society. Many pottery sites have been shut down due to factors that range from old age and death of experienced traditional potters to lack of continuity on the part of their descendants. Modern alternatives to the use of pots also constitute a major factor that affects the patronage of the wares. Despite, the Ipetumodu pottery centre still continue to struggle to survive. A lot of innovations and creative ingenuity have crept into the production which is helping to sustain the culture. This research carried out through participant observation and compilation of some secondary data from existing literature on traditional pottery in Yorubaland is aimed at examining the activities of the Ipetumodu pottery centre. It shall also look at the challenges of the centre and the militating factors towards her continual existence. It shall propound the way forward towards the entrenchment of pottery within the culture of the people. It shall in addition, serve as a documentation of the present practitioners and their operation within the Ipetumodu community.

 

 

118.  OKWECHIME E OKEY, DEPT OF ENGLISH & LITERATURE,  UNIVERSITY OF BENIN , BENIN-CITY, EDO-STATE, NIGERIA. 0803 7217824, oraclechime@yahoo.com

GENDER BULLYING IN FEMI OSOFISAN'S DRAMATURGY

Gender bullying has been a phenomenon that is being over-looked in our society today, this is owing to the fact that our culture has created a form of ally with this aspect of life. Gender bullying could be observed physically and in covert forms: this affects both sexes (male and female). This paper therefore tends to evaluate and analyze two of Femi Osofisan's literary piece in bringing out this concept as portrayed in his drama piece and also to examine and buttress on how our society has encouraged gender bullying especially on the female folks. The study therefore recommends that attention should be paid in reducing gender bullying which (bring) promotes victimization.

 

 119.  Dr. Olubayo Oladimeji ADEKOLA, Senior Research Fellow (Anthropology),  Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. 08033766872,   oadekola2001@yahoo.com

 INTEGRATION, DIS-INTEGRATION AND RE-INTEGRATION OF YORUBA KINSHIP TIES:  A CASE STUDY OF ETHNIC UNIONS IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA.

Several scholars have discussed the cultural homogeneity of the Yoruba people from time memorial.  Thus, this natural and unique attributes had brought the people into limelight within the global community.  In other words, this peculiar characteristics has established that the people exhibits certain cultural features which make them distinct to other cultural groups and peoples throughout Nigeria and the African continent in general. However, it is sad to note that the incursion of the European Powers and the balkanization of the African land space had dealt a severe blow on the integration of kinship and family ties which had been naturally instituted before the coming of the whites.  This problem brought about the dis-integration of families among the Yoruba peoples and has caused a lot of hardship which gave rise to underdevelopment and dis-unity within the communities.  Fortunately however, this savoury and unpalatable trend of events started to change as the people realized that without their coming together, appreciable achievement in the area of development would not be possible. Therefore, with modernity, and globalization which had paved way for cultural awareness, the people are re-integrating themselves to face cultural and developmental challenges confronting them.  This paper therefore seeks to look critically into the organization of socio-cultural and ethnic unions springing up in contemporary Yoruba communities with the aim of highlighting the probable areas of development which the activities of the ethnic unions could achieve and suggest how they could be harnessed for the benefit of the global society.

 

120.  OMOREGIE PAT IZIENGBE, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN,

IBADAN, NIGERIA.  IFRA RESEARCH FELLOW, +2348034144262.  izwithchrist@yahoo.co.uk

                                                                                                

HEROINES IN PRE-COLONIAL BENIN: THEIR LIVES, ACTIVITIES AND TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE KINGDOM

In the reconstruction of African history, the African woman has been pushed to the background as if she was not part of the evolution and development of the socio-political culture in African societies. She is only mentioned in the passing in history, and no detailed attention has been paid to her input and impact in the society. This study however redefines the place and impacts of women in Pre-colonial Benin kingdom. The study reveals the original state of the Benin women, their challenges and limitations and it further stressed the relevance of women in pre-colonial Benin. The paper focuses on pre-colonial heroines and their influence on the socio-political development in the kingdom. Although, Benin women were treated a little better than slaves, they still made giant stride in the economic and socio-political aspect of the kingdom. The study takes a chronological look at heroines in pre-colonial Benin, considering the likes of Emotan, Idia, Iden, Ewere, and many other women whose lives and activities made indelible marks in the kingdom. The paper concludes with a challenge to the contemporary women. The challenge stems from the fact that if these women could make such impact in their society in the past, the contemporary woman has no reason to fail her nation now. It also emphasizes that women, when given the right opportunities and privileges are agents of positive change in every country.

 

121.  OMOTAYO OLATUBOSUN TOPE,  DEPT OF SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES, TAI SOLARIN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, IJEBU –ODEOGUNSTATE, NIGERIA. temitemiaca@yahoo.com, 08060486167

VENERATION OF OLDER PERSONS IN THINGS FALL APART AND AGEISM IN CONTEMPORARY AFRICANSOCIETY

Historically, the veneration of older persons within African traditional society is a major ingredient that ensures the success of African society in pre colonial era. This is because older persons are revered as source and custodian of ideas and values that ensures development of the society. These ideas comes from experience, knowledge and encounters of older persons during life course and accumulated effect of this (wisdom) enables older persons to make positive interventions that address varying challenges in pre colonial African society. However, in contemporary African society, older persons do not enjoy such prominence as it was at pre colonial Africa society. Presently, material resources (modern technology), and human resource (technocrats) have taken over the once revered input of older persons; and these substitutes do have limitations as evident in present social, economic and cultural challenges faced by Africans and the world in general . Hence, this study, through the perspective of African literature (Things Fall Apart) expatiate on salient issues as they relate to veneration of older persons in Pre Colonial Africa and disdain of older persons in modern epoch.  

 

128   Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD), Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Ile-Ife. tinaosezua@yahoo.com, +234 8068709984

Non- Economic Factors and the Phenomenon of Cross Border Sex Tradeamong the Benin Women of Southern Nigeria. 

While existing literature gives inadequate attention to the use of micro theoretical approaches in examining the phenomenon of cross border sex trade among the Benin of Southern Nigeria, a region described as the hub of sex trafficking in Nigeria, this paper fills this gap by adopting an ethnographic approach in the socio-cultural and historic milieu in which the phenomenon of international sex trade occurs and the current trajectories it is presently undergoing.  Data were obtained from Key informants who are the custodians of Benin culture and relevant archival materials were engaged in order establish the rationale for the pervasiveness of cross border sex trade in the region.  The study found the earlier contact the Portuguese had with the Benin people in the fifteenth century, which culminated in a commercial intercourse between them established a prestige structure in the traditional Benin Society which made overseas travel valuable in the typically stratified society. Contact with the Europeans was therefore strongly perceived among the Benin People of Southern Nigeria as status symbol, thus explaining the prevailing value structure which deifies "traveling overseas". The paper further disclosed that in the era of globalization, where the Western world is still considered as the ideal form of a modern society, travelling overseas has continued to reinforce the primordial beliefs of superiority by those who engage in it. Hence, women of the socio-economic stratum of this Benin extraction are susceptible to the option provided by lucrative cross border sex trade overseas.  The paper concludes that migration to overseas by women of this extraction is a form of social and economic empowerment against the backdrop of apparent cultural discrimination which  privileges males over females in the region.

 

129.  OYEBADE, TITILADE  ADEFUNKE AND OLUDELE OMOBOLA,  FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, AKURE.,  titilade_oyebade@yahoo.com omobolaoludele@yahoo.com 08136351060, 08050281183

 

LANGUAGE, GENDER AND SEXUALITY: REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN SOME NIGERIAN FASHION MAGAZINES

Many studies have been carried out on gender and sexuality issues in the mass media in Nigeria, but very few are yet to concentrate on the portrayal of women in fashion magazines, which are largely regarded as women magazines. This paper aims to fill this gap by investigating the gender linguistic, discoursal and semiotic resources deployed by some Nigerian fashion magazines to portray women and issues related to them. Data will be sourced from fashion magazines in Nigeria namely: Ovation, Genevieve, True Love, Encomium and Wedding Planner. The data will be subjected to linguistic, pragma-discoursal, and multi-modal analyses, with insights from postmodernist gender theories, identity theories, multimodal/semiotic and Critical Discourse Analysis. The aim of the study is to discover the kind of identity constructed for the twenty first century Nigerian woman and the implication of this on the Nigerian women who are below the poverty line.

 

130.  Peju Johson-Bashua PhD, Department of Religions, Lagos State University & Ibigbolade S. Aderibigbe PhD, Department of Religion / African Studies Institute, The University of Georgia. Email: iaderibi@uga.edu

 

Contextualizing Challenges and Prospects of African Traditional Religious Festivals' Changing Sustainability Dynamics: The Osun Osogbo Model

With the seeming irreversible holistic  submission to the global expectation and conformity in all aspects of human endeavors-religion, economics, politics, social values and  so on, the African Continent has found its indigenous traditions subjected to serious jeopardy, if not total  rejection on the altar of claimed primitiveness, if not in fact anachronism. Consequently, the sustainability of the African traditional values seems to hang in the balance and in need of changing dynamics to find relevance and effectively impact human expectations of growth and developments of the 21^st century and beyond.    Perhaps the most "endangered Species" of such Indigenous traditions are African Traditional religious festivals. The prevalent question is the determination of the contexts and forms the festivals needed   to be located within the logistics of sustainability so as to preserve their African indigenous traditions, and at the same time find concurrence in contemporary African and global sensibilities?  African Traditional festivals were fundamentally not only associated with different aspects of communal life, but were more essentially originated and rooted in religious functionalities. In particular, they epitomized the African People's belief and venerations of divinities and ancestors. Within this context, the festivals symbolized the religious dynamics of communal renewal, unity and cohesion.  These dynamics represented concrete constructs of maintaining the bond between the living and the spiritual entities, made up of ancestors and divinities. Indeed this religious bond constituted the sustaining "energy" of a community from one generation to the other.   However, in cotemporary setting, while the religious functional dynamics of traditional festivals in Africa and African Diaspora have remained formidable intents, there has emerged a changing pattern in their sustainability dynamics-transcending religious functions. Such dynamics now evidences strong national, economic, tourist and professional functional dimensions as sustainability rational for the festivals.   This changing pattern of sustainability dynamics finds models in virtually all Yoruba and Yoruba Diaspora traditional religious festivals. There are many of such festivals. However a very prominent and obvious typology of such festivals is the Osun Osogbo annual festival. The festival originated as a religious devotion to the Osun goddess. It was celebrated in appreciative veneration by the founders of Oshogbo town, for the goddess past protections and in expectation of future favors. Today the festival has assumed new functional dynamics, which have become bastions of its sustainability. The functional dynamics is now located in components of artistic, tourist, social, economic and professional adventures of local, national and international proportions. Even among the Yoruba Diaspora devotees of Neo-Yoruba Religions of the Caribbean and Latin America, the celebrations of festivals in honor of the Yoruba progenitor Osun goddess depict the same sensibilities. These realities portend significant challenges and prospects for the festival as a model of other African traditional religious festivals across African communities.

131.   Prof. Handel Kashope Wright, University of British Columbia, Centre for Culture, Identity and Education, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4;  +604-822-2705;  handel.wright@ubc.ca

 

 Black/African/Canadian: How Those Slashes (Re)Make Identity Out of Identification

This essay was first delivered under the brief title, "Is This An African I See Before Me?" as the keynote address at the public conference titled Perceptions of Africa: A Three Day Dialogue organized by the Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia in March, 2007.  It was subsequently published under the same title "Is This an African I See Before Me," in the Dialogue Section of Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education, 1 (4), 313-322.  In the present version, the oral presentation format is preserved while the title and some sections are expanded slightly.  Part of the rationale for preserving the oral version is to present the arguments in the "essay" in what for academia is an alternative format, one which is more in keeping with African forms which are biased toward orality and storytelling than written forms.  Another part of the rationale is a conscious decision to keep the flavor of a piece that made an attempt to reach a broad audience while addressing the complicated relationship between identity, place/space and knowledge making. 

 

 

132.   Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne  (University of Maroua, Cameroon).

 

The Endless  Plight of African masses in the Twentieth  First Century.

In the early 1960s to  mid 1970s, many African states obtained independence. However, the attainment of independence was accompanied with a ruling class which practiced corruption, favoritism,  tribalism, bribery, nepotism and selfishness. The ruling class also lived in opulence and regarded the masses with disdain. Playwrights such as Wole Soyinka foresaw the impact of the malpractices on the growth of the independent states.  He rebuked these shortcomings in his play A Dance of the Forests (1963 ).        One would have expected the ruling class of the African states which obtained independence in late 1970s and 1980s to refrain from the shortcomings of the former ruling class. This has not happened as the latter ruling class is not just emulating the former ruling class but grossly exaggerating the malpractices.  Therefore, many years after independence, African states are not progressing in terms of politics, economics, social and culture. The victims of this stagnation are the African masses who live by begging.  Thus, creative writers such as Cont Mhlanga and Frederick B. Philander of the newly independent states, like their predecessor Wole Soyinka, frown at these malpractices. This paper sets out to analyze the endless plight of the African masses in the 21^st century in Cont Mhlanga's Workshop Negative (2004) and Frederick B. Philander's  King of the Dump (2005). New Historicism and postcolonial critical approaches are used in the paper.

 

 

133.  Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne

 

Modernism and Its Impact in Contemporary Society in Anthony Akerman's  A Man Out of His Country (2000) and John Kani's Nothing But the Truth (2002).

In pristine era, there were rules which governed human actions. Man's actions were prescribed by the ethos, more, ethics and principles of the given society. Anyone who detested  the established order was considered a dissident. With the emergence of globalization alongside modernism, man is questioning the established order which he considers outdated. He is therefore breaking away from the outdated order and establishing new mores, ethos, ethics and principles which he calls modernism.   The aim of this paper is to analyze modernism and its impact in contemporary society in Anthony Akerman's  A Man Out of His Country (2000) and John Kani's Nothing But the Truth (2002). New historicism critical approach is used in the paper.

 

134.  Remy Oriaku, Department of English, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

 

Return to the Motherland and Coming to Terms with Exile: The Motif of Homecoming in Yema Lucilda Hunter's Road to Freedom and Isidore Okpewho's Call Me by My Rightful Name This paper examines the motifs of exile and homecoming in two West African novels – Isidore Okpewho's Call Me by My Rightful Name and Yema Lucilda Hunter's Road to Freedom. Whereas Hunter's novel is set in the Emancipation era, Okpewho's is set essentially in the second half of the twentieth century – two periods in which the situations of the black people in America are almost polar opposites. Road to Freedom highlights the status of black people as underprivileged aliens in spite of their liberation, thus underlining their critical need for economic empowerment which is realisable in the prevailing circumstance only in their African homeland. Call Me by My Rightful Name shows that in spite of the much improved living condition of American blacks, they still experience periodic embarrassment as descendants of former slaves and will lay the ghost of that unfortunate past only by reconnecting with the motherland. While Hunter's novel dramatizes the mass return of black people from America, Okpewho's envisages a situation whereby they remain Americans at the same time that they reconnect with the language and culture of their African ancestors. Both novels highlight the tensions in the society that must be finally brought to a closure. 

 

 

135.  RICHARD AGBOR AYUKNDANG ENOH(Ph. D), SENIOR LECTURER, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF BUEA, SOUTH WEST CAMEROON, Phone;+237 77 89 51 93, l<agborera7@yahoo.com>

 

THE REPATRIATES AND CREOLIZATION PROCESSES IN WEST AFRICA: THE CASE OF VICTORIA IN BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS.

Abstract: This paper titled "The Repatriates and Creolizatiion Processes in West Africa; The Case of Victoria in British Southern Cameroons"; examines the forces and factors that prompted the initial migratory wave from the African continent to the Diaspora. Their activities and experience in the "New world" and the struggle for identities and nationalities in the new environment they created amongst themselves. The paper will further explain their relationship in the Diasporic communities and the necessities of the return to Africa. Here, it must be made to understand that Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation Act  actually repatriated the Africans . . . a good number of them returned and settled along the West African Coast with various inherited cultures from the Diasporic World. Seriously enough, the paper will x-ray their mood of communication . . . a complete mixture of languages which comprised of some English, Spanish, French, and even some pidginization, which became was known as the "Creole" and more of "Gullah" dialect or language of South Carolina. Here , emphasis must be made clear that , communication is a major ingredient of co-existence in a community . . . Hence there was a need for communication which these "New Group of Africans" introduced into the West African society in which they integrated themselves. The Creole (The Language) and  ( The Krio, the people) actually diffused into most of the West African communities in which the repatriates found themselves. Being intergrated into  West African Society (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Abeokuta, Lagos in Nigeria, Togo, Fernando Po, Mauritius, The Gambia, and Victoria in South West Cameroon);  being very influenced in social life, highly educated, well civilized, westernized and foreignised, they actually influenced the changing  fortunes into the West African society with the creole language which became a meta language in  some major areas in West Africa . . . but the case of Victoria, South West Cameroon has been highly understudied. Creolization therefore, has become a very dominant  mood of communication  and a gate way for the westernization processes in British Southern Cameroons.

 

136.  Ruth Oluwakemi Oke, Department of Christian Religious Studies, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Nigeria.  ruthoke09@yahoo.com, Mobile number +234 -805-512-6082

 

Immigration as a determining factor in the spread of HIV and AIDS.

The HIV and AIDS scourge is a global disaster which should not be overlooked. A germane issue in the discussion about HIV and AIDS is that of immigration where spouses are separated for one reason or the other. This often times lead to each of this partner seeking sexual fun from people other than their normal sex partner or spouse. The consequence of this act is contracting HIV and subsequent transfer to the innocent spouse or regular sex partner. What then should be done in order to check this trend? The work sources for opinions and information from immigrants and hospitality workers as well as the target group, who had been an immigrant one time or another; through the use of questionnaire and interview tools. It now drew inference and conclusion from the data and facts obtained.

 

137.  S.G Anaeto (PhD), and Patricia E. Chioma, Department of Mass Communication, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

 

COMMUNICATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN NIGERIA

The need to promote national consciousness in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. With about two hundred and fifty ethnic groups in the country (each with its peculiar culture, norms, values, religion, belief system, and struggle), it has become a challenge to create an enabling environment national belonging and unity amongst the people whose perception of one another, commonly held national beliefs, as well as level of patriotism for their country is highly influenced by their background, therefore the need to promote national consciousness. This paper identifies the peculiar factors militating against the development of national consciousness in Nigeria, as well as recommends a communication framework for the effective use of communication tools /media to promote sustainable national consciousness in Nigeria.

 

138.  Sandra Ochieng'-Springer, Jackman Road, Orange Hill, St. James, Barbados. BB24020. 1-246-432-9410. Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work, University of the West Indies, Cavehill Campus. sandraochieng@hotmail.com

 

Accommodating ethnic interests in post-colonial societies: A comparative study of political development in Kenya and Trinidad and Tobago

Colonialism, which was based on capitalism, created categorical identities because of labour mobilities and commodification. In Kenya and Trinidad, these categorizations or markers of differentiation were based on notions of ethnicity which have proved challenging in creating viable national identities after independence and to political development. This is because these identities were invoked or politicized by colonialists, in the colonial period and by local elites and leaders during political struggles in the decolonization and post-colonial eras. As the newly formed states engaged in nation building process after the colonial period, ethnicity therefore had an effect on the political development of these post-colonial states. In Kenya, this categorization was among the African population while in Trinidad it was between the African and Indian population. These categorisations socially, economically and politically have shaped the foundations of the nation-state as institutions have been biased towards certain groups. This paper attempts to explain comparatively, the political development of these two countries and the accommodation of ethnic interests using a historical institutionalist perspective.

 

139.  Sarah Anyang Agbor(PHD), Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences (FALSS), university of yaounde 1, p.o.box 755 yaounde, Centre region, cameroon. 237-77223677, agborsarah@yahoo.com

 

 DIASPORA ENCOUNTERS AND SHIFTING PARADIGMS IN SELECTED WORKS OF ISIDORE OKPEWHO, ANITA DESAIAND,  BARACK OBAMA.

The study examines Diaspora encounters and the consequences of dislocation and how sometimes trauma of identity could lead to the search of an original identity, and cultural and ethnic affiliations in Isidore Okpewho's Call me By My Rightful Name; Anita Desai's  Fasting Feasting and Barack Obama Dreams from my Father. What are the impacts of cross cultural encounters? How do these encounters affect memory, ethnicity, race and identity formations? How do Africans in the Diaspora redefine themselves in social interaction and history? What and how is the representation of hybridity and identity and time, and its twinned emphasis on Africa in the creative imagination of the author and the contemporary Black Atlantic? The premise of this study is that the selected texts are characterized by cultural tendencies that represent the predicament of the consequences of dislocation, displacement and slavery.

 

 

140.  SOTUNSA, MOBOLANLE EBUNOLUWA (PHD), &   OLU-OSAYOMI, OLUSEGUN, DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND LITERARY STUDIES, SCHOOL OF EDUCATIONAND HUMANITIES, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, ILISAN- REMO, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.  bolasotunsa@yahoo.com,  +234 8081644141; +2348034550610

 

METAPHYSIC, POETRY AND DRAMATIC FEATURES OF IFA DIVINATORY PERFORMANCE.

This study is a quest that engages core areas of the Ifa divinatory practice in a way that interrogates and, consequently, situates the centrality of the metaphysical and transcendent phenomena of Ifa divination in Yoruba and the Diaspora. The study explores the rich poetic and dramatic features of Ifa divination. It reappraises the form, structure, language and stylistic patterns of Ifa divinatory performance. The study is based on an extensive review of existing literatures and a product of current field work that provides comprehensive literary analyses of fresh Ifa divination text samples. It examines the meanings and significances of Ifa divinatory performance and explores the literary and aesthetic values for contemporary uses in Africa and the Diaspora. The study concludes by recommending new options for sustenance, value and deliverables.

 

141.  Surajudeen  Oladosu Mudasiru, PhD, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University,  Ojo, PMB 0001 LASU Post Office, Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos. Tel: 08033228322 or 08024587090

 

Identity Crisis and the Withering Away of African Union: A Critique of the Role of AU in Libyan Crisis

The overwhelming belief that the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) achieved its political achievement of ensuring the decolonisation of African countries and the consequent transformation of the organisation to African Union (AU) with obvious economic objectives seems to have been repudiated with pessimism in view of the crises and conflicts that bedevilled the continent since the 1990s. There is no doubt that the contemporary African post-Nkrummah gained wide currency as a result of the voice given to it by the activities of Late Mouhammar Ghaddafi, particularly with the role played by the Late Pan-Africanist in the formation of the Africa Union in SIRTE. However, the abandonment of the country during the crisis that erupted and eventually claimed the life of the Pan-Africanist is an indication that the organisation may have been "clinically dead". While it may not be difficult to argue that Ghaddafi had its own problems which he sets out to use the African Union to resolve, it is equally important to understand that the voice displayed by the African Union in its evolving years was as a result of the activities of Ghaddafi. Therefore, it is interesting to ask what incapacitated the AU to play the expected role in the Libyan crisis? Is there any optimism in the revitalisation of the Union in a post-Ghaddafi era? If yes, which country or African leader has the political will to do so?

 

142.  Taiwo Abioye, PhD, Department of Languages, Covenant University. +2348065503508

taiwo.abioye@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

Stylistic Peculiarities and Pragmatic Expression of Compliments in Nigerian Church Settings

The linguistic identity of a writer is exemplified by the social, cultural, religious, political and even ideological choice of words, the message being passed across, andthe contextual situation at the time the text was written.  This paper examines a corpus of 1,000 compliments in Nigerian church settings context, with specific reference to The Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners' Chapel), The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and The Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM). It addresses stylistic peculiarities and pragmatic expression of these compliments and examines the increasingly important role they play in addressing individual, group, societal and national issues. Thus, it isa systematic observation of Christian discourse in Nigeria.  Systemic Functional Linguistics Theory which views language as a social semiotic system people use to accomplish their purposes by expressing meanings in context is adapted as a framework for the analysis. It investigates the implications of the peculiar patterns of usage that are considered as indices of the culture of a people such as lexical change and expansion, stylistic peculiarities, semantic shifts and socio-cultural elements. Tables showing the frequency of usage and percentages of expressions are presented. Some of the findings show that these compliments point to an emerging variety of discourse, help to consolidate solidarity and boost confidence between speaker and hearer.  The implications of these for the Nigerian nation are highlighted.

 

143.  Taiwo Adetunji Osinubi, Department of English, Université de Montréal, Phone: 514-343-6755, : tunjitunji@yahoo.com

African Trans-worlds: Autobiography, Critique and Trans-national Kinship.

G. Thomas Couser has recently described auto/biographical narratives about fathers as "patriographies."In African literatures, children of deceased political figures have used this sub-genre to navigate their loss of a father who was at once a biological father as well as a symbolic father of a political community.  Focusing on Aminata Forna's The Devil that Danced on Water (Sierra Leone) and Ken Wiwa's In the Shadow of a Saint(Nigeria),this paper considers the problems and of transnational witnessing by children of political figures.  Especially because these autobiographies straddle intimate family life, the national politics, and a mediated global community, they pose complex problems about the rights of biographical subjects, the ethics of representing others figures around the fathers, and the weight to be accorded the political narrative itself.  In short, writers must fashion narrative patterns/conceits that crystallize the different moral orbits of the family, the fathers, the political community and the mediated audience. I suggest that in these two patriographies, the authors render the father as "post-national artifacts"; the father is à priori an elusive goal that will never be found.  Instead, the journey is a forensic coming-to-terms with the conflicting legacies of fathers.

 

144.  Timothy Aduojo Obaje & Prof. Okeke Uzodike, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Private BagX01 Scottsville, 3209,  taobaje@gmail.com, No: +27 78 839 8816 or +27 76 546 7578

Traditional Components of Conflict Transformation: An Appraisal of its Application in the Management of Ethno-Political Conflicts in Nigeria

Conflict is an inevitable phenomenon in any human society. Ending the reality of violent conflict is a grueling task; its management, however, is within our reach. The exertion of force or counter-violence often employed by national governments in response to events of violent conflict has over the years been proven abortive. This is evident in the persistence of violence conflicts across Africa and other parts of the world in spite of governments' application of force. This paper explores a non-violent alternative to peace-building. It examines the application of indigenous peace-building approaches to conflict transformation in Africa and other societies. Boege's method of conflict transformation is considered relevant in this paper due to its suitability in the management of conflict in fragile states. It is a non-state centered approach to peace-building and creates the ambience for a healthy straight-talk between conflicting parties. The model taps into peoples' identity of themselves, their cultural values and their indigenous approach to conflict management, thus, rendering it susceptible to their acceptance and cooperation. This paper is based on the review of existing literature. It builds on the authors' experience of conflict in Nigeria, their comprehension and appreciation of non-violent models to peacemaking and peace-building and their desire for a constructive approach to conflict transformation.

 

 

 

145.  TUNDE ONIKOYI, DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN,

NIGERIA, babsmickoy@yahoo.com and babatunde.onikoyi@gloworld.com,  08055573969

 

THE APPLICATION OF THE AUTUER THEORY AND THE POSTCOLONIAL THEORY TO THE EXPLICATION OF THE CINEMATOGRAPHIC OEURVE OF TUNDEKELANI

The Nigerian Film maker is seldom considered in the scheme of cultural and literary studies, and in fact, within the various units that constitute the humanities. Like literature, film is a work of art that allows the individual member of  audience enjoy some of the most enthralling aesthetics that combine to produce a visual representation of reality.

            The film maker, like the writer of a literature, produces works that challenge the member of the audience or society  to reflect on the issues that influence his very existence; like politics, economics, marriage, culture religion, crime and so on. While several critical analyses have been done on literary texts, whether dramatic literature, fiction or poetry, meticulous attention  or theoretical applications and explications have not particularly been paid to the film works or arts of film makers in this regard.

What is at stake therefore is to consider the two main categories of enquiry. One, is to critically analyze Nigerian films that fall under the postcolonial canon. Two, is to also explore the creative ingenuity of the personality of the film maker and his art. The possibility of a thorough investigation of the "subject"-(film maker) creator of the art (film) will be investigated  under yet another theory, and that is the auteur theory. The  works of Tunde Kelani as a matter of fact fall under the rubric of the postcolonial and auteur theories. With the application of the auteur theory, we shall find answers to the various questions of the need to consider the works of Nigerian film makers critically: art film most significantly, and the necessity of considering the postcoloniality of a film maker.

 

 

146.  Victor Iyanya, : viiyanya@yahoo.com

 

Topic: Rural Poverty in Nigeria

Poverty is mostly associated with developing nations, most especially the sub-saharan African countries, who are characterized with low productive capacity, few opportunities for income generation, malnutrition, high mortality rate, in sufficient access to social and economic services and most of its population are jobless. It is pertinent to state therefore that, poverty is multi-dimensional in nature, Nigeria not being an exception has been mounting a number of poverty alleviation programmes in order to attain a level of development in the country. Though, the incidence of poverty in Nigeria is visual in urban centres but it is much higher in rural areas that is why this study tries to look at the nature of poverty with particular emphasis on Igede land in Benue state of central Nigeria, its causes and considering the inequality in the distribution of wealth and the different poverty levels which are attributed to unequal opportunities to get education, type of occupation and difference in household. Poverty has therefore posed a lot of negative consequences on the citizens especially as it affects their health, education, employment, political participation and income generation. However, some suggestions on how to curb poverty have been offered, most especially through sincere down top involvement programmes and above all, the political will power to implement the programmes as obtained in other countries.

 

147.  Vivian Valdivia, Graduate Student San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA, Currently at the University of Ilorin, History Department, Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria. 08103950444. valdivia.vivian@gmail.com,

Blurring Ethnic Lines through Love Affairs: Exploring the Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970

During the Nigerian Civil War, even the head of the Biafran and the Nigerian military found time to marry.  Relationships that arose during the Nigerian Civil War have remained unexplored and offer another side to the conflict.  Through my research, I interviewed retired military solders that fought for the Nigerian military during the Civil War.  The solders interviewed live in Southwest Nigeria and are mostly Yoruba.  The retired solders recounted their marriages to Igbo women while other soldiers recounted their affairs with their Igbo girlfriends as part of their war experience.  Through the love affairs between Nigerian military solders, ethnic divisions were blurred.  During these romances, the common language used between the two parties was English and as a result, many of these couples created a hybrid culture through marriage.   Today, Nigeria encourages youths to marry outside of their ethnic group through monetary compensation[i] as an extension of the National Youth Service Corp (NYCS), a program founded after the war to promote unity.  By offering money to marry outside ethnic lines, there is an understanding that marriage can be a source of peace.  This paper will share the personal accounts of retired soldiers and their experience of love and ethnic intermixing during war. (Recently graduated university students are awarded money from the government if they marry someone outside of their ethnic group – provided that they meet during National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) camp. 

 

 

148.  Yasu'o MIZOBE, PhD School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University

1-9-1 Eifuku, Suginami, Tokyo 1688555 JAPAN, (mwizobe@meiji.ac.jp), Tel: +81-3-5300-1009

 

Japanese Newspaper Coverage of Africa (African soldiers) during World War II

This paper surveys the manner in which Japanese newspapers reported on and described Africa—more specifically Africa soldiers in the India-Burma theatre—during World War II. During this period, African soldiers were in direct combat with Japanese soldiers in the Battle of Burma as members of the British Army. This calamitous event has been mentioned in various existing studies; however, few have dealt with the Japanese press coverage on it. This paper introduces some important articles from two Japanese newspapers, the Asahi Shinbun and the Mainichi Shinbun. Based on these articles, this paper observes how the Japanese press communicated the complexion of the war and described the 'enemy', including African soldiers.

 

DAUDA, Bola, PhD, Managing Director, The Early Years' Education Foundation (EYEF) P.O Box 30864, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Phone:  +234 808 639 2371  E-mail:

daudabola@hotmail.com

Topic: The Untold Story of Creativity, Ingenuity, Imagination, Originality and Inventions
In African mythology, the story of creativity is akin to the history of hunting. Africans say, "Until animals begin to tell or write their own tales of hunting, the story of hunting would remain the hunter's story." The discourse of creativity, as the organizer of this conference has rightly noted, "Is a fundamental ideology of Western culture." The discourse and the prevailing view of creativity as dependent on individuality are of Western culture because the story of creativity is akin to the unsettled warring debate between the protagonists of Nature and Nurture. Indeed, it is an offshoot of the story of "intelligence quotient" rating and testing; the story of racism and stereotype academic ideology of superior-inferior classification and categorization of human race; the story of civilizing self-justification of slavery and trade in human beings, otherwise euphemized as "slave trade"; and of course, the story of political economy of development, imperialism and colonization. Understandably as in the case of the privileged African hunter's narrative, the invention of printing machine had given a cutting-edge of recorded history of civilization to the Western Christendom. Drawing on the often overlooked and untold story of creativity, ingenuity, imagination, originality, and inventions, this paper challenges "the individualist and depoliticized ideology of creativity." An alternative account of the social and political dimensions of creativity, indeed, the truth and reality of the history of human society, civilization, creativity and inventions is summed up in the African proverb, "The Child that sees farther than others is standing on the shoulders of their elders." Creativity is a product of a complex nexus of intelligent cooperation of individuality and society, both subsumed in the dynamics and appropriate bio-socio-economic and political environmental mix and interplay of Nature and Nurture.

 

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS/PARTICIPANTS

 

1.      Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D Department of English, University of Mississippi

2.      Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D,AIA. Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, College of Design,  University of Minnesota

3.      Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, PhD. Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin,Ilorin, Nigeria. Email: bose_babatunde@yahoo.co.uk Phone: +234 8085046103

4.      Adé Egún Crispin Robinson, MMus (Distinction), Phd candidate (Ethnomusicology), Music Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 4 Wray Crescent, London N4 3LP, UK, tel: +44 7958000173, email: cr32@soas.ac.uk

5.      Adedipe Adesoji, Ifra-Nigeria Research Fellow, M A. Peace and Conflict Studies, University      of Ibadan,  +234 806 8903 589, Email:adesojiadedipe@yahoo.com

6.      Adelowo Felix Adetunji, Ph.D.  and  Adefemi Samuel Adesina, Ph.D Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.  08033705097 or 08066124904 e-mail address:  afadesta@yahoo.com   OR   asadesina@gmail.com delowodetunji@gmail.com;femiadesina@hotmail.com

7.      Ademola Olayoku, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, Peace & Conflict Studies Program                        University of Ibadan,  +234 807 7242 363,  iyanda22000@yahoo.co.uk

8.      Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Mississippi, MS 38677, Tel.: 662 915 6948,  <mailto:aalabi@olemiss.edu>aalabi@olemiss.edu

9.      Adetunji Adegoke & Esther Ajiboye, Department of Languages, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

10.  Afolayan, Bosede Funke, Dept of English, University of Lagos, Lagos. bafolayan@unilag.edu.ng; afolayanbosede@gmail.com

11.  Agbo Joshua,  Department of Languages and Linguistics, Benue State University, Makurdi,  Nigeria,  +2347039009763 or +2348151865901; joshua.agbo@yahoo.com

12.  Aisha Balarabe Bawa Department of History Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Nigeria Email:ayshabawa@gmail.com

13.  Ajani O.A. PhD Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. 08052908232 oajani@oauife.edu.ng, delejani@yahoo.com

14.  Sotunsa, Mobolanle Ebunoluwa (Phd), & Olu-Osayomi, Olusegun Department of Languages and Literary Studies, School of Education and Humanities, Babcock University, Ilisan- Remo, Ogun state, Nigeria. bolasotunsa@yahoo.com, +234 8081644141; +2348034550610

15.  Mobolanle Ebunoluwa Sotunsa Dept. of languages and literary studies, Babcock University Nigeria +234 8081644141 bolasotunsa@yahoo.com

16.  Lady Jane Acquah, University of Texas At Austin, Department of History The University of Texas at Austin,1 University Station B7000, Austin TX 78712-0220, ljane26@gmail.com

17.  Ann Albuyeh, Ph.D. Universidad de Puerto Rico HC-02 Box 13459 Humacao, PR00791 USA ann.albuyeh@gmail.com 787-559-9361

18.  Chief Chris Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Nigeria.

19.     Anthony C. Ajah Department of Philosophy University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria Mobile: +234-8037371839 Email: anthonyajah@aol.com

20.  Awosika, B. I. (Mrs.), Department of Home Economics, AdeyemiCollege of Education P.M.B. 520, Ondo. Visiting Lecturer: FederalCollege of Education (Special), P.M.B. 1089, Oyo. Nigeria. Phone: +234-8034066306 E-mail: bridgetawosika@ymail.com

21.  Ajayi Adewale The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro Ogun State deawale@yahoo.com 08056976180

22.  Babalola Ademola Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

23.  Babalola O.E, Department of History, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti. Tomide4christ@yahoo.com & Fasiku, M. A Department of Social Studies, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti.

24.  Bashiru Akande LASISI (PhD) University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria Department of Theatre Arts University of Ibadan 08033884648 E-mail:bashbalga@yahoo.com, bashbalga@gmail.com

25.  BLAVO, E.B Department of Classics Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State. tundeblavo@yahoo.com, +2348162746193

26.  Bojor Enamhe (PhD) Department of Visual Arts and Technology Cross River university of Technology Calabar, Cross riverstate, Nigeria. Blossomenamhe@yahoo.com 08023020086

27.  Tushabe, Caroline Dr. Kansas State University, USA Email: tushabe@k-state.edu

28.  Cassandra R. Veney, Ph.D. Associate Professor 1 LMU Drive Department of Political Science Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, California  90045 cveney@lmu.edu (310) 258-5468

29.  Chijioke Odii Samuel Adegboyega University KM1, Ehor Rd, Ogwa, EdoState Phone: 08030880896 E-mail: divinechiji@yahoo.com

30.  Christina N. Bazzaroni Florida International University 1986 Biarritz Drive, #104 Miami Beach, FL USA 33141 Cbazz001@fiu.edu 415.702.5099

 

31.  Chuku Umezurike, PhD Department of Political Science University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

 +234 (0)703 3676 350 chuku.umezurike@unn.edu.ng or chukuumezurike@yahoo.com

32.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117 Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria 234-0827311048, 234-7065246454; Email forthspring@yahoo.com Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.

