| 1 |
Author(s):
Odoh John Nathaniel; Agbo Mathew Oga.
Page No : 1-14
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Migrant Communities and the Economic Development of Gombe State: A Study of Igbo and Yoruba Communities
Abstract
Migrant communities play a significant role in the economic development of their host communities. The Igbo and Yoruba communities are among the most conspicuous migrant communities in Gombe State. Their migration to the Gombe area became prominent in the colonial era as a result of economic and transport connectivity presented by the colonial economy. The article argues that the rapid growth Gombe State has witnessed over the years was as a result of the immense economic contributions of migrant communities, especially the Igbo and Yoruba communities. Their influx into Gombe added economic value to the state. They came with skills and business acumen which contributed positively to the economy. Using oral interviews, archival documents, and secondary sources, the article highlights the contributions of the Igbo and Yoruba communities to the development of Gombe State. Findings from the research revealed that during the colonial period, economic activities like sales of spare parts, building materials, pharmaceuticals, textile materials, and skills like mechanics, furniture, masonry, plumbing and electrical work were dominated by the Igbo and Yoruba migrant groups. Further findings show that the host communities benefited from the presence of the Igbo and Yoruba communities through the various apprenticeship skills made available by business owners and the job opportunities the businesses they established provided in the value chain. The study therefore concludes that the Igbo and Yoruba communities played distinctive roles in boosting the economy of Gombe State.
Keywords: Apprenticeship, Economic Development, Igbo, Yoruba, Migrant, and Gombe State.
| 2 |
Author(s):
Abubakar Usman Lamido (PhD); Naziru Usman Abubakar.
Page No : 15-30
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Educational Curriculum and Military Discipline: An Analysis of Command Secondary School Kaduna, 1977 – 2009
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between educational curriculum and military discipline at Command Secondary School Kaduna, a military-administered secondary institution in Nigeria. Despite the significance of military schools in Nigeria’s educational history, limited scholarship has examined how the institution’s curricular development and disciplinary regime have interacted to shape educational outcomes. Adopting a historical methodology, the study draws on archival records, official government and military documents, oral testimonies from former and current students, educators and administrators, and relevant scholarly literature. It traces the evolution of the school’s curriculum and disciplinary framework and assesses their implications for academic performance, character formation and broader educational outcomes. The findings indicate that the regimented disciplinary structure fostered work ethic, leadership competence, responsibility and orderly conduct among students. However, its rigidity could constrain creative learning and generate tensions with contemporary pedagogical approaches centred on critical thinking and learner participation. The study therefore argues that military discipline can contribute positively to educational formation when balanced with pedagogical flexibility and student-centred practices. It contributes to the history of military education in Nigeria by demonstrating the institutional interplay between curricular development and disciplinary practice and recommends periodic curriculum review, appropriate student-support mechanisms and professional development for educators to reconcile military discipline with contemporary educational objectives.
Keywords: Keywords: Educational Curriculum; military discipline; Command Secondary School Kaduna; military education; character Formation.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Asanebi, Daupamowei Henry.
Page No : 31-45
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Afrocentrism and Dependence: An Examination of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy under Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, 1960-1966
Abstract
Foreign policy is the set of goals and actions a nation pursues abroad to protect its national interests. The study examined Nigeria’s foreign policy under Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa from 1960 to 1966. Historical secondary sources were utilised in the study's research methodology. The study revealed that Balewa’s key speeches in the House of Representatives, at Independence, and before the United Nations identified the ideational basis of Nigeria’s early foreign policy. He articulated six core principles: Afrocentrism, non-alignment, sovereign equality, multilateralism, anti-colonialism, and gradualist integration. Thus, Balewa espoused non-alignment, but the country's foreign policy remained structurally aligned with Britain and the West due to economic dependence and inherited colonial ties, etc. Achievements such as the institutionalisation of a foreign policy framework, support for decolonisation, and active participation in the UN and OAU are weighed against challenges of economic vulnerability, domestic fragmentation, and limited bureaucratic capacity. The study concludes that Alhaji Tafawa Balewa was successful in making Africa the cornerstone of Nigerian foreign policy and establishing Nigeria's reputation as a moderate and responsible actor, preserving Nigeria’s autonomy and preventing direct entanglement in superpower conflicts.
Keywords: Nigeria; Tafawa Balewa; Foreign Policy; Non-Alignment; Afrocentrism
| 4 |
Author(s):
Umar Saleh; Saheed Babajide Owonikoko.
Page No : 46-62
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Comparative Security Threat Dynamics of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Lake Chad Basin
Abstract
The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), otherwise called Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have sustained a protracted insurgency that has affected the wider Lake Chad Basin region since the mid-2000s. Despite that the two factions emerged from the same group and locality, scholars and policy analysts frequently analyse them as a single security phenomenon. They ignore their differences in regards to mode of operations, violence patterns and the way and manner they relate to local populations. This study made use of a qualitative comparative case study design, obtaining data from key informant interviews and focus group discussions from Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. Correspondingly, data were collected from conflict event datasets and relevant secondary sources. Findings show that JAS continued to indiscriminately launch attacks against innocent people of all faiths. While ISWAP developed into a more structured and adaptive armed group that strategize its attacks on military targets. At the same time employ coercive mechanisms to exert control over locals. In spite of it selective targets, ISWAP’s impact on economies, transportations, and overall livelihoods posed a greater and lasting threat to both state and human security. Based on the Securitization framework, the paper argues that it is inadequate to rely on civilian-related casualty data solely to explain the complex security dynamics in the Lake Chad region. Effective security restoration in the region requires further strategies that integrate military intelligence-driven operations, institutional restoration, civilian protections, and socio-economic recovery to enable people to rebuild their lives.
