DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Women participation in governance in Nigeria and Edo State in particular, remains a burning issue in nearly every political discourse in Nigeria. For years, it has been observed that women have played comparatively less role as political office holders to their male counterparts.1 In Edo State, Nigeria, the political arena is not different from other parts of the world where political participation is imbalance in favour of men.2 Women‘s participation in the political process has therefore become the focus of many local and international debates in the past two decades.3 Different fora such as the 1995 Beijing Declaration, the 1995 Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women held in Kenya and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, had recognized the plight of women‘s participation in politics especially in the developing countries.4 Against this backdrop, this study seeks to assess the political under- participation of women in politics to Edo state and investigate the reasons for this
umbalances.

Religion has been a powerful force shaping world politics throughout history.1 Whether through the influence of religious institutions, the actions of religious leaders, the great influence which religion has on man’s thought process or the beliefs and
practices of ordinary individuals, it has played a central role in shaping political systems, conflicts, and alliances.2 From the ancient world to the present day, religion has been used to justify wars and conquests, to mobilize social movements, and to define cultural identity.3 At times, religion has been a source of division and conflict, fueling sectarian violence and intolerance.4 At other times, it has been a force for peace and reconciliation, inspiring social justice movements and promoting interfaith dialogue.5 However, some are of the view that politics and religion should be separated. Thus, Milliard Fillmore, the
13 th President of the United States, stated that, “Church and State should be separate, not only in form, but fact- religion and politics should not be mingled”.6

Globally, climate change is causing concern due to its negative impact on the environment. Human activities have resulted in certain unusual changes in the earth's climate system. These anomalies can be observed in the climate system. These anomalies include increase in the concentration of Green house gas in earth’s atmosphere, which will ultimately lead to global warming
1 . The current climate change which started since the late 1960's has occurred at alarming speed and is attributed to human activities 2 . According to Intergovernmental Panel on climate change defined climate change as a change in the state of the climate that can be identify by changes in means and varibility of it properties and persist for a extended period 3 . According to the IPCC, climate change disproportionately affects the poor. Natural disasters such as floods and droughts have already caused significant harm and loss of life among poor populations globally

There are many Festivals in Nigeria, some of which are dated to the period before the arrival of the major religions in this ethnically and culturally diverse society.1 Festivals in Nigeria can be categorized into four, which are music, film, cultural, Christian and Muslim festivals. Most importantly, celebration of cultural festivals such as Argungu fishing festival (Kebbi State, North Western Nigeria), Calabar Carnival (Cross River State), Carniriv (River State) to mention a few is acclaimed to be a unifying force connecting people from different race and background together.2 This is because celebration of these cultural events in most cases remind people of their past. It is regarded as heritage resources that facilitate social cohesion. Celebration of cultural festivals serves as vehicle that drives the economy of a community through the derivable economic benefits especially during the festive period.3Against this backdrop, this study examines the socio-cultural and economic impact of the Igue festival to the contemporary Benin Kingdom. The Igue festival is the biggest and most flamboyant of all the festivals celebrated by the Oba and people of Benin Kingdom. It is normally celebrated with a lot of pomp and pageantry during the first half of the month of December (first fourteen days of the month) of every year.4 The Igue festival is a set of annual cycle of rituals and rites that are performed to purify and strengthen the Oba and the kingdom in preparation for the New Year

One of the foundations and fundamentals of every democratic society today is the entrenchment of fundamental human rights in its constitution and the protection of those rights. In fact, without such provision and protection, a state cannot be said to be truly democratic. Human rights in Nigeria are protected under the current constitution of 1999 Though it is frequently not given appropriate attention in its defense and application. Countless ordinary Nigerians attempting to make ends meet as taxi drivers, market traders, and shopkeepers are accosted on a daily basis by armed police officers who demand bribes and commit human rights abuses against them as a means of extorting money.1 Those who fail to pay are frequently threatened with arrest and physical harm. Far too often, these threats are carried out. Meanwhile, victims of crime are obliged to pay the police from the moment they enter a police station to file a complaint until the day their case is brought before a court. In the shadows, high-level police officials embezzle staggering sums of public funds meant to address some basic police operations. Senior police officers also enforce a perverse system of “returns” in which rank-and-file Officers are compelled to pay up the chain of command a share of the money they extort from the public.

This study examines the persistent and systemic violation of human rights by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), a critical issue that continues to undermine the rule of law and democratic stability in Nigeria. Despite constitutional guarantees and international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory, the NPF has been frequently implicated in grave misconduct, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, and widespread torture. The research adopts a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the socio-political and legal frameworks that allow these infractions to persist. Key findings suggest that a culture of impunity, inadequate oversight mechanisms, and the remnants of colonial-era policing structures are primary drivers of police brutality. Furthermore, the study evaluates the impact of the 2020 #EndSARS protests, highlighting the disconnect between government promises of reform and the lived realities of citizens. The paper concludes that while legislative frameworks like the Police Act of 2020 exist, they remain largely ineffective without a fundamental shift in institutional accountability and a robust independent investigative body. Recommendations are provided for comprehensive police reform, focusing on enhanced training in human rights standards, improved welfare for officers to curb corruption, and the empowerment of judicial and civil society oversight to ensure justice for victims of police abuse.