33.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117, Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria 234-0827311048 234-7065246454 Email Address: forthspring@yahoo.com Department of Theatre and Media Arts Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria

34.  Donald O. Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island New York donomagu_01@yahoo.com 718-404-5786©

35.  Oladotun Ayobade 6010 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX. 78752 (512) 903-7590 dotunayobade@utexas.edu, dotunayobade@gmail.com The University of Texas at Austin

36.  Doyin Aguoru Ph.d  English and Performing Arts Department, Olabisi Onabanjo  University, Ago-Iwoye. :070525987937 & 07035047854  E- mail :doyinaguoru77@yahoo.com

37.  Dr (Mrs) Gloria Eme Worugji BA (UNIPORT), MPA, MA, Ph.D (UNICAL) Lecturer Department of Theatre and Media Studies University of Calabar, Calabar E-mail address: ajieleeme @ yahoo. Com Phone nos. 08035085285 / 08184432542

38.  Dr Mike Adeyeye Department of Local Government Studies Faculty of Administration Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Email: madeyeye2002@yahoo.com Cell: +234(0)8037181009

39.  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife E-mail:  tinaosezua@yahoo.com +234 8068709984 & Dupe Taiwo Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife E-Mail: dupe4yoth@yahoo.com +234 8062234960

40.  Dr Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan Ibadan, Nigeria Email: roriaku@yahoo.com&roriakudr@gmail.com +234-8033237076; P.O. Box 19542, University of Ibadan Post Office, Ibadan, Nigeria

41.  Dr Taiwo Olunlade,  Department of African Languages Literatures and Communication Arts Lagos State University Ojo, Lagos Tel:08033724931 Email:drolunlade@yahoo.com

42.  Dr TOYI  MARIE- THÉRÈSE Lecturer I  in English Department Benson Idahosa University Ugbor Road Benin City, Edo State Nigeria; (+234) 8101043579 E-MAIL: theresetoyi@yahoo.fr

 

43.  Dr. Anya U. Egwu  Department of Languages School of Human Development College of Developmental Studies Covenant University, Ota Nigeria Email: ikechi07@yahoo.co.uk Mobile Phone: 08039172267

44.  Dr. Belkacem Iratni Professor of Politics and International Relations Chairman of the Scientific Committee Faculty of Political Science and Information University of Algiers, Algeria Tel: +213 (0)556 35 12 75  kacemiratni@hotmail.com

45.  Dr. Emma Osonna Ugwulebo Lecturer - Department of Sociology Imo State University Owerri, Nigeria. Phone- +2348034373984 E-mail: ugwuleboeo@yahoo.com

46.  Dr. Gloria Chuku University of Maryland, Baltimore County 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland21250, USA chuku@umbc.edu

47.  Dr. Mojisola  Shodipe, Department of English, University of  Lagos.

48.  Dr. Osezua Ehiyamen Mediayanose Department of Political Sciences Osun State University Oshogbo. E-mail osezuaomo2002@yahoo.com +2348060837266

49.  EBAI FREDRICKBASIL Ebai Fredrickbasil, C/O Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Telephone No.:           +2348099216849, +2348058018580;  E-Mail fred_basil2005@yahoo.com Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

50.  Ebhote Oseremen Department of Economics and Business studies Samuel Adegboyega University Ogwa, Edo State. Tel: 08037330582 E-mail: oseremenebhote@yahoo.com

51.  Emma Arogundade  Occasional Lecturer Department of Sociology University of Cape Town South Africa emmanence@gmail.com

52.  Emmanuel Saboro PhD Candidate Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation University of Hull, UK saborobest@yahoo.com E.Saboro@2011.hull.ac.uk +44 07879967514

53.  Eteete MichaelADAM (LL.M, MIRSS, BL)A lecturer in the Department of International Law and Diplomacy, School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

54.  Eunice E.OMONZEJIE, PhD Dept. of Modern Languages, Ambrose Alli University,  Ekpoma   Nigeriaeuniceomons@yahoo.co.uk

55.  FASASI Rasheed Adekunle rafasasi@yahoo.com Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan

56.  Gee A.YawsonM.S. 4820 N. Miami Ave Miami, Florida33127 609 553 1267 Florida International University Department of Global and Socio cultural Studies gyawson@gmail.com

57.  Halimat Somotan  Fairfield University Box 3146 1076 North Benson Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824 Phone Number: 203-543-3141 Email Address: halimat.somotan@student.fairfield.edu Institutional Affiliation: Fairfield University.

 

58.  Ibrahim Daniel Department of General Studies, Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru ; Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.E-mail:danielc_ibrahim@yahoo.com Phone: 07084839881, 08155287849, 08103434180

59.  Idayat Hassan Centre for Democracy and Development in West Africa hidahassan@yahoo.com

60.  Ijaola Samson Oluwatope, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Samuel Adegboyega University,  PMB.001 Ogwa Edo State.

61.  IROJU, Opeyemi Anthony Department of History Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

62.  Israel Meriomame WEKPE Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. (israel.wekpe@gmail.com;easerel@hotmail.com ; + 234-807-793-9525). & Ms. Owens Patricia ONI-EDIGIN Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. (owens_pat@yahoo.com; +234-805-538-3190.

63.  Isreal Abayomi Saibu Dept of History & International Studies Lagos State University (spts external system) Ojo, Lagos. e-mail: adesaibu@yahoo.com Phone: 08029504334

64.  John Okpako Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Telephone: 08034716775 Email: jokpako@yahoo.com

65.  Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Mobile: +2348036345466; Email: ikee_mario@yahoo.com

66.  Kunirum Osia 11704 Hickory Drive Fort Washington, MD 20744301-292-6626 osiadi@aol.com Department of Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling Coppin State University 2500 West North Avenu Baltimore, MD 21216

67.  Lawrence O. Bamikole (PHD) Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy, University of the West Indies, Mona campus, jamaica.

68.  Lawrence Ogbo Ugwuanyi, Ph.D Department of Philosophy and Religions, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria Telephone:+2347026349575 ugwuanyiogbo37@yahoo.com University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

Topic:  Towards a Meta-African Critique of Pan-Africanism

69.  Maiyaki M. Mejida Department of History Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria E-mail: maiyakiwinnie@yahoo.com Phone: 08065863850

70.  Mehdi Solhi Istanbul University Solhi.mehdi@gmail.com & Omid Shokri Kalehsar Yeditepe University ushukriki@gmail.com

71.  Michael Abiodun Oni and Abidemi Abiola Isola Department of Political Science and Public Administration Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State maabino@yahoo.com, jmineall@yahoo.com 08036147947, 08035804634

72.  Michael Olusegun FAJUYIGBE Department of Fine & Applied Arts,  Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife, Nigeria michofajuyigbe@gmail.com 08033665333

73.  Michael Sharp, PhD HC-02 Box 13459 Humacao, PR 00791  USA Department of English College of Humanities Universidad de Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico  michael.sharp1@upr.edu Telephone: 787-559-9361

74.  Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D Associate Professor of African History Department of History 2301 Vanderbilt Place Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37235-1802 Tel: 614-322-3349 Moses.ochonu@vanderbilt.edu

75.  Moshood Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos,  Nigeria. e.mail: Moshood_tunes@yahoo.com

76.  Professor (MRS.) Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob Department of Philosophy University of Calabar, Nigeria. Phone: 08034417696 EMAIL: doron32@yahoo.com

77.  NNACHI, Joseph; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 0806653475 mail: josnac20@yahoo.com

78.  Nwaolikpe, Onyinyechi (Mrs.) Babcock University Academic Planning Unit, Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State; 08033532794 Email: onyion@yahoo.com

79.  Odunayo Aluko PHd  Economic student of SMC University, Switzerland C/o Dr Bola Sotunsa, Babcock University, Ilisan OgunState Telephone: 07066561803 Email: ayolayo1@yahoo.co.uk

80.  Ogunnubi Olusola (Olusola.ogunnubi@yahoo.com) School of Social Sciences; University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

81.  Ohwovoriole, Felicia. Ph.D Department of English University of Lagos Akoka-Lagos eruvwe2006@yahoo.com

82.  OJETOLA, Ayodeji Philip Graduate Student, Dept of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan ojetolaphilip@yahoo.com, +234(0)80 6074 9066

83.  Okafor Nneka (Mrs.) PhD Student. Email: nefo202 @yahoo.com. Telephone no: + (27)738337941 University of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg Campus. Republic of South Africa. Faculty: School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (Ethics Dept.)

84.  James Okolie-Osemene(IFRA Research Fellow) Peace and Conflict Studies Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Email:donoykea@gmail.com Phone: 08063965278 &

85.  Udechukwuudeke(PhD) Department of History and International Studies, Imo State University  Owerri.  Email:udechukwudeke2011@gmail.com; 08033394104

86.  Okpara, Chukwuemeka Vincent (Ph.D) Lecturer in Painting, Drawing & Design Dept. of Fine & Applied Arts,University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Phone—+234(0)8037312775 (emeka_okp@yahoo.co.uk)

 

87.  Dr. Olubayo Oladimeji ADEKOLA Seminar Research Fellow (Anthropology) Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria;  08033766872 mail:  oadekola2001@yahoo.com

88.  Omoregie Pat Iziengbe Department of History University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.  Ifra research fellow Tel: +2348034144262Email: izwithchrist@yahoo.co.uk

89.  Omotayo Olatubosun Tope Email: temitemiaca@yahoo.com Phone no: 08060486167 Dept of Sociological Studies Taisolarin university of Education  P.M.B 2118  Ijebu –Odeogun state Nigeria

90.  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife E-mail:  tinaosezua@yahoo.com +234 8068709984

91.  Peju Johson-Bashua PhD Department of Religions, Lagos State University & Ibigbolade S. Aderibigbe PhD Department of Religion / African Studies Institute The University of Georgia Email: iaderibi@uga.edu

92.  Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne , University of Maroua, Cameroon.

93.  Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan, Nigeria

94.  Richard Agbor Ayukndang Enoh(Ph. D), Senior Lecturer, Department of History, University of Buea, South West Cameroon, Phone;+237 77 89 51 93, Email<agborera7@yahoo.com>

95.  Sarah Anyang Agbor(PHD), Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Letters And Social Sciences (Falss), University of Yaounde 1, P.O.Box 755 Yaounde, Centre Region, Cameroon. 237-77223677, agborsarah@yahoo.com

96.  Surajudeen Oladosu Mudasiru, PhD, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University,  Ojo, PMB 0001 LASU Post Office, Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos. Tel: 08033228322 or 08024587090

97.  Taiwo Abioye, PhD, Department of Languages, Covenant University. +2348065503508 taiwo.abioye@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

98.  Taiwo Adetunji Osinubi, Department of English, Université de Montréal, Phone: 514-343-6755, : tunjitunji@yahoo.com

99.  Timothy Aduojo Obaje & Prof. Okeke Uzodike, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Private BagX01 Scottsville, 3209,  taobaje@gmail.com, No: +27 78 839 8816 or +27 76 546 7578

100.                      Tunde Onikoyi, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, babsmickoy@yahoo.com and babatunde.onikoyi@gloworld.com 08055573969

101.                      Victor Iyanya, : viiyanya@yahoo.com

102.                      Vivian Valdivia, Graduate Student San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA urrently at the University of Ilorin, History Department, Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria, valdivia.vivian@gmail.com, phone: 08103950444

 

103.                      Yasu'o MIZOBE, PhD School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University 1-9-1 Eifuku, Suginami, Tokyo 1688555 JAPAN, (mwizobe@meiji.ac.jp), Tel: +81-3-5300-1009

104.                      Christian Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni.

Topic: Pan Africanism: Problems and Propects in the 21^st Century

 

   105.         DAUDA, Bola, PhD, Managing Director, The Early Years' Education Foundation    (EYEF) P.O Box 30864, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Phone:  +234 808        639 2371  E-mail: daudabola@hotmail.com

 

 

 

PENDING LIST

 

1.      Akande, Joshua Olusola, Ph.D. Department of Continuing Education Faculty of Education, Obafemi  Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: The Role of Adult Education in Enhancing The Culture of Citizens' Participation in Community Development Projects in Nigeria: A Reflection.

2.      ANYADUBA, Chigbo Arthur Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 07065383510 E-mail: macabees24@yahoo.com

Topic: 'Love of Liberty': Manu Herbstein's Poetics of History

3.      Busuyi Mekusi (PhD) Department of English AdekunleAjasinUniversity, Akungba Akoko Ondo State, Nigeria Email: mekusotayo@yahoo.com

Topic: The Defunct 'Self' and 'Other': Constructing New Identity for Nationhood in Zakes Mda's The Bells of Amersfoort

4.      ADERIBIGBE M.O PhD, Federal University of Technology, General Studies Department School of Sciences, P.M.B 704, Akure – Ondo State, Nigeria. Mobile Number- 2348035414235 Email- mosesaderibigbe@yahoo.com

Topic:  Ethno-Diversity And Social Integration: An Examination of The Role of Justice

5.      Larab, Tangshak Ayuba Department of History and International Studies University of Jos P.M.B 2084, Jos – Nigeria 08023570-444, 08139794559

Topic: Citizenship and Contested Identities on the Jos – Plateau:  a survey of A decade of conflicts

6.      Prof. Handel Kashope Wright University of British Columbia, Centre for Culture, Identity and Education,  2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4

Institution: University of British Columbia

Topic: Black/African/Canadian: How Those Slashes (Re)Make Identity Out of Identification

7.      Clement Etim Ekong Department of Fine and Industrial Arts University of Uyo, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.   

Topic: Oberi Okaime's Medefaidrin Language and Script:  An Artistic Legacy Lost To Cultural Colonialism

8.      Okwechime E Okey Dept of English & Literature University of Benin , Benin-City Edo-State

Topic: Gender Bullying In Femi Osofisan's Dramaturgy

9.      Miss Abimbola Adelakun Address: African &African Diaspora Studies University of Texas, Austin USA.

Topic: It's Still a Question of Power: Witchcraft in Contemporary Yoruba Societies

10.  Abdul Karim Bangura Howard University 7532 Eighth Street, NW Washington, DC 20012 USA Home: 202.882.8228 (Preferred) The African Institution:  202.829.6554 Howard University Office:  202.806.6720 or 9388 or 6850

Topic: Fractal Complexity in Mwalimu Toyin Falola's A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: A Pluridisciplinary Exploration of Cultural Power

11.  James Tar Tsaaior, PhD School of Media and Communication Pan-African University, Lagos NIGERIA.

Topic:   Ritual, Politics and Poetic performance in Public Spaces in Nigeria

12.  Omotayo Olatubosun Tope Email: temitemiaca@yahoo.com Phone no: 08060486167

Dept of Sociological Studies Tai Solarin university of Education  P.M.B 2118  Ijebu –Odeogun state Nigeria

Topic:  Veneration of Older Persons In Things Fall Apart And Ageism In Contemporary African Society

13.  BLAVO, E.B Department of Classics Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State.tundeblavo@yahoo.com, +2348162746193

Topic: Patron-Client Relationship in Ancient Rome and Godfatherism in Nigeria

14.  Adegbola Gbeminiyi Mujaheed, Department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan,  Ibadan, gbeminiyiadegbola@yahoo.com, 08055464779, 08189942932

Topic:  Social Welfare System as A Panacea For Terrorism And Violence:  A Study of Bokoharam in Nigeria.

15.  Joe E. Obi, Ph.D. (jobi@richmond.edu) Assoc. Professor of Sociology and International Studies Univ. of Richmond Richmond, VA 23173 USA

Topic:  Wired Nomads: Rethinking Diaspora

16.  AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe  PhD Department of History and Diplomatic Studies College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001,  Ogwa, Edo State.

Topic: Women and Economic Development in Sub Saharan Africa: Historicizing the Neglect Theme.

17.  F.A Olasupo, Department of Local Government Studies Faculty of Administration Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife Osun-State.

Topic: Gender Balance, Gender Equity or Gender Fairness in Governance: Nigeria as the Originating Source

 

18.  OJETOLA, Ayodeji Philip Graduate Student, Dept of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan,

Topic: 'Irrespective of Creed, Tribe or Class?': Change and The Challenge of Continuity in The National Council of Women's Societies (Ncws) Nigeria

19.  Mehdi Solhi Istanbul University Solhi.mehdi@gmail.com & Omid Shokri Kalehsar Yeditepe University ushukriki@gmail.com

Topic: Ethnic Jokes and Subversion of Ethnic Identity of Azerbaijani Minority in Iran

20.  Surajudeen Oladosu Mudasiru, PhD, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University,  Ojo, PMB 0001 LASU Post Office, Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos. Tel: 08033228322 or 08024587090

Topic:  Identity Crisis and the Withering Away of African Union: A Critique of the Role of AU in Libyan Crisis

21.  JAIYEOBA Babatunde PhD Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. tundejaiyeoba@yahoo.co.uk; ebjaiye@oau.edu.ng 234 8037880023

Topic: Operationalising  The Culture Of Home Ownership In The Fatherland For Urban Low Income Housing With Evidence From Ibadan, Nigeria

22.  Justina Sunday Nkanga Department of Theatre Arts University of Uyo, Uyo Akwa Ibom State Nigeria e-mail:  tinachrist01@yahoo.com

Topic: Cultural Identity:  Curbing the Effect of Modernity on the Nigerian Child through Theatre-In-Education

23.  ADEAGBO Oluwafemi Atanda, African Centre For Migration & Society, University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Email: Femiadex@Yahoo.Co.Uk  Cell: +27785826991

Topic: Perceptual factors and Nigerian immigrants in Johannesburg: A Study of the role of Nigerian-South African Intermarriages in Social Integration

24.  Ebhote Oseremen Department of Economics and Business studies Samuel Adegboyega University Ogwa, Edo State. Tel: 08037330582 E-mail: oseremenebhote@yahoo.com

Topic: The Effect of Migration on Economic development and business activities in Nigeria: Prospect and Challenges.

25.  Mrs. R.I. Ako-Nai (PhD) Department of International Relations, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. E-mail: riakonai@yahoo.com

Key Words: Transatlantic Slave trade, technology, Africa, Europe, underdevelopment.

Topic: From Brain Drain to Brain Gain:  How Nigerians in the Diaspora Can Aid Development Back Home

26.  Ruth Oluwakemi Oke, Department of Christian Religious Studies, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Nigeria.  ruthoke09@yahoo.com, Mobile number +234 -805-512-6082

Topic:  Immigration as a determining factor in the spread of HIV and AIDS.

 

27.  Adesote Samson Adesola, Department of History, University of Ibadan, Ibadan E-mail: solaade2007@ymail.com Tel: 08062293355 & 08056472224 & Ajishola Omojeje, Department of History, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo Tel:08182199377&08067653189. jejeojo@ymail.com

Topic: Violence and Internal Population Displacement in Nigeria, 1999-2011

28.  James Okolie-Osemene (IFRA Research Fellow) Peace and Conflict Studies Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Email:donoykea@gmail.com Phone: 08063965278 & Udechukwuudeke(PhD) Department of History and International Studies, Imo State University  Owerri.  Email:udechukwudeke2011@gmail.com; 08033394104

Topic: Mapping the Institutional Responsibility for the Management of Internal Displacement in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects

29.  OKUNADE, Michael Adeyinka Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria omakid2002@yahoo.com mokunade@oauife.edu.ng

Topic: Contemporary Challenges of Yoruba Traditional Pottery Making in Ipetumodu

30.  Anthony C. Ajah Department of Philosophy University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria Mobile: +234-8037371839 Email: anthonyajah@aol.com

Topic: Which Identity? Which Culture? Questions for Nigeria

31.  S.G Anaeto (PhD), and Patricia E. Chioma, Department of Mass Communication, Babcock University Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

Topic: Communication for the Promotion of National Consciousness in Nigeria

32.  ADAM, Ezinwanyi E, Departments of Languages and Literary Studies,  ezinwanyimark@yahoo.com, +234 8063533265 & Michael Adam E, Dept. International Law and Diplomacy of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria, m_adam02@yahoo.com,  +234 8023106339

Topic: Literary Art As A Vehicle For The Diffusion of Cultural Imperialism in The Nigerian Society: The Example of Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus

33.  AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe B.A, M.A, PhD (Zaria) Department of History and Diplomatic Studies College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State. akubor4ever@yahoo.com +234-803-8257-384

Topic: Willink's Report, Niger Delta Region and the Nigerian State Fifty Years After: Any Hope for the Minority?

34.  Kehinde Oluwole Ola Dept of Economic & Business Studies Samuel Adegbiyega University, Ogwa, Edo-State. Phone No: 08063177785 ko_ola@yahoo.com

Topic: Human Trafficking and Socio- Economic Impact on the Households

35.  Emma Arogundade  Occasional Lecturer Department of Sociology University of Cape Town South Africa emmanence@gmail.com

Topic: The Names We Give: Are historical narratives enough?

36.  Famakinwa Yemisi Department of English Obafemi  Awolowo University Ile-Ife. Nigeria

Topic: Media Communication and Educational Development in the English as a Second Language Environment

37.  IROJU, Opeyemi Anthony Department of History Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Topic: Origin and Language Diversity in Historical Perspective: The Case of the Apoiin Nigeria.

38.  Oyebade Titilade Adefunke and Oludele Omobola Federal University of Technology, Akure. E-mail:titilade_oyebade@yahoo.com omobolaoludele@yahoo.com 08136351060 08050281183

Topic: Language, Gender and Sexuality: Representation of Women in Some Nigerian Fashion Magazines

39.  Babayemi J. B. (MR) Department of Languages, College of Humanities, & Samuel Adegboyega University P.M.B. 001, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria. +2348034834487 passoversch@yahoo.com, OR babayemicomfort@yahoo.com

Topic: The Use of Symbols in the African Setting: A Case Study of the Yorubas

40.  Bayo Amole Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: The Boys Quarters:  an Enduring Colonial Legacy in Nigeria

41.  Chika Okeke-Agulu (Princeton University) 305 McCormick Hall, Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeton, NJ08544; 609-258-7456; Email: cokekeag@princeton.edu

Topic: Mbari International: Transacting modernism in post-Independence Nigeria

          Ogunfeyimi Adeleke, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo, Nigeria.

         Topic:  Between Taboo, Erotic Desire and Hypermetropia of Justice: The Ogwa         (Esan) Woman.

 

Conference Rationale

 

·         Prof. Toyin Falola

In pursuance of its mandate which includes the promotion of excellence in cultural studies, the Ibadan Cultural Studies Group,  Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, is pleased to announce the Toyin Falola Annual International Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora. This conference will provide an international forum where scholars, researchers, graduate students, and technocrats from all over the world will converge, annually, every first week in July, to address cultural issues that relate to Africa and the Diaspora in the strict academic tradition, with a view to exploring possible collaboration on matters of culture and global peace. It is a global forum that is designed to engage minds for ideation, intellection and distillation in culture discourses for advancing the cause of Africa and the Globe.

            The conference is so named as an enduring legacy in honour of Professor Toyin Falola of the University of Texas at Austin, USA., in recognition of his tremendous achievements as a scholar and teacher of African and African American History.

            Dr. Toyin Falola is the Frances  Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the  University of Texas at Austin, a creative writer, a foremost academic icon and certainly, the most celebrated published African/Black scholar of all times. At the tenth Africa Conference that was held late last March, 2010, at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Falola's significant milestone of having published more than a hundred books on numerous core topics about Africa, African nations and the globe, were celebrated by more than six hundred participants. Additionally, thousands of teaming admirers and well wishers joined in the celebration of this phenomenon, an enigma, one of Nigeria's, nay Africa's rare gifts to the world, on the internet. Two books were presented at the event to mark the great occasion, The Long  Arm of Africa: The Prodigious Career of Toyin Falola (180pp), which contains the summary of each of Dr. Falola's 100+published books co-edited by Vik Bahl and Falola's daughter, Bisola, and Toyin Falola: the Man, The Mask, The Muse, a  1015 page-festschrift edited by Niyi Afolabi. This unique festschrift includes contributions from 48 top scholars as well as a prologue.

            In addition to several laurels he has gathered over the years from leading academic institutions around the globe in acknowledgment of his immense contributions to scholarship, especially in African and African American studies, on Saturday evening of October 31, 2009, Dr. Falola was presented with the prestigious Africana Studies Distinguished Global Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award by Chancellor Charles Bantz of Indiana University Purdue University indianapolis at the Awards Dinner for the 1^st Public Scholars in Africana Studies International Conference on Globalization held in Indianapolis. The occasion was witnessed by hundreds of participants. The organizers of the Award had this to say on the selection of Dr. Falola for this significant award:

            The presentation of the Africana Studies Distinguished Global Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award represents our best efforts to recognize an individual who can more accurately be described as the "quintessential 'scholar's scholar," i.e., a person whose lifetime has been exemplified by the relentless search for knowledge in all of its various facets and whose total body of scholarship through the years has been considered by his/her peers to be of the highest level of excellence. We wanted to recognize a scholar who has developed a stellar global reputation because of the significant impacts his/her scholarship has had on the global academy and who has used his/her platform unselfishly to elevate others, particularly students, professional colleagues, and members of the public at large. We also wanted to recognize a scholar whose academic research has had transformative effects on the various global epistemological debates which have preoccupied scholars in his/her disciplinary area of focus through the years and whose work has provided an important platform for the development of an ongoing critical discourse with regard to the continuing relevancy of understanding and respecting African people, cultures, and ideologies, both in the past and contemporary time periods… The academic world has run out of superlatives to describe the magnificent body of scholarship produced through the years by the indefatigable, Dr. Toyin Falola.

            Dr Toyin Falola has also distinguished himself as a teacher par excellence. For example, besides being the Frances Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor and Distinguished Teaching Professor of History, he was the recipient of the much coveted 2010 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award at the University of Texas at Austin and inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers as a result of the recognition he received from his colleagues and students for his tremendous skills in classroom teaching, contributions to his graduate students, his mentoring, and outstanding skills in supervising numerous theses, reports, and dissertations.

            Therefore, TOFAC as an annual conference is the least we can put in place to sustain and ensure the continuity of what Professor Toyin Falola lives for, labours for and has copiously written about in his 119 published books (at the last count many months ago)- the promotion of excellence in Africa and the Diaspora scholarship.

 

TOFAC Board members

The following colleagues have agreed to serve on the TOFAC Board;

 

i.                    Ademola Dasylva (Nigeria) a.dasylva@ibadanculturalstudiesgroup.org (Chairman)

ii.                  Toyin Adepoju (United Kingdom) toyin.adepoju@googlemail.com

iii.                Chambi Chachage (Tanzania) chambi78@yahoo.com

iv.                Hetty ter haar (Netherlands) hettyterhaar@hotmail.com

v.                  Nana Akua Amposah (Ghana) samponsah@mail.utexas.edu

vi.                Okpeho O. Okpeh (Nigeria) okpehokpeh@yahoo.com (Secretary)

vii.              Lady Jane Acquah (USA) Ijane26@gmail.com (Conference Administrator)

 

Mandate

The Board members are to work closely with Ibadan Cultural Studies Group (ICSG), Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Professors Ademola Dasylva and Okpeh O. Okpeh are Chairman and Secretary of the TOFAC Board, respectively. Being an annual rotating conference, the Board members are required to work out the details on:

(a)    The modus operandi of the conduct of the maiden international conference,

(b)   Appointment of keynote speaker(s)

(c)    Possibility of fund sourcing

(d)   Subsequent conference theme(s)

(e)                 Selection of subsequent venues for the next three conferences. 

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[i]

 

SECOND TOYIN FALOLA ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AFRICA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

(TOFAC 2012)

 

 

 

 

 

THEME

 

Cultures, Identities, Nationalities, and Modernities in Africa and the African Diaspora

 

 

 

SPONSORS/HOST

Centre for Black Arts and African Cultures (CBAAC), Lagos

 

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

ALL CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS TO NOTE !!!

Accreditation of Participants: From Sunday 1July on arrival - 8.00pm at the Conference Secretariat; and Monday 2 July on arrival at the Conference Venue.

The Venue for the Opening Ceremony; All Keynote Lectures &  Plenary is the Main Hall.

Three Parallel Sessions will hold each day. The venues are Seminar Rooms I - III

TIME MANAGEMENT IS ESSENTIAL

(Conference Participants are advised to keep to time. Panel Chairs are to ensure strict compliance)

Duration of each Session is 120 minutes (max.)

Breakfast is from 7.00am Conference each day

Tea/Coffee Break duration is 15 minutes. Lunch is 45 mins. (max.)

 

DAY 1: MONDAY, JULY 2

 

 9.00am-          CBAAC Director's Brief Welcome.

 

                         -  Introduction & Citation on Keynote Speakers by

                        Prof. Ayo Olukotun, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria.

 

9.25am - 9.55am Conference First Keynote by Prof. Michael Vickers, Emeritus Director , Parliamentary and Public Affairs, The Hillfield Agency, United Kingdom.

 

10.00am - 10.35am. Conference Second Keynote by Prof Timothy Stapleton, Department of History,  Trent University, Canada.

 

10.35am - 11.00 am. Tea/Coffee Break

 

11.00am - 1.00pm      -                  Opening Ceremony

                        -                               The National Anthem

-           Welcome Address by the  Convener, Coordinator, Ibadan Cultural Studies Group (ICSG), University of Ibadan, and Chairman, TOFAC Board –  Prof. Ademola O. Dasylva.

 

Welcome Address by the Chief Host of TOFAC 2012, Prof. Tunde Babawale, Director General, CBAAC, Lagos.

-   Introduction of Prof. Toyin Falola (Honoree  & Special Guest of TOFAC)

    Remarks/ Declares open TOFAC 2012 :

Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation (FMTC & NO) & Special Guest of Honour, High Chief Edem Duke.

-  Formal transfer of the TOFAC Plaque to CBAAC, current Host/Sponsors of TOFAC 2012 by the Hon. Minister.

Conference Third Keynote by Prof. Barbara Harlow, Department of English, The University of Texas at Austin.

 

                                    Plenary Session Speaker/Chair:

 

Topic:  "Rethinking the African Diaspora in the Era of Globalization: Building Economic Capacity for the 21st Century and Beyond."

 

By   Prof. (Chief) Bessie House-Soremekun

 Director, Africana Studies Program, Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies; Founding Executive Director,  Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

 

Introduction and Citation by Dr Taiwo Abioye, Head, Department of English, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.

ICSG/TOFAC AWARDS

Citation on Recipients by Doyin Aguoru, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.

 

1.00pm                                                Tea/Coffee Break

 

 

TOFAC PANELS SHORT LIST

1.50pm - 3.50pm                        DAY 1: AFTERNOON SESSION

 

Panel A.1. ACCULTURATION/AFRO CENTRICITY/ GLOBAL AFRICANITY/ATLANTIC AFRICA

Venue: Seminar RM 1;  Panel Chair: Prof. Segun Ogungbemi (Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo State, Nigeria)

i.                    Babalola O.E, Department of History, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti. & Fasiku, M. A Department of Social Studies, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti.

Topic: Acculturation and Its Effects on African Culture: Yoruba as a Case Study

 

ii.                  Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Topic: The Quest for an African Identity

 

iii.                Ann Albuyeh, Ph.D. Universidad de Puerto Rico HC-02 787-559-9361

Topic: "Uncovering African Identities through Language and Culture in the Caribbean"

 

iv.                Professor Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob Department of Philosophy University of Calabar, Nigeria.

Topic: The Transatlantic Slave trade: Gainers and losers from the Perspective of Technology

 

v.                  Cassandra R. Veney, Ph.D. Associate Professor 1 LMU Drive Department of Political Science Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, California   

Topic: The African Diaspora in the United States and Its Response to the War on Terrorism

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.50pm - 3.50pm                        DAY 1: AFTERNOON SESSION

 

PANEL A2:  CITIZENSHIP/ CREOLIZATION/ MULTICULTURALISM

 

Venue: Seminar RM2; Panel Chair: Christina N. Bazzaroni (Florida International University)

 

i.                    Dr Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan Ibadan, Nigeria.

Topic: Between African Migrants in Search of Opportunities and Their Nervous European Hosts: Divergent Attitudes to Migrant Labour and International Prostitution in Selected African Novels.

 

ii.                  Eteete Michael ADAM (LL.M, MIRSS, BL), Department of International Law and Diplomacy, School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Topic: Ethnic Nationalism, Statism, Citizenship and the Right to Non-Discrimination Under the Nigerian Constitution.

 

iii.                iii. Richard Agbor Ayukndang Enoh (Ph. D), Senior Lecturer, Department of History, University of Buea, South West Cameroon,  Topic: The Repatriates and Creolization Processes in West Africa: The Case of Victoria in British Southern Cameroons.

 

iv.                Ademola Olayoku, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, Peace & Conflict Studies Program  University of Ibadan,

Topic: Internal Diasporic Emergence in Nigeria: A Quest for the Resuscitation of Culture  and Identity.

 

v.                  Agbo Joshua,  Department of Languages and Linguistics, Benue State University, Makurdi,  Nigeria,  

Topic: Redefining Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Cultural Studies.

 

vi.                Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117 Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria. Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.

Topic: Multiculturalism: Enriching cultural enterprises for national development

 

 

1.50pm - 3.50pm                        DAY 1: AFTERNOON SESSION

 

Panel A3: COMMODIFICATION OF CULTURE /CONTESTED IDENTITIES/ MODERNITIES

 

Venue: Seminar RM 3; Chair: Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D,

(Vanderbilt Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville)

Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern Nigeria's  Political Elite, 1955-61.

 

 

i.                    Ajani O.A. PhD Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafe3mi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Topic: Aso ebi : The Dynamics of Fashion Nationalism and Cultural Commoditization  in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife

Topic: Non- Economic Factors and the Phenomenon of Cross Border Sex Trade among the Benin Women of Southern Nigeria.

 

iii.                Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117, Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria. Department of Theatre and Media Arts Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.

Topic: Commodification of Culture: Marketing Ethno-national identities

 

iv.                Ajayi Adewale The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro Ogun State

Topic: Performance, Identity and Fictionality in Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence"

 

v.                  Ibrahim Daniel Department of General Studies, Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Topic:          Globalisation and Identity Contestation in Hausa Visual Literature

 

  vi.          Oladotun Ayobade, The University of Texas at Austin, 6010 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin,     TX. 78752 (512) 903-7590,  dotunayobade@utexas.edu, dotunayobade@gmail.com

           "Poor Performances": Poverty, Survival and Creativity in the Performances Stand-up    Comic Acts in Urban Nigeria.

 

3.50pm - 4.35pm                                     LUNCH

 

CULTURAL PERFORMANCES

 

DAY 2                                  (Tuesday 03/07/12)

 

MORNING SESSION

(9.00am - 11.00am)

 

PANEL B.1: CULTURAL PATRIMONY/ POWER/ PROPRIETY/CUSTOM AND THE CUSTOMARY/ POLITICS AND CULTURE

 

Venue: (Seminary RM 1); Chair: Prof. Cassandra R. Veney  (Loyola Marymount University, LA, California)

 

  i.        Dr. Olubayo Oladimeji ADEKOLA Senior Research Fellow (Anthropology) Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria;   

            Topic:   Integration, Dis-Integration and Re-Integration of Yoruba Kinship Ties:  A Case Study of Ethnic Unions in Southwestern Nigeria

 

ii.      Sandra Ochieng'-Springer, Jackman Road, Orange Hill, St. James, Barbados.  BB24020. 1-246-432-9410. Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work, University of the West Indies, Cavehill Campus.

         Topic: Accommodating ethnic  interests in post-colonial societies: A comparative study of political development in Kenya and Trinidad and Tobago

 

iii.   Lawrence O. Bamikole (PHD) Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy, University of the West Indies, Mona campus, Jamaica.

         Topic: David Hume's Notion of Personal Identity:  Implications For Identity Construction and Affective Communal Living In Africana Societies.

 

iv.    Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D Department of English, University of Mississippi.    

         Topic:  Wole Soyinka, Autobiography, and the Nigerian Academy

 

v.      Christina N. Bazzaroni Florida International University 1986 Biarritz Drive, #104  Miami Beach, FL USA 33141

         Topic: Dangerous Zones of Intimacy: Transgressive White Female Desire, or Fetishization of the Black Male Body?

 

  vi.      Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne,   University of Maroua, Cameroon.

            Topic: The Endless  Plight of African masses in the Twentieth  First Century.

 

 

 

 

DAY 2: Tuesday (03/07/12) Morning Session

(9.00 am – 11:00 am)

 

PANEL B.2: DIASPORIC AFRICAN/ ETHNIC IDENTITIES

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 2): Chair: Prof. Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob (University of Calabar, Nigeria)

 

i.                    Okpara, Chukwuemeka Vincent (Ph.D) Dept. of Fine & Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Topic: Contemporary African and the Diaspora Art: The Contributions of El Anatsui and Yinka Shonibare to the Growth of African Art on the Global Stage.

 

ii.                  Sarah Anyang Agbor(PHD), Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Letters And Social Sciences (Falss), University of Yaounde 1, P.O. Box 755 Yaounde, Centre Region, Cameroon. 237-77223677,

Topic: Diaspora Encounters and Shifting Paradigms in Selected Works of Isidore Okpewho, Anita Desaiand,  Barack Obama.

 

iii.                Kunirum Osia 11704 Hickory Drive Fort Washington, MD 20744301-292-6626 Department of Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling Coppin State University 2500 West North Avenu Baltimore, MD 21216

Topic: The Contextuality of Ethnic Identity: The Anioma People of Nigeria

 

iv.                Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D Associate Professor of African History Department of History 2301 Vanderbilt Place Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37235-1802

Topic: Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern Nigeria's Political Elite, 1955-61

  v.          Miriam Pahl, (Student) Department of Literature Studies, University of Bremen Germany.

              Topic: Decoloniality and Border thinking  in Chimamanda Adichie's Half of aYellow Sun,

 

 

DAY 2: Tuesday (03/07/12) Morning Session

(9.00 am – 11:00 am)

 

PANEL B. 3.          GENDERED IDENTITIES

 

 

Venue: (Seminar RM3); Chair: Panel Chair: Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne,   University of Maroua, Cameroon.

i.                    Dr (Mrs) Gloria Eme Worugji BA (Uniport), MPA, MA, Ph.D (Unical), Department of Theatre and Media Studies University of Calabar, Calabar

Topic: A Critical Analysis of Marriage and Female Oppression in Akachi Ezeigbo's Fiction

 

ii.                  Eunice E.OMONZEJIE, PhD Dept. of Modern Languages, Ambrose Alli University,  Ekpoma  

Topic: Interpretations of African Migrant Masculinities in Contemporary Francophone Prose Narrative

 

iii.                Gee A. Yawson M.S. 4820 N. Miami Ave Miami, Florida33127 609 553 1267 Florida International University Department of Global and Socio cultural Studies  

Topic: Que dança é essa?: Reflections of gendered power relations and socio cultural expressions of sexuality in agarrado dancing to Roots reggae in São Luis do Maranhão, Brazil.

 

iv.                Mobolanle Ebunoluwa Sotunsa Dept. of languages and literary studies, Babcock University Nigeria Topic: African Women in Drumming: The Case of the Art and Performance of Ayanbinrin

 

v.                  Moshood Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Topic: Cultural Upturn and Women Involvement in Politics: An Appraisal

 

vi.                Okafor Nneka (Mrs.) PhD Student. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg Campus. Republic of South Africa. Faculty: School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (Ethics Dept.)

Topic: Feminist ethical investigation on the role of culture and gender with specific reference to their impact on development in post-colonial Igbo Nigerian Society.

 

vii.              Omoregie Pat Iziengbe Department of History University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.   Ifra research fellow Topic: Heroines in Pre-Colonial Benin: Their Lives, Activities and Transformations in the Kingdom

 

11.05am - 11.35am                  TEA/COFFEE BREAK

DAY 2: Tuesday 03/07/12) Afternoon Session (11:40 am - 1.40 pm)

 

PANEL C. 1:  ETHNO-NATIONALISM

 

Venue: (Seminar RM 1); Chair: Prof Gloria Chuku (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)

 

i.                    Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D, AIA. Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, College of      Design,        University of Minnesota.

Topic:  Fractal Geometry in Indigenous Yoruba and Benin, Nigerian Architecture

 

ii.                  Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, PhD. Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of  Ilorin,Ilorin, Nigeria. Topic: Ethnic Minority, Politics of Alienation and Political Instability In Nigeria.

