An Appraisal of the Roles of the Warriors’ Guild in Addressing Pre-colonial Security Challenges in Okaland South-West Nigeria

An Appraisal of the Roles of the Warriors’ Guild in Addressing Pre-colonial Security Challenges in Okaland South-West Nigeria

Ogunode Sunday Abraham

Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria

Abstract 

Security within the context of this paper can loosely be viewed as safety from any form of attack or harm. It is a term that has different dimensions and meanings in public safety, defense and military matters. It is the state or feeling of being safe and protected. Security can equally be seen as having a sense of protection against loss, attack or harm, or protection against attack from without or subversion from within. Security is one of the indispensable issues that had always taken priority position in any human society since ages. Leaders and the led alike are always concerned with how to ensure their safety in all ramifications and this has constantly spurred them to fathom measures of ensuring their continued safety. In pre-colonial Nigeria, ingenious means were employed to address security challenges by the people and their leaders. In specific terms, this article is tailored towards an appraisal of the roles of the warriors’ guild in addressing pre-colonial security challenges in Okaland. The article argues that the security challenges faced by the people of Okaland in the pre-colonial times were promptly tackled through collective efforts and of course through the good leadership provided by the traditional rulers coupled with the patriotic zeal and bravery showed by the native security group. While the article acknowledges the fact that no society can exist without having to face some sort of security challenges, the author is of the view that these security challenges are surmountable. 

Keywords: appraisal, roles, warriors' guild, pre-colonial, security and challenges

La place marginale du français au Ghana : un statut bien trompeur sur les média et dans les écoles

Koffi Ganyo Agbefle

University of Ghana, Legon Accra, Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this article titled The marginalized status of French in Ghana: A real misrepresentation by the Media and Academia, is to highlight the actual status of French in current communication in Ghana, an Anglophone country. It focuses on demonstrating that the priority placed on French by the Ghanaian authorities is only apparent. We can even talk of the pseudo-status of French, with the wide gap that exists between what is said and what is done in view. Indeed, whereas the authorities in Ghana affirm that French is the second most important international language in that country, the reality seems to be different. French remains far from being the linguistic medium of social discourse in the country .Administrations, international organizations, the media, and even schools all seem to marginally prioritize French. Meanwhile, continuous official discussions are held on the importance of this language to the Anglophone Ghanaian community. Moreover, since 2006, Ghana has being a partner member of the “Francophonie”; something which presupposes that aside from English, Ghanaians can also, to an extent, transact in French, as is the case in the Francophone countries where people somehow “glean” words to express themselves in English when the need arises. Unfortunately, such a conclusion is erroneous. Ghana’s “Francophonie” partner membership status is far from being rooted in her communicative needs. The teaching of French in schools and the treatment French teachers receive are enough indicators for us to conclude that, in reality, French is not a priority in the Ghanaian community and that Ghana will not need a second international language, after her official language English, which is increasingly more important than any other foreign language, even local Ghanaian languages inclusive.

      

Key words: Misleading status; international language; Communicative needs;       National language(s)

C’est le soleil qui m’a brulée de Calyxthe Beyala: un titre à la recherche d’un récit

Ndongo Kamdem Alphonse

University of Uyo, Nigeria

Abstract

The reading of a text starts undoubtedly with its title: this meta-text offers the first thread which the reader follows in the course of reading. It goes without saying, that there always exists a correlation between a title and the text that follows it. This article goes from a hermeneutics of the epigraph that announces the text, to the analysis of the text itself, with the conclusion that the title of Beyala’s text (C’est le soleil qui m’a brulee) does not just justify the text that follows: between the text and its title, there is anacolutha.

Key words: Title, correlation, epigraph, meta-text, anacolutha.

Sexual Rhetoric of the Syrian Arab Spring

Musa Al-Halool

Taif University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The Syrian version of the Arab Spring is arguably unique in that it has generated right from the start a concurrent sexual rhetoric not so conspicuously noted in the Tunisian, Egyptian, Libyan, or Yemeni revolutions. This idiosyncrasy has to do with a number of reasons, the most seminal of which is the multi-sectarian mosaic of Syrian society. With Syria lacking attractive oil reserves, the international community has been scandalously divided between a huffing-and-puffing anti-Assad West and a veto-toting, pro-Assad Russian-Chinese alliance. This deep division over the Assad regime allowed the Syrian crisis to be so drawn-out that the good old inter-sectarian mudslinging, disguised in sexual terms, began to resurface as a noticeable phenomenon. Because this phenomenon is not peculiar to the current conflict in Syria, this study starts by giving a historical overview of the sexualization of conflicts both among Arabs and internationally. Then the paper moves to examine samples of the mutual sexual defamation by the Syrian regime and the opposition in order to shed light on a neglected byproduct/aspect of the still raging war in and about Syria.

Key words: Arabic media discourse, Addounia TV, inter-sectarian defamation, sex Jihad, Sexual rhetoric, Syrian revolution.

Ghana’s Role in the Nigerian War: Mediator or Collaborator?

Johnson Olaosebikan Aremu

Ekiti State University, Ado- Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract

This article attempts an exploration of Ghana’s mediatory role in a bid to broker peace between the Federal Military Government of Nigeria and its dis-affectioned Eastern Region to prevent the impending Nigerian civil war of July 1967 to January 1970. It notes Nigeria’s disappointment in Ghana’s neutrality after the outbreak of war as well as Nigeria’s subsequent accusation of Ghana as a collaborator with the secessionist ‘Republic of Biafra’ throughout the war years. The article carefully interrogates the factors that propelled Ghana’s neutrality and the authenticity or otherwise of Nigeria’s insinuations against her action during the war. It submits that apart from the humanitarian challenge of reducing the carnage of the war, Ghana acted within the ambits of the Organisation of African Unity’s Charter and Resolutions to remain neutral in what was regarded as a ‘purely Nigerian internal affair’. The article concludes that since Ghana was never a party to the war, it should be exonerated from all insinuations as a collaborator with Biafra. Its mediatory role should be commended for promoting peace in the West African sub-region.   

Keywords: Nigeria, Ghana, Civil War, Conflict, Biafra