Citizenship

 MEANING OF CITIZENSHIP

The word ‘’Citizenship’’ means the legal rights a person has to belong to a particular society. A citizen is then a recognized member of a particular community or country. A citizen is a person who is a legal member and owes allegiance to a particular country he resides in which he enjoys full civil and political rights and will be ready to put his life at stake in defense of its territory when the occasion calls for that.    

It can, therefore, be said that in a country, not everybody that resides in its territory is a citizen. There are people in the state who are not legally recognized as members of the state. They are called aliens.

Ways of Acquiring Citizenship

1.By Birth: A person is a citizen by birth if either of his parents is a citizen of a country. it can also be explained as when a child is born in a particular state i.e. a child born to Nigerian couple in United State is automatically a citizen of the country.

2.By Naturalization: One can become a citizen of a country through naturalization. This is possible if he can satisfy the constitutional requirements for naturalization.

3.Marriage or Registration: If a woman is married to a person of another nationality, she can acquire the citizenship of her husband’s country through registration. For example, a Nigerian woman married to a British man or a British woman married to a Nigerian.

4.Dual Citizenship: It is legitimately possible for a person to hold citizenship of two countries. For example, a child born to a Nigerian parent living in the USA becomes a US citizen as well as a Nigerian citizen because the parents are Nigerians.

5.Honorary Citizenship: An individual could be honored with the citizenship of another country. This is made possible if the individual has distinguished him/herself in a particular area through academics or by doing something globally beneficial to a country.

Agencies responsible for protection of human rights

 The establishment and formation on the agencies

Some of the agencies responsible for the protection of human rights in Nigeria include:

•Constitutional Rights Project – founded in 1990 to promote rule of law in Nigeria.

•Nigerian Center for Human Rights and Development – founded in 1995 to promote democracy and enforcement of rights.

•Human Rights Monitor – founded in 1992 to promote human rights.

•Institute for Dispute Resolution – founded in 1999 to promote peaceful conflict resolution.

•Human Rights Law Services (Hurilaws) – established in 2007.

•Youths For Human Rights Protection And Transparency Initiative

The roles of agencies for the protection of human rights

Centre for Advanced Social Sciences (CASS)

History

The Centre for Advanced Social Sciences (CASS) was formed in 1992 and is based in Port Harcourt. Two other branches are planned, one for East and Southern Africa, the other for francophone West and Central Africa.

Mandate

CASS is a think tank concerned with improving management and public policy in Africa.

Structure

The Centre has a Board of Trustees and is governed by an international Board of Directors.

Program

CASS’s research areas are public policy, governance and democratization, and the international system. The Centre runs seminars and training sessions.

Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO)

History

Established in 1987, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) is one of Nigeria’s largest human rights organizations.

Mandate

The CLO is a non-governmental organization set up for the defence and expansion of human rights and civil liberties.

Structure

The CLO is a membership organization with sixteen state branches outside Lagos. It has a staff of 23 and is headed by a National Advisory Council and a Board of Governors.

Program

The CLO investigate s human rights abuses and campaigns through litigation, publications and communications with the government on behalf of people whose rights have been abused.

Human Rights Monitor

Human Rights Monitor is an organization in Kaduna which was started in January 1993 by about 15 people in response to the need for a human rights body in the North.

Mandate

The purpose of the organization is to address human rights issues in the north of Nigeria.

Structure

Human Right, Monitor has three full-time staff members and is a membership organization with approximately 50 members.

Program

The organization has taken cases to court with the CLO and issued joint releases with the CLO on human rights issues in the north. The organization is completely self-funded and accordingly its activities have hampered.

Delegated Legislation

Delegated Legislation

Merits of Delegated Legislation

1.Saves Time for the Parliament: There are lots of overwhelming activities that the government should be concerned about. In order to resolve the complexity and volume that the legislature needs to deal with, the power needs to be delegated to the executive branch

2. Enables Flexibility: Rigidity in administration has been created by statutes, but the administrative legislation can be more adaptable to varying circumstances.