 

iii.                Israel Meriomame WEKPE Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. & Ms. Owens Patricia ONI-EDIGIN Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Topic: Indigenous Names, Indigenous Acts and the Re-Construction of the Edo Identity: A Post-Colonial Discourse

 

iv.                Maiyaki M. Mejida Department of History Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria  Topic: Ethnic Identity and Nation-Building in Nigeria: A Case Study of the Bassa and their Neighbours in Toto Area

 

v.                  Timothy Aduojo Obaje & Prof. Okeke Uzodike, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Private Bag X01 Scottsville, 3209,

Topic: Traditional Components of Conflict Transformation: An Appraisal of its Application in the Management of Ethno-Political Conflicts in Nigeria

 

 vi.          Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D, Associate Professor of African History, Department of History, 2301       Vanderbilt Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1802, 614-322-3349,                                  Moses.ochonu@vanderbilt.edu.

              Topic: Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern Nigeria's  Political Elite, 1955-61.

 

DAY 2: Tuesday 03/07/12) Afternoon Session (11:40 am - 1.40 pm)

 

PANEL C 2:            INTERNAL  DISPLACEMENT/   ETHNO-RELIGIOUS/IDENTITY CONFLICTS/  MATERIAL CULTURE

 

Venue: (Seminar RM 2); Chair: Dr. Bola Sotunsa (Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State, Nigeria)

 

i.                    Awosika, B. I. (Mrs.), Department of Home Economics, Adeyemi College of Education P.M.B. 520, Ondo. Visiting Lecturer: Federal College of Education (Special), P.M.B. 1089, Oyo. Nigeria. Topic: Relevance of Material Culture –Clothing and Foods in the Traditional Management of Family and Communal Disputes in Nigeria.

 

ii.                  Victor Iyanya, : viiyanya@yahoo.com

Topic: Rural Poverty in Nigeria

 

iii.                Adé Egún Crispin Robinson, MMus (Distinction), Phd candidate (Ethnomusicology), Music Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 4 Wray Crescent, London N4 3LP. Topic: Technicians of the Sacred: negotiating authenticity and maintaining identity in modern Cuban Batá drum culture

 

iv.                Bashiru Akande LASISI (PhD) University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria Department of Theatre Arts University of Ibadan  

Topic: Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense: African Child, Motion Picture and Identity Crisis

 

v.                  Bojor Enamhe (PhD) Department of Visual Arts and Technology Cross River university of Technology Calabar, Cross river State, Nigeria.  

Topic: Costumes and Apparels of popular Masquerades in Cross River State, Nigeria

 

 

 

 

DAY 2: Tuesday 03/07/12) Afternoon Session (11:40 am - 1.40 pm)

 

PANEL C.3:  NEO-TRADITIONALISM/ INDIGENEITY/ TRADITIONAL MODERNITIES

 

Venue: (Seminar RM3); Chair: Donald O. Omagu, PhD College of Staten Island, City University of New York State Island

 

i.                    Nwaolikpe, Onyinyechi (Mrs.) Babcock University Academic Planning Unit, Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State. Topic:          New Media and the Cultural Identity of Young Adults in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Michael Olusegun FAJUYIGBE Department of Fine & Applied Arts,  Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: Contemporary Paintings as Reflectors of (Yoruba) Cultural Values

 

iii.                Ohwovoriole, Felicia. Ph.D Department of English University of Lagos Akoka-Lagos

Topic:       The Bride in the Market Place: Performance in Ilugbedjo Bridal Chants

 

iv.                John Okpako Department of Architecture, ObafemiAwolowo University, Ile-Ife  Topic: Impact of Technology on the Yoruba House: Focus on Osogbo

 

v.                  Yasu'o MIZOBE, PhD School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University

1-9-1 Eifuku, Suginami, Tokyo 1688555 JAPAN,

Topic: Japanese Newspaper Coverage of Africa (African soldiers) during World

War II

 

            vi.  DAUDA, Bola, PhD, Managing Director, The Early Years' Education Foundation  (EYEF) P.O Box 30864, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Phone:                                                +234 808 639 2371  E-mail: daudabola@hotmail.com

 

 

1.45pm - 2.30pm                                          LUNCH

 

 

DAY 2 (Tuesday 03/07/2012); Evening  Session. 2.35pm - 4.35pm

 

 

PANEL D.1:                                         MIGRATION

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 1); Chair: Dr. Adetayo Alabi (University of Mississippi)

 

 

i.                    Aluko Odunayo Phd Economics Student of SMC University, Switzerland  

Topic: Entrepreneurship as A Pull Factor for Returnees in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife & Dupe Taiwo Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife

Topic: From Disempowerment to Empowerment? A Study on the Trajectory of Cross Border Sex Trade among Benin Women of Southern Nigerian.

 

iii.                Odunayo Aluko Phd  Economic student of SMC University, Switzerland C/o Dr Bola Sotunsa, Babcock University, Ilisan OgunState

Topic:          Returning as Entrepreneur

 

iv.                Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan, Nigeria Topic: Return to the Motherland and Coming to Terms with Exile: The Motif of Homecoming in Yema Lucilda Hunter's Road to Freedom and Isidore Okpewho's Call Me by My Rightful Name

 

v.                  Taiwo Adetunji Osinubi, Department of English, Université de Montréal,

Topic:  African Trans-worlds: Autobiography, Critique and Trans-national Kinship.

 

 

 

DAY 2 (Tuesday 03/07/2012); Evening  Session. 2.35pm - 4.35pm

 

 

PANEL D2:               NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS/PAN-AFRICANISM

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 2); Chair: Dr. Sarah Anyang Agbor (University of Yaounde, Cameroon)

 

i.                    Babalola Ademola Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: Reclaiming and Reinvigorating African Culture: How Appropriate?

 

ii.                  Doyin Aguoru, Ph.d  English and Performing Arts Department, Olabisi Onabanjo  University, Ago-Iwoye.

Topic: Theatre and National Identity; The Tiv Example, The Tiv Success

 

iii.                Halimat Somotan  Fairfield University Box 3146 1076 North Benson Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824 Institutional Affiliation: Fairfield University.

Topic:  The Reassessment of Nigeria as a Territory Rather than a Nation-State

 

iv.                Prof. Gloria Chuku. University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Topic: Nigerian Intellectuals, History, Ethnicity and Nationalism

 

v.                  Donald O. Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island New York.

Topic: On 'Globalization and its victim': Marriage and Emerging trends among Bekwarra people.

 

vi.                Lawrence Ogbo Ugwuanyi, Ph.D Department of Philosophy and Religions, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria Telephone:+2347026349575

ugwuanyiogbo37@yahoo.com University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

   Topic:  Towards a Meta-African Critique of Pan-Africanism

 

DAY 2 (Tuesday 03/07/2012); Evening  Session. 2.35pm - 4.35pm

 

PANEL D 3.  POSTCOLONIAL DYSFUNCTION

Venue: (RM. 3); Chair: Prof. Belkacem Iratni (University of Algiers)

 

i.                    Adedipe Adesoji, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, M A. Peace and Conflict Studies, University      of Ibadan,  

Topic: A holistic view of post-colonial dysfunction in Nigeria

 

ii.                  Idayat Hassan Centre for Democracy and Development in West Africa. E-mail: hidahassan@yahoo.com Topic: Creation of a State-within- a State: Analysing the Boko-Haram Uprising in Nigeria.

 

iii.                Ijaola Samson Oluwatope, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Samuel Adegboyega University,  PMB.001 Ogwa Edo State.

Topic:       From Colonialism to Neo-colonialism, Cultural Demythologization and Ecological Crises in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria.

 

iv.                NNACHI, Joseph; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife  

Topic:  Postcolonial Dysfunction and the Military Question: Interrogating Frank Mowah's Eating by the Flesh

 

v.                  Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne  (University of Maroua, Cameroon).

Topic:  The Endless Plight of African masses in the Twentieth First Century.

      vi.        JOHN OBAFEMI SOTUNSA, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE, ILISAN  REMO OGUN STATE, NIGERIA. johnsotunsa@yahoo.com. +234 8036009740

                   Topic:     The role of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Prevention of Mother to Child  Transmission of HIV

 

 

5.00PM:                                                  DINNER

 

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012)

 

MORNING  SESSION  9.00am - 11.00am

PANEL E. 1:             SOCIOLINGUISTICS/SYMBOLISM

 

Venue: (Seminar RM 1);  Chair: Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D, AIA.

                                  (University of Minnesota.)    

 

i.       Adetunji Adegoke & Esther Ajiboye, Department of Languages, Covenant University,Ota, Nigeria

      Topic: Declarations as Markers: A Linguistic Investigation of NigerianPentecostal Discourse

      ii.         Busayo Ajayi (Miss) General Studies Department, Federal University ofTechnology, Akure, Nigeria.

                  Topic: The Role of Language in the Conflict among The Plateau People of Nigeria.

 

iii.           Taiwo Abioye, PhD, Department of Languages, Covenant University.

      Topic: Stylistic Peculiarities and Pragmatic Expression of Compliments inNigerian Church Settings

 

iv.           Donald O.Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island New York

               Topic: "Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water"? :Globalization and Traditional Africa Family Patterns in Bekwarra.

 

v.            Emmanuel Saboro PhD Candidate Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery  and Emancipation University of Hull, UK

               Topic: Memory Representations of Resistance to Slave Raiding in Northern Ghana  and the (Re) Construction of a Cultural Identity.

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012); Morning  SESSION  9.00am - 11.00am

PANEL E. 2:                               RELIGIOUS CULTURE

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 2); Chair: Dr Ibigbolade S. Aderibigbe (University of Georgia, Athens)

 

 

i.                    Aisha Balarabe Bawa Department of History Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Topic:  Culture, Islam and Women in Northern Nigeria: Some Historical Investigation

 

ii.                  Chika Okeke-Agulu (Princeton University) 305 McCormick Hall, Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeton, NJ08544; 609-258-7456;  

Topic: Mbari International: Transacting modernism in post-Independence Nigeria

 

iii.                Afolayan, Bosede Funke, Dept of English, University of Lagos, Nigeria.  

Topic:  Religious Complexities in Selected Plays of Ahmed Yerima

 

iv.                Lady Jane Acquah, University of Texas At Austin, Department of History The University of Texas at Austin,1 University Station B7000, Austin TX 78712-0220,

Topic:  Sweet Islam: The Case of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement in Ghana

 

    v.        Adelowo Felix Adetunji, Ph.D.  and  Adefemi Samuel Adesina, Ph.D

                Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

                Topic:  Universal Cultural Correspondences of Initiation Rites

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012); MORNING  SESSION  9.00am - 11.00am

PANEL E. 3: THE MODERN IN QUESTION/ POSTCOLONIALITY/PARALLEL MODERNITIES

 

Venue: (Seminar RM. 3); Chair: Dr. Remy Oriaku

(University of Ibadan, Nigeria)

 

i.                    Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne  (University of Maroua, Cameroon).

Topic: Modernism and its Impact in Contemporary Society in Anthony Akerman's  A Man Out of His Country (2000) and John Kani's Nothing But the Truth (2002).

 

ii.                  Dr Mike Adeyeye Department of Local Government Studies Faculty of Administration Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria.  

Topic: Africa's Decentralization Reforms: Context and Conditions

 

iii.                Ogunnubi Olusola (Olusola.ogunnubi@yahoo.com) School of Social Sciences; University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Topic: South Africa's Democratic Re-Enactment: From Post-Apartheid to Neo-Apartheid Construction

 

iv.                Tunde Onikoyi, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, Nigeria,

 Topic: An Auteurist and Post-colonialist Reading of Tunde Kelani's Cinematography.

 

v.                  FASASI Rasheed Adekunle Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan.

Topic:       Yoruba Cultural Beliefs, Modern Science Beliefs and an Ethnoscientific   Beliefs Database- The Meeting Point.

 

 

 

11.30am - 12.00 NOON                                   TEA/COFFEE BREAK

 

DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY 04/07/2012); AFTERNOON  SESSION  12.05pm - 2.00pm

PANEL F. 1: GLOBAL AFRICANITY

Venue: (Seminar RM. 1); Chair: Dr. Yasu'o Mizobe (Meiji University, Japan)

 

i.                    Segun Ogungbemi Department of Philosophy Faculty of Arts Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba PMB 01 Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State Nigeria.

Topic: Global Cultural Consciousness, Social and Religious Transformation

 

ii.                  Chijioke Odii Samuel Adegboyega University KM1, Ehor Rd, Ogwa, EdoState Phone: 08030880896,  divinechiji@yahoo.com :

Topic: Implications of Quantitative and Qualitative Imbalances in Global News Flow on Pan-Africanism.

 

iii.                Christian Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Nigeria.

Topic: Pan Africanism: Problems and Propects in the 21^st Century

 

iv.                Donald O.Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island New York. Topic: On 'Globalization and its victim': Marriage and Emerging trends among Bekwarra people.

 

****************

 

 

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW FAR AND HOW FAIR, TOFAC 2012?

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF TOFAC 2013 !!!

 

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Bio-Data

 

Professor Michael Vickers

Professor Michael Vickers - Taught Political Science at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) Nigeria; and has taught and conducted research at universities in America, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  Author (with Ken Post) of Structure and Conflict in Nigeria, 1960-65 (London & Madison, 1973), Ethnicity and Sub-Nationalism in Nigeria (Oxford, 2000), Odes of Forest and Town, (Sussex, 2002), Phantom Trail—Discovering Ancient America, (New York, 2005), A Nation Betrayed—Nigeria and the 1957 Minorities Commission (Trenton, NJ,  2010), and Phantom Ship (Trenton, NJ, Forthcoming); he holds a doctorate in Political Science and West African Studies from the University of Birmingham. He is Emeritus Director of Parliamentary and Public Affairs, The Hillfield Agency (UK).  

 

ii.  Barbara Harlow

Barbara Harlow is a Professor in the Department of English at The University of Texas at Austin and has also taught at the American University in Cairo (1977-83 and again in 2006-7 as Visiting Professor and Acting Chair of English and Comparative Literature), University College Galway (1992), University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1994), University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg (1998) and University of Natal in Durban (2002). She is the author of Resistance Literature (1986), Barred: Women, Writing, and Political Detention (1992), After Lives: Legacies of Revolutionary Writing (1996), and co-editor with Mia Carter of Imperialism and Orientalism: A Documentary Sourcebook (1999) and Archives of Empire: Vol 1: From the East India Company to the Suez Canal and Vol 11, The Scramble for Africa (2003). She is currently working on an intellectual bio-bibliography of the South African activist, Ruth First. Her teaching and research interests include "imperialism and orientalism" and "literature and human rights/social justice."

 

iii.  Timothy Stapleton

Timothy Stapleton is professor of History at Trent University in Canada, and has taught at Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare in South Africa.  He has also been a research associate at the University of Zimbabwe and the University of Botswana.  His published books include Maqoma: Xhosa Resistance to Colonial Advance, 1798-1873 (1994); Faku: Rulership and Colonialism in the Mpondo Kingdom (c1780-1867) (2001); No Insignificant Part: The Rhodesia Native Regiment and the East Africa Campaign of the First World War (2006); A Military History of South Africa: From the Dutch-Khoi Wars to the End of Apartheid (2010) and African Police and Soldiers in Colonial Zimbabwe (1923-80) (2011).

 

PLENARY SESSION SPEAKER & CHAIR

Topic: Enhancing Entrepreneurial Capacity and Sustainable Development Initiatives in Southwest, Nigeria:  A Pilot Study of Abeokuta (Ogun State) and Akure (Ondo State) in Nigeria .

Professor Bessie House Soremekun

Professor Bessie House Soremekun is the Director of the Africana Studies Program, the Public Scholar in African American Studies, Civic Engagement and Entrepreneurship, Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies, and the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. She is also an award-winning author, inventor and entrepreneur, as well as an internationally-recognized scholar, expert, and advocate on entrepreneurship and economic development.

She is the author/editor of 6 books including, Class Development and Gender Inequality in Kenya, 1963-1990; African Market Women and Economic Power: The Role of Women in African Economic Development; Confronting the Odds: African American Entrepreneurship in Cleveland, Ohio, 1^st and 2^nd editions; Gender, Sexuality and Mothering in Africa; and Globalization and Sustainable Development in Africa.

She is currently working on developing partnerships between Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and two Nigerian Universities, which include the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (Ogun State) and Adekunle Ajasin University (Ondo State) Nigeria.    

She has also received critical acclaim for her successful creation of 5 entrepreneurial centers over the past 15 years which include the Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, the National Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., the Center for the Study and Development of Minority Businesses at Kent State University, the Entrepreneurial Academy of the Cleveland Empowerment Zone, and the Entrepreneurial Academy of Youngstown, Ohio. These centers produced award-winning research, business training curriculums, and business training programs. Soremekun created the business training modules used in the centers. More than 400 individuals attended the business training classes offered in Ohio and more than 51 businesses were established to create new jobs and wealth for the economy. Through the years, she has written and received more than 20 grant awards totaling more than $1.3 million dollars from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Cleveland Foundation, the Ohio Urban University Program, the Ohio Board of Regents, the Shell Foundation, Kent State University, Indiana University, the Mahoning Youngstown Community Action  Partnership, and others.

She was the host of her own television show, "Let's Talk Business" and was featured on the cover of Northern Ohio Live Magazine and several Cleveland newspapers.  She has discussed her research findings on affiliate stations of ABC TV, Fox 8, NBC TV, Work and Money Program, Kaleidoscope, National Public Radio, and 107.9 FM.  She has three chieftaincy titles, including the title of Erelu Bada Asiwaju of Egbaland which was conferred on her by His Royal Majesty, Oba (King) Michael Adedotun Aremu  Gbadebo, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland. She is also the Iyalaje of Bakatari and the Erelu Mayeigun of Keesi.

 

 

THE BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

 

1.  Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D. Department of English, University of Mississippi

Wole Soyinka, Autobiography, and the Nigerian Academy:  Contemporary African autobiographers are bedeviled by several issues ranging from identitarian concerns to filial relationships, to issues of resistance against various levels of inequalities, to encounters with different world religions, to the role of Africa in global issues, among others.  What we have in some of Wole Soyinka's autobiographies, particularly Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years A Memoir 1946-1965 and You Must Set Forth At Dawn, is not just a focus on the above issues but on the nation-state Nigeria, especially the role of the intellectual community in Nigerian politics, governance, and general development.  This paper will focus on how Soyinka writes the history of the Nigerian nation in relation to role of the academic world in politics and nation building. The paper will consider Soyinka's sociological, historical, and literary evaluation of the major roles that the academic world, as typified by different schools, including Nigeria's premier university, University of Ibadan, where he worked during part of the period covered by Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years, and the role of the academy and the University of Ife that he narrates in You Must Set Forth At Dawn.  The paper will pay particular attention to how what was ordinarily supposed to be Soyinka's own story becomes that of a nation, a nation-state, and the role of the academic community in the country.  How the life of Soyinka the activist equates that of the struggling country and its people's acceptance and resistance to the role of the academy will be addressed.  The paper will also attempt to answer the question of whether the nature of the Nigerian nation-state makes the role of the school system unavoidable in our socio-political evolution or whether there are alternatives to the roles of the intellectual world in the Nigerian nation-state.

 

2.  Abdul-Gafar 'Tobi' Oshodi, Department of Political Science, Lagos State University

& Bukola Ajayi, Independent Researcher, China in Africa.

CAN PAX NIGERIANA SURVIVE CHINESE AFRICANA?:  Within the context of "state identity" as against "sub-state identities," the historical trajectory of Nigeria's foreign policy shows that the country has created a Big Brother identity at sub-regional and regional levels. This identity, which is marked by some sort of "manifest destiny"(often referred to as Pax Nigeriana), assumes that Nigeria has a significant role to play in the socio-economic and even political development of states in Africa. This manifest destiny therefore explains Nigeria's involvement within the region in a milieu that often meant the spending of its revenue (to keep peace, pay civil servants, build infrastructure, export manpower, and stabilise budget among others) in sister countries. But even as its manifest destiny still remains intact, the increasing presence of China in Africa and the attendant calls for a continent-wide engagement plan (earlier conceptualised as Chinese Africana) holds some implications for Nigeria's historical identity. Thus, while situating China's presence in Africa within three interrelated realities (that speaks to Chinese Domestica, Chinese Internationa and Chinese Africana), this paper interrogates the survival changes of Pax Nigeriana while identifying salient issues, incentives and dangers in the emerging configuration. It further engages three interrelated questions. First, what Chinese mechanisms or actions undermine Pax Nigeriana? Second, what explains China's actions? Third, what policy options are open to Nigeria? It concludes with some policy recommendations that relates to strategic engagement that will argue that both Pax Africana and Chinese Africana does not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive phenomena.

 

 

3.  Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D,AIA. Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, College of Design, University of Minnesota

Fractal Geometry in Indigenous Yoruba and Benin, Nigerian Architecture:  The notion that African cultures demonstrate principles of rational planning has often not been widely accepted. This paper discusses fractal geometry in Yoruba and Benin Nigerian spaces. Fractals are swirling patterns for modeling in biology, geology, and the natural sciences. The five components of fractal geometry are recursion, scaling, self-similarity, infinity, and fractional dimension. Fractals occur in a loop, the output for one step is the input for the next step. Fractals also consist of similar shapes in different scales. Eglash in his book African Fractals: Modern Computing and Indigenous Design notes "while fractal geometry can indeed take us into the far reach of high science, its patterns are surprisingly common in traditional African designs, and some of its basic concepts are fundamental to African knowledge systems (p. 3). Eglash finds the self-similarity of fractals in what is characterized as "circles of circles of circular dwellings, rectangular walls enclosing smaller rectangles" were the basis of planning in many African ethnic groups. In Yoruba settlements, fractals are seen in rectangular walls enclosing rectangles with streets that branch down to tiny footpaths with striking geometric repetition. Fractals are also seen in carvings, architecture, ornamentation, jewelry and women's hairstyles. In Yoruba cities, houses are grouped in compounds according to lineage, occupation, and position in town. The center and the most important part of every Yoruba town is the afin, Oba's palace (King's palace). Yoruba traditional dwellings consist of four rectangular units facing a central courtyard, this style is commonly referred to as Impluvium style. The entrance facade is defined by a series of columns. Several rooms surround the central courtyard. A set of grandiose columns emphasizes the entrance facade. The courtyard is surrounded by a large verandah for congregation. In the Yoruba and Benin monarchial system, the Oba's (king's) palace was designed as a larger version of the impluvium style house. This configuration consisted of rectangular walls enclosing smaller rectangles. The palaces also included elaborately carved columns that supported gable roofs along the courtyard perimeter. Yoruba palaces sometimes had as many as a hundred courtyards that were often larger than an ordinary house. The largest palace in the Yoruba Oyo Empire was larger than a football field. Each of its courtyards was reserved for special functions. The largest was for public assemblies or dancing at festivals, the smaller ones for private activities of the king. The Impluvium style dwelling in traditional Nigerian architecture illustrates some aspect of fractal geometry, which is also more evident in the Yoruba and Benin palace architecture. The palaces are larger scale versions of the dwellings and have been described as rectangular fractals, which possess self-similar patterns of different scales occurring recursively. The palace design illustrates various shapes, volumes, and planes assembled together to create the form of the palace. These elements can be characterized as vocabularies of form from traditional Yoruba spaces. The shapes, volumes, and planes are organized around a courtyard and/or entrance axis in varying scales and fractional dimension.

 

4.  Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, PhD. Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin,Ilorin, Nigeria. Email:bose_babatunde@yahoo.co.uk Phone: +234 8085046103

TETHNIC MINORITY, POLITICS OF ALIENATION AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN NIGERIA. Africa social formation was characterized by fratricidal struggles for state power, group domination and counter domination. Nigerian state is no exception. Nigeria's authoritarian leadership faced a legitimacy crisis, politicalintrigues, in an ethnically-differentiated polity, where ethnic competition for resources drove much ofthe pervasive corruption and profligacy. Oil wealth enriches Nigeria as a country, but it has not alleviated the poverty, neglect and deprivation experienced by the ethnic minority in the region that produces it. The dominant ethnic group and the political gladiators constantly manipulated the other ethnic groups, particularly the ethnic minority and the political processes to advance their own selfish agenda.This study examines the contradictions inherent in the nature of citizenship and belonging, which constitutes an impediment to national development but foster political instability within the context of the Nigerian state, with specific reference to the ethnic minority in the Niger Delta. The study argues that the politics of alienation of the ethnic minority by the dominant ethnic group is a causal factor in the conflictual and unstable nature of political interaction in Nigeria and posed grave implications for Nigeria's National security and development. Methodology adopted to elicit data for this study includes direct observation, interviews with key informants, Focus Group Discussion and the use of secondary sources. The understanding of the roots causes of these conflicts and political instability and finding means of arresting the conflictual situation are essential to the full development of democratic structures as well as the economic, social and political survival of Nigeria.

 

5.  LADY JANE ACQUAH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station B7000, Austin TX 78712-0220, ljane26@gmail.com

 

Sweet Islam: The Case of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement in Ghana.  In the last decade of the nineteenth century, a Punjabi Indian Muslim, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founded a new Islamic sect, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement, in India. In spite of the controversial nature of its theology and doctrines, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement made it across the Indian and AtlanticOceans to the West African region in the 1920s.  In Ghana, the report of a 'casual' dream by a peasant farmer, Yusuf Nyarko, set in motion a series of events that eventually led to the arrival of Ahmadi missionaries and the subsequent introduction of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement to Ghanaians. The Movement has grown remarkably over the decades, and it was recently described as the "Sweet Islam." This paper seeks to look at the introduction and spread of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement in Ghana, their activities, and their relationship with other religious groups in the country. The paper also looks at the response of Ghanaians to the Movement. It also assesses among many others, the unique practice of proselytizing using the Quran and the Bible as well as the indigenous language of the communities they enter to achieve success. Using archival documents, oral history, Ahmadi official documents, published books and journals, this paper aims at highlighting the success of the Movement in Ghana.

 

6. ADAM, Ezinwanyi E, Departments of Languages and Literary Studies, ezinwanyimark@yahoo.com, +234 8063533265  & Michael Adam E, Dept. of International Law and Diplomacy of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria, m_adam02@yahoo.com,  +234 8023106339

 

LITERARY ART AS A VEHICLE FOR THE DIFFUSION OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM IN THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY: THE EXAMPLE OF CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE'S PURPLE HIBISCUS.  This paper takes a cursory look at the conceptual framework of what cultural imperialism entails with particular study of its socio-political consequences in contemporary Nigerian society, and a closer look at the transportation and importation of western cultural values and the implantation of same in Nigeria thereby almost completely eclipsing the hitherto African cultural conservatism of the Nigerian State. Clear examples of this cultural transplant are given in this work, including but not limited to the use of English language in place of the indigenous languages for communication even when there are no foreigners, smoking of cigarettes, ladies putting on trousers, abortions as a means of birth control, free premarital and extramarital sexual relationships, homosexuality and gay practices – all which were an anathema to Nigeria's cultural values have supplanted the traditional conservatism of the Nigerian people. This work particularly looks at Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and distills classical cases of cultural imperialism. Adichie through the character Eugene, captures cultural imperialism as seen in the life of this vastly brainwashed 'been-to' who is clearly portrayed as an imperial lackey, capitalist and apologist, and also in the character of Rev. Father Benedict, a Briton that would not accept any indigenous songs in St. Agnes Parish. The work also captures cultural imperialism in the ironical contempt with which the catholic devotee, Eugene, treats his own father, Papa Nnukwu, steeped in the traditional African cultural values, viewed by Eugene as Godlessness. The essay concludes by identifying the cultural crises that cultural imperialism creates in the Nigerian State, and recommends ways of diluting and diffusing the present cultural imperialism as a solution to the myriad of socio-political crises currently experienced by the Nigerian society.

 

7. Adé Egún Crispin Robinson, MMus (Distinction), Phd candidate (Ethnomusicology), Music Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 4 Wray Crescent, London N4 3LP, UK, tel: +44 7958000173, email: cr32@soas.ac.uk

 

Technicians of the Sacred: negotiating authenticity and maintaining identity in modern Cuban batá drum culture. Batá drumming is one of the most important and symbolically loaded percussion traditions of the Yoruba peoples. Carried across the Atlantic as sacro-musical knowledge capital by enslaved drummers in the 19^th century, batá were uniquely reconstituted in Cuba as material culture (the drums and their sacred accoutrements) and ritual performance (rhythms, song texts and music ritual). Batá drumming is now a central feature of the Cuban expression of Orisha devotion called Santería. Batá are vessels of the Orisha Aña and drummers must be initiated in order to play in ritual music ceremonies. Initiated drumers ("omo Aña") command respect within the religious community for their sacred knowledge and ability to invoke spirit possession. Most examinations of Santería focus on Olorishas (Orisha priests and priestesses) and conclude that Santería is syncretic and infused with Catholic elements. When surveying batá drum culture, however, one discovers a deep dedication to maintaining religious action and utterance that is wholly Yoruba or African in origin. Knowledgeable omo Aña consider themselves to be custodians of sacred 'deep knowledge' and guardians of authentic ritual praxis. The Spanish terms fundamento (foundation) and invento (invention) distinguish between acceptable ('Yoruba') and unacceptable ('Cubanised') ritual action. Knowledge contests frequently occur in the daily lives of omo Aña as they negotiate the tensions between stability and creativity in serving the religious community. Cuban batá drum culture is an excellent site for illuminating the struggles of African Diaspora peoples as they forge modern identities that value both original inheritance and creative improvisation.

 

8. ADEAGBO OLUWAFEMI ATANDA, AFRICAN CENTRE FOR MIGRATION & SOCIETY, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, Email: femiadex@yahoo.co.uk  Cell: +27785826991

 

Perceptual factors and Nigerian immigrants in Johannesburg: A Study of the role of Nigerian-South African Intermarriages in Social Integration. This study seeks to understand how the general assumptions, perceptions, and representations of Nigerian immigrants shape marriages between Nigerian men and South African women in Johannesburg. That is, the study looks at the impact of prejudice on marriages between Nigerian men and South African women in an environment of generalized xenophobia and anti-Nigerian sentiments. The study finds that despite the discriminations and prejudices directed against Nigerian immigrants, Nigerian-South African couples often adopt love and humour to negotiate such discriminations in their private lives. Further, the study finds that despite different contacts between Nigerian immigrants and South Africans through intermarriages, Nigerian  husbands are subjected to close scrutiny to prove their innocence or confirm their guilt. Accordingly, the levels of integration differ among couples.  Finally, the study finds that this contact between Nigerian immigrants and South Africans is changing the perceptions and pre-conceived generalisations that all Nigerians are bad. The study uses Alba and Nee's (2003) 'intermarriage and assimilation theory' which was originally applied in America to show the importance of intermarriage as the major indicator of integration. Although, this theory also works in the South African context by promoting more personal contacts between Nigerian immigrants and South Africans (particularly black South Africans), but the continuous scrutiny of identity and integrity of Nigerian husbands make its operation different from where it was originally applied. Therefore, there were no absolutes in applying this theory in a South African context because intermarriage does not depict integration since other factors like employment and legal status play important roles in the integration process.     

9.  Adedipe Adesoji, Ifra-Nigeria Research Fellow, M A. Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan,  +234 806 8903 589, Email:adesojiadedipe@yahoo.com

 

A holistic view of post-colonial dysfunction in Nigeria:  From about 1850 till 1960 when Nigeria eventually gained independence, Nigeria was under the control of British colonialists. The collapse of the colonial era was accompanied by a great sense of promise. The pre-existing unity of purpose originating in liberation movements that fought and gained independence at first suggested that everything would move in the direction of progress. But within a short while, it suddenly seemed grim, divisive problems of reality were ushered up to the fore: the waste of natural resources, strangulating massive poverty, uncontrollable birth rates, and, later, HIV/AIDS, amongst a medley of other challenges came to the fore. This paper seeks to at least offer answers to the questions that have pre-occupied the minds of post colonial theorists of why and what exactly went wrong in Nigeria. How did we find ourselves in this situation where a lot of Governance issues are not addressed, there is a steady economic decline, there are lots of cultural distortions, ethnic conflicts are on the rise and most recently terrorism has reared its head. All these concerns around the country eclipse the dysfunction the Nigerian state has been through after colonialism. This paper seeks to bring to the fore the post-colonial dysfunctions mentioned above among others while coming up with far reaching suggestions on how to come of this gridlocks and forging ahead as a united front by submerging this dysfunctions and coming out as a greater  Nation than we are today.

10. ADEGBOLA GBEMINIYI MUJAHEED, DEPARTMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN, gbeminiyiadegbola@yahoo.com, 08055464779, 08189942932

SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM AS A PANACEA FOR TERRORISM AND VIOLENCE:  A STUDY OF BOKO HARAM IN NIGERIA. Violence and terrorism are cankerworms that have eaten deep into the peaceful atmosphere of human interaction provided by nature and over the years posed a threat to the social-economic functioning of individuals and survival of human societies. Meanwhile, the prevailing political tussles, economic dislocation, social injustice, ethnocentrism, religious extremism and ambivalence of power brokers who, though did not actively embark on violence either did nothing to stop it from fomenting (perhaps profitable), or feebly condemned it on political grounds, are, unarguably some of the factors that have driven insurrections in human societies. These factors coupled with the inability of concerned authorities to respond to the massive amount of poverty and delivery of efficient social welfare system, which does not only include the provision of human needs but inextricably social control, make a highly volatile society prone to violence as evidenced by the Boko Haram in Nigeria. Given the approach of the Nigerian state vis-a-vis increase in poverty and unemployment, these insurgencies may remain a recurring problem. Hence this paper, using the uprising of Boko Haram of Nigeria as a study, attempts to attribute the incessant violence especially in the developing countries to unavailability of workable social welfare services as a response to meeting human needs and instituting quality social control that take care of the frustrated people and as well segregates the troubled individuals from the general society.

 

11.   Adelowo Felix Adetunji, Ph.D.  and  Adefemi Samuel Adesina, Ph.D Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.  08033705097 or 08066124904,  afadesta@yahoo.com   OR   asadesina@gmail.com delowodetunji@gmail.com;femiadesina@hotmail.com 

 

Universal Cultural Correspondences of Initiation Rites: Generally speaking, members of a given religion are believed to possess certain experiences and knowledge that set them apart from others who do not belong to the religion.  As a result of these, gaining membership into a religion usually require rites of passage in the form of initiation through which the new members are introduced to the religion and receive trainings in such esoteric experiences and knowledge. In this paper, an attempt is made to analyse such ritual in the three major religious practices in Nigeria, namely: Islam, Christianity, and African traditional Religion.  To do this, ritual theories are employed to examine the structures of the rites of initiation ritual in the three religions. Comparative and phenomenological approaches are also used to ensure objective data presentations and analyses. The research discovered similar structures in the rites of initiation as practiced by each of the three religions under discussion. The work, as a way of conclusion, reaffirmed the universal applicability of the ritual theories.

 

12. Ademola Olayoku, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, Peace & Conflict Studies Program                        University of Ibadan,  +234 807 7242 363,  iyanda22000@yahoo.co.uk    

 

Internal Diasporic Emergence in Nigeria: A Quest for the Resuscitation of Culture and Identity. The foundational Socratic maxim of self knowledge, "man know thyself", though spanning through ages, has retained its relevance down the years. This relevance cannot as well be underestimated in our age as the world struggles to keep covering thousands of miles within milliseconds. Nonetheless, there exists the danger of self loss amidst the rush which characterizes the continual discoveries and developments in a highly technological global space. Subsequently, the persistent developmental distinctions between nations and cultures with reference to developed, developing and less developed countries; and the latest addition of the fourth world to the  earlier categorization of first, second and third worlds, has led to the shift in the definition of what it means to be developed, civilized and advanced. The resultant effect of this is the unhealthy wholesome consumption of what is regarded as civilization by nations who have been made to believe that all there is about them is backward. The author of this paper therefore seeks to situate the gradual loss of identity which is insidiously eating deep into the cultural ambience of the Nigerian geo-political space. While espousing the importance of culture in the creation of identity and alluding to the Asian experience, he proposes the need for a sort of cultural resurgence to preclude further alienation of Nigerians from their cultural heritage. This is in the bid to pave a way forward by adapting modernity to our unique Nigerian situation.

 

 

13.  ADERIBIGBE M.O PhD, Federal University of Technology, General Studies Department

School of Sciences, P.M.B 704, Akure – Ondo State, Nigeria. Mobile Number- 2348035414235

Email- mosesaderibigbe@yahoo.com

 

TETHNO-DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION: AN EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF JUSTICE.  In all nation-state in the world over there is one problem or the other to contend with, common to almost all developing nations, especially in Africa is the problem associated with ethnicity. This problem, which has to do with the active sense of identification with some ethnic units, or more appropriately a strong feeling of allegiance to one ethnic group or the other, has contributed immensely to the various setbacks in the socio-economic and political conditions of these nations. There had been series of cases of war, clashes, political instability and social disorder in the continent ever since most nations gained independence. The cause of most of the ethnic crises was largely attributed to the way the colonialist set the boundaries without taking into consideration the uniqueness of each group. Various attempts, towards ensuring reconciliation among these groups have not adequately addressed the fundamental issues which borders on individual identities and the question of integration. This paper therefore, is an attempt to examine the role justice can play in ensuring social integration and national unity among the different ethnic groups in Africa. Justice is considered as a spider's web that has the ability to network different component of the society together. The paper argues that equality, freedom and fairness which justice preaches could sustain social integration in any given society.  

 

14. Adesote Samson Adesola, Department of History, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. solaade2007@ymail.com Tel: 08062293355 & 08056472224; & Ajishola Omojeje, Department of History, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo,  08182199377&08067653189E- mail:jejeojo@ymail.com

 

Violence and Internal Population Displacement in Nigeria, 1999-2011.  This paper is an exposition on the growing challenge of internal population displacement in Nigeria since the return to civil rule in 1999. It argues that the major cause of this great human tragedy which not only led to the disruption of human lives and property but also constitutes a major threat to national peace and security is violence. The paper contends that the root causes of violence which could be ethno-religious, inter-ethnic, political and inter-communal are hinged on a decade of poor governance, underdevelopment of peripheral areas populated by ethnic minorities, mismanagement of identity conflicts, chronic abuse of power resulting in egregious violations of human rights, gross inequities in the shaping and sharing of power, national wealth and so on. It concludes that there is need for adequate management of various conflicts, ensuring equitable resource allocation, the practice of true federalism, the promotion of good governance, and national security.

 

15.  Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Mississippi, MS 38677, Tel.: 662 915 6948,  <mailto:aalabi@olemiss.edu>aalabi@olemiss.edu

 

Wole Soyinka, Autobiography, and the Nigerian Academy. Contemporary African autobiographers are bedeviled by several issues ranging from identitarian concerns to filial relationships, to issues of resistance against various levels of inequalities, to encounters with different world religions, to the role of Africa in global issues, among others.  What we have in some of Wole Soyinka's autobiographies, particularly Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years A Memoir 1946-1965 and You Must Set Forth At Dawn, is not just a focus on the above issues but on the nation-state Nigeria, especially the role of the intellectual community in Nigerian politics, governance, and general development.  This paper will focus on how Soyinka writes the history of the Nigerian nation in relation to role of the academic world in politics and nation building.  The paper will consider Soyinka's sociological, historical, and literary evaluation of the major roles that the academic world, as typified by different schools, including Nigeria's premier university, University of Ibadan, where he worked during part of the period covered by Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years, and the role of the academy and the University of Ife that he narrates in You Must Set Forth At Dawn.  The paper will pay particular attention to how what was ordinarily supposed to be Soyinka's own story becomes that of a nation, a nation-state, and the role of the academic community in the country.  How the life of Soyinka the activist equates that of the struggling country and its people's acceptance and resistance to the role of the academy will be addressed.  The paper will also attempt to answer the question of whether the nature of the Nigerian nation-state makes the role of the school system unavoidable in our socio-political evolution or whether there are alternatives to the roles of the intellectual world in the Nigerian nation-state.

