Rights Abuse as Root Causes of Political Violence in Nigeria

178 Pages·2016·0.86 MB·English

Walden University
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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Collection
2016
Rights Abuse as Root Causes of Political Violence
in Nigeria
Andrew Abidemi Olugbenga Babalola
Walden University
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Walden University

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Andrew Babalola

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,
and that any and all revisions required by
the review committee have been made.

Review Committee
Dr. Sylvia Gage, Committee Chairperson,
Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Dr. Kathleen Schulin, Committee Member,
Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Dr. George Kieh, University Reviewer,
Public Policy and Administration Faculty

Chief Academic Officer
Eric Riedel, Ph.D.

Walden University
2016
Abstract
Rights Abuse as Root Causes of Political Violence in Nigeria
by
Andrew Abidemi Olugbenga Babalola

MBA, Buckingham, 2003
BSC, Ibadan, 1984

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Public Policy and Administration

Walden University
May 2016
Abstract
Ethnic division fueled by inadequate governance and uneven economic development
has led some ethnic based groups to regard violence as a legitimate means to achieve
political and social ends. The political disruption caused by ethnic militia related
violence in Nigeria prevented the first 3 attempts at republican democracy. The
purpose of this study was to analyze the role played by human rights abuse in Nigeria
in the formation of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in 1994, and to also analyze
the OPC turning to violence in 1999. The theoretical construct of the study is the
constructivist philosophy, which purports that people develop meanings based on
personal feelings, tastes, and opinions from their experiences. The conceptual
framework of human rights theory is used to analyze whether human rights abuses
and material deprivation created conditions that encouraged violence. The central
research question addressed whether the militarization of politics in Nigeria so abused
the citizens’ political and personal rights that the human rights threshold was met,
influencing the OPC to turn to violence as means to achieve political end. Interview
data was collected from 15 founding members of the OPC to form themes and
descriptions for the study. Results indicated that the incessant abuse of citizens’
political and personal rights led to a violent reaction after the July, 1998 death of
Chief MKO Abiola, who died in military detention. This research contributed to
social change by documenting that human rights abuse in Nigeria created a condition
that led violence by those abused. Further, research recommendations, if
implemented, can facilitate social change through increased stability in governance,
reduced human carnage from terror activities, and improved personal economy of
Nigerians.
Rights Abuse as Root Causes of Political Violence in Nigeria
by
Andrew Abidemi Olugbenga Babalola

MBA, Buckingham, 2003
BSC, Ibadan, 1984

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Public Policy and Administration

Walden University
May 2016
Dedication
I dedicate this Ph.D. degree to my late father, Chief David Fabowale Babalola,
and my late mother, Mrs. Rebecca Mogbonjubola Babalola, for their comprehensive
efforts to raise me from birth in the early morning hours on Friday the 17th of
February 1961 through to graduating from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in June
1984. I will forever remain grateful to you both for your efforts at giving me good
education, the basic tool that has seen me through life.
Acknowledgements
My gratitude goes to all the members of my family that tolerated me in the last
5 years of my enrollment at Walden University. I am indebted to Esther, Toun, Janet,
and Funmilola Babalolas for standing by me through thick and thin. My appreciation
also goes to the members of my committee for their support. I am particularly
thankful to my committee chair, Dr. Sylvia Gage, for her unflinching support to see
me through the dissertation process in good time. I cannot but be grateful to the
Walden University for giving me the opportunity to earn a doctoral of philosophy
degree online.
Table of Contents
List of Tables .................................................................................................................v
List of Figures ............................................................................................................. vii
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ..............................................................................1
Background ..............................................................................................................1
The First Ethno-Religious Conflict ....................................................................4
The Nigerian-Biafran Civil War ........................................................................7
Other Notable Ethnic Conflicts ..........................................................................9
Nigeria’s Military Governance ..........................................................................9
Problem Statement .................................................................................................12
The Nature of the Study .........................................................................................14
Research Question .................................................................................................14
Research Objectives ...............................................................................................15
Purpose of the Study ..............................................................................................15
Conceptual Framework ..........................................................................................16
Definition of Terms……………………………………………………………...16
Assumptions ...........................................................................................................18
Limitations .............................................................................................................19
Scope and Delimitations ........................................................................................20
Significance of the Study .......................................................................................20
Summary ................................................................................................................21
Chapter 2: Literature Review.......................................................................................24
Introduction……………………………………………………………………...24
Synopsis of Pre-1994 Nigeria...............................................................................24
i
Defining Terrorism..............................................................................................26
Terrorism Methodology.......................................................................................29
Terrorism Theories...............................................................................................32
The Theoretical Framework.................................................................................35
Summary.............................................................................................................42
Chapter 3: Research Method.......................................................................................45
Introduction.......................................................................................................45
The Study Design..............................................................................................46
The Phenomenological Study...........................................................................53
Population........................................................................................................55
Instrumentation and Materials.........................................................................57
Research Validity............................................................................................58
Research Reliability........................................................................................60
Data Analysis Plan..........................................................................................61
Limitations......................................................................................................65
Ethical Concerns............................................................................................67
Summary........................................................................................................68
Chapter 4: Results......................................................................................................70
Introduction....................................................................................................70
Interview Questions.......................................................................................72
Settings………………………………………………………………......….72
Participants Demographics……………………………..………………......72
Data Collection……………………………………………...……….……..72

ii
Data Analysis………………..……………………………………..……...75
Evidence of Credibility and Dependability………………………………..78
Results…………………………………………………………….……….79
Summary…………………………………………………………….…….105
Chapter 5: Discussions, Conclusions, and Recommendations………….…..…….107
Introduction…………………………………………………….….……...107
Interpretation of the Findings......................................................................108
Limitations..................................................................................................117
Recommendations for Future Studies.........................................................118
Implications……………………………………………………………....119
Conclusion..................................................................................................123
References...............................................................................................................128
Appendix A: Confidentiality Agreement……………………………….………...131
Appendix B: Sample Letter of Cooperation from a Research Partner…..……..…132

Appendix C: Interview Protocol……………………………………………….….133
Appendix Ca: Ibeere Ni Ede Yoruba…………….…………………………….….136
Appendix D: A Conceptual Model of Dissertation Research…..………….….…..135
Appendix E: Bar and Pie Chart Interpretation of Results of
Interview Question 1……………………………………………………...153
Appendix F: Bar and Pie Chart Interpretation of Results of
Interview Question 2……………………………………………….……..155
Appendix G: Bar and Pie Chart Interpretation of Results of
Interview Question 3……………………………………………………...157
Appendix H: Bar and Pie Chart Interpretation of Results of
iii