3. Dealing with Emergencies: Clothing the administrative agencies with needed discretion should be better in dealing with possible contingencies. Such contingencies might result from the application of laws as the legislature has been unable to foresee or allocate for everyone.

4.Done in Consultation with Affected Interests: In order to make legislation effective, it is important to have prior consultation regarding interests that should be affected.

5. The Administrative Legislation Provides for Expert Legislation: The rules are being drafted by the experts familiar with actual conditions in appropriate departments.

6. Sets Up New Standards: The increase in the delegated legislation can likewise be attributed to the requirement of setting up new standards in social interest

National Assembly

Demerits of Delegated Legislation

1.Undemocratic Procedures: The legislation comes as a result of undemocratic processes and procedures.

2.Apparent Lack of Debate: The apparent lack of debate and publicity that should be associated with a form of secondary legislation has also been noticeable.

3. The problem of Sub-Delegation: The arousal of sub-delegation may come when the responsible body for the creation of legislation has not been able to deal with it directly. Thus, the creation of sub-delegation will give the job to other parties.

4. Dependence on Individuals Making Claims to Review Legislation: One more limitation about delegated legislation is that it renders the courts unable to review such legislation.

5.The Wording of Delegated Legislation: Another problem when it comes to delegated legislation is the wording that can be obscure and technical in nature that should make it hard to understand. This was the trait shared with the Acts of Parliament.

Responsibility of individual in UDHR

Roles of Individuals in UDHR(Universal Declaration of Human Right)

The roles of the individual in the Universal Declaration of Human Right are highlighted below

•Every individuals should be conscious of their rights as citizens and be ready to claim it at any point in time.

•Every individuals should be ready to acquire more knowledge about human rights.

•Individual should participate in joining human rights groups to promote respect for all human rights.

•They should participate in casting their vote during the election for political parties that believe in the protection of human rights.

•Have respect for the right of their fellow beings, individuals should not participate in abusing the rights of other people.

•Individuals  should participate in giving financial support to human rights abuse victims.

•They should also be willing to report cases of human rights abuse to necessary authorities.

The Judiciary

Roles of Government in Universal Declaration of Human Rights

•Conduct investigation into cases of human rights violation; the state government have the obligation to conduct an impartial investigation into allegations of the human right violation.

•Through Education and Training; the government can organize training to teach citizens on the knowledge of their rights and include the human right into the school curriculum.

•The government and groups can take all necessary measures to protect human rights defenders against violence, discrimination, and retaliation.

•Established  agencies such as NAPTIP, Legal Aid Council can help to defend human rights.

•Government should punish offenders of human rights.

Human Rights Lawyer; Femi Falana.

Traffic Regulations

Definition of  Concept

Traffic regulations are laws and rules which govern traffic, regulate vehicles and facilitate the orderly and timely flow of traffic.

Traffic on the road may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals. Moto-cycles, vehicles, streetcars, and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purpose of travel.

Traffic Signs

Road signs are symbols which help road user gain full information about the road. In order to avoid accidents. These signs grouped.

1.Regulatory signs: These are signs that appear often in circular shapes. They are divided into

     (a). Mandatory regulatory signs: Mandatory regulatory signs appear with blue circles but without red border such as diversion signs, roundabout signs, etc.

 (b). Prohibitive Regulatory signs: They are signs with red and yellow circles. They are stop sign, No light sign, etc. The color red for regulatory signs as a background color to denote restriction and as a circular outline and diagonal bar a prohibitory symbol.

2.Informative Signs: They are provided to give required information to road users, they appear rectangular in shape. It is a very legibly printed and very noticeable placard that informs people of the purpose of an object or gives them instruction on the use of something.

Some Traffic rules and regulations

1. Do not drink and drive: Users of the road should avoid taken alcohol before and while driving.

2.Vigilance: Pedestrians crossing roads should be vigilant in order not to cause accidents.

3. Avoid hands-free/ earpiece: All road users are required to avoid all forms of hand-free/ earpiece as this may not allow them to hear well and concentrate.