 

16.  Adetunji Adegoke & Esther Ajiboye, Department of Languages, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

 Declarations as Markers: A Linguistic Investigation of Nigerian Pentecostal Discourse.  Though Pentecostalism was initially introduced to Nigeria by European missionaries, the Pentecostal movement has in recent times been donned in new overalls with observable domestication and creolization of Christian culture.  A new wave of the Pentecostal faith is sweeping across Nigeria and it could be conceived as a fresh manifestation of popular or public culture. This new form of Christian faith is largely backed up with and evidenced by language use.  An investigation into Pentecostal discourse stirs the question of how contemporary Pentecostal Christians project their evolving identities, ideologies, Christian beliefs and perspectives through their use of language. The paper has a prismatic focus on the identity-markers observable in Nigerian Pentecostal discourse. To draw empirical conclusions, data for this study have been gathered from three Pentecostal churches that have been able to glean large congregations in Nigeria: the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Living Faith Church, and Christ Embassy. The theoretical approach for the study was drawn from sociocultural discourse analysis. This discourse perspective explains the conception of language as a cultural and psychological tool. Using this approach enhances the interpretation of Pentecostal Christian discourse and socio-cultural realities. Themes of various conferences on handbills and posters, and complimentary conversational discourse amongst members of the selected churches were observed and recorded through participant observation method. The findings reveal that various ideologies of the current Pentecostal Christians could be understood through language.

17.  Afolayan, Bosede Funke, Dept of English, University of Lagos, Lagos. bafolayan@unilag.edu.ng; afolayanbosede@gmail.com

RELIGIOUS COMPLEXITIES IN SELECTED PLAYS OF AHMED YERIMA:  A recurrent theme in the drama of Ahmed Yerima is religion – religious conflict, religious contradictions, hypocrisies, fanaticism, the issues of conversion and salvation. These issues are explored in varying degrees in the following plays: The Bishop and the Soul, The Liman, The Angel, The Portraits and Thank you Lord. Yerima's predilection for this tissue is not unfounded bearing in mind, his personal experience as a born-Muslim who attended Christian schools and is married to a Christian. Thus the personal contradictions in which he finds himself get a way of escape in his creative explorations. In the light of this, this paper interrogates Yerima's attitude to religion, the effects of religion on people and how characters are able to manage religious pluralisms in their lives and live peaceably in the society. What are the various conflicts the character faces in a multi-religious, multi-lingual, and multi-ethnic setting like Nigeria? What are the different strategies adopted by the characters to resolve the various manifestations of fanaticism and hypocrisies noted in the plays? These are the many questions this paper seeks to answer.

 

18.   Agbo Joshua,  Department of Languages and Linguistics, Benue State University, Makurdi,  Nigeria,  +2347039009763 or +2348151865901; joshua.agbo@yahoo.com

 

 Redefining Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Cultural Studies: By way of responding to the dire need of cultural re-growth in Africa particularly as a result of the competing global forces ; the paper shall discuss one of the salient, conceptual grids of the theme which is culture. Though globalisation provides an avenue for two or more different cultures to have a hand shake. But the discipline called Cultural Studies is a large body of thought in scholarship, a cross-disciplinary field which houses diverse philosophies, arts, artefacts, belief systems and world-views of a people. As to this, there isn't much problem because the paper has a narrow and well-defined matrix of framework which harps on redefining the concepts of multilingualism and multiculturalism in cultural studies from a different dimension. The effort is however to redefine the key issues from a new perspective and not from the perspective of the old. This is possible because culture itself is a constant  navigation of doing things and of course, there is no limit to the kinds of things and modes of behaviour  the people practise. Culture in this sense is dynamic and fluid. This gives us the leverage to establish similarities between multilingualism and multicuturalism through the concept of cultural relativism, using  'mosaic metaphor' as a matrix of framework  by laying to rest the argument of the so-called 'superior cultures' dominating the 'inferior  ones.' There is no room for this kind of value judgement as far as mosaic metaphor is concerned.

 

19. AISHA BALARABE BAWA, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, USMANU DANFODIYO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO, NIGERIA. ayshabawa@gmail.com

 

CULTURE, ISLAM AND WOMEN IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: SOME HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION.  Cultures all over the world have always given the verdict that women were less than men. Culture has dealt such blows on women that to affirm their plight as pathetic is an understatement. In Northern Nigeria especially among the Hausa people there still exist a syncretistic blend of Islam and the Hausa culture. The dominant perception or understanding of Muslim women in this region is their subordination by men arising from the intersection of a patriarchal Islam and Hausa cultural values. This paper argues that the complete fusion of these identities has contributed in reinforcing traditional, religious and cultural prejudices against women. It has further placed women in a more politically disadvantage position, resulting in their unequal access to education and health, as such exposes them to vulnerability of poverty,prostitution,human trafficking, HIV/AIDS etc.

 

Ajani O.A. PhD, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. 08052908232; oajani@oauife.edu.ng, delejani@yahoo.com

Aso ebi : The Dynamics of Fashion Nationalism and Cultural Commodification  in Nigeria. In recent years, research and theory on socioeconomic development have given rise to two contending schools of thought. One school emphasizes the convergence of values as a result of "modernization". This school predicts the decline of traditional values and their replacement with "modern" values depicted by rationality, tolerance, trust and participation. The other school of thought emphasizes the persistence of traditional values despite economic and political changes. This school assumes that values are relatively independent of economic conditions. Consequently, it predicts that convergence around some set of "modern" values is unlikely and that traditional values will continue to exert an independent influence on the cultural changes caused by economic development.  One of the cultural traditions that have endured despite modernization among the Yoruba in Nigeria is aso ebi practice. Aso ebi originally refers to uniformed dress worn by family members during social events in Nigeria. However, this practice now includes a larger network of unfamiliarity, transcended the Yoruba ethnic group and is gradually becoming an integral part of a national culture. Using archival records, books, journals,  interviews, observation and oral tradition, this paper tests the thesis that socioeconomic development is linked with both massive cultural change and the persistence of distinctive cultural traditions. The paper critically examines the origin and functions of aso ebi as a social phenomenon for solidarity and identity among families and friends. It also explores emerging problems and benefits associated with cultural commodification in a rapidly changing society.

 

20. Akande, Joshua Olusola, Ph.D., Department of Continuing Education, Faculty of Education, Obafemi  Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

 

THE ROLE OF ADULT EDUCATION IN ENHANCING THE CULTURE OF CITIZENS' PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN NIGERIA: A REFLECTION. Culture of citizens' participation in community development projects is not unprecedented in Nigeria.  It has been the practice of community members at the grassroots level to come together in an attempt to find solutions to the problems hindering their development. This has fostered the development of related skills, self-reliance and attitudes of a people that enabled them satisfied their basic needs and minimized precarious dependence on control external to them.  However, observations show that the culture of citizens' participation in community development projects is waning at a fast rate in the face of prevailing high technological innovations.  The objective of this study is to examine the role of adult education in fostering cultural stimulation geared towards enhancing citizens' participation in community development projects.  This is with a view to bringing the culture into play as a strategy to achieve the MDGs in Nigeria.

21.  AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe  PhD, Department of History, and Diplomatic Studies, College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001,  Ogwa, Edo State. akubor4ever@yahoo.com; +234-803-825-7384, +234-802-373-8676

Women and Economic Development in Sub Saharan Africa: Historicizing the Neglect Theme. Until recently, traditional attitudes towards the respective sex role of women and men wrongly permeated the entire system of human thinking reinforcing the false belief that women are to a large extent unimportant and that national development are described as being the  consequences of raising of the level of social consciousness of man.  In the case of Nigeria, in discuss relating to Society, women and Development in history, most historians are quick to point to the achievement o Emotan, Sarauniya Amina of Zauzau, Inikpi and other established names that were either queens, Kings Mothers or leaders of revolutions. No mention is made to the ordinary woman and her contributions in the area of agriculture, manufacture and trade. These are central to any historical process. This therefore gives some the false impression that a woman is at best a counterfeit man underlies society's lack of appreciation of women. It is in line with this, that this paper seeks to historicize the role of women in economic development, especially as it relates to the area of agriculture, manufacture and trade, leading to the development of strong economic ties established in the pre colonial period, some of which are relevant today. It also goes on to argue that one of the reasons for fall in the level of agricultural development is as a result of women being relegated to the status of manpower reserve which is tapped only in the case of necessity

 

22. AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe, B.A, M.A, PhD (Zaria), Department of History and Diplomatic Studies, College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State. akubor4ever@yahoo.com +234-803-8257-384

 

Willink's Report, Niger Delta Region and the Nigerian State Fifty Years After: Any Hope for the Minority?:  In 1957, the Willink's Commission was established to look into the authenticity of the fears and agitations of the Minority and to find means of allaying their fears. In 1958, the Henry Willink's Minority Commission Report characterized the Niger Delta infrastructural and generally as poor, backward and neglected, it advised the Government to establish a Federal Board to address the problems of the area. However, over 50 years after the Commission made its recommendations; the Niger Delta Region is yet to witness, the much needed peace and the level of development. It is therefore, in line with this that this paper seeks to examine the recommendation(s) of the Willink's report vis-à-vis happenings in the Niger Delta Region of the country, with the aim of making an analysis of the report as well as look as some of the issues which may have prevented its implementation as well as see if there is really hope for the minority of the region.

 

23.  Aluko Odunayo, Phd Economics Student of SMC University, Switzerland, Telephone: +234 7066561803,  ayolayo1@yahoo.co.uk

 

ENTREPRENEURSHIPAS A PULL FACTOR FOR RETURNEES IN NIGERIA: Events in the contemporary world encourage and promote migration globally. Migration involves the movement of people from one place to another for a continuous period of time, usually a minimum of one year. The purpose of such movement differs from person to person and it could be either internal (within the country) or international (outside the country). Many researchers have examined various reasons for migration, particularly from Africa to the Western world. This paper however explores the "Pull Back" factors that can encourage migrants from Nigeria to return home from the Diaspora. It argues that opportunities for entrepreneurship are an effective and valuable attraction which can encourage many migrants in Diaspora to return to Nigeria in order to impact the country for greater economic and social development.  This is because of the potential embedded in the migrants' return as more resourceful individuals with greater experiences and accumulation of finical resources which can be utilized as capital for investment as compared to their initial status before migration out of the country. The research is an insider research because the researcher belongs to the group being studied. The research employs the use of questionnaire and interviews to ascertain the long term plans of Nigerian migrants in the United Kingdom. Participants in the study were polled to identify pull factors that can encourage their return to Nigeria and their preference for either paid employment or becoming entrepreneurs on returning home. Findings reveal that opportunities for entrepreneurship is a significant pull factor although many discouraging factors militating against the actualization of potential returnees' plans were also identified. The paper then concludes that there is the need for the federal government to put in place an enabling environment that will encourage migrants to come back home as returnees to a new life of entrepreneurship that will eventually help in alleviating poverty in Nigeria (one of the Millennium development goal targeted for 2015).

24.  Ann Albuyeh, Ph.D. Universidad de Puerto Rico, HC-02 Box 13459, Humacao, PR00791, USA, ann.albuyeh@gmail.com, 787-559-9361

Uncovering African Identities through Language and Culture in the Caribbean": "Leading authorities on slavery in North America produce with impunity tome after tome, with little regard for the fact that their subjects came out of specific social and political contexts, that they had collective identities, and that they participated in recognizable cultures."  Michael Gomez (1999, 111) Michael Gomez's comment underscores the fact that we have not learned all that we can about who the Africans were who contributed to Caribbean culture and how these cultures developed. In this paper, I will focus on Caribbean dance forms which seem to be considered the most "African," and which have been attested through the historical record, whether in contemporary description or artwork.  I will then analyze cultural links to music and dance forms in West and Central Africa.  I will further investigate the etymologies of the names of these dances, evaluating claims made for the African provenance of each, The primary objective of this research is to find more linguistic and cultural evidence regarding the identity of the Africans who lived in various areas of the Caribbean, and to examine whether the findings support the current voyage data of The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database.  A second objective is to present another perspective on the issue of creolization as applied to culture by attempting to offer a more nuanced model.  Despite the passing of time and the incomplete record, we can come closer to unraveling what Julian Gerstin (2004) calls these "Tangled Roots."

 

25.  Anthony C. Ajah, Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, +234-8037371839,  anthonyajah@aol.com

 

Which Identity? Which Culture? Questions for Nigeria: This paper presupposes that a certain validly holding-centre must exist before we can reasonably talk about a shared identity. This pre-requisite centre - whose validity and holding-ability make identity conceivable, and sustainable, if conceived - is culture. In the case of the state called Nigeria, the paper wonders whether there is any such validly holding-centre. If there is such a centre, then arguments about national consciousness can, hopefully, be successful. If there is no such centre, the paper wonders why we are wasting our time and the future of our children trying to wake a dead lion in the name of "national consciousness" for the citizens of the colossal mistake called Nigeria. Employing a qualitative and interpretative methodology, the paper establishes meanings from the different spheres of meaning in the Nigerian state (economic sphere, political sphere, and cultural sphere). For data collection, this paper employed the document analysis technique and relied on both historical and contemporary sources, namely passages from scholarly books, journals, national dailies, and Internet sources. Based on the meanings emerging from these spheres, and coded in these sources of data, the paper submits that there is no such holding-centre.For this reason, the paper argues that no matter how long we try, the Nigerian state cannot be improved, rather, lives will continue to be wasted on this deadly altar called 'one Nigeria'.

 

26.  ANYADUBA, Chigbo Arthur (M. A. Student),  Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,  07065383510,  macabees24@yahoo.com

 

'Love of Liberty': Manu Herbstein's Poetics of History.  This essay will present a criticism of Manu Herbstein's Ama. The novel is a historical narrative of the Atlantic Slave Trade that focuses on the slave experience and migration of Africans from the former Gold Coast (Ghana) to Brazil. It presents a crucial insight into the history and dynamics of modern cultures of Africa and the Caribbean, showing several complications in the formation of an African's contemporary consciousness and relationship with the world. This essay will further show that Herbstein's novel is one of the emergent twenty-first century African historical novel that revisits the themes of identity and postcoloniality from a historical rather than a mythical and social realist imagination. In so doing, Herbstein's novel may suggest relationships between historical fiction, postcolonial slave narrative and the new postmodern novel that breaks the bounds of rigid genre differences, and which reveals an emergent poetics of an African historical fiction.

 

27.  Awosika, B. I. (Mrs.), Department of Home Economics, Adeyemi College of Education, P.M.B. 520, Ondo. Visiting Lecturer: Federal College of Education (Special), P.M.B. 1089, Oyo, Nigeria. +234-8034066306, bridgetawosika@ymail.com

 

Relevance of Material Culture –Clothing and Foods In The Traditional Management of Family and Communal Disputes in Nigeria. Culture is the accepted way of life and behavior of a group of people for a considerable length of time. Part of the culturally accepted norms and values in Nigerian culture are foods, clothing and costumes of the major tribes and over one hundred and fifty other minority groups. This paper reviews the relevance of material culture in the aspects of foods and clothing as used in the resolutions of family and communal disputes among three major tribes in Nigeria: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Common family and communal conflicts are categorized into generational, matrimonial, rivalry and contemporary. Traditional strategies used in  conflict resolution that are peculiar to the three major tribes in the country as  executed in family courtyards, palaces of chiefs and monarchs as well as during traditional festivals with the use of songs, clothing, foods and other forms of appeasement are discussed. The symbolic use of costume foods and ornaments in conflict resolutions and their symbolic importance and effectiveness are all enunciated in the paper.

 

28.  Ajayi Adewale, The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State. deawale@yahoo.com, Telephone: 08056976180.

 

Performance, Identity  and Fictionality in Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence." Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence" is a novel that uses performance elements and strategies in the presentation of man's struggles across time in personal, social, historical, mythical and fictional contexts all of which the novelist assert are contributory and intrinsic parts of human existence. The novelist deploys the performance of identity and oral forms as strategic elements in deepening fictionality. With these resources, he also shows the human condition and survival strategies that human elements, the weak and powerful, the aspiring and the successful employ to meet the complex challenges of existence in a world shaped by competition and disfigured by negative colorations of rivalry. Rushdie hinges his peculiar narrative style on depicting the palpably unreal and unlikely as events. Suppositions, make-belief, figments and artifices of the imagination, made up characters, assumed identities, unreal events constitute fictional elements that the novelist deploys in a novel with an historicist temperament utilizing ample space to represent a non-oriental civilization. 

 

29.  Babalola Ademola, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

 

Reclaiming and Reinvigorating African Culture: How Appropriate? Suffering from a sense of lost past, Africans since the subjugation of the continent from the nineteenth century till the present day are clamouring for Africa for Africans and a reclamation and re-invigoration of the culture(s) of Africans. However, within the broad frame of what is considered human culture, its evolution and growth, in this paper, we seek to know or find out which really is the African culture(s)? Moreover, within the context of a globalized world, how appropriate is it to demand for a reclamation and reinvigoration of what is considered the African culture.

 

30.  BABALOLA O.E, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IKERE- EKITI. Tomide4christ@yahoo.com & FASIKU, M. A.,  DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IKERE- EKITI.

ACCULTURATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON AFRICAN CULTURE: YORUBA AS A CASE STUDY. Culture is the totality of people's way of life as well as the device and method that a group of people adopts to tame and subdue their physical environment, in attempt to provide for their economic, religion, social, political and protective needs. Africa, one of the largest continents of the world portrays diversified cultural traits, this has made this continent to be grouped into cultural areas. This division therefore depends on geographical area occupied by people of distinct levels of cultural similarity. Yoruba as our case study in this paper is one of the organized ethnic groups in Africa that is noted for her distinctive and rich culture. Today, most of these cultural traits of Yoruba has been modified or even eroded by acculturation. It is against this background that this piece intends to examine different ways that acculturation had affected the culture of Africa with specific reference to the Yoruba. The paper made clarifications of some concepts such as acculturation and culture. The causes of acculturation as well as its effects were equally examined. The paper explored thematic and descriptive methods in approaching issues arise.

 

31.  Babayemi J. B., Department of Languages, College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria. +2348034834487, passoversch@yahoo.com, OR

babayemicomfort@yahoo.com

 

The Use of Symbols in the African Setting: A Case Study of the Yorubas:  The use of Symbols, especially among African, have been part of the Culture and education of the people. However, with the emergence of Christianity and Islam among the people, Symbols usages among the Yorubas are actually going into extinction. The paper highlights the Use of Symbols in the African Settings: A Case Study of the Yorubas. In an African culture, messages were then communicated through the forgotten means i.e. Symbols. This paper adopts the realism approach to access and examine how symbols were been used in the pre-colonial period among the Yorubas at home and the Diaspora. For theoretical validations, assertions are made into some pre-colonial practices among the Yorubas. The paper canvassed for the reawakening of these symbols as means of Instructional materials in our society

 

32.  Abdul Karim Bangura. Howard University 7532 Eighth Street, NW Washington, DC 20012 USA Home: 202.882.8228 (Preferred) The African Institution:  202.829.6554 Howard University Office:  202.806.6720 or 9388 or 6850

 

Religious Tolerance in Mwalimu Toyin Falola's Work: Intercultural Philosophical Correspondences in the Classic Allegory of The Parable of the Three Rings. If we understand intercultural philosophy as an endeavor to give expression to the many voices of philosophy in their respective cultural contexts and, therefore, generate a shared, fruitful discussion granting equal rights to all, we can then envision a philosophy that facilitates an attitude of mutual respect, listening, and learning among the major faiths in Nigeria: Yoruba religion, Christianity, and Islam. Employing a qualitative methodology, this essay examines Mwalimu Toyin Falola's work that highlights the unity that is embedded within the diversity among the three major Nigerian faiths. One of the most challenging theological issues of our time, how to account for the great number and diversity of world religions and at the same time to acknowledge their correspondences, is also one of the most troubling social issues confronting humanity. Disputes and disagreements over religious beliefs have been and continue to be sources of conflict around the world. Yet upon careful observation of the basis or foundation of most religions, one will find correspondences among the basic beliefs behind them. This paper hypothesizes, therefore, that the three major Nigerian religions have common values; and that while religious persecution is built on ignorance, peace can only be achieved by knowledge and understanding. The study presented here bases its hypothesis on The Parable of the Three Rings, a classic allegory for religious tolerance and understanding. For data collection, this study employed expert interviews and the document analysis technique, and relied on both historical and contemporary sources, namely passages from the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an, as well as scholarly books, journals, and Internet sources. The findings elucidate the fundamental correspondences among these religions and suggest that religiously inspired terror is unwarranted and unjustified.

33.  Abdul Karim Bangura. Howard University 7532 Eighth Street, NW Washington, DC 20012 USA Home: 202.882.8228 (Preferred) The African Institution:  202.829.6554 Howard University Office:  202.806.6720 or 9388 or 6850

 

Fractal Complexity in Mwalimu Toyin Falola's A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: A Pluridisciplinary

Exploration of Cultural Power. While my elaborate search yielded 48 scholarly citations and more than half a dozen scholarly book reviews on Mwalimu Toyin Falola's A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: An African Memoir (2005), no systematic analysis has been done on the text, even though such potential exists. This study is an attempt to fill this gap. Specifically, I employ the mathematical concept of Fractal Dimension and Complexity Theory to explore the idea of spectrum progressing from more orderly to less orderly or to pure disorder in terms of cultural power in the text. This called for the utilization of the Pluridisciplianry approach that helped me to mix linguistics and mathematical approaches—more precisely, Linguistic Presupposition and Fractal Methodology. The results generated after the MATLAB computer runs suggest that the combination of negative and positive feedback loops, which form the basis of several African knowledge systems, also form a key mechanism of general self-organizing systems of cultural power discussed in A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: An African Memoir.

 

34.  Bashiru Akande LASISI (PhD), Department of Theatre Arts University of Ibadan, University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria, 08033884648, bashbalga@yahoo.com, bashbalga@gmail.com

 

TEACHER DON'T TEACH ME NONSENSE: AFRICAN CHILD, MOTION PICTURE AND IDENTITY CRISIS:  An African child is in a state of perpetual crisis as he is faced with conflicting images of Africa and Africans. In this state of confusion, his attempt at finding out the authentic African image is usually faced with failure and frustration. The objective of this paper therefore is to examine the contribution of the motion picture to the distortion of African identity and disorientation of an African child. The paper highlighted the position of scholars with regards African identity and conducted a sociological analysis of the contents of drama and films on local and satellite television stations that are indicative of what an African image is all about.  Findings showed that relegation of African oral tradition, limited knowledge of content providers about Africa and Africans, Eurocentricity, economic factors, using the western world as denominator and low self esteem are some of the major factors that are responsible for the distortion of an African image. It therefore recommended conscious efforts by African culture experts to build the capacity of content providers, Africans to spend more time in learning about Africa and Africans and imparting such on the younger ones and also for culture promoters to live by examples by consistently projecting the authentic image of Africa and Africans through their actions and deeds.

 

35.  BAYO AMOLE, DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, NIGERIA.

THE BOYS QUARTERS:  AN ENDURING COLONIAL LEGACY IN NIGERIA.  There are many features of the Nigerian environment, today, that are legacies of the British colonial history in Nigeria.  One of the most notable, perhaps because of its visibility are some physical features of those cities which were administrative centers under the colonial rule and have remained in that capacity in one form or the other after independence.  These cities have retained segregated residential districts as in the 'colonial city' and in particular have maintained a system of residential estates for which the colonial government residential area (GRA) has been the model; together with its 'bungalow compound-complex' as the main feature.  Outside these residential estates and an old traditional core-housing, the rest of the city is divided into small and large plot sizes of which a sizable proportion has replicated the basic form of the 'bungalow compound-complex' with one main house and a servants' quarters behind it. The focus of this paper is the servants' quarters popularly called, "Boys Quarters", in the context of one of the modern residential estates, the Obafemi Awolowo University campus estate in Nigeria.  The study compares the estate with the colonial G.R.A. and examines the uses of and attitudes of residents towards the Boys Quarters.  The aim is to examine ways in which the same spatial-physical organization has been adopted in different socio-cultural context and explore those issues which can explain the enduring presence of the "Boys Quarters".  It is hoped that the understanding gained from this study may inform future policies towards the "Boys Quarters" as an element of the dwelling unit, especially in Government subsidized housing estates such as the one under study.

 

36.  BLAVO, E.B., Department of Classics, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State.tundeblavo@yahoo.com, +2348162746193

 

PATRON-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP IN ANCIENT ROME AND GODFATHERISM IN NIGERIA

Godfatherism, as a concept, has long been a constant issue in the socio-political space of many societies of the world. Hardly is there any society that does not have traces of godfatherism either in its socio-political, economic or religious life. The concept 'Godfatherism' connotes different meaning to different people. As a result, many societies have different appellations to describe the concept. In antiquity, particularly in ancient Rome, Godfatherism is represented in Patron-client relationships; a relationship between two unequal parties in which the weaker party looked to  the stronger for protection and the stronger expected the weaker to show gratitude, loyalty and respect.  In Nigeria, nevertheless, Godfatherism has a socio-cultural root in almost all the ethnic groups of the country. But it is more pronounced in Nigeria Politics due to its controversial nature. Activities of the so called 'godfathers' are vehemently condemned because of the claim that it has a 'negative impact' on the socio-political space of the country. Thus, this paper, however, simply traces the concept of Godfatherism to ancient Roman society, particularly to the Republican Rome, and attempts to elucidate on the patterns and resemblances which it has taken in recent times in Nigeria. Exploring the parallels between the two concepts, the paper concludes by briefly explaining the ingredients or contractual elements in both patronage and Godfatherism in Ancient Rome and Nigeria respectively.

 

37. BOJOR ENAMHE (PhD), DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, CROSS RIVER UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, CALABAR, CROSS RIVERSTATE, NIGERIA.

Blossomenamhe@yahoo.com, 08023020086

Costumes and Apparels of popular Masquerades in Cross River State, Nigeria.  Masquerades perform throughout Africa, practically in most cultures of the world. Origin traced as early as when man began to participate in ceremonies and festivals. Today, masquerades still perform with great artistic value connected to some functional expressions. They have become an essential part of the people's way of life. This study focuses on some popular masquerades in Cross River state. The state is acknowledged for the beauty of its culture, and a heritage of tourism and hospitality. A comprehensive study is yet to be undertaken in this area. The present study is an attempt towards providing the artistic context of the variety of costumes, apparels and masks found in this part of the country. The visual grandeur of the very expressive art form is rich and colourful, drawn from local resources. This study was prompted by a fascinating interest in the skillful artistic display of colours and other design elements. It is the view of the researcher that, to fully understand and appreciate the immense artistic work done, as noticed on the masquerades, a study of the costumes and apparels is a fruitful and necessary one. Costumes and apparels as important aesthetic elements of masquerades cannot be over emphasized. These elements determine the overall performance of the masquerades, this paper makes the point with literature, photographs and interviews.

 

38.  Busayo Ajayi (Miss), General Studies Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. 0803 234 4965; bushine2004@yahoo.com

 

THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN THE CONFLICT AMONG THE PLATEAU PEOPLE OF NIGERIA: Language plays an important role in the culture and identity of a particular people.  A group of people can be identified by their language, that is one can identify a particular group of people by the language they speak. Language is regarded as one important factor in the identification of a particular tribe, culture or ethnic group. Language, culture and identity are inter-related such that their relationship can be seen in clear terms. The Plateau people have a variety of dialects, but their unifying language is Hausa Language. Even though the Plateau people speak Hausa as their common language, they do not like to be referred to as Hausa people. Overtime, there has been conflict among the Plateau people of Nigeria and several attempts have been made to look at the source of the conflict from different perspectives such as religious and political perspectives. This paper examines the role of language in the conflict among the Plateau people and attempts to look at the ways in which Language can bring about resolution of the conflict among the plateau people of Nigeria.

 

39.  Busuyi Mekusi (PhD), Department of English, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Email: mekusotayo@yahoo.com

 

The Defunct 'Self' and 'Other': Constructing New Identity for Nationhood in Zakes Mda's The Bells of Amersfoort. The construction of boundaries by different groups has helped foster the formation of identity and beliefs, leading to a distinction of one from the other. However, such exclusion achieved, often times through social closure, gets threatened and impaired by the various movements, either forced or self-willed, witnessed across borders. The presence of the Afrikaners, with Dutch ancestry, in South Africa is one of the contemporary reflection of such dislocations and dispersal in both the remote past or and in the recent precinct of contemporary discourses. The racial conflicts as witnessed in the apartheid era find a place in the separate development policy aimed at preserving the language and identity of the Afrikaners as a race, with a claim to a corresponding development of black Africans as a group. Whatever the shortcomings of this social-cultural and political dynamics, people in the new South Africa have found themselves under the imperative of cohabiting together irrespective of their racial backgrounds. This paper examines how Zakes Mda's The Bells of Amersfoort has interrogated the processes of the inclusion and exclusion that aided conflict and designed belongings and how a sheer new experience has precipitated a new attitude and approach from people in their commitment to nationhood through multicultural simulation and cross-cultural mixing. The paper argues that the dissolution of all the borders that establish the 'us' and 'them' paradigm will occasion the integration needed for the building of new nationalism. It, however, identifies, by way of conclusion, abuse of power as one of the great threats to the emerging order. 

 

40.  Dr. Tushabe, Caroline, Kansas State University, USA.  tushabe@k-state.edu

 

Africa, Who Art Thou?: Knowledge, Cultural Identity and Development. Kwasi Wiredu's article, "Our Problem of Knowledge: Brief Reflections on Knowledge and Development in Africa" published in Ivan Karp's and D.A. Masolo's edited collection, African Philosophy as Cultural Inquiry, presents a wide range of problematics as well as challenges, specifically on Africa's failure to take charge of its destiny.  Wiredu's claim that "the most obvious problem is that much of the knowledge we need in Africa is in the hands, and sometimes in the heads, of non-Africans" (181), identifies an outsider-imposed script on Africa as responsible for Africa's "failure" to create conditions under which individuals realize their own and their community's interests.  Although according to Wiredu, Africa's "failure" to "develop" emerges from ill-conceived projects of modernization, the inability to "brand Africa", and assimilation tendencies which denigrate African cultures, it also seems that industrialization is incompatible with African cultural values, since industrialization encourages urbanization and individualism, and motivates self-interest and alienates altruism (184-5).  This paper argues that this common defense of African communal ethics in Wiredu supports colonial identification of Africans: stuck in traditional practices and unable to cultivate the art of living.  This paper shifts responsibility from outsider to insider locales of epistemology in the cultivation of human excellence of mind and body and development without self-denigration or validation of colonial portrait of Africa and Africans.

 

41. Cassandra R. Veney, Ph.D., Associate Professor, 1 LMU Drive, Department of Political Science

Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California  90045, cveney@lmu.edu, (310) 258-5468

 

 

The African Diaspora in the United States and Its Response to the War on Terrorism: In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, new laws were passed to extend laws that were passed during the pre-9/11 attacks.   These new laws are important to analyze, but what is also very important is a better understanding of the pre-existing laws that began to erode the civil liberties of those were had migrated to the country. Pre and post-9/11 laws had a profound effect on African immigrants and refugees.  This paper will examine how both sets of laws affected African immigrants and refugees in the United States in terms of national identities, efforts to gain legal residency or citizenship in an effort to escape various policies and to become more American.  It will also address changing identities of African refugees and immigrants in terms of their daily lives, associations, religious practices, and cultural practices.  It will address basic facts about these two groups in terms of their countries of origin, numbers of men and women, levels of education, and immigration status.  There was great enthusiasm following the election of President Barack Obama and many saw his election as an opportunity to craft fairer immigration and refugee policies.  The paper will examine if after almost three years in office, what has changed by asking several questions that include:  have the rates of deportations for Africans and members of the African Diaspora decreased after President Obama was sworn in?   What are the numbers of Africans and African descended people who have been detained?  Finally, have these factors led to an increase in political identity in terms of adjusting their status to become citizens that will allow them to vote and run for office.

 

42.  Chijioke Odii,  Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria.  08030880896. E-mail: divinechiji@yahoo.com

 

Implications of Quantitative and Qualitative Imbalances in Global News Flow on Pan-Africanism: This paper examines the implications of the quantitative and qualitative imbalances in global news flow for Pan--Africanism. The glaring quantitative and qualitative imbalances in global news flow that appear to have defied all attempts at correction have been in the disfavour of Africa. Very little is said about Africa in the foreign media and the scanty information treasures oddity, portraying the continent in the negative light. More revealing is that the African mass  media have been turned into Trojan horses for the transmission of Western values and for the perpetuation of media and cultural imerialism. The negative images of Africa- poverty, corruption, diseases, famine and war- that swamp the local and the foreign media frustrate attempts at re-discovering and re-defining the African destiny. This paper, therefore, aims to evaluate the consequences of the global news flow imbalances on Pan-Africanism and how to remedy the ugly trend.  It employs the survey research design, with Indepth Interview and Focus Group Discussion as methods of data generation.

 

43.  Chika Okeke-Agulu (Princeton University), 305 McCormick Hall, Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeton, NJ08544, 609-258-7456; cokekeag@princeton.edu

 

Mbari International: Transacting modernism in post-Independence Nigeria. Histories of modern art in Africa often describe the role of European critics and mentors who, having established art workshops, unilaterally chaperoned modernist work in the decade before and after political independence. This paper sidesteps such narratives, examining instead a different, arguably more significant intellectual history of the production and transaction of modernism in mid-20th century Africa. I focus on the intricate networks of African, European and African diaspora artists, critics, and writers convened in the early 1960s under the auspices of the Mbari Artists and Writers Club, Ibadan in Nigeria. The Mbari Club provided unprecedented space and resources for production, presentation and critique of new art and literature, as well as the platform for robust debate on the constitution of postcolonial artistic subjectivity, and the language of its expression. This paper shows the extent to which the postcolonial modernism that emerged in Mbari Ibadan depended on the discrepant mobilization, by an international cast of artists and critics, of African and European artistic resources in order to radically imagine and to articulate their unfolding postcolonial condition.

 

44. Chris Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Nigeria. Email:iafn@yahoo.com

 

PAN AFRICANISM – PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS IN THE 21^ST CENTURY.

The struggle for self-determination and identity are as old as humanity. They are expressions of man's attempt to free himself from a perceived maltreatment and dehumanization. It is on this premise that Pan African Movement was born as a fiery reaction to the obnoxious and unspeakable indignity visited on Africans by European Slave Masters. By the middle of 1940s, the Movement had incorporated Africa nationalism, and became an irrepressible pivot for African Unity. Consequently, this vision became a nationalist ideology that would liberate the continent from colonial thraldom. The paper argues that it was this nationalist impulse that hastened the political independence of the continent ,and the formation of the Organization of African Unity and other continental groups in the  1960s. Unfortunately, from the 1980s to the New Millennium, the Pan African vigor had witnessed a politico- cultural lull and nosedived into the morass of passivity. This was exacerbated by the emergence of needless civil wars, increasing poverty and the widening disconnect between the Global African Diaspora and the continent. No doubt, all these have obviously diminished the sharp focus and mission of Pan Africanism which was formalized by Henry Sylvester Williams in 1900. The paper concludes that with the constant and unpredictable changes that have characterized the global order and its slogan of survival of the fittest, Pan Africanism must restrategize so that it can enhance its prospects and subdue some of the emerging problems in the 21^st century.

 

45.  Christina N. Bazzaroni, Florida International University, 1986 Biarritz Drive, #104, Miami Beach, FL USA 33141, Cbazz001@fiu.edu, 415.702.5099

 

Dangerous Zones of Intimacy: Transgressive White Female Desire, or Fetishization of the Black Male Body?  Can we just like something without fetishizing? Several authors have talked about interracial sexual relationships in the colonial context and the African Diaspora relating to the intersections of sex, race, and power.  These authors speak about the concept of desire and the objectification and fetishization of the black male body.  What is distinctive about these authors is the standpoint from which the "gaze" is perpetrated. In this paper I contribute to the ongoing discussion by engaging in a comparative analysis that looks at the dynamics of interracial sexual relationships under colonial rule versus how we understand and negotiate these types of relationships today.  I suggest that the impact of colonial desire was central to the development of white female fetishization and sexualization of the racialized male other.  From this positionality, I interrogate are the legacies of colonialism for interracial sexual relationships today. How have colonial policies shaped understandings of the "Other"? How do interracial couples today navigate borders and boundaries that are marked by colonial legacies? What are the political implications of white female desire? I will draw on several texts for this analysis, Ann Laura Stoler's Carnal Knowledge and Imperial Power, Erica Chito Childs Navigating Interracial Borders: Black-White Couples and Their Social Worlds, Kobena Mercer's Welcome to the Jungle, Fanon's Black Skin White Masks, Ruth Frankenberg's White Women, Race Matters, and Naomi Zach's Race and Mixed Race. I will look at opposing theoretical viewpoints and positionalities to uncover greater nuances within the US context and its situated histories. 

 

46.  Chuku Umezurike, PhD, Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

+234 (0)703 3676 350, chuku.umezurike@unn.edu.ng or chukuumezurike@yahoo.com

 

The Convergence of Ethno-Religious Conflicts and Violence: An Examination of their Characters and Implications in Nigeria's Fourth Republic.  The conjunctive study of ethnic and religious conflicts and violence has derived from the manner in which the two have converged in most countries of the world today. In Nigeria, it has become possible for ethnic conflicts and violence to take place on their own; but it has always been the case that each time religious conflicts and violence occurred, they wear the toga of ethnic identity. In this manner, the ideological forces of religion and the conflicts and violence that have accompanied these forces have been effectively strengthened by the characteristic persistence of ethnic identities in Nigeria. This study examines the nature of this convergence in Nigeria as a preliminary step for the examination of how they have played out in the country's Fourth Republic. The three general propositions that have guided the study include: the convergence has strengthened the masquerading of the fundamental causes of conflicts and violence in Nigeria and by so doing limited the propensities for solving them; the convergence of ethno-religious conflicts and violence in Nigeria has been responsible for their mutual sustenance and endemic character; and finally, that the convergence has been exploited by political rule in Nigeria's Fourth Republic thereby limiting the scope of solving them. Data for testing the propositions are collected from secondary sources in Nigeria embracing all the ethno-religious conflicts and violence in the country especially over the current Fourth Republic. While the political economy approach is used to define the theoretical framework of analysis, some logical deductions had been used to analyse series of tabular and other related forms of data presentation. 

47.  Clement Etim Ekong, Department of Fine and Industrial Arts, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Nigeria. domosehekong@yahoo.com,  08023928171; 08132216503.

