African Media Association, Malta

More Troubled Democracies, More Determined Freedom Fighters: A Concerted Global Effort Toward Exposing Autocratic Regimes

30. October 2023

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There is currently a great deal of relative inequality and a lack of liberties for individuals residing in troubled democracies and authoritarian regimes. The entire democratic governance ecosystem is under pressure, including crucial components like civil society, independent media, and the rule of law. Given this dire situation, people in these countries often face oppressive

Elite Fragmentation and Oligarchic Implosion in Nigeria’s Democratic Space: A mere Stopgap or an Impetus to People’s Emancipation?

22. May 2020

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The Nigerian political class operates within convenient and exclusive networks that support a core political composition, that itself is predatory, authoritarian, and disconnected from society. Since democratization began in 1988, political competition has intensified, but bureaucracies have remained only moderately effective, and political parties and civil society have shown continuing weakness while the elite continually

Freedom of Expression as Threat to National Security: Self-Determination, Radio Biafra and the Political Space in Nigeria

20. January 2020

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A wave of renewed agitation for the creation of the sovereign state of Biafra has gained momentum and is sweeping across the south-east of Nigeria. The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) is championing the cause. This resuscitated agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra takes a new dimension with the setting up of Radio Biafra

Between Popular Votes and the Electoral College: The Paradox of the American Electoral System

22. December 2019

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Every four years, the Electoral College, a little known feature of the American Constitution, enjoys a fleeting movement of fame. For the fifth time in U.S. history, and the second time this century, a presidential candidate won the White House while losing the popular vote. Hillary Clinton won more votes than Donald Trump in the

Immigration Policy in Malaysia and my eight horrendous Days in Detention

27. August 2019

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I am a political scientist and in the course of my career as a lecturer and pro-democracy activist, I have traversed over 50 countries across different continents. Hence, I had taken the routine details of international travel for granted – until my traumatic experience in Malaysia where I was detained under extremely dehumanizing conditions for

The Psycho-Political Underpinnings of Presidential Speeches: President Buhari’s Three Selected Speeches to Countrymen

24. July 2019

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Given the fact that presidential persuasion is a central feature of presidential power and leadership, this essay explores the persuasive strategies employed by President Buhari in three selected speeches. Although much research has been done on the rhetoric of presidents at crucial moments in Nigeria, most of these studies focused on international affairs or linguistic

Between Military Resistance and Democratic Consolidation Epochs: Is Nigeria’s Civil Society Still Vibrant or Docile?

12. June 2019

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This paper interrogates the historical role of the civil society in Nigeria’s political trajectory spanning through two fundamental epochs—military and democratic. Drawing inferences from a number of historical and comparative approaches, it argues that there is a seeming lull in civil society activism in Nigeria, since its return to democratic rule in 1999. This complacency,