Keywords: Boko Haram, ISWAP, JAS, regional security, Lake Chad Basin, counterinsurgency
| 5 |
Author(s):
Sani Abdullahi; Prof. Muhammadu Mustapha Gwadabe .
Page No : 63-80
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AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRICULUM AND MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: THE KADUNA POLYTECHNIC EXPERIENCE, 2011-2024
Abstract
Curriculum development and manpower training are foundational to the role of tertiary institutions in national development. Kaduna Polytechnic, one of Nigeria’s foremost polytechnics, has played a significant role in advancing technical and vocational education through structured curriculum innovation that feature contemporary global trends in technological advancement. Despite this, youth in Kaduna state and Nigeria in general, continues to battle with unemployment and lack of advanced skills to fit in national and internal industries. This paper therefore, examines the contributions of Kaduna Polytechnic to curriculum development and manpower capacity-building in Nigeria between 2011 and 2024. Utilizing documentary analysis, stakeholder interviews, and policy reviews, the study investigates how Kaduna Polytechnic has aligned its academic programmes with evolving industry needs, regulatory standards set by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the broader goals of national manpower development. The findings reveal that the institution has actively revised curricula, introduced new programmes, and contributed to national curriculum design efforts, particularly in technical and vocational fields. However, limitations persist due to bureaucratic inadequacies, insufficient funding, faculty capacity gaps, and weak linkages with industry stakeholders. Despite these challenges, Kaduna Polytechnic’s commitment to curriculum development and its collaboration with the NBTE have driven incremental progress in manpower development in Nigeria.
Keywords: Technical Education; manpower Development; curriculum; Kaduna Polytechnic.
| 6 |
Author(s):
Obioha Ogbuka.
Page No : 81-100
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The Igbo Trade Apprenticeship Scheme as an Indigenous Institution of Leadership Development in the Zaria Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria, 2003–2023
Abstract
This study examines the Igbo Trade Apprenticeship Scheme (ITAS) as an indigenous institution of entrepreneurial leadership development in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria, between 2003 and 2023. While existing scholarship has focused largely on ITAS in relation to entrepreneurship, wealth creation, enterprise development, and youth employment, limited attention has been given to its role in cultivating entrepreneurial leadership. Adopting a qualitative historical research design, the study draws on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, complemented by relevant books, journal articles, theses, and documentary sources. Data were analysed thematically within the socio-historical context of Igbo entrepreneurship. Findings show that ITAS develops leadership capabilities through structured mentorship, experiential learning, delegated responsibility, ethical socialisation, character formation, and progressive exposure to business management. Mentors also continue to provide former apprentices with professional networks, strategic guidance, and support beyond the formal apprenticeship period, strengthening entrepreneurial resilience and business adaptability. The study demonstrates that ITAS is not merely an entrepreneurial training mechanism but an indigenous leadership development institution that systematically produces and sustains entrepreneurial leaders through intergenerational knowledge transfer and experiential learning. The study recommends greater engagement by policymakers, educational institutions, and leadership development organisations with relevant elements of ITAS in designing contextually grounded leadership development initiatives in Nigeria.
Keywords: Igbo Trade Apprenticeship Scheme (ITAS); Entrepreneurial leadership; Indigenous knowledge systems; Zaria; Mentorship
| 7 |
Author(s):
Olutoye, Israel Ibukun; Assoc. Prof. Julia O. Ogbaji; Assoc. Prof. Hanatu K. Ali.
Page No : 101-125
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Air Force Operations in Counterinsurgency Campaigns in the Northeast of Nigeria, 2013-2021
Abstract
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), through air strikes and air support, conducted a series of operations in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe targeting Boko Haram hostile activities, within the period 2013 to 2021. However, there is a paucity of extant works on the role of the NAF, which seems to give more attention to the role of the Army alone. The study analyses the impact of the NAF in air and ground operations through targeted campaigns such as Operations BOYONA, Zaman Lafiya, Lafiya Dole and Hadin Kai. The research employed a descriptive analysis framework of data collected from oral interviews, defence manuscripts, academic journals, books, and internet sources. The study revealed the Air Force's crucial role in counterinsurgency campaigns through diverse means. The Air Force conducted more than 2.045 air strike missions in over 2,098 hours. Additional aircraft like the Alpha-Jets L-39ZA, F7Ni and Mi-35 attack helicopter were used to destroy insurgent hideouts. The principle that all military services should be self-sustaining is seen in the Air Force carrying out ground operations of its own. The study highlights some significant challenges facing Air Force counterinsurgency operations in the northeast. The study concludes that the role of the Air Force in counterinsurgency campaigns has significantly improved the number of pilots, special forces and advanced military hardware crucial to counterinsurgency victory. It also notes that the significant challenges could mar the success of this counterinsurgency operations effort in the northeast if not adequately addressed.
Keywords: Counterinsurgency operations, Air Force Operations, Nigerian Air Force, Boko Haram