OBERI OKAIME'S MEDEFAIDRIN LANGUAGE AND SCRIPT:  AN ARTISTIC LEGACY LOST TO CULTURAL COLONIALISM.  Many traditional societies in the world evolved symbols and scripts because of their early awareness of its usefulness in cultural identification.  Today most of these traditional societies, and cultures especially those in the occidental and oriental world are being remembered world wide for their contributions toward writing and civilization, but some especially those of African origin are not mentioned even at the national level.  This is the fate of oberi okaime's medefaidrin language and script originated by a group of people in what is now known as Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.  The focus is on the script which was developed in the 1920s and later suppressed by the colonial authorities.  Through survey method, the paper re-echos oberi okaime's medefaidrin script with the object of dismissing the myth that traditional African continent was bereft of writing; showcasing Africa's wealth of creativity in the field of letters; countering the claim that traditional Africa was culturally impoverished because it lacked letters/scripts to record its cultural myths, ideas and aspirations.  The paper submits that if the language and the script were allowed to exist and grow naturally, it could have placed its originators and by extension the nation and the continent in a position of global excellence considering the uniqueness of its alphabets. 

 

48.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. 234-0827311048, 234-7065246454, forthspring@yahoo.com

 

Multiculturalism: Enriching cultural enterprises for national development.  This paper strives to extricate multiculturalism which often resulted from the concentration of people of different cultures initiated by geo-political actions of the people or colonialism and it is common in nations and continents. The paper stressed the process through which multiculturalism enriches cultural enterprises for national development as well as took a swirl on each constituent of culture and its economic embodiment that swells national development. It x-rayed the collective strength of multiculturalism and the bountiful enterprises bequeathed on the people of any nation that is multiculturalised. It further substantiated the need for nations to take advantage of enterprise potentials of multiculturalism for national development. It posit that, rather than mirror multiculturalism as differences and allow it inform negative political views, its enterprise advantage should be exploited. This is because it is capable of creating employment as well as enhance choices of cultural products and services. It further held that multiculturally influenced cultural enterprises culminate into multi-economic values for a nation. Therefore, it suggested the exploitation of multicultural enterprises benefits which enriches national development. The paper concluded that the benefits of multiculturalism should be of utmost consideration rather than the differences within the component cultures. It however, insisted on the political management of multiculturalism through a cultural policy mechanism that provides for equality to avoid violence which often stems from violation of cultural rights. It added that multiculturalism goes with multicultural alternatives in resolving cultural conflicts in the event of mutual co-existence.

 

49.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D, Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. 234-0827311048, 234-7065246454, forthspring@yahoo.com

 

Commodification of culture: Marketing Ethno-national identities. This article's aimed at postulating that the commodification of culture is a process of marketing; presenting, advertising and selling the various aspects of culture including ethnic identities which flows into national culture. It argued that each ethnic culture has the potential for the commodification of all the components of its culture. These include dance, music, comic art, drama wood carvings, sculpture, traditional textile materials, leather works storytelling, foods, body accessories, ideas, philosophy, etc. It strives to establish commodification as processed and raw cultural products. It examined commodification of culture in a growing economy, its input into job creation, tourism and government support through cultural policy. It held that culture is commodified to enhance ethnic identities which flows to inform national cultural identity, hence, commodification gives rise to market placement of the culture so commodified along with its ethnic and national identities in local and international markets. It further argued that government should deploy incentives to further advance commodification of culture. It concluded that commodification of culture should be encouraged because it is the only means of marketing ethnic and national identities through cultural products and it gives opportunity for competitive advantage in national and international markets.

 

 

50.  Donald O.Omagu, PhD, Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island, New York. donomagu_01@yahoo.com, 718-404-5786©

 

On 'Globalization and its victim': Marriage and Emerging trends among Bekwarra people. The processes of globalization hasbrought into contactdiverse blendof cultures of different countries and peoples resulting in cultural borrowing and diffusion amongst nations. Africa's socio cultural institutions are believed to be in a cultural dilemma ever since its integration with other nations. With the rise of a global culture, Western norms and practices are adopted as a standard way of behavior. Indeed, globalization has been associated with the destruction of cultural identities and "subverting many local norms and rituals governing such important traditional social institutionof marriage. This paper, therefore, assess the impact of globalization on Bekwarra institution of marriage. In its analysis, the paper concludes that, Africa is fast running the risk of cultural bankruptcy as a result of globalization.

51. Donald O. Omagu, PhD,

"Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water"? :Globalization and Traditional Africa Family Patterns in Bekwarra.  Globalization has been associated with a range of cultural consequences that can be analyzed in terms homogenization, polarization, and hybridization. In the process of International interactions, there is the process of harmonizing different culture and beliefs. The trend toward global culture has been captured in the gradual transformation of African family organizations away from corporate kinship and extended families toward nuclear households. This paper argues that through the process of globalization, Africa has encountered alien processes and practices that are a threat to traditional Africa family patterns in Bekwarra. The paper further proposes strategies to globalize so as to avoid the destruction of Bekwarra cultural identities in the midst of global cultures.

 

52.  Oladotun Ayobade, The University of Texas at Austin, 6010 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX. 78752 (512) 903-7590,  dotunayobade@utexas.edu, dotunayobade@gmail.com

 

 

"Poor Performances": Poverty, Survival and Creativity in the Performances Stand-up Comic Acts in Urban Nigeria. Discourses on poverty and its impact on subsistence in Nigeria have been reduced to gloomy statistics and analytical frameworks that fail to account for the creative energies flexed by Nigerians in evolving model survival tactics. These debates on poverty within and about Nigeriaare mostly devoid of the myriad strategies through which artists refashion themselves and stretch the boundaries of their survival. This paper seeks to analyze the works of three stand-up comedians – Holy Mallam, I Go Dye and Teju Babyface (each selected for their engagement with the socio-cultural ethos of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria)— whose works are inspired of and energized by their individual experiences of poverty, and which have in turn been constituted into viable strategies for survival in urban Nigeria. Within this discursive framework, poverty is conceptualized atypically as an impetus for the empowerment for urban artistes, especially for ghetto acts and stand-up comics; poverty is invoked not in pathological terms as a socio-psychological paralyzant but rather as a stimulant of creativity and economic empowerment. Among other considerations, this paper seeks to explore the following questions: through what embodied artistic practices do stand-up comedians reflect their shave with poverty? What performance paradigms are employed in negotiating poverty as a framework for empowerment among stand-up comedians, and how are these performances reflexive to survival in urban Nigeria? What kinds of connections exist between experiences of poverty and creative agency in Nigeria? By analyzing the various embodied expressions of stand-up comedians, I argue that poverty not only constitutes a potent muse for these stand-up comedians, but it is also essential to the continued flourishing of their work.

 

53.  Doyin Aguoru  Ph.d,  English and Performing Arts Department, Olabisi Onabanjo  University, Ago-Iwoye., 070525987937 & 07035047854; doyinaguoru77@yahoo.com

 

Theatre and National Identity; The Tiv Example, The Tiv Success.  The Tiv of Nigeria is a nation with a strong and dominant ethnic identity. The disposition of the nation within the Nigerian nation distinguishes it amongst several ethnic groups. The theatre of the Tiv people is an aspect of their identity which reflects the ethnic values of the Tiv peoples. Kwagh-hir emerges as a tool of ethnicity in Tivland. It serves as a theatre of mobilization, self realization, preservation of traditional arts; specifically, sculpture, carving and  masquerading. Kwagh-hirfor the Tiv is a resource for unification, wealth creation, technological, religious and political conscientization. This paper  examines and  explicates  the Tiv ethnic  ideology and  success.

54. Dr (Mrs) Gloria Eme Worugji,  BA (UNIPORT), MPA, MA, Ph.D (UNICAL) , LECTURER DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND MEDIA STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, CALABAR.                                           ajieleeme @ yahoo. com; Phone nos. 08035085285 / 08184432542                                                      

 

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MARRIAGE AND FEMALE OPPRESSION IN AKACHI EZEIGBO'S FICTIONS.  Marriage and motherhood are the greatest role of every woman in Umuga, Igbo community as revealed by Akachi Ezeigbo in The Last of the Strong Ones (p.37). The Igbo man believes that marriage is the greatest status any woman can acquire.  An unmarried woman in Igbo culture is not regarded as an adult, no matter her age, and she is not respected. Ironically, it is within marriage that the Igbo woman mostly suffers oppression. She becomes a voiceless and often rightless possession.  She loses her name and her identity stands in danger of depending solely on her husband's, while she becomes enamoured of the title "Mrs".  When she becomes a mother, her identity is further altered as she becomes "Nne" X (mother of) thus her identity is completely overshadowed by her experience of wifehood and motherhood.  Nothing identifies a person better than her name; when a woman's name is taken away, she becomes an appendage and a non-person. This paper examines the position of women in marriage in the cultural context, to ascertain the extent to which they are oppressed and denied their identity, even in marriage which is inevitable to every Nigerian woman and the Igbo woman in particular, as it were. It further stresses that polygamy and bride price is an aid to this oppression and calls for a change in attitude from the men who carry out this cultural sentiments and its act against the women.    

55.  Dr Mike Adeyeye, Department of Local Government Studies, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. madeyeye2002@yahoo.com, : +234(0)8037181009

 

Africa's Decentralization Reforms: Context and Conditions.  Advocacy of greater citizen participation in governance isbacked by democratic theorists and social psychologists who underscore that when participation works, it is not only good for government,it can give people a sense of belonging, a sense of control over theirlives and can even be a source of happiness.Yet despite promisingso much, being able to reap the rewards of citizen engagement is a dilemma. The paper argues that one of the most popular state reforms that has opened spaces for a wider and deeper participation of citizens at the local level has been decentralization process. In the last decade, we've seen growing political commitment globally to giving citizens more of a voice in the decisions that affect them. More so, Africa's continued efforts to build and regenerate local government has always placed citizens at the heart of the argument. But while there have been relative successes, the overall result is a crucial paradox. Likewise evolving and involving democratic citizenship in different aspects of governance has become an important part of reinvigorating democracy.Spanning different countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa etc., the paper interrogates the dynamics of citizen engagement in the decentralization trajectories; and the fact that citizens involvement in healthy democracy must be rooted in a culture in which democratic values and practices shape not just the formal sphere of politics, but the informal sphere of everyday life.

56.  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD), Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.  tinaosezua@yahoo.com; +234 8068709984  &  Dupe Taiwo, Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.  dupe4yoth@yahoo.com, +234 8062234960

 

From Disempowerment to Empowerment? A Study on the Trajectory of Cross Border Sex Trade among Benin Women of Southern Nigerian. Extant literature gives inadequate attention to the use of micro theoretical approaches in examining the phenomenon of cross border sex trade among the Benin of Southern Nigeria, a region described as the hub of sex trafficking in Nigeria. This paper therefore, fills this gap by adopting an ethnographic approach in the socio-cultural and historic milieu in which the phenomenon of international sex trade occurs and the current trajectories it is presently undergoing. Qualitative data were obtained from key informants who are the custodians of Benin culture and relevant archival materials were also engaged in order establish the rationale for the pervasiveness of cross border sex trade in the region. The study found that Benin earlier contact with the Portuguese had fifteenth century culminated in a commercial intercourse between them which then established a prestige structure in the traditional Benin Society. Hence, contact with the Europeans, which entailed overseas travel is still perceived among the Benin People of Southern Nigeria as status symbol, thus explaining the prevailing value structure which deifies "traveling overseas". The paper further revealed that, women of the socio-economic stratum of this Benin extraction accept the option provided by lucrative cross border sex trade overseas. The paper concludes that migration to overseas by Benin women is perceived as a form of social and economic empowerment against the backdrop of apparent cultural discrimination which privileges males over females in the region.

 

57. Dr Remy Oriaku,  Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.  roriaku@yahoo.com & roriakudr@gmail.com,  +234-8033237076

 

Between African Migrants in Search of Opportunities and Their Nervous European Hosts: Divergent Attitudes to Migrant Labour and International Prostitution in Five African Novels. Technological innovations in the last fifty years have led to phenomenal improvement of communications facilities, growth of commerce and the movement of people, thus facilitating the mingling of the world's peoples to an extent that had previously not been imagined. While some people have applauded the seeming erasure of state boundaries, the meshing of racial/ethnic identities and closer interactions of the world's peoples and tried to exploit the advantages accruing from this situation, there has been disquiet in some quarters where the new trends are seen in terms of erosion of privileges and threats to the comfort and social security that communities had been used to. International prostitution and human trafficking, as related spin-offs from globalization, are often portrayed by western European state officials and activists as modern day slavery. Echoing this, the mass media frequently report the deportation of aliens and efforts at eradicating what they depict as inhuman and immoral use of people. Underlying this, however, is a European fear of being swamped by people they had regarded as their inferiors and their instinct of self-preservation. This paper will explore the portrayal in five African novels – Amma Darko's Beyond the Horizon, Chris Abani's Becoming Abigail, Ifeoma Chinwuba's Merchant of Flesh, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo's Trafficked, and Chika Unigwe's On Black Sisters' Street – of the divergent perceptions of migrant labour in western Europe.

58. Dr. Taiwo Olunlade, Dept. of African Languages , Literatures and Communication Arts, Lagos State University, Ojoo, Lagos. drolunlade@Yahoo.com

THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION IN YORUBA LITERATURE
The paper attempts to fish out culture of corruption  in some aspects of Yoruba literature. The paper reveals that corruption is  found everywhere in different aspects of the literature as may be found in different  literature of the world. It is also established that human beings are likely to continue to be corrupt, except there is strong determination to punish any corrupt person, so that it can serve as deterrent to others

 

59. Dr TOYI  MARIE- THÉRÈSE, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, BENSON IDAHOSA UNIVERSITY, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA. +234 (0)8101043579;  theresetoyi@yahoo.fr

Ethnic  Conflict in Burundi: Implications on Education, Culture  and Economy.   In spite of the laudable political and humanitarian efforts to tackle the cyclical ethnic-related conflicts in Burundi, the impact of the refugee and returnee phenomena on the culture, the education and the economy of the country and beyond, have not yet received their due attention. This study intends to create awareness about this issue.  It first identifies the refugee and returnee–related new linguistic trends in Burundi, together with their subsequent educational impact. How many Burundians learned Kiswahili in exile in Tanzania or in The Democratic Republic of Congo, not only for educational or professional reasons, but also for survival, but who, back to Burundi, saw their exile language turn into an obstacle to pursue standard education? Why has their plight not attracted as much attention as did war orphans, widows,  and former child soldiers? This study also overviews the Burundian values exported through the refugee phenomenon into countries where they met as big groups.   One case in point is that of Burundians' attachment to land and to farming activities, which has impacted on the economic activities of their host countries, namely Tanzania, Congo, and Cameroun.

 

60.  Dr. Anya U. Egwu, Department of Languages, School of Human Development, College of Developmental Studies, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.  ikechi07@yahoo.co.uk; 08039172267

Concretizing the Drama of the Fourth Stage: the Burden of the Interpretation of Ikpirikpe-ogu Ritual Dance Drama of the Cross-river Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria:  The African mythopoeic consciousness envisions an order of four unseverably linked spaces where the drama of existence is intractably and unendingly being staged. The living enact that drama on the temporal, 'here', stage; the 'living-dead' on the atemporal stage of the luminous in the metaphysical expanse; and the unborn on a metaphysical space of a different divide. The fourth stage, also in the metaphysical turf, is the threshold of 'being', the transitional gulf. This is where the struggle, the drama of existence, (of going and coming} climaxes and is resolved.Soyinka's metaphysics has so well demonstrated with the myth of ogun how this drama (the 'coming' drama) of the fourth stage is played out. In this paper I am set to show how the 'going' drama of that stage is reified by the ikpirikpe-ogu ritual dance of the Cross-river Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria. Victor Turner's ritual theory will be used and adapted to Soyinka's transitional poetics to illustrate this drama of transition – the process of 'becoming' from 'not being'. Again, the aim is to show that the ikpirikpe-ogu ritual dance is a speaking voice which dramatically but concretely narrates the drama of the fourth stage.

61.  Dr. Belkacem Iratni, Professor of Politics and International Relations, Chairman of the Scientific Committee, Faculty of Political Science and Information, University of Algiers, Algeria, +213 (0)556 35 12 75; kacemiratni@hotmail.com

 

The Tuareg dilemma: The search for a Nation, the response of the central States and Regional Entanglements.  The paper looks at the socio and political situation the Targui minorities are facing in Niger and Mali, being torn between the desire to obtain social, political and cultural rights through violent rebellions and the temptations to achieve the hidden dream of a national identity that would transcend the frontiers of established states of all of Niger, Mali, Libya and Algeria. It also aims at scrutinizing the response of these States to Targui irredentism and cultural particularism and questioning the supposed connections of Targui rebels with Salafi ideology, terrorist activism, drug trafficking and smuggling of light arms. The paper raises the recurrent question of the fragile posture of the identity of the post-African State in its dealings with the resurgence of the political and cultural rights of minorities in rapidly changing international and regional contexts. 

 

62.  DR. EMMA OSONNA UGWULEBO,  Department Of Sociology, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. Phone- +2348034373984,  ugwuleboeo@yahoo.com

 

NATIONALITIES, IDENTITIES AND THE NIGERIAN STATE: The Nigerian state, being a colonial creation, is littered with several nationalities and identities. The country has about 350 ethnic nationalities with about 250 languages co-habiting in a not- to-cordial atmosphere. Several identities equally litter the country obtrusively manifesting themselves in the orbit of religion from where they are increasingly causing confusion in the system. The cumulative effect of the existence of nationalities and identities has been the existence of strictures and dissonances which manifest themselves in the form of destructions, underdevelopment, retrogression and other atavistic behaviours within the system. This is interestingly embarrassing to Africans and Africans in  Diaspora. Nationalities negate the unity of the country by striving for its redefinition and have led to the emergence of ethnic militias, among other divisive tendencies. Identities, on the other hand, have visited the nation with death as could be seen in the activities of the Maitasine religious sect, the Boko Haram religious sect, etc. These have led to internal displacements and internal migrations. The government is, therefore, enjoined to be alive to its responsibility by controlling the existence of these rudderless groups and guaranteeing the security of lives and property of her citizenry anywhere. Nigerians should be enlightened on the need for peaceful co-existence in a multi-ethnic and secular state. The information for this work was gathered through library research and personal observations.

 

63.  Dr. Gloria Chuku, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland21250, USA, chuku@umbc.edu

 

Nigerian Intellectuals, History, Ethnicity and Nationalism

  Modern Nigerian intellectuals as producers and purveyors of knowledge, ideas and societal norms, have      always played vital roles in all facets of socio-political life of the country, including the construction of        the ideologies of national liberation, national identity, and national unity. They were involved in the articulation of the project of the Nigerian nation-state and the most suitable political models to manage the diversity of its ethnic constituencies. Largely due to the fragility of the nation-state project and the resilient ethnic roots and sentiments, Nigerian intellectuals have continuously struggled to navigate the delicate balance between loyalty to the country and loyalty to its ethnic components, a situation that has become more daunting than ever before in the face of increased ethnonationalisms. The proposed paper argues that while it is almost impossible to achieve sustained national unity when the process of nation-building remains insensitive to ethnic nuances and local subjectivities, it is imperative that ethnic identities and loyalty are carefully managed in such a way that they do not undermine efforts towards national integration and development. Drawing from the works of such Nigerian historians as Adiele Afigbo, Bolanle Awe, Obaro Ikime, and Tekena Tamuno, the paper will critically assess the contributions of historical studies to nationalism, nation-building and development, as well as in fostering national identity and unity in Nigeria.  It will examine how these works have helped in shaping discussions on the nature of the Nigerian federalism, resource control and allocation, ethnic pluralism and minority rights, religious tolerance, as well as political leadership, values and inclusiveness. The paper will also critic them and suggest how to make historical studies relevant to pressing national and development priorities in Nigeria.

 

64.  Dr. Mojisola  Shodipe, Department of English, University of  Lagos.

 

LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND IDENTITY: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF BILINGUAL SPEECH IN CENTRAL LAGOS. This paper explores the dynamics of bilingual speech in the Lagos Island speech community in Central Lagos. Against the background of the unique social motivations for bilingual behaviour in this cosmopolitan community, this  study explores the various sociolinguistic acts utilized by the Yoruba-English bilinguals  in the expression of their indigenous socio- cultural identity. These devices include the use of slang, code-switching and code-mixing.   Based on the premise that language acts are acts of identity,  (Le page and  Tabouret-Keller, 1985) it is argued that individual and socialidentities  are mediated by language and generally exhibited in the form of language attitudes. This study thus examines a corpus of naturalistic data in the explication of these sociolinguistic features of language use in a non-native English environment.

 

65.  DR. OSEZUA EHIYAMEN MEDIAYANOSE, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCES, OSUN STATE UNIVERSITY, OSHOGBO. l osezuaomo2002@yahoo.com, +2348060837266

 

GLOBALIZATION, CIVIL SOCIETY AND STATE IN AFRICA:  A RETROSPECT.  Globalization is a multidimensional phenomenon. It relates to the lives of people in virtually all spheres - politics, culture, economy and communications.  This paper therefore appraises retrospectively, the scope and different dimensions of globalization and its impact on the African State. It also highlights the need of an engaged civil action to check the negative consequences of globalization in post colonial Africa.  Hence, the paper examines the responsibilities of the various segments of the civil society which the author considers as categorical imperatives in moderating the consequences of a globalized world in post colonial Africa. The civil society framework is engaged in x-raying the phenomenon of globalization and the attendant consequences on both the African State and her peoples. The paper further explores how the  a well engaged  civil society organizations in contemporary African States can mitigate  the adverse effects of globalization on the continent by ensuring good governance and active citizenry participation. The paper concludes by resonating the obstacles against the evolution of a healthy and vibrant civil society in Africa, maintaining that it is an effective tool in countering the delirious effects of globalization in contemporary African State.

 

66.  EBAI  FREDRICK BASIL, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA. +2348099216849, +2348058018580, fred_basil2005@yahoo.com

 

THE PARADOX OF CITIZENSHIP IN POST-COLONIAL AFRICAN STATES: Citizenship identity is perhaps the most controversial and most debated phenomenon in Post-Colonial African States.  Questions of citizenship have been used to prevent specific individuals from challenging for political position or to silence those who criticize the government.  At one time, it seemed as though half the most important opposition politicians in Africa were alleged not citizens of the country where they lived and worked – allegations often based on absurd arguments about ancestral origins on the wrong side of colonial borders that did not exist at the time of the individual's or his parents birth.  The pattern of citizenship crises is not haphazard, but are closely linked to the colonial heritage of each country; and in particular the migration and land expropriation that was implemented or facilitated by the colonial authorities.  It is not a coincidence that the countries where citizenship has been most contentious are often the countries that saw the greatest colonial – era migration; migration not only of Europeans and Asians to the continent, but in even greater numbers of Africans within the continent. Today, however, the children, grandchildren and great-grand children of those who migrated are now regarded as foreigners without a true claim to new polity.  Yet they are in the land of their birth and life long residence and have no claim on the protection of any other state. This paper examines the place of citizenship in contemporary post-colonial African states and how citizenship crises has caused serious harvock that escalated to inter-state and intra-state violence on the African continent. This paper provides a framework for lasting solutions to citizenship crises on the African continent and recommends the appropriate mechanism that can foster peace and unity within the African continent.

 

67.  Ebhote Oseremen, Department of Economics and Business studies, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State. 08037330582;  oseremenebhote@yahoo.com

 

The Effect of Migration on Economic development and business activities in Nigeria: Prospect and Challenges.

Flows from Nigeria to countries beyond the region did not occur on a large scale until after independence in 1960. From the 1950s through the 1970s, the emerging elites moved mainly to the United Kingdom due to the legacy of colonial ties, for educational pursuit, and in a few cases for administrative matters.  The expectation was that Nigerian students would return with valuable skills needed for nation building. Indeed, most Nigerians educated abroad in the 1960s and 1970s readily came home after completing their education to assured plum jobs in the civil service or the burgeoning oil and private sectors of the economy. But today reverse is the case, as most Nigerians prefer to reside abroad instead of coming home to contribute towards economic development and business activities in Nigeria. This paper critically examines the impact of migration on business activities in the country and makes recommendations on how to combat the situation and possible way forward.

 

68.  Emma Arogundade, Occasional Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, South Africa, emmanence@gmail.com

The Names We  Give: Are historical narratives enough?

"Identities are the names we give to the different ways we are positioned by, and position ourselves within the narratives of the past" (Hall, 1994:394).

This paper seeks to examine the subjective constructions of identities within the particular context of Pofadder, a small town in the Northern Cape of South Africa, particularly a small group of people who identify as 'helpers'. It draws on research conducted as part of the Small Towns and Rural Transformation Research Project[1] examining racial transformation in small towns in South Africa which took place in July 2010.  These 'helpers' biographies are examined to identify the dialectical interplay of being positioned by, and positioning themselves, specifically with regards to the global and local narratives of race, class, gender and place. South Africa can be characterised as a country with a strong emphasis on race as a defining narrative, and the particular aspects that find expression in small town Pofadder revolve around historical constructions of white Afrikaner identities, and Khoi-San (indigeneous) and 'coloured' identities. Whilst using Hall's definition of identities as a starting point, in examining the biographies of the research subjects, questions are raised as to the extent of its usefulness in a context of shifting social narratives and power in small town post-apartheid South Africa. The ways that research subjects are positioned by these narratives is examined, along with the ways in which subjects position themselves. However, there is a discrepancy between the narratives that have an impact on positioning these 'helpers' and the extent of the work they do and approaches they take, and the narratives they themselves use in order to position themselves. Subjects use a variety of narratives including 'helping', religion, racial and others to reinforce and transgress the boundaries imposed by historical narratives. Subjects often use their work as 'helpers' to leverage social status and position. This seems to indicate that Stuart Hall's (1994) useful dialectical definition of identities is not enough, and that a more complex, nuanced and context specific approach is needed to examine subjective identity constructions.

 

69.  Emmanuel Saboro, PhD Candidate; Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation University of Hull, UK, saborobest@yahoo.com, E.Saboro@2011.hull.ac.uk,  +44 07879967514

MEMORY REPRESENTATIONS OF RESISTANCE TO SLAVE RAIDING IN NORTHERN GHANA AND THE (RE) CONSTRUCTION OF A CULTURAL IDENTITY: Folklore from Northern Ghana, presents fresh and significant insights into the dynamics of slave raiding and resistance in the general historiography of the slave experience in Africa. During the 18^th and 19^th centuries some communities in Northern Ghana were ravaged with incessant slave raids and the constant threats of enslavement.  The memories of this traumatic event are preserved in the oral traditions of the people. This paper seeks to articulate how the Kassena and the Bulsa of Northern Ghana confronted the daily harassment of their people through aggressive warfare. The paper presents analysis of some memory representations gleaned through fieldwork during 2005 and 2006. A critical evaluation of these memory forms has revealed that the people were not just passive victims who acquiesced with their enslavement, but these forms have come to constitute a way through which the peoples of these communities have carved for themselves a unique cultural identity. Today, this collective triumph gets celebrated during festivals and the heroism of their ancestors re-enacted in traditional dance forms.

70.  Eteete Michael ADAM (LL.M, MIRSS, BL), Department of International Law and Diplomacy, School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

ETHNIC NATIONALISM, STATISM, CITIZENSHIP AND THE RIGHT TO NON-DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION: The concepts of nationalism, ethnicism, and statism are usages in political and constitutional lexicon which compete for attention in the determination of a person's relationship or contact with a geographical, political or racial domain. An individual as a mark of identity holds the citizenship of a particular nation state or the membership of a particular racial enclave. Citizenship can be viewed as the connecting rod between an individual and a particular nation or country. In most countries of the world, the foremost method of determining citizenship is by birth of such an individual within the geopolitical boundaries of a given nation. Sometimes an individual is capable of owing allegiance to a country, ethnic group and state. One country is capable of warehousing many ethnic nationalities or several countries may all belong to a single ethnic nation. These disparate relationships create a milieu of relationships with the citizens. Nigeria is a classical case of a country with over 250 ethnic nationalities with the attendant problem of competing loyalties of citizenship cutting across the 36 state structures, the ethnic groupings and country. It is common to hear of the discriminatory usage of the phrase "State of Origin" as a basis for contacts and citizenship benefits and rights. It is therefore the intention of this work to dissect the interrelationships of ethnicism, statism and nationalism as it affects the right to non-discrimination of citizens under the Nigerian Constitution.

 

71.  Eunice E.OMONZEJIE, PhD, Dept. of Modern Languages, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma                                                                                                                            Nigeriaeuniceomons@yahoo.co.uk

INTERPRETATIONS OF AFRICAN MIGRANT MASCULINITIES IN CONTEMPORARY FRANCOPHONE PROSE NARRATIVE: In this era of transnational displacement and global nomadism, Africa and indeed Nigeria has experienced in considerable dimensions the all-pervasive phenomenon of migration. The attendant shifts in masculinities and nationalism, have found their portrayals in recent literary discourse. This essay seeks an exposition of the literary configurations of migrant masculinities and identities in emerging francophone texts. Our focus will be on four novels, which highlight issues such as migrant integration, transnational disruption and displacement, identity crises, sexualities and the return of the emigrant, written by migrant authors Fatou Diome, Alain Mabanckou, Jerome Carlos and Tierno Monénembo. These authors as migration pessimists, attempt to deconstruct the society's exaggerated utopist images of the successful African male living in Europe, through the portrayal of the negative cultural and psychological complexities involved in the binary relationship between African masculinity and migration. Our readings of these novels are informed by postcolonial theory and concepts of transnationalism in contemporary cultural criticism.

 

72.  F.A OLASUPO, DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES, FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATION, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, OSUN-STATE. mail:faolasupo@yahoo.com, +2348034065576

GENDER BALANCE, GENDER  EQUITY OR GENDER FAIRNESS IN GOVERNANCE: THE EXAMPLE OF NIGERIA. Although United Nations formally began promotion and advocacy of gender equity, fairness or balance, the world over, more than forty years ago, the origin of this, seriously speaking, began in Africa, specifically Nigeria; and more specifically, western part of Nigeria, centuries ago. What led to it could be traced to certain developments in Ife kingdom, the old Oyo Empire as well as other minor kingdoms in Yorubaland to be specific. In short, this paper attempts to construct theories that led to the question of gender balance, equity or fairness that has led to decades of UN global campaigns for restoration of fairness, balance and equity in economic, social and political relations between women and men, using Yorubas of western Nigeria as a case study. 

 

73.  Famakinwa, Yemisi,  Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Nigeria

 

Media Communication and Educational Development in the English as a Second Language Environment.  Communication and communicators are both indispensable. This indispensability is borne out of the necessity to solve life's problems, meet certain dire needs and identify freely with each other/one another. Thus, evolutionary trends in language acquisition and learning. Although mass communicationinvolves a large audience passing across information (messages/themes) to each other/one another, this paper focuses on the English as a Second Language environment (ESL) where educational home videos are considered, a multimedia resource for teaching and learning. Learning is seen as a tri-dimensional affair:it takes place within the microcosm of the home, the school and the society. The paper hopes to explore the different communication theories relating to language acquisition and learning with a view to solving life-posing challenges in an(ESL) environment. The paper therefore concludes on the note that though, communication and language are inseparable, language learnt or acquired, has a way of shaping the identities; positively or negatively of people (children and adult) in a particular society. 

 

74.  FASASI,  Rasheed Adekunle, Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan. rafasasi@yahoo.com,

YORUBA CULTURAL BELIEFS, MODERN SCIENCE BELIEFS AND AN ETHNOSCIENTIFIC   BELIEFS DATABASE- THE MEETING POINT: It is generally agreed that prior knowledge influences learning but opinions vary about how to use this to improve learning. As a component of prior knowledge, learners' cultural belief has been acknowledged as a factor responsible for underachievement in science in countries where differences exist between learners' everyday life and the world of science. There is therefore the need to isolate and study the effects of this factor on learning outcomes in science. This however requires the identification, analysis and documentation of science related cultural beliefs (ethnoscientific beliefs) and structuring them for use in the classroom. The study developed an ethnoscientific beliefs database required for this purpose. The study, carried out in Yoruba states of Nigeria utilized descriptive survey design in development of an Ethnoscientific Beliefs Database. Stratified random sampling was used to select three states used in the study. Three thousand and fifty five students from twelve secondary schools from peri-urban areas of the three cities and thirty one elders and community leaders purposively selected from these areas were involved. Three research questions were answered. About 9.3% of the collected science related Yoruba cultural beliefs were in agreement with identified scientific concepts, 17.3% were in partial agreement while 73% contradicted the concepts. Few science-related cultural beliefs of the sampled population agreed with modern scientific concepts; some are in partial agreement while many others are at variance with modern scientific beliefs. Recommendations were made for the development a framework for the use of the database in the classroom setting.

 

75.  Gee A.Yawson. M.S., Florida International University, Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies, 4820 N. Miami Ave, Miami, Florida 33127,  609 553 1267,  gyawson@gmail.com

 

Que dança é essa?: Reflections of gendered power relations and sociocultural expressions of sexuality in agarrado dancing to Roots reggae in São Luis do Maranhão, Brazil. In the past couple of decades, social scientists whose research foci have concentrated on the musical and dance performance traditions of Afrodescendant populations in Brazil have extensively documented what are deemed to be remnants of "African culture" or variant reproductions of African musical genres. Afro-Brazilian communities that have adapted and acculturated musical and dance performance traditions from other Afro-diasporic populations have been overlooked. This paper, which is part of my ongoing ethnographic research on Roots Reggae culture in São Luis do Maranhão, Brazil, proposes a critical analysis of the agarrado dancing to Roots Reggae. I particularly engage in a theoretical exercise that looks at exceptional performance behavior in agarrado dancing to Roots Reggae that challenges mainstream notions of gender and expressions of sexuality in Afro-Maranhense society. Based on my participant-observation  in various performances in São Luis' dancehalls , I suggest that agarrado dancing to the adaptation of Roots Reggae in this society is an androcentric, phallic-centered performance that reveals particular cultural gender roles. Secondly, I interpret the dance as a physical act that can be best understood as a metaphoric and culturally heteronormative language that evinces gender-power dynamics between any particular two dancers in a dancehall space of radiolas.  Furthermore, I show how the dance performances between any two particular women as well as the adaptational style of the dance by the younger Maranhese population encapsulate exceptional aberrations that simultaneously contribute to and challenge the androcentric power dynamics of the dance.  From this perspective, I focus on several performances of the dance between overtly same-sex-gender and different sex-gender dance partners. My analyses are based on the body language between any two particular dance partners during the performance, and the reactions or lack of reaction of spectators in the space where the dance performance occurs. I conclude by showing that such metaphoric interpretations in the dance performances are symbolic reflections of pre-existing gender relations t has been embedded in the postcolonial Afro-Maranhese society via the  ideological mechanisms of heteropatriarchy and mestizaje. The agarrado dancehall performances provide a paradoxical space where women and Afro-Maranhese youth are able to express contesting agency and creativity by assuming gender and sexual roles in ways that both challenge and contribute to the heteronormative, machismo notions of power.

 

76.   Halimat Somotan,   Fairfield University Box 3146 1076 North Benson Road, Fairfield, Connecticut 06824,  203-543-3141, halimat.somotan@student.fairfield.edu

The Reassessment of Nigeria as a Territory Rather than a Nation-State: The "nation-state" has been understood as a colonial inheritance, and a problematic ideology that African nationalists adopted during colonialism. While this notion has been pervasive in understanding Africa's past, this ideology neglects the erroneous evolution of many African countries as a "nation-state." In an attempt to reassess the understanding of the "nation-state," this paper focuses on Nigeria and seeks to disprove that the nation-state is an inherited colonial legacy and to elucidate how Nigeria has become concretely misunderstood as a nation-state. This paper argues that the understanding of Nigeria as a "nation-state" holds serious implications, such as the expectation of a common identity and culture among Nigerians, which hinders the ability to properly analyze Nigeria's current political structures, as well as the root cause of Nigeria's political instabilities.

 

77.  Ibrahim,  Daniel. Department of General Studies, Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru/Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. danielc_ibrahim@yahoo.com, Phone: 07084839881, 08155287849, 08103434180

 

GLOBALISATION AND IDENTITY CONTESTATION IN HAUSA VISUAL LITERATURE

 The more man advances in science and technology, the more conscious he becomes of his identity. Modern technology has reduced the world to a global village, but it has not stopped man from thinking about his roots, his culture and his origin. Identity contestation today is a big social issue. For example in the United States of America, the current debate is over what should be the proper identification tag for Americans of black descent, - Black Americans, African – Americans, continental Americans or Americans of African descents? In the same vein, what should be the proper tag for the emerging Hausa visual literature: Hausa film? Hausa – Fulani film or Hausa language film? This paper is a preliminary survey of the ideological, philosophical and cultural issues surrounding contested idealities in Hausa visual literature.

 

78. Idayat Hassan, Centre for Democracy and Development in West Africa, hidahassan@yahoo.com

 

Creation of a State within a State: Analyzing the Boko Haram uprising in Nigeria

The bombing of the United Nations Building, Abuja on August 26, 2011 has further raised world attention to the insurgence of terrorism into the Nigerian state especially as responsibility for the attack was claimed by Boko-Haram, a local Islamist group. In the words of its spokesman Abu Darda to AFP:

"Through the wisdom of Allah, we have launched the attack with absolute precision." Boko-Haram (loosely translated as western education is a sin) came into existence in 2002 with the political goal of creating an Islamic nation in Northern Nigeria with an eventual spread to the rest of the country. Capitalizing on the widespread poverty, corruption, security abuse, human rights violation, the sect argues the Nigerian state has failed therefore the need for an Islamic state to lift the people out of penury. Creating its own enclave with its system of governance, educational and financial systems; the state within a state viewed Nigeria as a state run by non-believers and made the government its main target with continuous bombing of its installations and killing of security operatives. This paper will use empirical research methodologies to describe the state of Boko-Haram within the Nigerian state and why the sect conceives the state as evil with focus on the nature, causes, magnitude and consequences of this phenomenon for the progress of Nigeria. Recognizing the trajectory of religious crises experienced in the Nigerian context, this paper argues that the failure to address the root causes of these crises and proper management of the diversity of the state is responsible for the new terrorist approach to violence.

 

 

79.  Ijaola Samson Oluwatope, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Samuel Adegboyega University, PMB.001, Ogwa,  Edo State.

 

From Colonialism to Neo-colonialism, Cultural Demythologization and Ecological Crises in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria.  The sacredness of culture and the non human that constitute the environment defines Africans ecological attitude. Hence, it is typical of an African in the pre colonial era to deify the environment. This sacred eco-cultural relationship was however to give way to colonialism as well as neo-colonialism; through the aid of missionary activities and scientific technology. Since the interest of the western authourity is basically trade and economy of Europe; both African land and water which were under the control of the deities must explored by demythologizing the eco-mythology that were dominant in African minds. The argument therefore is that, ecological crises in Africa are tied to both colonialism and neo-colonialism. The Niger Delta area of Nigeria has over a 100 years suffer tremendously from ecological crises as both land and water of the area were explored from palm oil in the colonial era and petroleum in the neo-colonization era. As typical Africans, the Niger Delta people believe in the sacredness of the non-human such as land and water. Hence, the force of demythologization of culture by reducing African Religion to paganism is the bane of ecological development in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. Hence a descriptive approach to environmental issues and historical approach will be harnessed to drive home these arguments of this paper.

 

80.  IROJU, Opeyemi Anthony, Department of History,  Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife,Nigeria.

 

Origin and Language Diversity in Historical Perspective: The Case of the Apoiin Nigeria.