The definition of marriage varies according to cultures. Marriage is a legal union between a man and woman as husband and wife. In some jurisdictions, it is a union between two persons in the same sex usually entailing legal obligations of each person to the other. Marriage is also called matrimony or wedlock. It is a socially or ritually recognized union or legal contract between spouses that established rights and obligations between them and their in-laws, as well as the society in general.2 When defined broadly; marriage can be recognized by a state, and organization or a religious body, a tribal group, local community or peers. Oxford advanced dictionary defines marriage as the legal relationship between a husband and a wife. According to the definition above, which states that marriage could also be a union between two persons of the same sex which has a legal backing.3 However,, this research stands with the definition that are based on marriage being a union between a man and a woman which is the most acceptable in Egbudu-Akah land and not the other way round. Egbudu-Akah is a town located in Aniocha-South Local Government area of Delta state. Akishe River formed the boundary between her and Ashama, Ubulu in the East, in the west bordered by Ekuku-Agbor, in the south by Ejeme and Nsukwa and in the North by Ute-Okpu. Egbudu-Akah, is located in the forest belt of the state, Delta, it covers a total of about twelve (12)miles east to west, and the same North to South

Studies have shown that there remain only few landscapes on the Earth that is still in their natural state. Due to environmental changes, the Earth surface is being significantly altered in some manner and man‘s presence on the Earth and his use of land has had a profound effect upon the natural environment thus resulting into an accelerated growth in settlement expansion.1 Settlements are products of human activities. It is on this backdrop, this study examines the trends in the development of Okokhuo town with case study of Ovia North East local government. Ovia North East Local Government Area is in the south senatorial district of Edo. Its headquarters is Okada. It occupies a total land area of 2,301km² and a population of 153,849 (National Population Commission, 2006).2 The area is lowland and rises up to about 100 metres above sea level. It falls within the rainforest zone with tall trees and oil palm trees and also possesses freshwater swamp forest. The vegetation favour the production of cereal crops like maize, tuber crops like cassava, tree crops like oil palm and fish farming.3 The major occupations of the people in the community are farming especially poultry and piggery, hunting, fishing, and trading. The major communities in the LGA are Okada, Uhen, Utese, Okokhuo, Uhiere, Isiuwa, Ekiadolor, Oluku, Iguoshodin, Utoka, Oghede, Egbeta, Ora, and Ogbese.4 Okokhuo Village is located in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. It is among several Villages in Ovia North East Local Government Area that have suffered continuous herders` attack resulting in loss of properties in recent times. Generally, Okokhuo people trace their origin back to Benin, Okokhuo people according to oral tradition is one of the Edo speaking groups involved in the exodus from the Benin about the nineth century, during the rule of Oba Ogiso

Child trafficking involves the illicit trade of children for various purposes, such as forced labour, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude. Child trafficking is a major problem that still exist both in developed and developing countries around the world including Nigeria.1 The main purpose of this project is to secure the rights of children also known as minors below the age of 18 years, used for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced labour, criminal activities, sales of organs and adoption. International trafficking in Nigeria is mainly concentrated in Edo State where families try to escape poverty by sending a family member to Italy and other countries. Traffickers often offer women and mirrors to travel to Europe with promises of good jobs with an agreement of incurring debt which takes 1 – 3 years to pay.2 Edo State, the heartbeat of Nigeria has been labeled as the most endemic source of human trafficking particularly in Benin City as it gained notoriety particularly for sexual exploitation. As the world has experienced globalization, the trafficking of human beings most especially minors for sex trade has taken yet another turn. Human traffickers, aware of the risks involved in the trafficking of human beings especially children have set up sophisticated channels and networks for the easy and undetected flow of trafficked children. Irrespective of the intervention by international bodies, non-governmental organization and nation agencies to combat trafficking in Edo State, the region is still a hub for trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation.4 Though in this recent times children are not only trafficked for sexual exploitation but rather more for the extortion of their organs for organ buyers, trafficking of drugs and other illegal products and also for adoption

Women participation in governance in Nigeria and Edo State in particular, remains a burning issue in nearly every political discourse in Nigeria. For years, it has been observed that women have played comparatively less role as political office holders to their male counterparts.1 In Edo State, Nigeria, the political arena is not different from other parts of the world where political participation is imbalance in favour of men.2 Women‘s participation in the political process has therefore become the focus of many local and international debates in the past two decades.3 Different fora such as the 1995 Beijing Declaration, the 1995 Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women held in Kenya and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, had recognized the plight of women‘s participation in politics especially in the developing countries.4 Against this backdrop, this study seeks to assess the political under- participation of women in politics to Edo state and investigate the reasons for this umbalances.