Ways of reducing Accidents

 Functions of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)

1. Makes Nigerian Highways Safe For Road Users

One of the major functions of the federal road, safety commission is to make sure that, Nigerian highways are safe for motorists and other road users.

2. Recommends Works And Devices Designed To Eliminate Accidents

Another function of the federal road safety commission borders on recommending works, as well as, some devices that would be designed for the purpose of helping in eliminating accidents or minimizing accidents on Nigerian highways.

3. Educates Road Users And Members Of The Public On Importance Of Discipline

There is need as to why motorists should be discipline while on the highway. This is very important since it will help in reducing accident occurrences on the Nigerian highways.

4. The Commission Prevents and Minimizes Accidents on Nigerian Highways

This is very important, and it is a major function of the federal road safety commission. It is incumbent on the part of the federal road safety commission to make sure that reliable measures are being put in place to, if not completely prevent road accidents, but can minimize such problems on the Nigerian highways.

5. The Commission Clears Obstructions On Highways

It is a known fact that most of the roads in the towns and cities have been obstructed by spoiled and abandoned vehicles, and some of these vehicles do breakdown while on the highway.

6. The Commission Educates Drivers And The General Public On The Proper Use Of Roads

This is another function of the federal road safety commission. The commission has the sole responsibility of making sure that drivers and motorists and the members of the public are educated property on the use of Nigerian highways.

7. The Commission Designs and Produces Driver’s License

Provision of driver’s license lies within the responsibility of the federal road safety commission. And so, what they do is to design the driver’s license, and after designation of these drovers’ licenses, it is expected of the federal road safety commission to produce these drivers’ licenses in numbers in order to be used by different categories of road users and vehicle operators in the country.

8. The Commission Determines The Requirements For Drivers License

For driver’s license to be issued, some requirements have to be met. Therefore, it is incumbent on the part of the federal road safety commission to determine from time to time, such requirements needed to be met by an applicant for this driver’s license. And without meeting these requirements, the driver’s license may not be issued.

9. The Commission Determines and Produces Vehicle Plate Number

Another major function of the federal road safety commission is in the area of producing vehicle plate number to vehicle owners.

Military Rule in Nigeria

 Historical background

Introduction

Nigeria’s first military junta began following the 1966 Nigerian coup d’état which overthrew Prime Minister Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was made the Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria, but was soon overthrown and murdered in a coup in July of the same year.

Major  Patrick Chukwuwa Kaduna Nzeogwu

Reasons for Military Rule or intervention

•Politicisation of the military

•Tribal loyalties

•Regional based political parties

•Disputes over 1962 and 1963 census results

•General election crisis of 1964

•The Action Group crisis of 1962

•Western Nigeria Election crisis of 1965

•Allegation of corruption, nepotism, etc among politicians

•Mismanagement of public funds

•Low level of honest and reliable leadership

•Low level of economic development

Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi

General Yakubu Gowon

Measures adopted by Nigeria Government to promote Unity among Nigerians.

 PROMOTING NATIONAL UNITY

In order to ensure that national unity and the d spirit of oneness and patriotism is promoted, the Nigerian government established some national institutions such as:

1. UNITY SCHOOLS; Unity schools are also known as Federal Government Colleges. They are located in all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja). Students are admitted into the unity schools from all states of the federation. The purpose of its establishment was that the schools will be representative of the diverse culture, population, ethnicity, and classes of Nigerians.

2. THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS (NYSC): The NYSC scheme was established in 1973 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure that Nigerian graduates are engaged in a compulsory one-year national service outside their geographical area. The rationale behind the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the 1970s was to create an avenue for inter-ethnic mixture, which would later foster national unity in war-torn Nigeria. It was General Yakubu Gowon led administration, as part of its plan, who established the National Youth Service Corps Scheme.

3. FEDERAL CHARACTER COMMISSION: Federal Character Commission is a body established to ensure that the federal character principles as entrenched in the Nigerian constitution is strictly upheld. The aim of the principle is to ensure that every part of the Nigerian federation is adequately represented in the federal appointment, for example, the Army, Police, Navy, Universities, Civil service, Legislature, Judiciary, Executive, etc.

The purpose of this commission is to create a sense of belonging and oneness among the citizenry.

Importance of Election

 Importance of Election

* To put people into positions of leadership, by making a preferred choice from available candidates.

* To recall or remove a serving political office holder who is accused of misconduct.

*To create a level playing field for anyone who is interested in contesting for public office.

*It helps to reflect the opinions of the citizens about individuals or their policies.

*It serves as a political equality promoter among citizens, that is, all are equal before the ballot box:

  One man, one vote.

DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

 VOTING

A Voter is a person who has the right to participate in an election. All voters are called the electorate in the polity.

Voting is therefore an act of electing a person for a political office. A voter is to cast his or her vote for a candidate of his or her choice only once in an electoral process, for a given post.

In voting, one chooses a person whom one likes and wants as a candidate for a political office.

Voters' Registration

Voters' registration is the process of writing down the names of every person who is eligible for voting and compiling the list of these names in the register.

A person who intends to vote in an election must register his or her name in the voters' register in the area he or she intends to cast the vote.

Such a person must be 18 years and above and must have signified his or her intention to vote by registering and collecting his or her voter's card.

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 defence 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

National Identity Card

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.

How to Get  Birth Certificate

Electoral Malpractices.

 Meaning of Electoral Malpractice

An Electoral Malpractice is any illegal conduct or behaviour by a voter, political party, candidate or electoral officer that could hinder the exercise of a free and fair election.

Types of Electoral Malpractices

There are several negative electoral practices that can cause problems in Nigeria. 

These electoral malpractices include:

a. Multiple voting by party supporters;

b. Falsifying election results;

c. Inflating election figures;

d. Violence during an election;

e. Using hoodlums to scare voters away;

f. General insecurity;

g. Under-age voting; and

h. Financial inducement during voting, etc.

Causes of Electoral Malpractices

1. Greed: One of the causes of electoral malpractices is the selfish desire of some people to acquire money and property by any means. This makes them a willing tool in the hands of politicians who give them money to cause violence during an election.

2. Laxity in the Electoral System: An electoral system that is not sufficiently thorough in laying down rules and regulations for the conduct of elections may allow a lot of loopholes for illegal and dishonest electoral malpractices.

3. Ignorance and Illiteracy: Desperate politicians often capitalize on some ignorant voters' lack of political awareness, especially of their rights, and influence them to perpetrate electoral fraud.

4.  Ambition to Win Power at all costs: Desperate politicians usually view the election into public office as a veritable meal ticket. Therefore, they like to do anything it takes to get into the elective position they contest for.

5. The attractiveness of Political Office: Many politicians see public offices as big business. The expensive lifestyles of politicians can inspire the desire of intending candidates to win elections at all costs.