It is an established historical fact that Human history is embedded in waves of migration. In historical sense, to properly understand   a particular group of people, the exert place of origin as well as the migration pattern of such people needs to be studied. Against this background, this paper gives a historical account on the Apoi .This paper identified the Apoi as one of the ethnic groups in Southwestern Nigeria. The paper opines the view that the Apoi aboriginality is within the central delta of Nigeria. However, migration is a factor for the Apoi to have settled far away from their   orthodox domicile. Be that as it may, considering the place of origin and the language of the Apoi, this paper discovered existence of diversity between the origin as well as the language of the Apoi. Hence this paper seeks to identify migration, geographical location and cultural integration as the factors for such observed diversity between the Apoi origin and their language   

 

81.  Israel Meriomame WEKPE & Ms. Owens Patricia ONI-EDIGIN, Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. + 234-807-793-9525/+234-805-538-3190.

 (israel.wekpe@gmail.com;easerel@hotmail.com ;. (owens_pat@yahoo.com;

 

Indigenous Names, Indigenous Acts and the Re-Construction of the Edo Identity: A Post-Colonial Discourse. The Edo people have an important tradition: Izomo.  Seven days after the birth of a child, the naming ceremony is performed in a gathering of family members. This ceremony, an important social phenomenon, affords each family member the opportunity to name the child. Izomo doubly translates as a rite of initiation and a rite of passage. In the Edo worldview, a personal name locates the individual; it aligns with the well being and health of the individual. An Edo personal name approximates as a representation of where you are coming from, who you are, what you will be and substantially how you must live your life. It is robust and laden with diverse meanings; most times, metaphoric. Indeed, there is a philosophy about Edo personal names and naming. It is appropriate to resonate that religion also underlines their meanings. This paper attempts a critical study of Izomo.The paper submits that Izomo is a veritable affirmation of the Edo people. This Edo naming ceremony latently and saliently contextualises the Edo identity even as it roundly embraces the Edo language. The paper substantiate that the ceremony itself is a performance as it employs the various nuances indicative of a traditional African performance.Thus, Edo personal names in the context of this paper aggregate as an indigenous act/performance of the Edo people; by the Edo people. These writers however observe that certain external influences which border on Christianity and western-centrism have beclouded Edo personal names and naming ceremony which is most times perceived as fetish or conservative or antiquated. This paper reconciles that Izomo offers for posterity an intangible model and representation for upholding and sustaining a veritable aspect of the Edo culture and tradition especially in this era of competing modernities.   

 

 82.  ISREALABAYOMI SAIBU, DEPT OF HISTORY & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, LAGOS STATEUNIVERSITY, (SPTS EXTERNAL SYSTEM), OJO, LAGOS.  adesaibu@yahoo.com;  08029504334

 

MILITANCY AND PAN-AFRICANISM: A SYNTHESIS OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF MALCOLMX. Black Nationalism in America reached its peak, in the 1950s and 1960s. During this period civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King (Jnr), Medgar Evers and Andrew Young had carved out a niche for themselves as being in the fore-front of the struggle for equality of the races. Their main method of struggle was the widely acclaimed 'Non-violence' principle. However, unfolding events seems to suggest that freedom was a long way off as hostilities towards blacks and coloured people increased. It was in the midst of this gloomy setting that a new activist rose up and took the American society by storm with his message and method. His name was Malcolm Little, who became known as MalcolmX. He discouraged the categorization of black agitations in America as civil rights, preferring that activist change their focus to human rights, since according to him, the former depict a domestic issue while the latter portray an international matter that can be brought before the United Nation. MalcolmX had been variously criticized for his 'violent' posture towards activism in the USA. Yet it is a truism that leaders like Martin Luther King (Jnr) achieved so much only because MalcolmX was around and active. The motive was clear, the government would rather uphold Luther as a role model instead of Malcolm. This research aims to examine in detail, the philosophy and significance of MalcolmX in African-American Nationalism.

 

83.  JAIYEOBA Babatunde PhD, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.tundejaiyeoba@yahoo.co.uk; ebjaiye@oau.edu.ng

234 8037880023

 

OPERATIONALISING THE CULTURE OF HOME OWNERSHIP IN THE FATHERLAND FOR URBAN LOW INCOME HOUSING WITH EVIDENCE FROM IBADAN, NIGERIA

Low income people are worse off in the quantitative and qualitative housing problem in the urban areas of Nigeria. Global and local inequality has increased their marginalization from economic, social and political space. Elsewhere in the developed world attempts are made to provide social housing or public housing to alleviate the problem of poor people in home ownership. Also, various subsidy programmes are planned to increase their access to homeownership because of the perceived benefits to health, physical, psychological and financial well -being. In Nigeria, beyond political statements and government proposals to deliver certain number of houses during a period, it is a survival of the fittest in the housing market. In fact, discussions about low cost and low income housing have since taken on the garb of 'affordable' housing. Not even middle income people can afford the 'affordable' homes provided by the privileged private sector. In the absence of mortgage facilities and subsidy, there is no trickledown effect that might  benefit low income people. In spite of their maginalisation and exclusion, low income people have continued to negotiate housing from the difficult social context in legal and semi-legal ways by utilizing all resources they possess. Deploying an approach that seek to understand how people with such socio economic characteristics could produce housing considering all the negative indices necessitated a simultaneous study of the people, the process and the houses that are the product of the process. In the Ogbere case study in Ibadan, the finding is that most of the house owners are indigenes of Ibadan who in spite of having the option of staying on as free housers in the family houses decided to produce personal homes because of the indigenous knowledge of the culture of home ownership in the fatherland.

This case study confirms the culture of home ownership in the fatherland common with people who possess the wherewithal to build houses in the village or fatherland among the low income. The low income in this context utilized all the resources in their everyday to achieve the desire of home ownership in Ibadan, their fatherland. The paper posits that, this high end desire to be a house owner in the place of origin may be operationalized in various ways to intervene in low income housing production in Ibadan and indeed many urban areas in Nigeria since this culture is common to all the tribal groups.

 

84.  JamesTarTsaaior, PhD, School of Media and Communication, Pan-African University, Lagos, Nigeria. jtsaaior@smc.edu.ng,  +234-802-371-1378

 

Ritual, Politics and Poetic Performance in Public Spaces in Nigeria. There exists a fluid interaction among ritual, politics and poetic performance in Nigeria in ways that are ignored or not always acknowledged and sufficiently appreciated. However, deeply inscribed in ritual performance in public spaces are trajectories of politics which etch themselves on the poetic texts. In Nigeria, this interaction is constitutive of daily public life through oath-taking and inauguration events of public officers, reception ceremonies, commissioning of projects, political functions, etc. The words embedded in these formulaic recitations, songs, and the acts which accompany them embody a corpus of texts in itself. Their transmission through (new) media processes endows them with a dynamic quality which also adds the flavour of authority as canonising agents. Ritual participates in these events mobilizing poetic performance and its linguistic resources as allies in the political process of legitimizing power and hegemony in postcolonial Nigeria. The present paper negotiates this reality and establishes that the transition of ritual performance from traditional society to the postmodern is consistent with the emergence of alternative political systems in Nigeria. The paper validates the proposition that ritual is culture-specific and argues that in Nigeria, rituals with a political character and content have been appropriated by the political elite as a veritable tool of exercising hegemony over the marginalized and oppressed others.

 

85.  Joe E. Obi, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor of Sociology and International Studies, Univ. of Richmond Richmond, VA 23173, (jobi@richmond.edu),  USA.

 

Wired Nomads: Rethinking Diaspora.

With the convergence of new media and related transplanetary "flatteners" towards the end of the twentieth century, the diasporic experience has undergone mutations. Where, in the past, distance and attenuation informed the relationship to the "homeland," contemporary migrants have greater options to live lives that are framed by connectivity, simultaneity, and in some cases place polygamy, with respect to erstwhile homes. Current information technologies prompt a rethinking of the conceptual and experiential dimensions of the term "diaspora". How valid are spatial binaries? Where and when do diasporas begin? What forms of identity are effectuated in the context of connected diasporic communities? Can one ever go "home"? What is home? What are the consequences of a self-conscious translocal population at both ends of the migratory trail? How do migrants manage ethnic, national, and global imaginaries? What new politics are possible in this moment? This paper, theoretical and exploratory in thrust, is aimed at opening up theoretical space in the discussion of cultural globalization – especially as it plays out in Nigeria and similar places. This is particularly important in view of the reality of  nomadism and migration operating alongside powerful space-framed ethnic and national narratives.      

 

85. John Okpako,  Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,  08034716775Email: jokpako@yahoo.com

 

Impact of Technology on the Yoruba House: A Focus on Osogbo

The Yoruba people have been described as architecturally complex, mainly because they have had a long tradition of simultaneously maintaining both urban and rural residences. Since the 16^th century they have lived in large cities as well as maintained their second dwellings at their farm sites. These houses were all courtyard or compound houses composed of rooms arranged around large open spaces. Their farm houses were fragments of these compound houses usually composed of two-room units. These buildings serve as direct and unself-conscious translation of the culture of the Yoruba people into physical form. However, these house forms have changed over the years, especially in the last fifty years. In this paper I examine one factor responsible for the changes in the Yoruba house form; technology. By analyzing houses built at different times in Osogbo the paper discusses the impact of technology on the Yoruba house. The results show how the Yoruba have managed to co-opt technology in the service of their culture and in the face of rapid social changes.

 

86.  JOHN OBAFEMI SOTUNSA, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE, ILISAN REMO OGUN STATE, NIGERIA. johnsotunsa@yahoo.com; +234 8036009740

 

THE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS (TBAs) IN PREVENTION OF MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HIV

The prevalence of HIV in Nigeria is about three and half million ( 3.5 million) which is an improvement over the previous record of five million. To sustain progressive improvement, the prevention of mother to child HIV is very expedient. It is however noteworthy that sixty per cent (60%) of deliveries in Nigeria are conducted by traditional birth attendants, most of who have not been integrated into the orthodox/formal health system in Nigeria thus generating a situation that might result in the increased prevalence of HIV in parturients and their offspring in the near future. Therefore, this research attempts to investigate the importance of TBAs in the care of pregnant women with the aim of preventing mother to child transmission of HIV. The study is a cross sectional study administering questionnaires to TBAs who have had training on HIV prevention as well as others who have not had training in HIV prevention. The study will assess the knowledge and practice relevant to HIV transmission and care of pregnant women in the prevention and treatment of HIV in the communities in Ikenne Local government in Ogun State, Nigeria. Preliminary findings of the research reveals that TBAs trained in HIV prevention helps in early detection of HIV pregnant women and referrals of such cases to centres where they can have appropriate care. They also ensure drug compliance and follow up at clinics. The trained TBAs adopt universal safety precautions in the handling of sharp objects, delivery process and the care of the new born. The research therefore recommends that it is expedient to incorporate TBAs in the orthodox/formal health care systems in the fight against HIV pandemic in Africa since they practice at the grassroots which mainly lacks primary health care and private clinics.

 

87.  Justina Sunday Nkanga, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. tinachrist01@yahoo.com

 

CULTURAL IDENTITY:  CURBING THE EFFECT OF MODERNITY ON THE NIGERIAN CHILD THROUGH THEATRE-IN-EDUCATION

The challenges posed by modern day Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and globalization has compelled the Nigerian youths to embrace alien cultural ideologies at the expense of our local cultural values.  Thus, there has been and eminence of vicious behavior traits which is an effect of the complete negation of cultural values among Nigerian youths.  This paper attempts to examine the functional role of theatre-in-education in inculcating values in children.  Using the content analysis method of research, the study seeks to restore and sustain Nigeria's cultural heritage through the exploration of the techniques of theatre-in-education.  The thrust is on music, dance, improvisation, puppetry, story-telling and dramatization to children education in schools.  The paper posits that using the techniques of theatre-in-education in the early learning years of the child shall serve as intervention programme to help forestall the possibility of the nation's cultural values being completely eroded.  

 

88.  Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony, Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. +2348036345466; Email: ikee_mario@yahoo.com

THE QUEST FOR AN AFRICAN IDENTITY

The quest for identity embodies the value of the first principle of being: the principle of identity. This principle states that every being is determined in itself, is one with itself and is consistent with itself. The knowledge of the identity of a thing helps you know what the thing in question is and what may be legitimately attributed to it. The quest for an African identity in African Philosophy has the same undergirding principle. In this piece, the researcher responds to such questions as: what is Africa? What is African? Who qualifies as the African? How can an African be characterized? In the past, the experience of slave trade and colonialism were the provenance of such an enquiry, as Africa's encounter with the West beclouded her identity. However, in recent time, the researcher believes that the identity of the African would be better defined from her experience of globalization, or else, she would run the risk of being a nameless actor in the world stage.

 

89.  Kehinde Oluwole Ola, Dept of Economic & Business Studies, Samuel Adegbiyega University,

Ogwa, Edo-State. 08063177785; ko_ola@yahoo.com

 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SOCIO- ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE HOUSEHOLDS

Human trafficking has become a global phenomenon in which countries of the world are putting all necessary mechanism to check its inflows. Studies carried out so far have shown that all efforts to curb its spread amounted to nothing. This paper has the aim of examining the impact of human trafficking on the households and show that the benefits it confers on the households are the main reason for its continuous patronage. The study is designed as empirical research and 500 households are selected in Ogwa City in Edo State. The findings of the study show that there is significant relationship between the number of intending to migrate abroad and the expected improvement in their social- well being of their prospective families. Secondly, the findings of the study reveal that expectations of better standard of living lure many into the hands of human traffickers. Lastly, the findings of the study show that the families of the migrants attain higher standard of living than their counterparts. The study therefore recommends that exodus of people out of the country can be curbed if poverty is reduced in the lands and each household attains a level of well- being.

 

90.  Kunirum Osia, Department of Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling, Coppin State University, 2500 West North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21216,  11704 Hickory Drive,  Fort Washington, MD 20744, 301-292-6626, osiadi@aol.com

 

The Contextuality of Ethnic Identity: The Anioma People of Nigeria

In recent times questions have begun to be asked about the Anioma people of Nigeria. Who are they? Reactions or responses on the one hand verge on the risible, but on the other hand they verge on curiosity. This paper is an anthropological search for a theoretical framework or set of universals in terms of which Anioma history, culture, ethnic identity and its ontology can be described to accord its people the recognition they deserve. The paper will show using anthropological category or classification that Anioma is an ethnic group in any of the following: a group of people who claim a specific ancestry, tracing their own clans and lineage to various parts of Nigeria; a nation of people who are united by cultural homogeneity and value consensus about their universe of experience and who have the same traditions that distinguish them from others; a group of people who live in the same delimited geography, that is, having more or less the same environmental conditions to which they have adjusted their lives for millennia. The paper concludes with vehement protestation against attempts to caricature Anioma as a subset of another ethnic group. Efforts in this vein not only misread history, culture, identity formation and ethnicity but fails to note that a people are who they say they are. The Anioma people live within a context of shared understanding and mutual expectations, and accepted norms as an ethnic group.

 

91.  Larab, Tangshak Ayuba, Department of History and International Studies, University of Jos, Nigeria. 08023570-444, 08139794559

 

CITIZENSHIP AND CONTESTED IDENTITIES ON THE JOS – PLATEAU:  A SURVEY OF

A DECADE OF CONFLICTS. gravesantos@yahoo.comlarab@unijos.edu.ng

The paper "Citizenship and Contested Identities on the Jos - Plateau: A Survey of a Decade of Conflicts", is an investigation and analyses of the manifestation in recent times of the root causes of conflicts as a result of  contested identities associated with the rise of various loyalties to nationalisms as against the constitutional provisions as enshrined rights of citizens. The paper in its evaluation and empirical analyses scrutinizes and traces the historical wave of movement into the area, the harmonious intergroup relations overtime prior to 1994 and attempts a cursory look into actions in recent times of both sides to the various circles of conflicts in the past decade. The main aim of the paper is to attempt to draw a line between the end of the epoch of peaceful and harmonious co-existence to the beginning of hostile and mutual suspicion in the new found relations.  It situates its analyses in a range of factors ranging from the social, political, territorial psychological, economic and demographic perspectives. The interrogation is interdisciplinary in nature, adopting historical methods of critical analysis and presentation alongside the theoretical methodology of the social sciences.  The engagement of these broad methodologies is to blend knowledge and illuminate in a different light the issues of citizenship rights and the contestation of nationalities. The work relies basically on secondary and a bit of primary source materials. It concludes by making far reaching suggestions for a better citizen's relationship as a template for the sustenance of national unity and integration of the Nigerian state.

 

92.  LAWRENCE O. BAMIKOLE (PHD), DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE, LINGUISTICS AND PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, MONA CAMPUS, JAMAICA.

DAVID HUME'S NOTION OF PERSONAL IDENTITY:  IMPLICATIONS FOR IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION AND AFFECTIVE COMMUNAL LIVING IN AFRICANA SOCIETIES.      The notion of personal identity is a topic that is widely discussed in all philosophical traditions-Western, African, Asian, and Caribbean. The thread that runs through the different conceptions of personal identity is that the notion is linked with self consciousness, whether in the metaphysical, epistemological, religious and social contexts. In this paper, I shall focus attention on Hume's conception of personal identity, drawing from it, certain implications for affective communal life in Africana societies. It is a common knowledge among philosophers that Hume denies the ontological and independent existence of the self. For Hume, the self is a bundle of perception. However, in another section of the Treatise of Human Nature, Hume examines the development of what could be considered as self, placing it in a broad social context in which mirroring fellow minds have a critical role (Kupperman, 2010). What is significant in Hume's conception of personal identity is that the self is the locus of multifarious experiences and the social context in which it is placed enables us to relate the self to affective and relational construction of identity. It is then argued that this conception of identity can be used to stress the need for affection, love, compassion, sympathy and empathy among persons; which in turn can promote societal transformation in Africana societies.

 

93.  Lawrence Ogbo Ugwuanyi, Ph.D, Department of Philosophy and Religions, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.  +2347026349575, Email:ugwuanyiogbo37@yahoo.com

 

Towards a Meta-African Critique of Pan-Africanism 

Pan-Africanism is the ideological movement that emphasizes the sameness and oneness of the African family seeking there from to provide a framework for unity and growth of African peoples. Initiated in Paris in1891 by WEB Du Bois, this movement anchored on the idea of the African race believes that the African destiny world-over is inter-linked and that efforts made to improve the lot of Africans at one front must be aimed at improving the lot of Africans elsewhere. The ideals of this movement can be summarized in the words of Sekou Toure, foremost Guinean political icon who held that "Africa should be considered like the human body, when a finger is cut off, the whole body suffers". Pioneers of Pan-Africanism include Marcus Garvey, Wallace Johnson, George Padmore and Ras Makonnen and Kwame Nkrumah. By meta-Africanism I imply a study of ideas that find their origin in the African worldview through the import of these ideas by interrogating the virtues, values, beliefs suggested by the meaning of the idea. It also attempts to interrogate these ideas by transcending the African world in interrogating these beliefs anchored on the fact that these ideas arise from the same stock of the human family where man in the African world finds its origin. This paper sets out to apply the idea of meta-Africanism to study and critique the ideology of Pan-Africanism by examining the meaning and import of the basic ideas such as unity, solidarity, freedom, autonomy,  racism, etc, on which the concept of pan-Africanism  finds its  relevance to see whether Pan-Africanism as it is held in relation to these concepts is justified.

 

 

 

94.  Maiyaki M. Mejida, Department of History, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria, 

maiyakiwinnie@yahoo.com, Phone: 08065863850

 

Ethnic Identity and Nation-Building in Nigeria: A Case Study of the Bassa and their Neighbours in Toto Area.

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic nation with diverse cultural groups that are about three hundred and fifty in number. Toto area is a replica of these polyglot nationalities in Nigeria. The experience in the area is that rather than harnessing these diversities towards viable national development, the area has become slaves to ethnic nationalities contestations with attendant ethnic allegiance and violent inter-group conflicts which is to the detriment of nation building. The pre-colonial harmonious interactions and other forms cooperation amongst the various polities were shattered by the advent of the Sokoto Jihad which created two aggressive Nasarawa and Keffi sub-emirates of Zazzau, and the British colonial conquest. These two external factors created fanatical ethnic consciousness which resulted into ethnic prejudice and mistrust, with often political and socio-cultural colorations. The paper illustrates how and what specific ways the advent of colonialism impacted on the dynamics of group contacts and interactions, and the significance of this in the understanding of the nationality question in post-colonial Toto area. This paper highlights some of the factors needed in nation building and how Toto polities have fallen short in meeting them due to competitive ethnicity. The paper uses both library and oral sources to recommend on how diverse groups could co-exist peacefully and bring about virile nation.

 

95.  Mehdi Solhi, Istanbul University, Solhi.mehdi@gmail.com   & Omid Shokri Kalehsar, Yeditepe University, ushukriki@gmail.com

 

Ethnic Jokes and Subversion of Ethnic Identity of Azerbaijani Minority in Iran.

 Ethnic jokes refer to the jokes addressing a particular ethnic group in a multiethnic society with the aim of fighting, subverting, downgrading or assimilating its members. They are considered as one of the challenges of ethnic groups because the person at whom the joke is directed is depicted as something he or she is not. Hence, the use of ethnic jokes is most likely to threaten and jeopardize ethnic identity of the minorities. Such menace to the ethnic identity of the minorities would result to the creation of two dramatic effects; firstly, it would cause ethnic minority to see and accept themselves as members of a lower class. Such inclination could lead such members of a minority to deny their own ethnic identify and consequently start to belittle and downgrade the members of an ethnic group to which they belong. Such members usually feel too ashamed to speak their first language and prefer to completely abandon using their first language and speak the language of a dominant ethnic group. Secondly, it would challenge the ethnic identity of a group and result in the dissatisfaction, disagreement or possible uprisings. This article looks at the devastating role of ethnic jokes aimed at Azerbaijani ethnic minority who live in Iran.

 

96.  Michael Abiodun Oni & Abidemi Abiola Isola, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State. maabino@yahoo.com, jmineall@yahoo.com.            08036147947, 08035804634

 

Culture of Politics and Political Instability in Nigeria

The nature of the culture of politics in Nigeria gravitating around corruption, election malpractice, assassinations, rudderless leadership has impacted on her polity. Thus, this paper examines the effectsof culture of politics on the Nigerian political system. The paper adopted documentary as method for data collection, therefore relies on secondary sources of data. The paper employed systems theory as a theoretical tool of analysis. The paper discovers that the culture of politics in Nigeria have impacted negatively on the political system. Furthermore, it has also affected the rating of Nigeria among the comity of nations. It has affected its political development and stability. The paper concludes that, the present culture of politics in Nigeria is a serious setback for her political stability and drawing the nation back in the aspiration to remain greater among the comity of nations. The paper recommends reorientation and training programmes for stakeholders to have a change of political attitude with a view to changing Nigerian political orientations.

 

97.  Michael Olusegun FAJUYIGBE, Department of Fine & Applied Arts,   Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife, Nigeria. michofajuyigbe@gmail.com, 08033665333

 

Contemporary Paintings as Reflectors of (Yoruba) Cultural Values.

Every art form reflects the values of the cultural background that produces it; and visual culture as we know it today is based on art and values from the past. Many contemporary artists in Nigeria draw from the wellspring of their social milieu to establish the connectedness of art and cultural ideals. This paper therefore examined selected contemporary Nigerian paintings as visual markers and reminders of Yoruba valued system.  Using the descriptive method in art historical studies, the paintings are purposively selected and analysed, in line with the thrust of the paper. A total of five (5) works, portraying specific values of the Yoruba are used to teach and remind contemporary people of the uniqueness of their cultural heritage. The study showed that the selected paintings - as visual documents of Yoruba indigenous valued system - are rich in iconographical symbols and imagery, and are currency of communication that can create new perspectives and meanings as regards identities and modernity in a culturally-disoriented world. The paper concluded that contemporary paintings (that are rich in visual symbolism) are containers of indigenous values, and have the capacity to reflect profound ideas. Hence, it was recommended that contemporary artists should be consistent, purposeful and creative in their adaptations, for the purpose of commentary, awareness and social control.

 

98.  Michael Sharp, PhD, Department of English, College of Humanities, Universidad de Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico, HC-02 Box 13459, Humacao, PR 00791, USA. michael.sharp1@upr.edu

Telephone: 787-559-9361

 

 

 "Things African": Walter Rodney's Groundings with my Brothers (1969)

After completing his doctoral studies in London, the Guyanese historian Walter Rodney went to teach at the University of Dar-Es-Salaam in Tanzania. The experience was transformative as he discovered a "deepening interest in things African." Before his return, first to Kingston, Jamaica, and then to Georgetown, Guyana, where he was later assassinated, Rodney published Groundings with my Brothers (1969) which was to become the Ur-Text of black political activism in the Caribbean.

Insisting on a dialectic of violence derived from Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth (1961) and a prosecution of the radical ideas of Black Power in the United States, Rodney took his rejection of hopelessness to the newly emancipated by still marginalized "masses" of the slums of Kingston and Georgetown. By encouraging people to "think black" and to break "the chains of their Babylon captivity," Rodney promoted Fanon's conviction that the still-enslaved must "make a new start, develop a new way of thinking, and endeavor to create a new man" in order to be truly free. My paper will look at Walter Rodney's legacy of guerilla activism in the Caribbean and take into account his argument in Groundings with my Brothers that the history and culture of Africa is an essential lesson for the Diaspora to learn; otherwise, in Kamau Brathwaite's words the "monstrous fetter" of received neo-colonialism will "not let us breathe." 

99.  Miss Abimbola Adelakun, Africa and African Diaspora Studies, University of Texas, Austin  +15126579447

 

It's Still a Question of Power: Witchcraft in Contemporary Yoruba Societies

This paper examines the concept of witchcraft among the Yoruba as a consequence of the dynamics of power in gender relations. It foregrounds the understanding of the current ideas in beliefs about the past, and how those beliefs have been retained and redefined among the Yoruba of the present. In traditional Yoruba societies, it is the women who were tagged as witches. They were believed to have spiritual powers and could carry out supernatural activities, both good and evil but their powers were used mainly for the latter. There are many myths surrounding the activities of witches which are articulated in the oral culture such as songs, proverbs and folktales. The beliefs in witches are also expressed in various ritual performances. In some contexts, the witches are referred to as mothers and are rightly deified. Their help is solicited in times of trouble. In some other contexts, being identified as a witch is a stigma that brings violence on the woman. This paradox is generally expressed in the culture. Between the past and the present, there have been a lot of changes but the conception of the witches as women of power who can discharge such powers at will and for diabolical purposes still remain firm. This paper makes use of various materials: urban legends and popular culture such as Yoruba films to examine the persistence of the witch myth; how it has moved from the traditional sites of power: spiritual and gender, to modern sites of power: spiritual, namely, the churches, with the gender domination still very much in tow. I look at this transition to see what has changed, what is retained and the impact modernity has had on the culture of witchcraft in modern Yoruba societies.

 

100.  MOBOLANLE EBUNOLUWA SOTUNSA, DEPT.OF LANGUAGES AND LITERARY STUDIES,

 BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA.  +234 8081644141, bolasotunsa@yahoo.com

 

AFRICAN WOMEN IN DRUMMING: THE CASE OF THE ART AND PERFORMANCE OF AYANBINRIN.

The art of Yoruba drum poetry has traditionally been viewed as a male dominated indigenous art because it is not an ascribed feminine role. Therefore, very few women venture into Yoruba drumming, particularly the performance of the Yoruba talking drum. Furthermore, the art of the talking drummer has remained a predominantly indigenous art with recent excursions into modern performance modes. This study investigates gender dimensions and female creativity in the discourses of the talking drum. It examines the peculiar challenges, distinctive opportunities and typical problematics associated with African women in drumming performances using the example of Tosin Adekanye, popularly known as Ayanbirin. The study further explores the dynamics involved in the fusion of the predominantly indigenous art with modern performance modes as represented in the performances under study.

 

101.  Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D, Associate Professor of African History, Department of History, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1802, 614-322-3349, Moses.ochonu@vanderbilt.edu

 

Modernity and Racial Sensitivity in the Travel Narratives of Northern Nigeria's  Political Elite, 1955-61.

In May 1955, Alhaji Ado Sanusi, a holder of the prestigious royal title of Dan Iya in Kano emirate of Northern Nigeria, traveled to the United States and Canada on a sightseeing and goodwill tour. Upon his return to Nigeria, he dictated his experiences and observations about North American society and politics to Philip Ohiare, a reporter with the Nigerian Citizen, at the time Northern Nigeria's most influential and widely read newspaper. The travel account, with minor reportorial interventions, was later published under the title "Hospitable but Curious," a headline that aptly summed up Sanusi's nuanced impressions of America. Sanusi saw America as a political giant held back by the sociopolitical baggage of racism.  Four years later, Malam J.H Cindo, the Editor of the Nigerian Citizen was among a group of foreign journalists given a tour of America and the Island of Puerto. Mr. Cindo's elaborate narrative of his American experience was published in his newspaper under the title "My Impressions of America." His observations broadly mirrored those of Sanusi from four years earlier, and compared race relations in Puerto Rico and the United States from an outsider's perspective. This paper explores these two travel narratives. It contends that they are a window into a complex, emergent elite culture in Northern Nigeria and a pointer to how overseas travel and its retelling came to constitute a marker of organic intellectualism, political prestige, and modernity in late colonial Northern Nigerian society.

 

 

102.  MOSHOOD ABDUL-WASI BABATUNDE, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE,LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, OJO, LAGOS, NIGERIA. Moshood_tunes@yahoo.com

 

Cultural Upturn and Women Involvement in Politics: An Appraisal

In recent times, part of what modernity has bequeathed on the world is the genderisation of political space. Various conferences and summits tend to advocate women emancipation and empowerment with particular emphasis on political involvement. It is assumed that in ensuring gender equity, various affirmative programmes needed to be implemented by existing government of the world. Resultantly, women have assumed the topmost political positions in India, Pakistan, Liberia, and Mali among others, and are equally captains of industries and ministers in various part of the globe. The questions which beg for answer is that to what extent has women involvement in politics translated to an improvement in the lives of the ordinary toiling women "on the street"? What significant impact has women involvement done to alleviating women sufferings in the world? What important political role has eluded women in their craving for active politics? And in what way(s) does the largely ignored "cultural damage"has this monolithic viewing of politics by women elitist group impacted the quest for development in underdeveloped countries? With a primary focus on Nigeria, the paper intends to interrogate the quintessential role of women in politics, queries the monolithic conception of politics by elitist group, appraises the effect unintended cultural upturn (as against modernisation) and concludes by affirming that women play a very significant role in national development. It is of the position that the misconception of women roles in the society, particularly under the guise of gender balancing, could in itself negatively affect growth and development in developing societies.

 

 

103.  Professor (MRS.) DOROTHY OLUWAGBEMI-JACOB, DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, NIGERIA. 08034417696,  doron32@yahoo.com

 

The Transatlantic Slave trade: Gainers and losers from the Perspective of Technology

The aim of the paper is to do a cost-benefit analysis of the transatlantic slave trade with a view to

showing who gained and who lost from the perspective of technology and its development or under-

development. To realize the main objective of this paper, the following questions are addressed:

whose technology was positioned to benefit most from the trade and why? Whose technology benefited most from the trade and why? Whose technology suffered the most from the trade and why? Besides, the paper looks at the development challenges of the contemporary Africa in light of the contradictions inherited from the slave trade logic. The paper maintains that the logic of the transatlantic slave trade was designed to benefit the senior partners (Europe and the Americas) and that for Africa the losses in terms of technology stagnation and arrest were monumental.

 

104.  Mrs. R.I. Ako-Nai (PhD), Department of International Relations, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.  riakonai@yahoo.com

From Brain Drain to Brain Gain:  How Nigerians in the Diaspora Can Aid Development Back Home.

Since independence in 1960, Nigerians have been concerned with developmental issues, as the much-expected freedom from colonial rule has not brought the people political, economic, and social development anticipated. As a result of bad governance, military rule basic developmental issues are still of major concern after over fifty years of independence. After various attempts and policies that failed, the government is turning to Nigerians in Diaspora for the much needed development. Many Nigerians were forced to migrate to various parts of the world as a result of the harsh economic and political situation at home. As a result of poverty, and insecurity they were forced to seek greener pastures especially during the military rule of Generals Ibrahim Carangid and Sani Abacha between the 1980s and 1990s.There was a brain drain, in which many professionals sought employment away from home especially in Europe, the United of States of America and the Middle East.  However, with the return to democratic governance, the government is romancing with these Nigerians in Diaspora for investment and development in the country.  This study is coming at a time when Nigeria is in dire need of investment and development to end the unending poverty and underdevelopment after the failure of government policies and the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) of the World Bank.  It will depend on both primary and secondary data.

 

105.  NNACHI, Joseph, (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 08066534754,  josnac20@yahoo.com

Postcolonial Dysfunction and the Military Question: Interrogating Frank Mowah's Eating by the Flesh

Critical discourse on postcolonial dysfunction in Africa has mostly held the military responsible for the socio-political woes of the continent. The consensus is that the abysmal state of development in Africa is largely traceable to years of military dictatorship; hence, the general ditty is that the worst civilian administration is better than the best military rule. In this regard, the paper will critically examine postcolonial dysfunction in Africa, using Nigeria as a pedestal, with a view to affirming or debunking this claim. The essay will contend the sheer fallacy inherent in unfounded conclusions as nailing an institution for the impotence and sins of a handful of depraved individuals. The paper will utilise historical and contemporary facts and analyse them from the perspectives of different characters in FrankMowah's Eating by the Flesh in order to bring out their deeper meanings for society.  It will conclude by proving the verity or otherwise of the culpability of the military as an institution. It will equally offer a beacon of hope by calling for an objective and deeper reflection.

 

106.  Babayemi J. B. (MR),    Department of Languages, College of Humanities,  Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria.  +2348034834487, passoversch@yahoo.com, OR

babayemicomfort@yahoo.com

 

The Use of Symbols in the African Setting: A Case Study of the Yorubas

The use of Symbols, especially among African, have been part of the Culture and education of the people. However, with the emergence of Christianity and Islam among the people, Symbols usages among the Yorubas are actually going into extinction. The paper highlights the Use of Symbols in the African Settings: A Case Study of the Yorubas. In an African culture, messages were then communicated through the forgotten means i.e. Symbols. This paper adopts the realism approach to access and examine how symbols were been used in the pre-colonial period among the Yorubas at home and the Diaspora. For theoretical validations, assertions are made into some pre-colonial practices among the Yorubas. The paper canvassed for the reawakening of these symbols as means of Instructional materials in our society.

 

107.  Nwaolikpe, Onyinyechi (Mrs.), Babcock University, Academic Planning Unit, Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State. 08033532794, onyion@yahoo.com

 

New Media and the Cultural Identity of Young Adults in Nigeria

This paper examines how new media affects the cultural identity of young adults in Nigeria. It explores the implications of the new media in the nation's cultural identity among young adults. A random representative sample of 500 young adults is done through the use of questionnaires.  This paper provides information as regards to the frequency of use and the trends in new media use, and shows how an increased focus on video game, internet, cable/satellite TV and computer by young Nigerian adults affects their worldview and lifestyle. It is in this perspective that the media will be seen as pivotal in maintaining or destroying the cultural identity of a community.

 

108.  Odunayo Aluko. PHd Economic student of SMC University, Switzerland, c/o Dr. Bola Sotunsa, Babcock University, Ilisan, OgunState. 07066561803 Email: ayolayo1@yahoo.co.uk

 

Returning as Entrepreneur

The trend of events in the world or the lack of events in the world sees to the movement of people migrating from places to places.  There has been many terms used and the most common ones is economic migrant, social migrant etc.  The school of thought is that there is a trend of event that warrants people to want to move back and when they do, they preferred being self employed. Migration relates to the movement of a person from one place in order to go and live in another place for a continuous period of at least one year.  The purpose of such movement defers from person to person and it could be either internal (within the country) or international (outside the country).  In order to understand why people move or migrate especially in their wider political and economic context, it is important to consider the theories of migration. Ernest Ravenstein is known as a migration theorist and his conclusion is that migration is "governed by a "push-pull" process; that is, unfavourable conditions in one place (oppressive laws, heavy taxation, etc.) "push" people out, and favourable conditions in an external location "pull" them out."  He went on to say "that the primary cause for migration was better external economic opportunities; the volume of migration decreases as distance increases; migration occurs in stages instead of one long move; population movements are bilateral; and migration differentials (e.g., gender, social class, age) influence a person's mobility." This paper is about the pull factors that attract returnees to set up as entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

 

109.  Ogunfeyimi Adeleke, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo, Nigeria. e-mail: yinkaleke2000@yahoo.com. +2348033584926

 

Between Taboo, Erotic Desire and Hypermetropia of Justice: The Ogwa (Esan) Woman                                Du har +1:at detta offentligt. Ångra

 

A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking or transgressing the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by African societies attracting severe penalties. In almost all cultures, restrictions on sexual activities and relationships outside of marriage, (adultery), is one taboo that has and shall continue to generate critical discussions particularly in societies where prudishness and sexual obsession, fear and erotic desire coexist. Ogwa (Esan) society in the present Edo State of Nigeria is a place where extra-marital sex taboo is jealously secured and preserved (by women) in the face of growing western civilization. Whereas, in many cultures, this precept has been vehemently rebelled against and violated (by women), and its consequences apparently rendered vain, thus, compelling husbands to seek "justice" through legal means, jungle-justice or casting spell of magun – a fundamental departure from the tenet of marital chores. As abstains in all cultures, Ogwa (Esan) girls have a very strong natural penchant for sex, get married early but ironically are genuinely and passionately devote to this aspect of their cultures as wives. This paper seeks, among other things, to investigate their experiences in managing the incompatibility of this taboo, their erotic desires and hypermetropia of justice as husbands cast their respites on the ancestors dwelling in erotic oases (sleeping around).

 

 110.   Segun Ogungbemi, Department of Philosophy,     Faculty of Arts,  Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.  seguno2001@yahoo,com. 08033041371 or 08024670952

 

GLOBAL CULTURAL COUNSCIOUSNESS, SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS TRANSFORMATION

Socio-cultural dynamics has its ground in human consciousness. It is a fact that human consciousness responds to all forms of reactions to change and that is why philosophers believe in the proposition that nothing is constant as change. This indubitable proposition is the basis of revolutionary nature of culture. In this paper I want to argue from a philosophical point of view that when cultural consciousness is interfaced with natural phenomenon it is the utilization of human intellect that is always responsible for the transformation that that takes place in human natural habitat-the universe. The moral import that emanates from this is the social implications of how human beings have over the years used the cultural consciousness as a philosophical barometer to measure its accountability to the well-being of humans irrespective of race, gender and colour. I will use a critical methodology of inquiry to navigate from historical, religious and cultural perspectives the need for a global integration of natural and human resources that promote the essence of identity and unification of the positive values in human existence. The paper concludes that without cultural consciousness there cannot be any significant transformation of values that can be attributable to human beings. Therefore the natural place capable for humans to use the intellect to enhance the quality of existence which they can claim to be their own is this universe which I call the permanent abode of their being. Therefore we ought to use cultural consciousness as affirmation of the pluralistic nature of being that makes life to be both individualistic and corporate because the existential cannon finds its full expression in humanity.

