Conflict, complicity &amp; confusion: unravelling empowerment struggles in Nigeria after the Return to &apos;Democracy&apos;

Ifeka, Caroline

doi:10.1080/03056240008704440

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Review of African Political Economy

Volume 27, Issue 83

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Conflict, complicity & confusion: unravelling empowerment struggles in Nigeria after the Return to 'Democracy'

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Author(s): Caroline Ifeka

Publication date (Print): March 2000

Journal: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

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Abstract

The national and international press report the recent upsurge of youth-led ethnic violence in Nigeria as if it were new. But Ifeka argues that in view of the catastrophic fall in Nigeria's GDP from $US93.1 billion in 1980 to US$40 billion in 1997 (Adedeji, 1999), youth's proclivity for violence is hardly surprising. Indeed, youth-led rebellions are not new. A political economy approach shows that developed economies exploitation of peripheral economies supplying raw materials sustains under-development and conditions spawning periodic revolt (Richards, 1996).

Poverty makes people depend for assistance on customary (kin-based) relationships between superior elders and junior youths. But educated (unemployed) youth are finding that dependency on elders thwarts their own development and that of their people. Militant youth articulate a general perception that development is being obstructed by 'selfish' elders and chiefs who 'chop' on government contracts for their own gain, not their people's advancement.

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Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): crea20

Journal ID (archive): CREA

Title: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

ISSN (Print): 0305-6244

ISSN (Electronic): 1740-1720

Publication date (Print): March 2000

Volume: 27

Issue: 83

Pages: 115-123

Article

Publisher ID: 8704440 Coden ID: Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 27, No. 83, March 2000, pp. 115-123

DOI: 10.1080/03056240008704440

SO-VID: c43c394f-a5ae-4f1e-b1ea-2c45f68be614

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

Page count

Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 20, Pages: 9

References & Notes

Agi S P I. . 1998. . Political History of Religious Violence in Nigeria . , Calabar : : Pigassian and Grace International. .
Alashi Silas. . 1999. . ‘National Parks and Bio‐Diversity Conservation’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 79((26)): 140––44. .
Horton Robin. . 1969. . “‘African Traditional Thought and Western Science’. ”. Africa:
Ifeka C and Abua S. . 2000. . Indigenous Communities and Forest Resources . , London : : Department for International Development. .
Ifeka C and Flower E. . 1998. . ‘Witchcraft, Kinship and Identity in Boki Society, Nigeria’. . Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford . , Vol. XVII((2)): 137––148. .
Ifeka C. . 1996. . ‘Concepts of Land Ownership and Land Reform in Nigeria’. . Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford . , Vol. 27((2)): 137––48. .
Richards P. . 1996. . Fighting for the Rain Forest, War, Youth and Resources in Sierra Leone . , Oxford : : James Crey. .
Rowlands M and Warnier J‐C. . 1988. . ‘Sorcery, Power and the Modern State in Cameroon’. . Man . , Vol. 23((1)): 118––132. .
Adejeji Adebayo. . 1999. . ‘Facing the Future of Nigeria’. . uThe Guardian . , 3 December;
Agbaegbu Tobs. . 1999. . ‘Blood for Blood’. . Newswatch . , 10 April;
Chigbo Ejiofo. . 2000. . ‘National Conference and Ethnic Militia’. . Body and Soul . , 9 January;: 21––23. .
Ibiba Don‐Pedro. . 1999. . ‘Avoiding the “Niger Delta Problem” in Ondo’. . The Guardian . , 29 September;
Mba George. . 1999. . ‘I was asked to blow up pipelines’. . Tell . , 22 November;: 20––21. .
Goodluck Ebelo. . 1998. . ‘Marine Warfare’. . Tempo . , 8 October;
Obiora Chukwumba. . 1999. . ‘Tension in the Land’. . Tell . , 22 November;: 14––17. .
Odu. . 1998. . ‘Oil producing communities bother about money, not environment’. . The Guardian . , 3 June;: 43––44. .
Ogunjinmi Temitope. . 1999. . ‘Mayhem in Lagos’. . The News . , 22 February;
Ojewale Ola. . 1999. . ‘War Against Nigeria’. . Newswatch . , 13 December;: 17––23. .
Ugbolue Henry. . 1999. . ‘Oily War’. . Tempo . , 22 October;: 3––4. .
Ugwu Emmanuel. . 1999. . ‘Killer Squads in Campuses’. . Newswatch . , 19 July;

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Agi S P I. . 1998. . Political History of Religious Violence in Nigeria . , Calabar : : Pigassian and Grace International. .

[2] Alashi Silas. . 1999. . ‘National Parks and Bio‐Diversity Conservation’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 79((26)): 140––44. .

[3] Horton Robin. . 1969. . “‘African Traditional Thought and Western Science’. ”. Africa:

[4] Ifeka C and Abua S. . 2000. . Indigenous Communities and Forest Resources . , London : : Department for International Development. .

[5] Ifeka C and Flower E. . 1998. . ‘Witchcraft, Kinship and Identity in Boki Society, Nigeria’. . Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford . , Vol. XVII((2)): 137––148. .

[6] Ifeka C. . 1996. . ‘Concepts of Land Ownership and Land Reform in Nigeria’. . Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford . , Vol. 27((2)): 137––48. .

[7] Richards P. . 1996. . Fighting for the Rain Forest, War, Youth and Resources in Sierra Leone . , Oxford : : James Crey. .

[8] Rowlands M and Warnier J‐C. . 1988. . ‘Sorcery, Power and the Modern State in Cameroon’. . Man . , Vol. 23((1)): 118––132. .

[9] Adejeji Adebayo. . 1999. . ‘Facing the Future of Nigeria’. . uThe Guardian . , 3 December;

[10] Agbaegbu Tobs. . 1999. . ‘Blood for Blood’. . Newswatch . , 10 April;

[11] Chigbo Ejiofo. . 2000. . ‘National Conference and Ethnic Militia’. . Body and Soul . , 9 January;: 21––23. .

[12] Ibiba Don‐Pedro. . 1999. . ‘Avoiding the “Niger Delta Problem” in Ondo’. . The Guardian . , 29 September;

[13] Mba George. . 1999. . ‘I was asked to blow up pipelines’. . Tell . , 22 November;: 20––21. .

[14] Goodluck Ebelo. . 1998. . ‘Marine Warfare’. . Tempo . , 8 October;

[15] Obiora Chukwumba. . 1999. . ‘Tension in the Land’. . Tell . , 22 November;: 14––17. .

[16] Odu. . 1998. . ‘Oil producing communities bother about money, not environment’. . The Guardian . , 3 June;: 43––44. .

[17] Ogunjinmi Temitope. . 1999. . ‘Mayhem in Lagos’. . The News . , 22 February;

[18] Ojewale Ola. . 1999. . ‘War Against Nigeria’. . Newswatch . , 13 December;: 17––23. .

[19] Ugbolue Henry. . 1999. . ‘Oily War’. . Tempo . , 22 October;: 3––4. .

[20] Ugwu Emmanuel. . 1999. . ‘Killer Squads in Campuses’. . Newswatch . , 19 July;