Covenant University Journal of Politics and International Affairs

Using Alternative Power to Mitigate Violence

Emmanuel Iyako — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This paper investigates how non-state actors, particularly scholars and intellectuals, can serve as an alternative source of power in mitigating violence, transforming conflict dynamics in fragile African states. It was motivated by the persistent failure of state-centric approaches to address the structural roots of conflicts in settings marked by weak governance, historical oppression, and institutionalized marginalization. The core objective was to examine the role of academic voices and critical discourse in challenging state narratives, exposing structural violence, and fostering sustainable peace. The study employed a qualitative case study design relying on secondary sources such as conflict reports, literature, and institutional data. The M23 rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo was selected due to its representation of ethnic exclusion, failed peace process, and absence of intellectual engagement in conflict resolution efforts. It was anchored in theoretical frameworks combining the theory of structural violence, three-dimensional power theory, and the powercube model. The framework was due to their ability to illuminate how power is exercised not only through coercion but also through hidden and internalized forms of oppression. The study also provides a lens to evaluate how scholars might intervene at different levels and forms of power to disrupt cycles of violence. Findings reveal that the absence of non-actor groups like M23 fills the governance vacuum. The paper argues that scholars possess untapped potential to serve as an alternative power. The study recommends enhancing the visibility and integration of academic contributions into conflict resolution frameworks.

Cryptocurrency and Terrorism Financing in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abdulmalik Olalekan, Oladipupo — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The growing adoption of cryptocurrency in sub-Saharan Africa presents both opportunities for financial inclusion and risks for national security. While global studies highlight how extremist groups exploit digital assets, little is known about how African organisations such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Al-Shabaab adapt these technologies within fragile institutional settings. The study adopted a mixed-methods design, combining surveys of 103 respondents (67 in Nigeria and 36 in Kenya) with 11 expert interviews. Analysis was guided by Social Network Theory, which explains decentralised networks of financial exchange, and Realism, which highlights state vulnerabilities in fragile governance contexts. Findings reveal that terrorist organisations in both countries rely heavily on peer-to-peer transfers, unregulated exchanges, and informal brokers. Respondents also noted limited use of privacy coins, emerging darknet procurement, and, in Kenya, the growing integration of mobile money with crypto wallets. The evidence shows that illicit actors exploit weak enforcement rather than advanced technologies. Terrorism financing in Nigeria and Kenya mirrors global practices but is shaped by local vulnerabilities, including reliance on informal brokerage and mobile–crypto convergence. Institutional weakness, not technological sophistication, emerges as the decisive factor enabling illicit financing. The study reframes terrorism financing in Africa as a hybrid phenomenon shaped by fragile enforcement systems, extends Social Network Theory to socio-technical infrastructures, and challenges Realism’s assumption of coherent state sovereignty. Governments should strengthen blockchain forensics, regulate exchanges, secure mobile–crypto platforms, and promote cross-border cooperation while safeguarding financial inclusion.

Feminism, Colonialism, and the African Woman

Ayanda Abraham Babafemi — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

International Relations as a discipline has long privileged Eurocentric and masculinist frameworks that obscure the historical and contemporary contributionsof African women. This paper interrogates those exclusions through the lens of Postcolonial Feminist Theory, repositioning African women not as peripheral figures but as central agents in global political life. It traces their roles across precolonial governance systems, anti-colonial struggles, liberation wars, and contemporary peacebuilding, showing how their practices of resistance, care, and leadership unsettle dominant paradigms of power, security, and agency. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative interpretivist approach grounded in textual analysis and African feminist scholarship, enabling a reconstruction of marginalized voices, indigenous epistemologies, and suppressed histories. The analysis demonstrates that reclaiming African women’s agency is not about assimilation into existing frameworks but about transforming the logics that render them invisible and subordinate. African feminist thought thus offers alternative imaginaries of politics rooted in relationality, communal resilience, restorative justice, and epistemic justice. By centering these perspectives, the paper contributes to rethinking IR beyond its colonial legacies and toward a more inclusive, ethical, and sustainable discipline. The findings affirm that any genuine project of global transformation must take seriously African women’s voices as vital sites of knowledge, resistance, and power.

The Strategic use of Submarines in Asymmetric Modern Naval Warfare

Zekeri Momoh — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In an era of evolving maritime threats and contested littoral zones, submarines have emerged as critical tools for state naval forces seeking strategic leverage against superior adversaries. This study explores the strategic use of submarines in asymmetric naval warfare, focusing on how select state actors employ undersea capabilities to offset conventional military imbalances. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws military doctrine analysis, and declassified strategic documents from countries such as Iran, North Korea, and Pakistan. Asymmetric Warfare Theory was adopted as the most suitable for this study, as it most directly addresses the structural power imbalances and unconventional strategies employed by smaller actors. The research reveals that submarines serve not only as instruments of deterrence and disruption but also as platforms for intelligence gathering, special operations delivery, and anti access/area denial (A2/AD) strategies. Key narratives indicate a deliberate embrace of stealth, surprise, and survivability as core principles in state submarine doctrine. The study further finds that the asymmetric value of submarines is enhanced by indigenous innovation, geographic advantage, and strategic ambiguity. By foregrounding the perspectives of naval officers, defense analysts, and maritime strategists within these states, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of how non-dominant maritime actors shape contemporary naval competition. The findings offer valuable insights for global defense policy, naval
architecture, and the dynamics of regional maritime deterrence.

Electoral Administration and the Role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections

Abdulrahman Abubakar — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined Electoral Administration and the Role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections, with a focus on how the commission’s institutional framework, technological innovations, and operational strategies influenced the credibility of the electoral process. The objective was to assess the extent to which INEC’s performance shaped public perceptions of democratic governance in Nigeria. The research was guided by Electoral Governance Theory, which emphasised the dimensions of rule-making, rule application, and rule adjudication, providing a framework for evaluating electoral management effectiveness. The study adopted a qualitative methodology, relying on document analysis of official INEC reports, legal instruments such as the Electoral Act 2022, credible media publications, and scholarly literature on electoral administration in Nigeria. This approach enabled a contextual understanding of the interplay between institutional design, electoral technology including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV)—and the operational realities of the 2023 general elections. Findings revealed that while INEC introduced significant technological reforms aimed at improving transparency, inconsistencies in
technology deployment, logistical delays, allegations of voter suppression, and weak enforcement of electoral laws undermined public trust in the process. Political tensions and widespread contestations of results reflected deep-seated concerns about the commission’s operational independence and effectiveness. The study recommended strengthening INEC’s autonomy, ensuring uniform technology deployment nationwide, and enhancing staff training and logistics management. These measures were deemed essential to restoring credibility in Nigeria’s electoral process and consolidating democratic governance.

Immigration Enforcement Policies and Their Impact on Local Law Enforcement

Ofure Victory Iyoha — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study looks at how local law enforcement organizations in the US are affected by federal immigration enforcement policy. It draws attention to the ways that programs like Secure Communities and the 287(g) programs have dissolved the distinction between local and federal responsibilities, changing policing tactics, community trust, and resource distribution. The study examines the effects of cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on community policing, operational goals, and civil rights safeguards by drawing on legal frameworks, case studies, and scholarly literature. Additionally, it examines the ethical and legal issues that local agencies deal with, such as racial profiling, Fourth Amendment issues, and conflicts between local autonomy and federal obligations. Some case studies from communities like Maricopa County, Los Angeles, and San Francisco show how cooperative and non-cooperative methods to immigration enforcement have different results. In order to assist local law enforcement in striking a balance between
public safety, civil liberties, and federal obligations in a rapidly changing immigration
landscape, the paper ends by projecting future trends, including increased data sharing, expanded sanctuary policies, and heightened civil rights scrutiny.

Social Identity Theory and Deradicalization

Uzzibi Methuselah Irmiya, Ayandiji Daniel Aina, Goodnews Osah — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This paper employs Social Identity Theory (SIT) as a critical lens to evaluate the deradicalization and reintegration processes within Nigeria’s Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC). It argues that while the initial disengagement of ex-Boko Haram combatants may occur within the program's camps, sustainable reintegration is fundamentally a social process of identity transformation, contingent on complex negotiations among the individual, the state, and the receiving community. Through qualitative analysis of interviews and focus group discussions with ex-combatants, security personnel, government officials, and community members, the study identifies a critical disconnect between OPSC’s design and the realities of identity reconstruction. Key findings reveal that the program’s operational failures, specifically, post-camp economic abandonment, a lack of transparency, and the absence of formal reconciliation mechanisms actively sabotage reintegration. These failures foster a toxic environment of stigma and mistrust, reinforce perceptions of impunity, and exacerbate community grievances. The study concludes that by neglecting the social and psychological dimensions of identity, OPSC not only undermines its own objectives but also risks perpetuating the very cycles of insecurity it aims to resolve. The paper advocates a fundamental reorientation of deradicalization policy toward a holistic, identity-sensitive framework that prioritizes long-term, community-based reintegration over short-term disengagement.

Nigeria’s Relation with the World Trade Organization 1995- 2025

Faruq Idowu Boge, Hawah Oluwaseun Olawoyin — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Since it acceded to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995, Nigeria has sought to integrate more deeply into the multilateral trading system as part of its broader foreign economic policy. The WTO, which succeeded the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade (GATT), provides a framework for trade liberalization, dispute settlement, and cooperation among member states. Nigeria’s participation reflects both the opportunities of global market access and the persistent challenges of structural economic dependence. This study examines Nigeria’s WTO membership since 1995, with particular focus on its engagement in multilateral negotiations, trade in oil and non-oil products, and the broader economic implications of membership. Drawing on secondary sources, policy documents, and existing literature, the paper highlights the limited gains achieved and notes that weak institutional capacity, inconsistent trade policy, and overreliance on primary commodities have constrained Nigeria’s performance. It argues that without significant reforms in negotiation capacity and domestic economic policy, WTO membership will continue to yield modest results. The study concludes by recommending diversification, policy coherence, and strategic engagement as essential steps for Nigeria to maximize its position within the global trading system.

Macroeconomic Determinants and Financial Performance of Healthcare Sectors in Nigeria

Joseph Ndubuisi Ofuonye — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

There has been persistent instability in macroeconomic indicators, such as inflation and interest rates, which has contributed to fluctuating margins, increased debt burdens, and limited capacity for sustainable growth and development in Nigeria's
healthcare sector. This study examines the impact of macroeconomic determinants on the financial performance of the healthcare sector in Nigeria, using interest and inflation rates as key variables. The study employed an ex post facto research design. Data on corporate performance were extracted from the annual accounts of the sampled sectors, while data on the independent variables were obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Statistical Bulletin. A multiple regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses. The results revealed that the interest rate has a negative, yet non-significant, effect, and the inflation rate has a positive, yet non-significant, effect on financial performance. However, the study reveals that macroeconomic indicators, such as inflation and exchange rates, significantly
affect the profitability and financial performance of the healthcare sector in Nigeria,
indicating that macroeconomic conditions have a substantial impact on the sector's
performance. The study concluded that the interest rate has adverse economic consequences for the healthcare sector in Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommends, among others. The healthcare sector requires strategic cost management, diversified revenue streams, and an enhanced financial hedging system. The policy implications suggest that the government should stabilize inflation by strengthening the currency and increasing the microeconomic environment to ensure sustainable economic growth and financial resilience within the healthcare sector in Nigeria.