 

 

111.  Ogunnubi Olusola, School of Social Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. olusola.ogunnubi@yahoo.com

 

SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOCRATIC RE-ENACTMENT: FROM POST-APARTHEID TO NEO-APARTHEID CONSTRUCTION

The aim of this paper is to interrogate the contemporary and empirical validity of the 'post-apartheid' appellation to democratic South Africa since 1994. In comparatively examining the political-economic dynamics, systems, structures and institutions that existed sequel to the end apartheid rule on one hand and the current democratic South Africa, the paper argues that the 'post-apartheid' label does not effectively capture the reality and nuances of South Africa's democratic experience especially since 1994. The term 'post-apartheid' achieved gained usage following the end of apartheid regime and the subsequent inauguration of a racially inclusive democratic South Africa. Reference to post-apartheid South Africa therefore suggests that the country is gradually moving away from the systems, structures and institutions that the previous apartheid regime represented. However, the empirical reality as evidenced in the lives of the general populace shows unambiguously that what has changed since 1994 is only a transformation of the ruling class/elites (who are custodian of the state) from a white minority management to a black majority administration. This is because the institutional variables of race, class distinctions and spatial arrangements that existed in over 350years of white minority rule are still very much ubiquitous within the public, economic and political sphere. In essence, both whites and blacks in general are still confused about the level of changes they are experiencing. The paper therefore submits that in fact what is often inappropriately referred to as the 'post-apartheid' South Africa should be regarded as neo-apartheid South Africa. The central argument is therefore that South Africa is still caught up in an oscillating and continuing phase of neo-apartheid as the post-apartheid label is only in name and not in reality. In short, South Africa is yet to experience a post-apartheid period.

 

112.  Ohwovoriole, Felicia. Ph.D, Department of English, University of Lagos, Akoka-lagoseruvwe2006@yahoo.com

 

THE BRIDE IN THE MARKET PLACE: PERFORMANCE IN ILUGBEDJO BRIDAL CHANTS

Ilugbedjo are bridal and circumcision songs of Ughievwen people performed when a girl comes of age or when she is betrothed to a particular suitor in preparation for marriage ceremony. It is an annual festival of emeteyavwon (circumcision rites) which culminates in a grand finale of a bridal procession known as eki eruo. This is when performers congregate in the market place to show case prospective brides. Ughievwen clan is in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria.  The mode of transmitting the songs involve total artistry which includes poetry, music, melismic screams, ostentatious costumes and theatrical grandeur.  Characteristic of most songs is their shortness and expression of sadness and joy and these may be improvised or modified in actual performance. Other songs  that are dramatized serve as a warning to the bride to be of good conduct, describe the beauty of the bride in honorific addressives. Certain features stand out in the performance of the songs. There may be a narrative framework in which soloist and chorus recant the bride's family history. At the end of each statement by the soloist, the chorus reiterates, in total agreement the essential point of view of the soloist.  This paper deals with the performative aspects of ilugbedjo bridal chants. It examines women's actions during traditional bridal marches to a market, how the songs work to bring out the effects that the participants intend. 

 

 

113.  OJETOLA, Ayodeji Philip, Graduate Student, Dept of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan. ojetolaphilip@yahoo.com, +234(0)80 6074 9066

 

'IRRESPECTIVE OF CREED, TRIBE OR CLASS?': CHANGE AND THE CHALLENGE OF CONTINUITY IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN'S SOCIETIES (NCWS), NIGERIA

Contemporary gender discourses in historical scholarship (from Baker,1974;Mba,1982;Denzer, 1989; Barber,1991 to Awe,1992;McIntosh,2009; Vaughan and Okome, 2012 etc.) about the changing roles of women in colonial and post colonial Nigeria have clearly demonstrated that beyond the roles that women played and are still playing (though now more passively) in traditional settings as wives, chiefs and mothers, their roles within the colonial and post colonial contexts were based upon the need to mitigate the effects of some of the social changes forced on women under various guises and circumstances by the colonial structure as well new challenges posed by globalization. The new wave, which has been aptly described as 'the first wave of feminism' in the Nigerian context - the second wave being new attempts at taking affirmative actions in the post Beijing Declarations) - was informed by a 'reconfiguration of new gender roles and the notion of female elitism,' and is perhaps one of most outstanding developments under colonialism. In this study, whichis done against the background of attempts by the women of Nigeria to form a joint platform to improve the socio-political as well as the welfare of all women in the country, an attempt is being made to interrogate the past, the present and the future of the National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS),Nigerian the context of change and continuity. NCWS was founded in 1959 as a non-partisan, not–for-profit and non-governmental umbrella body of all women's organizations in Nigeria 'irrespective of creed, tribe or class'. The positions of the paper are two-pronged. On the one hand, the writer posits that the Council is one of the most enduring symbols and legacies of 'the first wave of feminism' and may as well be regarded as one of the landmarks in the contemporary history of Nigeria, in so far as the forging of alliances among Nigerian women across socio cultural boundaries and socio economic classes and, by extension, the integration of Nigerian women (and their feminism) into the mainstream of international feminism, are concerned. On the other, it attempts to identify the structures that sustained the 'accomplishment', and attempts to  test  them against the hypothesis proposed by Nina Mba about the virtues that contributed to the seeming success of women's organizations that thrived in colonial and post colonial Nigeria, namely that  they tended to  thrive better and 'were most independent when mobilized through their own separate communal associations' free from political meddling ,than 'when they belonged to an organization or institution along with men'  In that vein,this paper would keep a tab on the structures that account for the sustainability of  NCWS, such as nonpartisanship, leadership by merit, autonomy of operations, absence of exclusionism, selflessness and philanthropy among others,  and point at how those 'structures 'have come under a deliberate 'attack' by a series of  clauses smuggled into its constitutions and legitimized as 'amendments to the constitution'. One feature of these so -called 'amendments' is that they coincided with political transitions in the country, namely  civilian to civilian, military to civilian or military to military, as the case may be. The questions being asked and to which answers are provided here are: What change and why the change? How and to what extent? In whose interests? The paper concludes that the nexus between change and continuity in NCWS is not complementary. Rather than being inspired by compelling needs to adapt to new development realities in line with the social, economic and political directions of the nation, change and the negotiation of continuity within the Council are motivated by contrasting existentialist interpretations of 'political alignment' 'political loyalty' and 'power negotiation and distribution' as they are determined by forces within government official circles –  the so-called 'powers that be' The paper concludes that the phenomenon stems from a lack of  intergenerational link between the older and the younger generation of leaders and followers of the Council - a challenge that is a reflection of a larger social malaise  that is plaguing corporate Nigeria.

 

114.  Okafor Nneka (Mrs.) PhD Student, School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (Ethics Dept.), University of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg Campus. Republic of South Africa.  nefo202 @yahoo.com.  + (27)738337941

 Feminist ethical investigation on the role of culture and gender with specific reference to their impact on development in post-colonial Igbo Nigerian Society.

Issues of women's development, economic and biological are inseparable from women's wellbeing. What has become spectacular is that many African women are doubly marginalized economically and psychologically by our African neo-colonial culture that perpetuates the oppression of women. The aim of this paper is to ethically interrogate the role culture has continued to play when placed in line with gender. It will  assess the complete interplay of gender and culture in contemporary society and how cultural politics affect development using the historical experience of theIgbo women of Eastern Nigeria as typical of African society in general where cultural practices reinforces male power and portrays the idea of women's inferiority where their rights are being undermined by cultural laws. Culture must be remembered as one of the social factors that explains society and determines gender ideology which defines the responsibility and behavior of both sex and influence access to the control of resources and participation in decision making. The paper will also cross-examine family values which is an important cultural factor whose effect on gender is very significant and cannot be bypassed when gender development and culture are being investigated. The significance of this paper however, is to subsist in revealing the centrality of gender and culture as it pertains to the ongoing call for development strategy to enhance sustainability in Africa which could be achieved by removing various cultural barriers which marginalizes inhibits and subordinates women.

 

 

115.  JAMES OKOLIE-OSEMENE(IFRA Research Fellow), Peace and Conflict Studies, Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. donoykea@gmail.com. 08063965278

& UDECHUKWUUDEKE(PhD), Department of History and International Studies, Imo State University  Owerri. udechukwudeke2011@gmail.com, 08033394104

Mapping the Institutional Responsibility for the Management of Internal Displacement in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects

Since Nigeria's independence in 1960, thousands of people have been killed in violent conflicts that are rooted in ethnic identity or religion. Internal displacement is not only source of food insecurity but also an ingredient of many identity conflicts in the country. Apart from being citizens of Nigeria, internally displaced persons are also entitled to physical safety which sometimes becomes contested where they find themselves. This is where institutional responsibility sets in because the number of internally displaced persons in Nigeria is alarming. Internal displacement in Nigeria not only cause identity-based conflicts but also contribute to already festering ethno-religious conflicts in most parts of the country because of rivalry that follow displacement n terms of struggle over resources, land, and opportunities. With case studies and emphasis on factors that contribute to internal displacement in Nigeria, this paper examines the challenges of managing internal displacement in Nigeria and prospects of effective institutional response mechanisms. The study will use in-depth interviews with practitioners and agencies that are involved in managing internal displacement and designing programmes that are aimed at ameliorating the sufferings of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); and secondary sources to accumulate all relevant information. It concludes that early warning indicators and response mechanisms should be put in place by policy makers to tackle whatever challenges that accompany internal displacement. There is need for proactive approach in handling internal displacement. If not properly handled, internal displacement will undermine Nigeria's Vision 20:2020 quest.

 

116.  Okpara, Chukwuemeka Vincent (Ph.D), Dept. of Fine & Applied Arts,University of Nigeria, Nsukka. +234(0)8037312775 (emeka_okp@yahoo.co.uk)

 

Contemporary African and the Diaspora Art: The Contributions of El Anatsui and Yinka Shonibare to the Growth of African Art on the Global Stage.

With allusions to African indigenous forms, motifs and symbols and through such creative media as Paintings, Sculptures, Textiles, Fashion and Digital Image manipulations, African artists have been able to create forceful visual statements that refer to global, local and their personal histories, as well as address memories and constancy of change. The contributions of the Ghanaian-born El Anatsui and the British-born Nigerian Yinka Shonibare have permanently transformed global expectations of what art is and where it came from. Their works have not only assumed a "pride of place" in the global creative art arena but also revealed the growing prominence of contemporary African art in the world stage. This paper therefore discusses the respective lives and works of these artists and how they can help other Africans and the Diaspora artists increase shared knowledge and opportunities for greater collaborations, and surmount challenges that face the acceptance of their works at global stage. The paper also suggests ways through which other African and the Diaspora artists can surmount the atmosphere of benighted sympathy which the Western scholars have kept us in for decades. It finally recommends ways through which Afrocentric artworks can assume the shape of the circumstances that inspired them and epitomize contingencies for the benefit of the Africans and other people of African descent.

 

117.  OKUNADE, Michael Adeyinka, Department of Architecture, ObafemiAwolowoUniversity,

Ile-Ife, Nigeria. omakid2002@yahoo.com. mokunade@oauife.edu.ng

 

Contemporary Challenges of Yoruba Traditional Pottery Making in Ipetumodu

The practice of traditional pottery making is gradually going into oblivion in contemporary Africa as evident in the Yoruba society. Many pottery sites have been shut down due to factors that range from old age and death of experienced traditional potters to lack of continuity on the part of their descendants. Modern alternatives to the use of pots also constitute a major factor that affects the patronage of the wares. Despite, the Ipetumodu pottery centre still continue to struggle to survive. A lot of innovations and creative ingenuity have crept into the production which is helping to sustain the culture. This research carried out through participant observation and compilation of some secondary data from existing literature on traditional pottery in Yorubaland is aimed at examining the activities of the Ipetumodu pottery centre. It shall also look at the challenges of the centre and the militating factors towards her continual existence. It shall propound the way forward towards the entrenchment of pottery within the culture of the people. It shall in addition, serve as a documentation of the present practitioners and their operation within the Ipetumodu community.

 

 

118.  OKWECHIME E OKEY, DEPT OF ENGLISH & LITERATURE,  UNIVERSITY OF BENIN , BENIN-CITY, EDO-STATE, NIGERIA. 0803 7217824, oraclechime@yahoo.com

GENDER BULLYING IN FEMI OSOFISAN'S DRAMATURGY

Gender bullying has been a phenomenon that is being over-looked in our society today, this is owing to the fact that our culture has created a form of ally with this aspect of life. Gender bullying could be observed physically and in covert forms: this affects both sexes (male and female). This paper therefore tends to evaluate and analyze two of Femi Osofisan's literary piece in bringing out this concept as portrayed in his drama piece and also to examine and buttress on how our society has encouraged gender bullying especially on the female folks. The study therefore recommends that attention should be paid in reducing gender bullying which (bring) promotes victimization.

 

 119.  Dr. Olubayo Oladimeji ADEKOLA, Senior Research Fellow (Anthropology),  Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. 08033766872,   oadekola2001@yahoo.com

 INTEGRATION, DIS-INTEGRATION AND RE-INTEGRATION OF YORUBA KINSHIP TIES:  A CASE STUDY OF ETHNIC UNIONS IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA.

Several scholars have discussed the cultural homogeneity of the Yoruba people from time memorial.  Thus, this natural and unique attributes had brought the people into limelight within the global community.  In other words, this peculiar characteristics has established that the people exhibits certain cultural features which make them distinct to other cultural groups and peoples throughout Nigeria and the African continent in general. However, it is sad to note that the incursion of the European Powers and the balkanization of the African land space had dealt a severe blow on the integration of kinship and family ties which had been naturally instituted before the coming of the whites.  This problem brought about the dis-integration of families among the Yoruba peoples and has caused a lot of hardship which gave rise to underdevelopment and dis-unity within the communities.  Fortunately however, this savoury and unpalatable trend of events started to change as the people realized that without their coming together, appreciable achievement in the area of development would not be possible. Therefore, with modernity, and globalization which had paved way for cultural awareness, the people are re-integrating themselves to face cultural and developmental challenges confronting them.  This paper therefore seeks to look critically into the organization of socio-cultural and ethnic unions springing up in contemporary Yoruba communities with the aim of highlighting the probable areas of development which the activities of the ethnic unions could achieve and suggest how they could be harnessed for the benefit of the global society.

 

120.  OMOREGIE PAT IZIENGBE, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN,

IBADAN, NIGERIA.  IFRA RESEARCH FELLOW, +2348034144262.  izwithchrist@yahoo.co.uk

                                                                                                

HEROINES IN PRE-COLONIAL BENIN: THEIR LIVES, ACTIVITIES AND TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE KINGDOM

In the reconstruction of African history, the African woman has been pushed to the background as if she was not part of the evolution and development of the socio-political culture in African societies. She is only mentioned in the passing in history, and no detailed attention has been paid to her input and impact in the society. This study however redefines the place and impacts of women in Pre-colonial Benin kingdom. The study reveals the original state of the Benin women, their challenges and limitations and it further stressed the relevance of women in pre-colonial Benin. The paper focuses on pre-colonial heroines and their influence on the socio-political development in the kingdom. Although, Benin women were treated a little better than slaves, they still made giant stride in the economic and socio-political aspect of the kingdom. The study takes a chronological look at heroines in pre-colonial Benin, considering the likes of Emotan, Idia, Iden, Ewere, and many other women whose lives and activities made indelible marks in the kingdom. The paper concludes with a challenge to the contemporary women. The challenge stems from the fact that if these women could make such impact in their society in the past, the contemporary woman has no reason to fail her nation now. It also emphasizes that women, when given the right opportunities and privileges are agents of positive change in every country.

 

121.  OMOTAYO OLATUBOSUN TOPE,  DEPT OF SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES, TAI SOLARIN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, IJEBU –ODEOGUNSTATE, NIGERIA. temitemiaca@yahoo.com, 08060486167

VENERATION OF OLDER PERSONS IN THINGS FALL APART AND AGEISM IN CONTEMPORARY AFRICANSOCIETY

Historically, the veneration of older persons within African traditional society is a major ingredient that ensures the success of African society in pre colonial era. This is because older persons are revered as source and custodian of ideas and values that ensures development of the society. These ideas comes from experience, knowledge and encounters of older persons during life course and accumulated effect of this (wisdom) enables older persons to make positive interventions that address varying challenges in pre colonial African society. However, in contemporary African society, older persons do not enjoy such prominence as it was at pre colonial Africa society. Presently, material resources (modern technology), and human resource (technocrats) have taken over the once revered input of older persons; and these substitutes do have limitations as evident in present social, economic and cultural challenges faced by Africans and the world in general . Hence, this study, through the perspective of African literature (Things Fall Apart) expatiate on salient issues as they relate to veneration of older persons in Pre Colonial Africa and disdain of older persons in modern epoch.  

 

128   Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD), Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Ile-Ife. tinaosezua@yahoo.com, +234 8068709984

Non- Economic Factors and the Phenomenon of Cross Border Sex Tradeamong the Benin Women of Southern Nigeria. 

While existing literature gives inadequate attention to the use of micro theoretical approaches in examining the phenomenon of cross border sex trade among the Benin of Southern Nigeria, a region described as the hub of sex trafficking in Nigeria, this paper fills this gap by adopting an ethnographic approach in the socio-cultural and historic milieu in which the phenomenon of international sex trade occurs and the current trajectories it is presently undergoing.  Data were obtained from Key informants who are the custodians of Benin culture and relevant archival materials were engaged in order establish the rationale for the pervasiveness of cross border sex trade in the region.  The study found the earlier contact the Portuguese had with the Benin people in the fifteenth century, which culminated in a commercial intercourse between them established a prestige structure in the traditional Benin Society which made overseas travel valuable in the typically stratified society. Contact with the Europeans was therefore strongly perceived among the Benin People of Southern Nigeria as status symbol, thus explaining the prevailing value structure which deifies "traveling overseas". The paper further disclosed that in the era of globalization, where the Western world is still considered as the ideal form of a modern society, travelling overseas has continued to reinforce the primordial beliefs of superiority by those who engage in it. Hence, women of the socio-economic stratum of this Benin extraction are susceptible to the option provided by lucrative cross border sex trade overseas.  The paper concludes that migration to overseas by women of this extraction is a form of social and economic empowerment against the backdrop of apparent cultural discrimination which  privileges males over females in the region.

 

129.  OYEBADE, TITILADE  ADEFUNKE AND OLUDELE OMOBOLA,  FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, AKURE.,  titilade_oyebade@yahoo.com omobolaoludele@yahoo.com 08136351060, 08050281183

 

LANGUAGE, GENDER AND SEXUALITY: REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN SOME NIGERIAN FASHION MAGAZINES

Many studies have been carried out on gender and sexuality issues in the mass media in Nigeria, but very few are yet to concentrate on the portrayal of women in fashion magazines, which are largely regarded as women magazines. This paper aims to fill this gap by investigating the gender linguistic, discoursal and semiotic resources deployed by some Nigerian fashion magazines to portray women and issues related to them. Data will be sourced from fashion magazines in Nigeria namely: Ovation, Genevieve, True Love, Encomium and Wedding Planner. The data will be subjected to linguistic, pragma-discoursal, and multi-modal analyses, with insights from postmodernist gender theories, identity theories, multimodal/semiotic and Critical Discourse Analysis. The aim of the study is to discover the kind of identity constructed for the twenty first century Nigerian woman and the implication of this on the Nigerian women who are below the poverty line.

 

130.  Peju Johson-Bashua PhD, Department of Religions, Lagos State University & Ibigbolade S. Aderibigbe PhD, Department of Religion / African Studies Institute, The University of Georgia. Email: iaderibi@uga.edu

 

Contextualizing Challenges and Prospects of African Traditional Religious Festivals' Changing Sustainability Dynamics: The Osun Osogbo Model

With the seeming irreversible holistic  submission to the global expectation and conformity in all aspects of human endeavors-religion, economics, politics, social values and  so on, the African Continent has found its indigenous traditions subjected to serious jeopardy, if not total  rejection on the altar of claimed primitiveness, if not in fact anachronism. Consequently, the sustainability of the African traditional values seems to hang in the balance and in need of changing dynamics to find relevance and effectively impact human expectations of growth and developments of the 21^st century and beyond.    Perhaps the most "endangered Species" of such Indigenous traditions are African Traditional religious festivals. The prevalent question is the determination of the contexts and forms the festivals needed   to be located within the logistics of sustainability so as to preserve their African indigenous traditions, and at the same time find concurrence in contemporary African and global sensibilities?  African Traditional festivals were fundamentally not only associated with different aspects of communal life, but were more essentially originated and rooted in religious functionalities. In particular, they epitomized the African People's belief and venerations of divinities and ancestors. Within this context, the festivals symbolized the religious dynamics of communal renewal, unity and cohesion.  These dynamics represented concrete constructs of maintaining the bond between the living and the spiritual entities, made up of ancestors and divinities. Indeed this religious bond constituted the sustaining "energy" of a community from one generation to the other.   However, in cotemporary setting, while the religious functional dynamics of traditional festivals in Africa and African Diaspora have remained formidable intents, there has emerged a changing pattern in their sustainability dynamics-transcending religious functions. Such dynamics now evidences strong national, economic, tourist and professional functional dimensions as sustainability rational for the festivals.   This changing pattern of sustainability dynamics finds models in virtually all Yoruba and Yoruba Diaspora traditional religious festivals. There are many of such festivals. However a very prominent and obvious typology of such festivals is the Osun Osogbo annual festival. The festival originated as a religious devotion to the Osun goddess. It was celebrated in appreciative veneration by the founders of Oshogbo town, for the goddess past protections and in expectation of future favors. Today the festival has assumed new functional dynamics, which have become bastions of its sustainability. The functional dynamics is now located in components of artistic, tourist, social, economic and professional adventures of local, national and international proportions. Even among the Yoruba Diaspora devotees of Neo-Yoruba Religions of the Caribbean and Latin America, the celebrations of festivals in honor of the Yoruba progenitor Osun goddess depict the same sensibilities. These realities portend significant challenges and prospects for the festival as a model of other African traditional religious festivals across African communities.

131.   Prof. Handel Kashope Wright, University of British Columbia, Centre for Culture, Identity and Education, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4;  +604-822-2705;  handel.wright@ubc.ca

 

 Black/African/Canadian: How Those Slashes (Re)Make Identity Out of Identification

This essay was first delivered under the brief title, "Is This An African I See Before Me?" as the keynote address at the public conference titled Perceptions of Africa: A Three Day Dialogue organized by the Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia in March, 2007.  It was subsequently published under the same title "Is This an African I See Before Me," in the Dialogue Section of Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education, 1 (4), 313-322.  In the present version, the oral presentation format is preserved while the title and some sections are expanded slightly.  Part of the rationale for preserving the oral version is to present the arguments in the "essay" in what for academia is an alternative format, one which is more in keeping with African forms which are biased toward orality and storytelling than written forms.  Another part of the rationale is a conscious decision to keep the flavor of a piece that made an attempt to reach a broad audience while addressing the complicated relationship between identity, place/space and knowledge making. 

 

 

132.   Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne  (University of Maroua, Cameroon).

 

The Endless  Plight of African masses in the Twentieth  First Century.

In the early 1960s to  mid 1970s, many African states obtained independence. However, the attainment of independence was accompanied with a ruling class which practiced corruption, favoritism,  tribalism, bribery, nepotism and selfishness. The ruling class also lived in opulence and regarded the masses with disdain. Playwrights such as Wole Soyinka foresaw the impact of the malpractices on the growth of the independent states.  He rebuked these shortcomings in his play A Dance of the Forests (1963 ).        One would have expected the ruling class of the African states which obtained independence in late 1970s and 1980s to refrain from the shortcomings of the former ruling class. This has not happened as the latter ruling class is not just emulating the former ruling class but grossly exaggerating the malpractices.  Therefore, many years after independence, African states are not progressing in terms of politics, economics, social and culture. The victims of this stagnation are the African masses who live by begging.  Thus, creative writers such as Cont Mhlanga and Frederick B. Philander of the newly independent states, like their predecessor Wole Soyinka, frown at these malpractices. This paper sets out to analyze the endless plight of the African masses in the 21^st century in Cont Mhlanga's Workshop Negative (2004) and Frederick B. Philander's  King of the Dump (2005). New Historicism and postcolonial critical approaches are used in the paper.

 

 

133.  Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne

 

Modernism and Its Impact in Contemporary Society in Anthony Akerman's  A Man Out of His Country (2000) and John Kani's Nothing But the Truth (2002).

In pristine era, there were rules which governed human actions. Man's actions were prescribed by the ethos, more, ethics and principles of the given society. Anyone who detested  the established order was considered a dissident. With the emergence of globalization alongside modernism, man is questioning the established order which he considers outdated. He is therefore breaking away from the outdated order and establishing new mores, ethos, ethics and principles which he calls modernism.   The aim of this paper is to analyze modernism and its impact in contemporary society in Anthony Akerman's  A Man Out of His Country (2000) and John Kani's Nothing But the Truth (2002). New historicism critical approach is used in the paper.

 

134.  Remy Oriaku, Department of English, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

 

Return to the Motherland and Coming to Terms with Exile: The Motif of Homecoming in Yema Lucilda Hunter's Road to Freedom and Isidore Okpewho's Call Me by My Rightful Name This paper examines the motifs of exile and homecoming in two West African novels – Isidore Okpewho's Call Me by My Rightful Name and Yema Lucilda Hunter's Road to Freedom. Whereas Hunter's novel is set in the Emancipation era, Okpewho's is set essentially in the second half of the twentieth century – two periods in which the situations of the black people in America are almost polar opposites. Road to Freedom highlights the status of black people as underprivileged aliens in spite of their liberation, thus underlining their critical need for economic empowerment which is realisable in the prevailing circumstance only in their African homeland. Call Me by My Rightful Name shows that in spite of the much improved living condition of American blacks, they still experience periodic embarrassment as descendants of former slaves and will lay the ghost of that unfortunate past only by reconnecting with the motherland. While Hunter's novel dramatizes the mass return of black people from America, Okpewho's envisages a situation whereby they remain Americans at the same time that they reconnect with the language and culture of their African ancestors. Both novels highlight the tensions in the society that must be finally brought to a closure. 

 

 

135.  RICHARD AGBOR AYUKNDANG ENOH(Ph. D), SENIOR LECTURER, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF BUEA, SOUTH WEST CAMEROON, Phone;+237 77 89 51 93, l<agborera7@yahoo.com>

 

THE REPATRIATES AND CREOLIZATION PROCESSES IN WEST AFRICA: THE CASE OF VICTORIA IN BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS.

Abstract: This paper titled "The Repatriates and Creolizatiion Processes in West Africa; The Case of Victoria in British Southern Cameroons"; examines the forces and factors that prompted the initial migratory wave from the African continent to the Diaspora. Their activities and experience in the "New world" and the struggle for identities and nationalities in the new environment they created amongst themselves. The paper will further explain their relationship in the Diasporic communities and the necessities of the return to Africa. Here, it must be made to understand that Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation Act  actually repatriated the Africans . . . a good number of them returned and settled along the West African Coast with various inherited cultures from the Diasporic World. Seriously enough, the paper will x-ray their mood of communication . . . a complete mixture of languages which comprised of some English, Spanish, French, and even some pidginization, which became was known as the "Creole" and more of "Gullah" dialect or language of South Carolina. Here , emphasis must be made clear that , communication is a major ingredient of co-existence in a community . . . Hence there was a need for communication which these "New Group of Africans" introduced into the West African society in which they integrated themselves. The Creole (The Language) and  ( The Krio, the people) actually diffused into most of the West African communities in which the repatriates found themselves. Being intergrated into  West African Society (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Abeokuta, Lagos in Nigeria, Togo, Fernando Po, Mauritius, The Gambia, and Victoria in South West Cameroon);  being very influenced in social life, highly educated, well civilized, westernized and foreignised, they actually influenced the changing  fortunes into the West African society with the creole language which became a meta language in  some major areas in West Africa . . . but the case of Victoria, South West Cameroon has been highly understudied. Creolization therefore, has become a very dominant  mood of communication  and a gate way for the westernization processes in British Southern Cameroons.

 

136.  Ruth Oluwakemi Oke, Department of Christian Religious Studies, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Nigeria.  ruthoke09@yahoo.com, Mobile number +234 -805-512-6082

 

Immigration as a determining factor in the spread of HIV and AIDS.

The HIV and AIDS scourge is a global disaster which should not be overlooked. A germane issue in the discussion about HIV and AIDS is that of immigration where spouses are separated for one reason or the other. This often times lead to each of this partner seeking sexual fun from people other than their normal sex partner or spouse. The consequence of this act is contracting HIV and subsequent transfer to the innocent spouse or regular sex partner. What then should be done in order to check this trend? The work sources for opinions and information from immigrants and hospitality workers as well as the target group, who had been an immigrant one time or another; through the use of questionnaire and interview tools. It now drew inference and conclusion from the data and facts obtained.

 

137.  S.G Anaeto (PhD), and Patricia E. Chioma, Department of Mass Communication, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

 

COMMUNICATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN NIGERIA

The need to promote national consciousness in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. With about two hundred and fifty ethnic groups in the country (each with its peculiar culture, norms, values, religion, belief system, and struggle), it has become a challenge to create an enabling environment national belonging and unity amongst the people whose perception of one another, commonly held national beliefs, as well as level of patriotism for their country is highly influenced by their background, therefore the need to promote national consciousness. This paper identifies the peculiar factors militating against the development of national consciousness in Nigeria, as well as recommends a communication framework for the effective use of communication tools /media to promote sustainable national consciousness in Nigeria.

 

138.  Sandra Ochieng'-Springer, Jackman Road, Orange Hill, St. James, Barbados. BB24020. 1-246-432-9410. Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work, University of the West Indies, Cavehill Campus. sandraochieng@hotmail.com

 

Accommodating ethnic interests in post-colonial societies: A comparative study of political development in Kenya and Trinidad and Tobago

Colonialism, which was based on capitalism, created categorical identities because of labour mobilities and commodification. In Kenya and Trinidad, these categorizations or markers of differentiation were based on notions of ethnicity which have proved challenging in creating viable national identities after independence and to political development. This is because these identities were invoked or politicized by colonialists, in the colonial period and by local elites and leaders during political struggles in the decolonization and post-colonial eras. As the newly formed states engaged in nation building process after the colonial period, ethnicity therefore had an effect on the political development of these post-colonial states. In Kenya, this categorization was among the African population while in Trinidad it was between the African and Indian population. These categorisations socially, economically and politically have shaped the foundations of the nation-state as institutions have been biased towards certain groups. This paper attempts to explain comparatively, the political development of these two countries and the accommodation of ethnic interests using a historical institutionalist perspective.

 

139.  Sarah Anyang Agbor(PHD), Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences (FALSS), university of yaounde 1, p.o.box 755 yaounde, Centre region, cameroon. 237-77223677, agborsarah@yahoo.com

 

 DIASPORA ENCOUNTERS AND SHIFTING PARADIGMS IN SELECTED WORKS OF ISIDORE OKPEWHO, ANITA DESAIAND,  BARACK OBAMA.

The study examines Diaspora encounters and the consequences of dislocation and how sometimes trauma of identity could lead to the search of an original identity, and cultural and ethnic affiliations in Isidore Okpewho's Call me By My Rightful Name; Anita Desai's  Fasting Feasting and Barack Obama Dreams from my Father. What are the impacts of cross cultural encounters? How do these encounters affect memory, ethnicity, race and identity formations? How do Africans in the Diaspora redefine themselves in social interaction and history? What and how is the representation of hybridity and identity and time, and its twinned emphasis on Africa in the creative imagination of the author and the contemporary Black Atlantic? The premise of this study is that the selected texts are characterized by cultural tendencies that represent the predicament of the consequences of dislocation, displacement and slavery.

 

 

140.  SOTUNSA, MOBOLANLE EBUNOLUWA (PHD), &   OLU-OSAYOMI, OLUSEGUN, DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND LITERARY STUDIES, SCHOOL OF EDUCATIONAND HUMANITIES, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, ILISAN- REMO, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.  bolasotunsa@yahoo.com,  +234 8081644141; +2348034550610

 

METAPHYSIC, POETRY AND DRAMATIC FEATURES OF IFA DIVINATORY PERFORMANCE.

This study is a quest that engages core areas of the Ifa divinatory practice in a way that interrogates and, consequently, situates the centrality of the metaphysical and transcendent phenomena of Ifa divination in Yoruba and the Diaspora. The study explores the rich poetic and dramatic features of Ifa divination. It reappraises the form, structure, language and stylistic patterns of Ifa divinatory performance. The study is based on an extensive review of existing literatures and a product of current field work that provides comprehensive literary analyses of fresh Ifa divination text samples. It examines the meanings and significances of Ifa divinatory performance and explores the literary and aesthetic values for contemporary uses in Africa and the Diaspora. The study concludes by recommending new options for sustenance, value and deliverables.

 

141.  Surajudeen  Oladosu Mudasiru, PhD, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University,  Ojo, PMB 0001 LASU Post Office, Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos. Tel: 08033228322 or 08024587090

 

Identity Crisis and the Withering Away of African Union: A Critique of the Role of AU in Libyan Crisis

The overwhelming belief that the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) achieved its political achievement of ensuring the decolonisation of African countries and the consequent transformation of the organisation to African Union (AU) with obvious economic objectives seems to have been repudiated with pessimism in view of the crises and conflicts that bedevilled the continent since the 1990s. There is no doubt that the contemporary African post-Nkrummah gained wide currency as a result of the voice given to it by the activities of Late Mouhammar Ghaddafi, particularly with the role played by the Late Pan-Africanist in the formation of the Africa Union in SIRTE. However, the abandonment of the country during the crisis that erupted and eventually claimed the life of the Pan-Africanist is an indication that the organisation may have been "clinically dead". While it may not be difficult to argue that Ghaddafi had its own problems which he sets out to use the African Union to resolve, it is equally important to understand that the voice displayed by the African Union in its evolving years was as a result of the activities of Ghaddafi. Therefore, it is interesting to ask what incapacitated the AU to play the expected role in the Libyan crisis? Is there any optimism in the revitalisation of the Union in a post-Ghaddafi era? If yes, which country or African leader has the political will to do so?

 

142.  Taiwo Abioye, PhD, Department of Languages, Covenant University. +2348065503508

taiwo.abioye@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

Stylistic Peculiarities and Pragmatic Expression of Compliments in Nigerian Church Settings

The linguistic identity of a writer is exemplified by the social, cultural, religious, political and even ideological choice of words, the message being passed across, andthe contextual situation at the time the text was written.  This paper examines a corpus of 1,000 compliments in Nigerian church settings context, with specific reference to The Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners' Chapel), The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and The Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM). It addresses stylistic peculiarities and pragmatic expression of these compliments and examines the increasingly important role they play in addressing individual, group, societal and national issues. Thus, it isa systematic observation of Christian discourse in Nigeria.  Systemic Functional Linguistics Theory which views language as a social semiotic system people use to accomplish their purposes by expressing meanings in context is adapted as a framework for the analysis. It investigates the implications of the peculiar patterns of usage that are considered as indices of the culture of a people such as lexical change and expansion, stylistic peculiarities, semantic shifts and socio-cultural elements. Tables showing the frequency of usage and percentages of expressions are presented. Some of the findings show that these compliments point to an emerging variety of discourse, help to consolidate solidarity and boost confidence between speaker and hearer.  The implications of these for the Nigerian nation are highlighted.

 

143.  Taiwo Adetunji Osinubi, Department of English, Université de Montréal, Phone: 514-343-6755, : tunjitunji@yahoo.com

African Trans-worlds: Autobiography, Critique and Trans-national Kinship.

G. Thomas Couser has recently described auto/biographical narratives about fathers as "patriographies."In African literatures, children of deceased political figures have used this sub-genre to navigate their loss of a father who was at once a biological father as well as a symbolic father of a political community.  Focusing on Aminata Forna's The Devil that Danced on Water (Sierra Leone) and Ken Wiwa's In the Shadow of a Saint(Nigeria),this paper considers the problems and of transnational witnessing by children of political figures.  Especially because these autobiographies straddle intimate family life, the national politics, and a mediated global community, they pose complex problems about the rights of biographical subjects, the ethics of representing others figures around the fathers, and the weight to be accorded the political narrative itself.  In short, writers must fashion narrative patterns/conceits that crystallize the different moral orbits of the family, the fathers, the political community and the mediated audience. I suggest that in these two patriographies, the authors render the father as "post-national artifacts"; the father is à priori an elusive goal that will never be found.  Instead, the journey is a forensic coming-to-terms with the conflicting legacies of fathers.

 

144.  Timothy Aduojo Obaje & Prof. Okeke Uzodike, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Private BagX01 Scottsville, 3209,  taobaje@gmail.com, No: +27 78 839 8816 or +27 76 546 7578

Traditional Components of Conflict Transformation: An Appraisal of its Application in the Management of Ethno-Political Conflicts in Nigeria

Conflict is an inevitable phenomenon in any human society. Ending the reality of violent conflict is a grueling task; its management, however, is within our reach. The exertion of force or counter-violence often employed by national governments in response to events of violent conflict has over the years been proven abortive. This is evident in the persistence of violence conflicts across Africa and other parts of the world in spite of governments' application of force. This paper explores a non-violent alternative to peace-building. It examines the application of indigenous peace-building approaches to conflict transformation in Africa and other societies. Boege's method of conflict transformation is considered relevant in this paper due to its suitability in the management of conflict in fragile states. It is a non-state centered approach to peace-building and creates the ambience for a healthy straight-talk between conflicting parties. The model taps into peoples' identity of themselves, their cultural values and their indigenous approach to conflict management, thus, rendering it susceptible to their acceptance and cooperation. This paper is based on the review of existing literature. It builds on the authors' experience of conflict in Nigeria, their comprehension and appreciation of non-violent models to peacemaking and peace-building and their desire for a constructive approach to conflict transformation.

 

 

 

145.  TUNDE ONIKOYI, DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN,

NIGERIA, babsmickoy@yahoo.com and babatunde.onikoyi@gloworld.com,  08055573969

 

THE APPLICATION OF THE AUTUER THEORY AND THE POSTCOLONIAL THEORY TO THE EXPLICATION OF THE CINEMATOGRAPHIC OEURVE OF TUNDEKELANI

The Nigerian Film maker is seldom considered in the scheme of cultural and literary studies, and in fact, within the various units that constitute the humanities. Like literature, film is a work of art that allows the individual member of  audience enjoy some of the most enthralling aesthetics that combine to produce a visual representation of reality.

            The film maker, like the writer of a literature, produces works that challenge the member of the audience or society  to reflect on the issues that influence his very existence; like politics, economics, marriage, culture religion, crime and so on. While several critical analyses have been done on literary texts, whether dramatic literature, fiction or poetry, meticulous attention  or theoretical applications and explications have not particularly been paid to the film works or arts of film makers in this regard.

What is at stake therefore is to consider the two main categories of enquiry. One, is to critically analyze Nigerian films that fall under the postcolonial canon. Two, is to also explore the creative ingenuity of the personality of the film maker and his art. The possibility of a thorough investigation of the "subject"-(film maker) creator of the art (film) will be investigated  under yet another theory, and that is the auteur theory. The  works of Tunde Kelani as a matter of fact fall under the rubric of the postcolonial and auteur theories. With the application of the auteur theory, we shall find answers to the various questions of the need to consider the works of Nigerian film makers critically: art film most significantly, and the necessity of considering the postcoloniality of a film maker.