4. Wearing of seat belt: Motorists are expected to wear the seat- belt whenever they are driving, passengers should also use the belt when they are provided.

5. Making calls while driving: Making and receiving calls should be avoided while driving as this can cause distraction and lead to accidents.

6.Use of trafficator: Road users should trafficate before entering or leaving the road to indicate and create awareness for other vehicles coming behind; this will help to avoid accidents.

7.Bridges and zebra crossing point: Pedestrians should use pedestrian bridges or zebra crossing points where they are provided.

The Third and Fourth Republics Political Parties: Development of Political Parties in Nigeria III

Social Democratic Party (SDP)Organizational Structure

The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center-left political organization. It was one of the products of democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a little to the left and one for the right.

However, it was seen as a moderate party with a flavor for young radical intellectuals and socialists. In its manifesto, it called for concerted efforts to improve the people’s welfare and fight for social justice.

The People’s Front of Nigeria, People’s Solidarity Party, and the Nigerian Labour Party were the three main inchoate groups that emerged to form the core constituency of the new SDP. The leadership of the party was mostly dominated by Northern Nigerians, with Babagana Kingibe elected party chairman in 1990 over his rival Mohammed Arzika.

M.K.O Abiola, SDP Presidential candidate

Objectives of SDP

To ensure equal opportunities for all Nigerians at all levels.

On the other hand, the electoral strength of the party lain in the Yoruba states and Imo and Anambra states. The party won 57% of the Senate seat in the 1992 National Assembly election, and won 53% of the seats of the House of Representatives in the same election.

Performance of SDP

In its primary elections, Yar’adua collated about 480,000 votes dominating his primary opponent, Olu Falae in the first round. Another financier, Abiola (a former member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons and chairman of the National Party of Nigeria) won the primary election in March 1993, after the first election was canceled. Abiola’s contested the national election which was later annulled, a seemingly coherent legacy of Nigeria’s swiveling and revolving door like political landscape.

National Republican Convention (NRC) Organizational structure

The National Republican Convention established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.

Bashir Othman Tofa NRC Presidential Candidate

Objectives of NRC

The party was organized to cater to the conservative-leaning of some Nigerians. It flourished in the core Northern states and eastern states of Abia and Enugu.

However, many felt there was little difference between the party and its competitor, the Social Democratic Party, another government-created party. Both parties were under the supervision of the military government and most of its presidential candidates favored a continuation of the Structural Adjustment Programme of the Babangida administration.

The party was largely an amalgamation of three major organizations, the Liberal convention, the Nigeria National Congress, and the federalists.

Performance of NRC

In its first presidential primary, the race was dominated by a few prominent Hausa- Fulani leaders Adamu Ciroma, a former minister and former governor of the central bank was its leading candidate; he collected about 270,000 votes, Umaru Shinkafi, came in second with bout 250,000.

Prof. Humphrey Nwosu National Electoral Commission (NEC) Chairman in 1993 Elections

National Symbols and their meaning.

Meaning of National Symbols

National symbols are marks, signs, and objects for which the country is known/recognized. Examples of these natural symbols are the constitution, map pledge, Anthem, flag, coat of arms, currency, and passports.

Meaning of Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms: It is also called Armorial Bearing. The coat of arms has a black shield which shows that it has fertile soil. The two silver bends look like the letter “y” which represents rivers Niger and Benue. The eagle on top stands for strength and the two stallions (horses) by the sides stand for dignity. The motto of the country is unity and faith, peace, and progress.

Meaning of National flag

The flag is divided into three equal parts, the green stands for the rich (soil) agriculture while the white stands for peace and unity of the country. The national flag is designed by Mr. Taiwo Akinkunmi.

Meaning of National Currency

The Nigerian Currency: They are in different units called kobo (lower) and Naira (higher) denominations.                                            

They bear different symbols/pictures of Nigerians and their cultural heritage (e.g. N50 – Wazobia)