Papers by Ubong Essien
Conflict and Historical Studies:1999-2019, 2023
Pursuing research in a conflict zone can be a precarious task. Not only is there serious threat t... more Pursuing research in a conflict zone can be a precarious task. Not only is there serious threat to life and property, it is extremely difficult to gather information, facts and data without it looking like propaganda to one of the conflicting parties. Studies have shown that there is need for neutrality, adherence to strict ethics and unbiased judgment on the part of the historian for his work to be accepted and for information to be given willingly. Historical objectivity is a noble dream. Though it is a dream it must be pursued rigorously. This dream was rigorously pursued by historians like Kenneth Dike, E.J. Alagoa, Ade Ajayi, Okon Edet Uya, Obaro Ikime, Emmanuel Ayandele, Erim Odey Erim and others. History is an evidence based discipline. This evidence is divided into primary sources and secondary sources and most times the historian has to be at the location where an event took place either to gather documents, artifacts or to conduct interviews. Conflict in a region can however be an impediment to a historians work primarily because self-preservation is the strongest human instinct. Conflict hence impedes the work of a historian limiting the general populace to rumours and hearsay. This research undertaking will rely on primary and secondary sources in its attempt to evaluate the impact of conflict on Historical studies and will profile three conflicts namely the Civil War, the Conflict in the Niger Delta and the Boko Haram Insurgency.
Nigeria's Foreign Policy Expenditure 1960-2015:An Assessment, 2023
It is an incontrovertible fact that Nigeria as a nation has spent a significant amount of money i... more It is an incontrovertible fact that Nigeria as a nation has spent a significant amount of money in pursuit of her foreign policy particularly her African foreign policy thrust. What has rather caused conflict and rancor among foreign policy analysts and scholars is that the country has not been seen to have reaped commensurate benefit from her vast output in foreign policy expenditure. The argument has been that Nigeria has been more altruistic than strategic, thus it is often reported in learned journals that Nigeria's actions on the foreign policy scene could best be described as big brotherism or exhibiting a father christmas outlook on the international scene. The intention of this paper is to attempt some sort of justification for the stupendous amounts of money Nigeria has spent in pursuit of her foreign policy objectives especially in view of glaring inconsistencies that exist at home. Such enlightened action would indicate that those at the helm of affairs in the country are aware that apart from a Civil War and its attendant consequences there exist a plethora of problems that can lead the nation into a serious quagmire and they all need money to be addressed. The paper relied on both primary and secondary sources of data while using the historical method of analysis.
Laughter as Good Medicine: A Balanced Overview of the Comedy Industry in Nigeria 1960-2020, 2023
This paper aims to provide a balanced overview of the role of laughter in Nigerian society, with ... more This paper aims to provide a balanced overview of the role of laughter in Nigerian society, with a particular focus on the comedy industry from 1960 to 2020. The study examines the different reasons for human laughter and their cultural, social, and religious contexts. The findings demonstrate that laughter has numerous positive impacts on physical and mental health, including releasing endorphins and reducing stress and blood pressure. However, the paper also highlights the negative use of laughter as a tool for ridicule and harm, particularly in the context of social media and the treatment of celebrities and individuals who do not conform to societal standards. Secondary sources were used in the course of the study. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of considering the context and impact of laughter, and the need for greater awareness of the harmful effects of laughing at others.
Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi Dialektika Contemporer, 2021
Any study of the spread of Christian churches in the Lower Cross River Region would indicate that... more Any study of the spread of Christian churches in the Lower Cross River Region would indicate that there has been a gradual push towards Pentecostalism and Evangelical Christianity. A number of factors are responsible for this. The Reformation, which began in Germany between 1517 and 1600 and spread to the rest of the world, was a shift from traditional Christian doctrine and practices. Through deep study of the Bible, Luther advocated the end of a number of ancient Christian practices like penance on the basis that vital parts of scripture were being ignored. The information was hinged on the revelation from Habakkuk 2 vs. 4 that the just shall live by faith. It has, however, been observed that a number of churches that emerged from the reformation, like the Lutheran, Methodist, Apostolic, Presbyterian, and Assemblies of God, have all gravitated steeply towards traditional Catholic practices. This has led to a discourse in Christian circles, with the argument being that the old way could be better. Preachers of Pentecostalism have often been referred to as "Pente-rascals," indicating that they have used the Pentecostal movement as an excuse for rascality. Evidence abounds to support this assertion, ranging from diversion of church funds, outright embezzlement of church funds, seduction by the clergy, false doctrine, and an opulent lifestyle. These practices have become common place in Pentecostal circles to the extent that a number of the uninformed see Christian ministry as a profession for lazy people who do not want to work. The flamboyant lifestyles of ministers of the gospel, their unguarded utterances, and tendency to manipulate and extort, which is in stark contrast to the gospel which Jesus preached, lends credence to this. Hence, this tends to support the argument that the push towards Pentecostalism is driven by a desire for freedom and liberty. These are the issues that this article will seek to address. The article will make use of primary and secondary sources.
Bassey Andah Journal, Calabar, 2022
The Boko Haram insurgency has raged on for close to 12 years and incidentally seemed to pick up i... more The Boko Haram insurgency has raged on for close to 12 years and incidentally seemed to pick up in intensity not long after the significant disarmament and demobilization of the Niger Delta militants. However, unlike the Niger Delta militants who agitated over injustice in the geographical spread of indices of development especially when the massive contribution to the national coffers and devastating environmental degradation of the region are considered, the Boko Haram Insurgency is fundamentally rooted in religion. The insurgents and their disciples advocate a strict adherence to the tenets of Sharia Law. What is disturbing and discomfiting however is the resort to violence in a bid to enshrine their religious beliefs. A lot of the attacks, kidnaps and raids have been unreasonable but this has drawn the attention of the Nigerian government to the plight of the people readily available to be used as Boko Haram Insurgents. Due to the intensity of the attacks, the Federal Government's efforts to establish rural grazing areas for the violent herdsmen and in a bid to quell the spate of attacks and clashes between herdsmen and farmers was fiercely resisted and dubbed by many on social media platforms as an Islamization agenda. The federal government in a bid to mitigate the devastation in the Nigerian North East proposed a Ministry of the North East and has embarked on developmental programmes in the region. The thinking behind this is a realization that violence and civil unrest is often an indication of discontent. More often than not when the root issues have been properly addressed the tide of violence is usually stemmed. In the case of Boko Haram, some scholars have argued that deep poverty and illiteracy are fundamental reasons why people would readily resort to violence as a way of expressing their religious grievances. There are also others who have argued that the insurgency was a political tool when the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was not of Northern extraction. This paper will attempt to look at the correlation between ethno religious violence in Northern Nigeria and good governance.
International Journal of Integrative Humanism, 2021
From the 1970's Nigeria has battled with foreign debt and has taken great effort to manage her de... more From the 1970's Nigeria has battled with foreign debt and has taken great effort to manage her debt. In 2005, Nigeria recorded landmark relief after extensive negotiation that freed her from $30 billion in foreign debt owed to the Paris Club of Creditors. The rhetoric used to pursue this debt relief deal was that the Countries of the West were complicit in the accumulation of this debt. This view point argues that most of Sub-Saharan Africa suffered the bitter throes of slavery and colonialism and their economies are still dependent on advanced capitalist economies in what many African scholars describe and dub "Neo Colonialism". This viewpoint has however attempted to absolve African Nations of the blame for high debt build up and indebtedness and shifts the blame to the Bretton Wood institutions and other International Finance organizations. In the case of Nigeria, a careful consideration of the huge income that accrues to the nation though the sale of crude oil and the Internally Generated Revenue from taxes and other tariffs presents a paradox of sorts. The paradox is, how a nation so obviously endowed, continually struggles with debt can and constantly go cap in hand seeking debt relief when her debt situation gets out of hand. This paper proffers looking inward and addressing monsters like corruption, waste in public office, flawed electoral processes, misplaced priorities in the development and execution of projects and a poor maintenance culture. Though it can be argued that the Nigerian Government has identified corruption for instance as a challenge and established anti-graft agencies to stem the tide of corruption, it has tended to pay lip service to tackling corruption and the anti-graft agencies have often been accused of being instruments for the witch hunt of political enemies. The corruption and waste in public office has however tended to enrich a few people, creating a deficit and diverting much needed resources, hence creating a need to borrow. Nigeria must intently and deliberately look inward in its bid to solve its debt debacle.
International Journal of Humanitatis Theoreticus, 2019
A discussion on the contribution of the Nigerian Military would not be complete without consideri... more A discussion on the contribution of the Nigerian Military would not be complete without considering the fundamental reason for Military intervention in Nigerian politics which hence gave the Military an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to Nation building and political life. Issues like corruption, mismanagement of resources, indiscipline, nepotism and the breakdown of law and order have been at the center of the plethora of excuses tendered by the Military forces across the African continent as a justification for intervening in politics. Morally speaking, this is wrong and totally unacceptable. The military can still contribute to National life without being actively involved in politics. For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Military would consist of the Air force, the Navy, The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police force. Most thought however on the Nigerian Military centers around the Nigerian Army mostly because of the dominance of Army ground operations. Francis Fukuyama in his classic book The End of History and the Last Man espoused democracy as the last and most noble ideal in the evolution of man's political life. Whether this is the case is the subject for an intellectual debate. What is however obvious is the fact that democracy has been accepted universally as a noble ideal, hence efforts at Military Totalitarianism are sternly resisted.
A discussion on the contribution of the Nigerian Military would not be complete without consideri... more A discussion on the contribution of the Nigerian Military would not be complete without considering the fundamental reason for Military intervention in Nigerian politics which hence gave the Military an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to Nation building and political life. Issues like corruption, mismanagement of resources, indiscipline, nepotism and the breakdown of law and order have been at the center of the plethora of excuses tendered by the Military forces across the African continent as a justification for intervening in politics. Morally speaking, this is wrong and totally unacceptable. The military can still contribute to National life without being actively involved in politics. For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Military would consist of the Air force, the Navy, The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police force. Most thought however on the Nigerian Military centers around the Nigerian Army mostly because of the dominance of Army ground operations. Francis Fukuyama in his classic book The End of History and the Last Man espoused democracy as the last and most noble ideal in the evolution of man's political life. Whether this is the case is the subject for an intellectual debate. What is however obvious is the fact that democracy has been accepted universally as a noble ideal, hence efforts at Military Totalitarianism are sternly resisted.
Teaching Documents by Ubong Essien
International Organizations II, 2020
This Paper is a series of Lecture notes for Second Year students of the Department of History and... more This Paper is a series of Lecture notes for Second Year students of the Department of History and International Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Its purpose is to introduce them to the History of International Organizations.
This Paper was written by the Course Lecturers:
Mr Ubong James Essien
&
Dr. Boypa Egbe
Books by Ubong Essien
Contemporary Discourse on Nigeria's Economic Profile-A Festchrift in honour of Professor Nyaudoh Ukpabio Ndaeyo, 2023
A book Chapter on developing political consciousness to answer the leadership question in Nigeria... more A book Chapter on developing political consciousness to answer the leadership question in Nigeria. This book chapter asserts that rather than look for a messianic figure to redeem Nigeria from all its problems, political consciousness should be developed as this would aid in continually throwing up the right caliber of leaders.
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Papers by Ubong Essien
Teaching Documents by Ubong Essien
This Paper was written by the Course Lecturers:
Mr Ubong James Essien
&
Dr. Boypa Egbe
Books by Ubong Essien
This Paper was written by the Course Lecturers:
Mr Ubong James Essien
&
Dr. Boypa Egbe