 

 

146.  Victor Iyanya, : viiyanya@yahoo.com

 

Topic: Rural Poverty in Nigeria

Poverty is mostly associated with developing nations, most especially the sub-saharan African countries, who are characterized with low productive capacity, few opportunities for income generation, malnutrition, high mortality rate, in sufficient access to social and economic services and most of its population are jobless. It is pertinent to state therefore that, poverty is multi-dimensional in nature, Nigeria not being an exception has been mounting a number of poverty alleviation programmes in order to attain a level of development in the country. Though, the incidence of poverty in Nigeria is visual in urban centres but it is much higher in rural areas that is why this study tries to look at the nature of poverty with particular emphasis on Igede land in Benue state of central Nigeria, its causes and considering the inequality in the distribution of wealth and the different poverty levels which are attributed to unequal opportunities to get education, type of occupation and difference in household. Poverty has therefore posed a lot of negative consequences on the citizens especially as it affects their health, education, employment, political participation and income generation. However, some suggestions on how to curb poverty have been offered, most especially through sincere down top involvement programmes and above all, the political will power to implement the programmes as obtained in other countries.

 

147.  Vivian Valdivia, Graduate Student San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA, Currently at the University of Ilorin, History Department, Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria. 08103950444. valdivia.vivian@gmail.com,

Blurring Ethnic Lines through Love Affairs: Exploring the Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970

During the Nigerian Civil War, even the head of the Biafran and the Nigerian military found time to marry.  Relationships that arose during the Nigerian Civil War have remained unexplored and offer another side to the conflict.  Through my research, I interviewed retired military solders that fought for the Nigerian military during the Civil War.  The solders interviewed live in Southwest Nigeria and are mostly Yoruba.  The retired solders recounted their marriages to Igbo women while other soldiers recounted their affairs with their Igbo girlfriends as part of their war experience.  Through the love affairs between Nigerian military solders, ethnic divisions were blurred.  During these romances, the common language used between the two parties was English and as a result, many of these couples created a hybrid culture through marriage.   Today, Nigeria encourages youths to marry outside of their ethnic group through monetary compensation[i] as an extension of the National Youth Service Corp (NYCS), a program founded after the war to promote unity.  By offering money to marry outside ethnic lines, there is an understanding that marriage can be a source of peace.  This paper will share the personal accounts of retired soldiers and their experience of love and ethnic intermixing during war. (Recently graduated university students are awarded money from the government if they marry someone outside of their ethnic group – provided that they meet during National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) camp. 

 

 

148.  Yasu'o MIZOBE, PhD School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University

1-9-1 Eifuku, Suginami, Tokyo 1688555 JAPAN, (mwizobe@meiji.ac.jp), Tel: +81-3-5300-1009

 

Japanese Newspaper Coverage of Africa (African soldiers) during World War II

This paper surveys the manner in which Japanese newspapers reported on and described Africa—more specifically Africa soldiers in the India-Burma theatre—during World War II. During this period, African soldiers were in direct combat with Japanese soldiers in the Battle of Burma as members of the British Army. This calamitous event has been mentioned in various existing studies; however, few have dealt with the Japanese press coverage on it. This paper introduces some important articles from two Japanese newspapers, the Asahi Shinbun and the Mainichi Shinbun. Based on these articles, this paper observes how the Japanese press communicated the complexion of the war and described the 'enemy', including African soldiers.

 

DAUDA, Bola, PhD, Managing Director, The Early Years' Education Foundation (EYEF) P.O Box 30864, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Phone:  +234 808 639 2371  E-mail:

daudabola@hotmail.com

Topic: The Untold Story of Creativity, Ingenuity, Imagination, Originality and Inventions
In African mythology, the story of creativity is akin to the history of hunting. Africans say, "Until animals begin to tell or write their own tales of hunting, the story of hunting would remain the hunter's story." The discourse of creativity, as the organizer of this conference has rightly noted, "Is a fundamental ideology of Western culture." The discourse and the prevailing view of creativity as dependent on individuality are of Western culture because the story of creativity is akin to the unsettled warring debate between the protagonists of Nature and Nurture. Indeed, it is an offshoot of the story of "intelligence quotient" rating and testing; the story of racism and stereotype academic ideology of superior-inferior classification and categorization of human race; the story of civilizing self-justification of slavery and trade in human beings, otherwise euphemized as "slave trade"; and of course, the story of political economy of development, imperialism and colonization. Understandably as in the case of the privileged African hunter's narrative, the invention of printing machine had given a cutting-edge of recorded history of civilization to the Western Christendom. Drawing on the often overlooked and untold story of creativity, ingenuity, imagination, originality, and inventions, this paper challenges "the individualist and depoliticized ideology of creativity." An alternative account of the social and political dimensions of creativity, indeed, the truth and reality of the history of human society, civilization, creativity and inventions is summed up in the African proverb, "The Child that sees farther than others is standing on the shoulders of their elders." Creativity is a product of a complex nexus of intelligent cooperation of individuality and society, both subsumed in the dynamics and appropriate bio-socio-economic and political environmental mix and interplay of Nature and Nurture.

 

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS/PARTICIPANTS

 

1.      Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D Department of English, University of Mississippi

2.      Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D,AIA. Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, College of Design,  University of Minnesota

3.      Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, PhD. Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin,Ilorin, Nigeria. Email: bose_babatunde@yahoo.co.uk Phone: +234 8085046103

4.      Adé Egún Crispin Robinson, MMus (Distinction), Phd candidate (Ethnomusicology), Music Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 4 Wray Crescent, London N4 3LP, UK, tel: +44 7958000173, email: cr32@soas.ac.uk

5.      Adedipe Adesoji, Ifra-Nigeria Research Fellow, M A. Peace and Conflict Studies, University      of Ibadan,  +234 806 8903 589, Email:adesojiadedipe@yahoo.com

6.      Adelowo Felix Adetunji, Ph.D.  and  Adefemi Samuel Adesina, Ph.D Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.  08033705097 or 08066124904 e-mail address:  afadesta@yahoo.com   OR   asadesina@gmail.com delowodetunji@gmail.com;femiadesina@hotmail.com

7.      Ademola Olayoku, IFRA-Nigeria Research Fellow, Peace & Conflict Studies Program                        University of Ibadan,  +234 807 7242 363,  iyanda22000@yahoo.co.uk

8.      Adetayo Alabi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Mississippi, MS 38677, Tel.: 662 915 6948,  <mailto:aalabi@olemiss.edu>aalabi@olemiss.edu

9.      Adetunji Adegoke & Esther Ajiboye, Department of Languages, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

10.  Afolayan, Bosede Funke, Dept of English, University of Lagos, Lagos. bafolayan@unilag.edu.ng; afolayanbosede@gmail.com

11.  Agbo Joshua,  Department of Languages and Linguistics, Benue State University, Makurdi,  Nigeria,  +2347039009763 or +2348151865901; joshua.agbo@yahoo.com

12.  Aisha Balarabe Bawa Department of History Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Nigeria Email:ayshabawa@gmail.com

13.  Ajani O.A. PhD Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. 08052908232 oajani@oauife.edu.ng, delejani@yahoo.com

14.  Sotunsa, Mobolanle Ebunoluwa (Phd), & Olu-Osayomi, Olusegun Department of Languages and Literary Studies, School of Education and Humanities, Babcock University, Ilisan- Remo, Ogun state, Nigeria. bolasotunsa@yahoo.com, +234 8081644141; +2348034550610

15.  Mobolanle Ebunoluwa Sotunsa Dept. of languages and literary studies, Babcock University Nigeria +234 8081644141 bolasotunsa@yahoo.com

16.  Lady Jane Acquah, University of Texas At Austin, Department of History The University of Texas at Austin,1 University Station B7000, Austin TX 78712-0220, ljane26@gmail.com

17.  Ann Albuyeh, Ph.D. Universidad de Puerto Rico HC-02 Box 13459 Humacao, PR00791 USA ann.albuyeh@gmail.com 787-559-9361

18.  Chief Chris Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Nigeria.

19.     Anthony C. Ajah Department of Philosophy University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria Mobile: +234-8037371839 Email: anthonyajah@aol.com

20.  Awosika, B. I. (Mrs.), Department of Home Economics, AdeyemiCollege of Education P.M.B. 520, Ondo. Visiting Lecturer: FederalCollege of Education (Special), P.M.B. 1089, Oyo. Nigeria. Phone: +234-8034066306 E-mail: bridgetawosika@ymail.com

21.  Ajayi Adewale The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro Ogun State deawale@yahoo.com 08056976180

22.  Babalola Ademola Department of Sociology and Anthropology Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

23.  Babalola O.E, Department of History, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti. Tomide4christ@yahoo.com & Fasiku, M. A Department of Social Studies, College of Education, Ikere- Ekiti.

24.  Bashiru Akande LASISI (PhD) University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria Department of Theatre Arts University of Ibadan 08033884648 E-mail:bashbalga@yahoo.com, bashbalga@gmail.com

25.  BLAVO, E.B Department of Classics Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State. tundeblavo@yahoo.com, +2348162746193

26.  Bojor Enamhe (PhD) Department of Visual Arts and Technology Cross River university of Technology Calabar, Cross riverstate, Nigeria. Blossomenamhe@yahoo.com 08023020086

27.  Tushabe, Caroline Dr. Kansas State University, USA Email: tushabe@k-state.edu

28.  Cassandra R. Veney, Ph.D. Associate Professor 1 LMU Drive Department of Political Science Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, California  90045 cveney@lmu.edu (310) 258-5468

29.  Chijioke Odii Samuel Adegboyega University KM1, Ehor Rd, Ogwa, EdoState Phone: 08030880896 E-mail: divinechiji@yahoo.com

30.  Christina N. Bazzaroni Florida International University 1986 Biarritz Drive, #104 Miami Beach, FL USA 33141 Cbazz001@fiu.edu 415.702.5099

 

31.  Chuku Umezurike, PhD Department of Political Science University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

 +234 (0)703 3676 350 chuku.umezurike@unn.edu.ng or chukuumezurike@yahoo.com

32.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117 Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria 234-0827311048, 234-7065246454; Email forthspring@yahoo.com Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.

33.  Osedebamen David Oamen, Ph.D 117, Igun Street, P. O. Box 4906, Benin City, Nigeria 234-0827311048 234-7065246454 Email Address: forthspring@yahoo.com Department of Theatre and Media Arts Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria

34.  Donald O. Omagu, PhD Department of History, College of Staten Island, City University of New York Staten Island New York donomagu_01@yahoo.com 718-404-5786©

35.  Oladotun Ayobade 6010 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX. 78752 (512) 903-7590 dotunayobade@utexas.edu, dotunayobade@gmail.com The University of Texas at Austin

36.  Doyin Aguoru Ph.d  English and Performing Arts Department, Olabisi Onabanjo  University, Ago-Iwoye. :070525987937 & 07035047854  E- mail :doyinaguoru77@yahoo.com

37.  Dr (Mrs) Gloria Eme Worugji BA (UNIPORT), MPA, MA, Ph.D (UNICAL) Lecturer Department of Theatre and Media Studies University of Calabar, Calabar E-mail address: ajieleeme @ yahoo. Com Phone nos. 08035085285 / 08184432542

38.  Dr Mike Adeyeye Department of Local Government Studies Faculty of Administration Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Email: madeyeye2002@yahoo.com Cell: +234(0)8037181009

39.  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife E-mail:  tinaosezua@yahoo.com +234 8068709984 & Dupe Taiwo Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife E-Mail: dupe4yoth@yahoo.com +234 8062234960

40.  Dr Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan Ibadan, Nigeria Email: roriaku@yahoo.com&roriakudr@gmail.com +234-8033237076; P.O. Box 19542, University of Ibadan Post Office, Ibadan, Nigeria

41.  Dr Taiwo Olunlade,  Department of African Languages Literatures and Communication Arts Lagos State University Ojo, Lagos Tel:08033724931 Email:drolunlade@yahoo.com

42.  Dr TOYI  MARIE- THÉRÈSE Lecturer I  in English Department Benson Idahosa University Ugbor Road Benin City, Edo State Nigeria; (+234) 8101043579 E-MAIL: theresetoyi@yahoo.fr

 

43.  Dr. Anya U. Egwu  Department of Languages School of Human Development College of Developmental Studies Covenant University, Ota Nigeria Email: ikechi07@yahoo.co.uk Mobile Phone: 08039172267

44.  Dr. Belkacem Iratni Professor of Politics and International Relations Chairman of the Scientific Committee Faculty of Political Science and Information University of Algiers, Algeria Tel: +213 (0)556 35 12 75  kacemiratni@hotmail.com

45.  Dr. Emma Osonna Ugwulebo Lecturer - Department of Sociology Imo State University Owerri, Nigeria. Phone- +2348034373984 E-mail: ugwuleboeo@yahoo.com

46.  Dr. Gloria Chuku University of Maryland, Baltimore County 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland21250, USA chuku@umbc.edu

47.  Dr. Mojisola  Shodipe, Department of English, University of  Lagos.

48.  Dr. Osezua Ehiyamen Mediayanose Department of Political Sciences Osun State University Oshogbo. E-mail osezuaomo2002@yahoo.com +2348060837266

49.  EBAI FREDRICKBASIL Ebai Fredrickbasil, C/O Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Telephone No.:           +2348099216849, +2348058018580;  E-Mail fred_basil2005@yahoo.com Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

50.  Ebhote Oseremen Department of Economics and Business studies Samuel Adegboyega University Ogwa, Edo State. Tel: 08037330582 E-mail: oseremenebhote@yahoo.com

51.  Emma Arogundade  Occasional Lecturer Department of Sociology University of Cape Town South Africa emmanence@gmail.com

52.  Emmanuel Saboro PhD Candidate Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation University of Hull, UK saborobest@yahoo.com E.Saboro@2011.hull.ac.uk +44 07879967514

53.  Eteete MichaelADAM (LL.M, MIRSS, BL)A lecturer in the Department of International Law and Diplomacy, School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

54.  Eunice E.OMONZEJIE, PhD Dept. of Modern Languages, Ambrose Alli University,  Ekpoma   Nigeriaeuniceomons@yahoo.co.uk

55.  FASASI Rasheed Adekunle rafasasi@yahoo.com Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan

56.  Gee A.YawsonM.S. 4820 N. Miami Ave Miami, Florida33127 609 553 1267 Florida International University Department of Global and Socio cultural Studies gyawson@gmail.com

57.  Halimat Somotan  Fairfield University Box 3146 1076 North Benson Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824 Phone Number: 203-543-3141 Email Address: halimat.somotan@student.fairfield.edu Institutional Affiliation: Fairfield University.

 

58.  Ibrahim Daniel Department of General Studies, Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru ; Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.E-mail:danielc_ibrahim@yahoo.com Phone: 07084839881, 08155287849, 08103434180

59.  Idayat Hassan Centre for Democracy and Development in West Africa hidahassan@yahoo.com

60.  Ijaola Samson Oluwatope, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Samuel Adegboyega University,  PMB.001 Ogwa Edo State.

61.  IROJU, Opeyemi Anthony Department of History Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

62.  Israel Meriomame WEKPE Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. (israel.wekpe@gmail.com;easerel@hotmail.com ; + 234-807-793-9525). & Ms. Owens Patricia ONI-EDIGIN Dept. of Theatre Arts & Mass Communication, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. (owens_pat@yahoo.com; +234-805-538-3190.

63.  Isreal Abayomi Saibu Dept of History & International Studies Lagos State University (spts external system) Ojo, Lagos. e-mail: adesaibu@yahoo.com Phone: 08029504334

64.  John Okpako Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Telephone: 08034716775 Email: jokpako@yahoo.com

65.  Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Mobile: +2348036345466; Email: ikee_mario@yahoo.com

66.  Kunirum Osia 11704 Hickory Drive Fort Washington, MD 20744301-292-6626 osiadi@aol.com Department of Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling Coppin State University 2500 West North Avenu Baltimore, MD 21216

67.  Lawrence O. Bamikole (PHD) Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy, University of the West Indies, Mona campus, jamaica.

68.  Lawrence Ogbo Ugwuanyi, Ph.D Department of Philosophy and Religions, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria Telephone:+2347026349575 ugwuanyiogbo37@yahoo.com University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

Topic:  Towards a Meta-African Critique of Pan-Africanism

69.  Maiyaki M. Mejida Department of History Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria E-mail: maiyakiwinnie@yahoo.com Phone: 08065863850

70.  Mehdi Solhi Istanbul University Solhi.mehdi@gmail.com & Omid Shokri Kalehsar Yeditepe University ushukriki@gmail.com

71.  Michael Abiodun Oni and Abidemi Abiola Isola Department of Political Science and Public Administration Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State maabino@yahoo.com, jmineall@yahoo.com 08036147947, 08035804634

72.  Michael Olusegun FAJUYIGBE Department of Fine & Applied Arts,  Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife, Nigeria michofajuyigbe@gmail.com 08033665333

73.  Michael Sharp, PhD HC-02 Box 13459 Humacao, PR 00791  USA Department of English College of Humanities Universidad de Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico  michael.sharp1@upr.edu Telephone: 787-559-9361

74.  Moses E. Ochonu, Ph.D Associate Professor of African History Department of History 2301 Vanderbilt Place Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37235-1802 Tel: 614-322-3349 Moses.ochonu@vanderbilt.edu

75.  Moshood Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos,  Nigeria. e.mail: Moshood_tunes@yahoo.com

76.  Professor (MRS.) Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob Department of Philosophy University of Calabar, Nigeria. Phone: 08034417696 EMAIL: doron32@yahoo.com

77.  NNACHI, Joseph; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 0806653475 mail: josnac20@yahoo.com

78.  Nwaolikpe, Onyinyechi (Mrs.) Babcock University Academic Planning Unit, Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State; 08033532794 Email: onyion@yahoo.com

79.  Odunayo Aluko PHd  Economic student of SMC University, Switzerland C/o Dr Bola Sotunsa, Babcock University, Ilisan OgunState Telephone: 07066561803 Email: ayolayo1@yahoo.co.uk

80.  Ogunnubi Olusola (Olusola.ogunnubi@yahoo.com) School of Social Sciences; University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

81.  Ohwovoriole, Felicia. Ph.D Department of English University of Lagos Akoka-Lagos eruvwe2006@yahoo.com

82.  OJETOLA, Ayodeji Philip Graduate Student, Dept of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan ojetolaphilip@yahoo.com, +234(0)80 6074 9066

83.  Okafor Nneka (Mrs.) PhD Student. Email: nefo202 @yahoo.com. Telephone no: + (27)738337941 University of KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg Campus. Republic of South Africa. Faculty: School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (Ethics Dept.)

84.  James Okolie-Osemene(IFRA Research Fellow) Peace and Conflict Studies Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Email:donoykea@gmail.com Phone: 08063965278 &

85.  Udechukwuudeke(PhD) Department of History and International Studies, Imo State University  Owerri.  Email:udechukwudeke2011@gmail.com; 08033394104

86.  Okpara, Chukwuemeka Vincent (Ph.D) Lecturer in Painting, Drawing & Design Dept. of Fine & Applied Arts,University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Phone—+234(0)8037312775 (emeka_okp@yahoo.co.uk)

 

87.  Dr. Olubayo Oladimeji ADEKOLA Seminar Research Fellow (Anthropology) Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria;  08033766872 mail:  oadekola2001@yahoo.com

88.  Omoregie Pat Iziengbe Department of History University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.  Ifra research fellow Tel: +2348034144262Email: izwithchrist@yahoo.co.uk

89.  Omotayo Olatubosun Tope Email: temitemiaca@yahoo.com Phone no: 08060486167 Dept of Sociological Studies Taisolarin university of Education  P.M.B 2118  Ijebu –Odeogun state Nigeria

90.  Osezua, O. Clementina (PhD) Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Obafemi Awolowo University. Ile-Ife E-mail:  tinaosezua@yahoo.com +234 8068709984

91.  Peju Johson-Bashua PhD Department of Religions, Lagos State University & Ibigbolade S. Aderibigbe PhD Department of Religion / African Studies Institute The University of Georgia Email: iaderibi@uga.edu

92.  Professor Tanyi-Tang Anne , University of Maroua, Cameroon.

93.  Remy Oriaku Department of English University of Ibadan, Nigeria

94.  Richard Agbor Ayukndang Enoh(Ph. D), Senior Lecturer, Department of History, University of Buea, South West Cameroon, Phone;+237 77 89 51 93, Email<agborera7@yahoo.com>

95.  Sarah Anyang Agbor(PHD), Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Letters And Social Sciences (Falss), University of Yaounde 1, P.O.Box 755 Yaounde, Centre Region, Cameroon. 237-77223677, agborsarah@yahoo.com

96.  Surajudeen Oladosu Mudasiru, PhD, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University,  Ojo, PMB 0001 LASU Post Office, Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos. Tel: 08033228322 or 08024587090

97.  Taiwo Abioye, PhD, Department of Languages, Covenant University. +2348065503508 taiwo.abioye@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

98.  Taiwo Adetunji Osinubi, Department of English, Université de Montréal, Phone: 514-343-6755, : tunjitunji@yahoo.com

99.  Timothy Aduojo Obaje & Prof. Okeke Uzodike, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Private BagX01 Scottsville, 3209,  taobaje@gmail.com, No: +27 78 839 8816 or +27 76 546 7578

100.                      Tunde Onikoyi, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, babsmickoy@yahoo.com and babatunde.onikoyi@gloworld.com 08055573969

101.                      Victor Iyanya, : viiyanya@yahoo.com

102.                      Vivian Valdivia, Graduate Student San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA urrently at the University of Ilorin, History Department, Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria, valdivia.vivian@gmail.com, phone: 08103950444

 

103.                      Yasu'o MIZOBE, PhD School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University 1-9-1 Eifuku, Suginami, Tokyo 1688555 JAPAN, (mwizobe@meiji.ac.jp), Tel: +81-3-5300-1009

104.                      Christian Akani, Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni.

Topic: Pan Africanism: Problems and Propects in the 21^st Century

 

   105.         DAUDA, Bola, PhD, Managing Director, The Early Years' Education Foundation    (EYEF) P.O Box 30864, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Phone:  +234 808        639 2371  E-mail: daudabola@hotmail.com

 

 

 

PENDING LIST

 

1.      Akande, Joshua Olusola, Ph.D. Department of Continuing Education Faculty of Education, Obafemi  Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: The Role of Adult Education in Enhancing The Culture of Citizens' Participation in Community Development Projects in Nigeria: A Reflection.

2.      ANYADUBA, Chigbo Arthur Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (M. A. Student) Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 07065383510 E-mail: macabees24@yahoo.com

Topic: 'Love of Liberty': Manu Herbstein's Poetics of History

3.      Busuyi Mekusi (PhD) Department of English AdekunleAjasinUniversity, Akungba Akoko Ondo State, Nigeria Email: mekusotayo@yahoo.com

Topic: The Defunct 'Self' and 'Other': Constructing New Identity for Nationhood in Zakes Mda's The Bells of Amersfoort

4.      ADERIBIGBE M.O PhD, Federal University of Technology, General Studies Department School of Sciences, P.M.B 704, Akure – Ondo State, Nigeria. Mobile Number- 2348035414235 Email- mosesaderibigbe@yahoo.com

Topic:  Ethno-Diversity And Social Integration: An Examination of The Role of Justice

5.      Larab, Tangshak Ayuba Department of History and International Studies University of Jos P.M.B 2084, Jos – Nigeria 08023570-444, 08139794559

Topic: Citizenship and Contested Identities on the Jos – Plateau:  a survey of A decade of conflicts

6.      Prof. Handel Kashope Wright University of British Columbia, Centre for Culture, Identity and Education,  2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4

Institution: University of British Columbia

Topic: Black/African/Canadian: How Those Slashes (Re)Make Identity Out of Identification

7.      Clement Etim Ekong Department of Fine and Industrial Arts University of Uyo, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.   

Topic: Oberi Okaime's Medefaidrin Language and Script:  An Artistic Legacy Lost To Cultural Colonialism

8.      Okwechime E Okey Dept of English & Literature University of Benin , Benin-City Edo-State

Topic: Gender Bullying In Femi Osofisan's Dramaturgy

9.      Miss Abimbola Adelakun Address: African &African Diaspora Studies University of Texas, Austin USA.

Topic: It's Still a Question of Power: Witchcraft in Contemporary Yoruba Societies

10.  Abdul Karim Bangura Howard University 7532 Eighth Street, NW Washington, DC 20012 USA Home: 202.882.8228 (Preferred) The African Institution:  202.829.6554 Howard University Office:  202.806.6720 or 9388 or 6850

Topic: Fractal Complexity in Mwalimu Toyin Falola's A Mouth Sweeter than Salt: A Pluridisciplinary Exploration of Cultural Power

11.  James Tar Tsaaior, PhD School of Media and Communication Pan-African University, Lagos NIGERIA.

Topic:   Ritual, Politics and Poetic performance in Public Spaces in Nigeria

12.  Omotayo Olatubosun Tope Email: temitemiaca@yahoo.com Phone no: 08060486167

Dept of Sociological Studies Tai Solarin university of Education  P.M.B 2118  Ijebu –Odeogun state Nigeria

Topic:  Veneration of Older Persons In Things Fall Apart And Ageism In Contemporary African Society

13.  BLAVO, E.B Department of Classics Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State.tundeblavo@yahoo.com, +2348162746193

Topic: Patron-Client Relationship in Ancient Rome and Godfatherism in Nigeria

14.  Adegbola Gbeminiyi Mujaheed, Department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan,  Ibadan, gbeminiyiadegbola@yahoo.com, 08055464779, 08189942932

Topic:  Social Welfare System as A Panacea For Terrorism And Violence:  A Study of Bokoharam in Nigeria.

15.  Joe E. Obi, Ph.D. (jobi@richmond.edu) Assoc. Professor of Sociology and International Studies Univ. of Richmond Richmond, VA 23173 USA

Topic:  Wired Nomads: Rethinking Diaspora

16.  AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe  PhD Department of History and Diplomatic Studies College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, P.M.B. 001,  Ogwa, Edo State.

Topic: Women and Economic Development in Sub Saharan Africa: Historicizing the Neglect Theme.

17.  F.A Olasupo, Department of Local Government Studies Faculty of Administration Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife Osun-State.

Topic: Gender Balance, Gender Equity or Gender Fairness in Governance: Nigeria as the Originating Source

 

18.  OJETOLA, Ayodeji Philip Graduate Student, Dept of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan,

Topic: 'Irrespective of Creed, Tribe or Class?': Change and The Challenge of Continuity in The National Council of Women's Societies (Ncws) Nigeria

19.  Mehdi Solhi Istanbul University Solhi.mehdi@gmail.com & Omid Shokri Kalehsar Yeditepe University ushukriki@gmail.com

Topic: Ethnic Jokes and Subversion of Ethnic Identity of Azerbaijani Minority in Iran

20.  Surajudeen Oladosu Mudasiru, PhD, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University,  Ojo, PMB 0001 LASU Post Office, Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos. Tel: 08033228322 or 08024587090

Topic:  Identity Crisis and the Withering Away of African Union: A Critique of the Role of AU in Libyan Crisis

21.  JAIYEOBA Babatunde PhD Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. tundejaiyeoba@yahoo.co.uk; ebjaiye@oau.edu.ng 234 8037880023

Topic: Operationalising  The Culture Of Home Ownership In The Fatherland For Urban Low Income Housing With Evidence From Ibadan, Nigeria

22.  Justina Sunday Nkanga Department of Theatre Arts University of Uyo, Uyo Akwa Ibom State Nigeria e-mail:  tinachrist01@yahoo.com

Topic: Cultural Identity:  Curbing the Effect of Modernity on the Nigerian Child through Theatre-In-Education

23.  ADEAGBO Oluwafemi Atanda, African Centre For Migration & Society, University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Email: Femiadex@Yahoo.Co.Uk  Cell: +27785826991

Topic: Perceptual factors and Nigerian immigrants in Johannesburg: A Study of the role of Nigerian-South African Intermarriages in Social Integration

24.  Ebhote Oseremen Department of Economics and Business studies Samuel Adegboyega University Ogwa, Edo State. Tel: 08037330582 E-mail: oseremenebhote@yahoo.com

Topic: The Effect of Migration on Economic development and business activities in Nigeria: Prospect and Challenges.

25.  Mrs. R.I. Ako-Nai (PhD) Department of International Relations, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. E-mail: riakonai@yahoo.com

Key Words: Transatlantic Slave trade, technology, Africa, Europe, underdevelopment.

Topic: From Brain Drain to Brain Gain:  How Nigerians in the Diaspora Can Aid Development Back Home

26.  Ruth Oluwakemi Oke, Department of Christian Religious Studies, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Nigeria.  ruthoke09@yahoo.com, Mobile number +234 -805-512-6082

Topic:  Immigration as a determining factor in the spread of HIV and AIDS.

 

27.  Adesote Samson Adesola, Department of History, University of Ibadan, Ibadan E-mail: solaade2007@ymail.com Tel: 08062293355 & 08056472224 & Ajishola Omojeje, Department of History, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo Tel:08182199377&08067653189. jejeojo@ymail.com

Topic: Violence and Internal Population Displacement in Nigeria, 1999-2011

28.  James Okolie-Osemene (IFRA Research Fellow) Peace and Conflict Studies Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Email:donoykea@gmail.com Phone: 08063965278 & Udechukwuudeke(PhD) Department of History and International Studies, Imo State University  Owerri.  Email:udechukwudeke2011@gmail.com; 08033394104

Topic: Mapping the Institutional Responsibility for the Management of Internal Displacement in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects

29.  OKUNADE, Michael Adeyinka Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria omakid2002@yahoo.com mokunade@oauife.edu.ng

Topic: Contemporary Challenges of Yoruba Traditional Pottery Making in Ipetumodu

30.  Anthony C. Ajah Department of Philosophy University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria Mobile: +234-8037371839 Email: anthonyajah@aol.com

Topic: Which Identity? Which Culture? Questions for Nigeria

31.  S.G Anaeto (PhD), and Patricia E. Chioma, Department of Mass Communication, Babcock University Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

Topic: Communication for the Promotion of National Consciousness in Nigeria

32.  ADAM, Ezinwanyi E, Departments of Languages and Literary Studies,  ezinwanyimark@yahoo.com, +234 8063533265 & Michael Adam E, Dept. International Law and Diplomacy of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria, m_adam02@yahoo.com,  +234 8023106339

Topic: Literary Art As A Vehicle For The Diffusion of Cultural Imperialism in The Nigerian Society: The Example of Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus

33.  AKUBOR Emmanuel Osewe B.A, M.A, PhD (Zaria) Department of History and Diplomatic Studies College of Humanities, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State. akubor4ever@yahoo.com +234-803-8257-384

Topic: Willink's Report, Niger Delta Region and the Nigerian State Fifty Years After: Any Hope for the Minority?

34.  Kehinde Oluwole Ola Dept of Economic & Business Studies Samuel Adegbiyega University, Ogwa, Edo-State. Phone No: 08063177785 ko_ola@yahoo.com

Topic: Human Trafficking and Socio- Economic Impact on the Households

35.  Emma Arogundade  Occasional Lecturer Department of Sociology University of Cape Town South Africa emmanence@gmail.com

Topic: The Names We Give: Are historical narratives enough?

36.  Famakinwa Yemisi Department of English Obafemi  Awolowo University Ile-Ife. Nigeria

Topic: Media Communication and Educational Development in the English as a Second Language Environment

37.  IROJU, Opeyemi Anthony Department of History Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Topic: Origin and Language Diversity in Historical Perspective: The Case of the Apoiin Nigeria.

38.  Oyebade Titilade Adefunke and Oludele Omobola Federal University of Technology, Akure. E-mail:titilade_oyebade@yahoo.com omobolaoludele@yahoo.com 08136351060 08050281183

Topic: Language, Gender and Sexuality: Representation of Women in Some Nigerian Fashion Magazines

39.  Babayemi J. B. (MR) Department of Languages, College of Humanities, & Samuel Adegboyega University P.M.B. 001, Ogwa, Edo State, Nigeria. +2348034834487 passoversch@yahoo.com, OR babayemicomfort@yahoo.com

Topic: The Use of Symbols in the African Setting: A Case Study of the Yorubas

40.  Bayo Amole Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Topic: The Boys Quarters:  an Enduring Colonial Legacy in Nigeria

41.  Chika Okeke-Agulu (Princeton University) 305 McCormick Hall, Department of Art and Archaeology, Princeton, NJ08544; 609-258-7456; Email: cokekeag@princeton.edu

Topic: Mbari International: Transacting modernism in post-Independence Nigeria

          Ogunfeyimi Adeleke, Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo, Nigeria.

         Topic:  Between Taboo, Erotic Desire and Hypermetropia of Justice: The Ogwa         (Esan) Woman.

 

Conference Rationale

 

·         Prof. Toyin Falola

In pursuance of its mandate which includes the promotion of excellence in cultural studies, the Ibadan Cultural Studies Group,  Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, is pleased to announce the Toyin Falola Annual International Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora. This conference will provide an international forum where scholars, researchers, graduate students, and technocrats from all over the world will converge, annually, every first week in July, to address cultural issues that relate to Africa and the Diaspora in the strict academic tradition, with a view to exploring possible collaboration on matters of culture and global peace. It is a global forum that is designed to engage minds for ideation, intellection and distillation in culture discourses for advancing the cause of Africa and the Globe.

            The conference is so named as an enduring legacy in honour of Professor Toyin Falola of the University of Texas at Austin, USA., in recognition of his tremendous achievements as a scholar and teacher of African and African American History.

            Dr. Toyin Falola is the Frances  Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the  University of Texas at Austin, a creative writer, a foremost academic icon and certainly, the most celebrated published African/Black scholar of all times. At the tenth Africa Conference that was held late last March, 2010, at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Falola's significant milestone of having published more than a hundred books on numerous core topics about Africa, African nations and the globe, were celebrated by more than six hundred participants. Additionally, thousands of teaming admirers and well wishers joined in the celebration of this phenomenon, an enigma, one of Nigeria's, nay Africa's rare gifts to the world, on the internet. Two books were presented at the event to mark the great occasion, The Long  Arm of Africa: The Prodigious Career of Toyin Falola (180pp), which contains the summary of each of Dr. Falola's 100+published books co-edited by Vik Bahl and Falola's daughter, Bisola, and Toyin Falola: the Man, The Mask, The Muse, a  1015 page-festschrift edited by Niyi Afolabi. This unique festschrift includes contributions from 48 top scholars as well as a prologue.

            In addition to several laurels he has gathered over the years from leading academic institutions around the globe in acknowledgment of his immense contributions to scholarship, especially in African and African American studies, on Saturday evening of October 31, 2009, Dr. Falola was presented with the prestigious Africana Studies Distinguished Global Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award by Chancellor Charles Bantz of Indiana University Purdue University indianapolis at the Awards Dinner for the 1^st Public Scholars in Africana Studies International Conference on Globalization held in Indianapolis. The occasion was witnessed by hundreds of participants. The organizers of the Award had this to say on the selection of Dr. Falola for this significant award:

            The presentation of the Africana Studies Distinguished Global Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award represents our best efforts to recognize an individual who can more accurately be described as the "quintessential 'scholar's scholar," i.e., a person whose lifetime has been exemplified by the relentless search for knowledge in all of its various facets and whose total body of scholarship through the years has been considered by his/her peers to be of the highest level of excellence. We wanted to recognize a scholar who has developed a stellar global reputation because of the significant impacts his/her scholarship has had on the global academy and who has used his/her platform unselfishly to elevate others, particularly students, professional colleagues, and members of the public at large. We also wanted to recognize a scholar whose academic research has had transformative effects on the various global epistemological debates which have preoccupied scholars in his/her disciplinary area of focus through the years and whose work has provided an important platform for the development of an ongoing critical discourse with regard to the continuing relevancy of understanding and respecting African people, cultures, and ideologies, both in the past and contemporary time periods… The academic world has run out of superlatives to describe the magnificent body of scholarship produced through the years by the indefatigable, Dr. Toyin Falola.

            Dr Toyin Falola has also distinguished himself as a teacher par excellence. For example, besides being the Frances Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor and Distinguished Teaching Professor of History, he was the recipient of the much coveted 2010 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award at the University of Texas at Austin and inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers as a result of the recognition he received from his colleagues and students for his tremendous skills in classroom teaching, contributions to his graduate students, his mentoring, and outstanding skills in supervising numerous theses, reports, and dissertations.

            Therefore, TOFAC as an annual conference is the least we can put in place to sustain and ensure the continuity of what Professor Toyin Falola lives for, labours for and has copiously written about in his 119 published books (at the last count many months ago)- the promotion of excellence in Africa and the Diaspora scholarship.

 

TOFAC Board members

The following colleagues have agreed to serve on the TOFAC Board;

 

i.                    Ademola Dasylva (Nigeria) a.dasylva@ibadanculturalstudiesgroup.org (Chairman)

ii.                  Toyin Adepoju (United Kingdom) toyin.adepoju@googlemail.com

iii.                Chambi Chachage (Tanzania) chambi78@yahoo.com

iv.                Hetty ter haar (Netherlands) hettyterhaar@hotmail.com

v.                  Nana Akua Amposah (Ghana) samponsah@mail.utexas.edu

vi.                Okpeho O. Okpeh (Nigeria) okpehokpeh@yahoo.com (Secretary)

vii.              Lady Jane Acquah (USA) Ijane26@gmail.com (Conference Administrator)

 

Mandate

The Board members are to work closely with Ibadan Cultural Studies Group (ICSG), Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Professors Ademola Dasylva and Okpeh O. Okpeh are Chairman and Secretary of the TOFAC Board, respectively. Being an annual rotating conference, the Board members are required to work out the details on:

(a)    The modus operandi of the conduct of the maiden international conference,

(b)   Appointment of keynote speaker(s)

(c)    Possibility of fund sourcing

(d)   Subsequent conference theme(s)

(e)                 Selection of subsequent venues for the next three conferences. 

---

 

---

[i]

 

 

Ademola Omobewaji DASYLVA,PhD
Professor of African Literature & Oral Literature
Department of English,
Director, General Studies Programme, UI.,
& Co-coordinator, Ibadan Cultural Studies Group,
Room 68, Faculty of Arts,
University of Ibadan,
Ibadan, Nigeria.
Mobile: +234 (0)802 350 4755
+234 (0)706 226 4090
Web: arts.ui.edu.ng/aodasylva
E-mail: a.dasylva@ibadanculturalstudiesgroup.org
a.dasylva@mail.ui.edu.ng
dasylvang@yahoo.com

---

From: Lady Jane <ljane26@gmail.com>
To: Ademola Omobewaji <dasylvang@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 8:53 PM
Subject: Fwd: An Omission in the Program

FYI

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Adelowo Adetunji <delowodetunji@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 25, 2012 at 10:18 AM
Subject: An Omission in the Program
To: Lady Jane <ljane26@gmail.com>


Ma,

I wish to call your attention to the omission of the Paper for Adelowo
Felix Adetunji and Adefemi Adesina on "Religious Membership: ......"
The Names appeared in No. 11 of the list of Participants and
contributors in the Program but not listed for presentation in any of
the sessions.  Please, do something about this and feed us back.

Dr. Adetunji.

--

Lady Jane Acquah

Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin

Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
104 Inner Campus Drive
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
http://www.toyinfalola.com
www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa
http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs
http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue