| 1 |
Author(s):
Fidelis A. E. Paki (Ph.D.), Epoweide I. Koko (Ph.D.).
Page No : 1-14
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Africa’s Tourism and Sustainable Transformation: A Push for Fair, Inclusive, and Ecologically Responsible Development in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa.
Abstract
Through encouraging inclusive development, equitable growth, and environmental responsibility, tourism in Africa is becoming more and more acknowledged as a vital industry for driving sustainable transformation. Three important African nations—Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa—each reflecting distinct socioeconomic settings and tourism potentials are examined in this study to see how tourism contributes to sustainable transformation. Nigeria concentrates on its developing eco-tourism and heritage attractions, Ghana capitalizes on its festivals and cultural legacy, and South Africa has established a comparatively sophisticated tourist industry. The paper examines how tourism may solve structural issues including poverty, inequality, unemployment, and ecological vulnerability by drawing on stakeholder theory, the triple bottom line (TBL) framework, and sustainable development theory. In order to compare policies, outcomes, and practices across the three countries, a qualitative approach based on secondary data from government reports, international organizations, and scholarly studies is used. The findings show that while tourism makes a significant contribution to GDP, employment, and cultural preservation, the benefits are not evenly distributed, with rural and marginalized communities often being left out. Additionally, environmental pressures, such as coastal erosion in Ghana, biodiversity threats in South Africa, and infrastructure constraints in Nigeria, continue to impede sustainable outcomes. The paper concludes that achieving inclusive, equitable, and environmentally responsible tourism requires integrated policy frameworks, community participation, eco-tourism innovation, and regional collaboration. These strategies can allow tourism to function not only as an economic driver but also as a catalyst for Africa's larger sustainable development agenda.
| 2 |
Author(s):
C. O. Okwelum (Ph.D.), Antonia O. Okwelum, S. U. Moluno (Ph.D.).
Page No : 15-29
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Judicial Criticism of Counsel in Nigeria: The Case for Remedies against Professional Reputation Damage.
Abstract
The legal profession is highly regarded in Nigeria. The premium placed on it derives from the fact that members are believed to be professionally trained and sound. To revile a counsel in the judgment of a trial court is not taken lightly because it goes to detract from counsel’s professional standing while the Judge enjoys immunity.
Methodology
This study adopted the doctrinal method and content analysis. It reviewed relevant statutory provisions, secondary sources on judicial precedents and journal articles on defamation. It applied them to the pronouncements of the trial Judge and the conduct of the counsel in the litigation which was founded on defamation where the professional reputation of counsel was gored by the trial Judge who held that counsel was incompetent.
Finding
The research critically examined the judgments of the trial High Court and Court of Appeal and found that the negative professional aspersion cast against counsel was ill-founded. It took counsel nearly a decade to reverse the decision to redeem his name from the fangs of public opprobrium yet damages were not awarded in his favour due to gap in the legal framework.
Recommendation
It recommended that the judiciary should fashion out declaratory relief in monetary damages against unwarranted attack on the bar by the bench and in deserving cases, the appellate Judges should refer incidences to the National Judicial Council.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Felicia Ezeugwu (Ph.D.), Agbo Benedict (Ph.D.), Albert O. U. Authority (Ph.D.).
Page No : 30-46
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Social Consciousness and Political Advocacy in Nigeria: A Case Study of Onyeka Owenu’s One Love.
Abstract
Music has long served as a powerful medium for shaping public awareness and responding to social realities in Nigeria. Within this tradition, Onyeka Onwenu, an influential singer, journalist, and advocate known for her socially conscious artistry, emerges as a key voice in national conversations on unity and justice. This study examines how her song One Love communicates social consciousness and political advocacy within Nigeria’s socio‑political climate. Using a qualitative research design, the study undertakes a multi‑layered analysis combining semiotic examination of the song’s lyrics and music video with cultural interpretation of its public reception in media and scholarship. Semiotic analysis is used to identify the musical, visual, and textual signs through which meaning is encoded, while cultural interpretation situates these signs within Nigeria’s historical and political context. The study also draws on secondary materials to deepen contextual understanding and triangulate interpretations. The analysis is guided by Cultural Studies Theory, which explains how the song reflects and challenges dominant social narratives; Semiotic Musicology Theory, which interprets the symbolic and expressive codes embedded in the music; and Social Movement Theory, which situates One Love within broader traditions of musical activism and collective mobilisation. Findings show that One Love functions as a cultural text that critiques social division, promotes unity, and encourages civic responsibility. The study also highlights Onwenu’s role as a pioneering female artist whose work challenges patriarchal and political boundaries. Overall, the research demonstrates the enduring power of music to shape social consciousness and inspire collective action in contemporary Nigeria.
| 4 |
Author(s):
Sampson Anomah, Enoch Kwabena Amoah.
Page No : 47-73
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Stamp Duty and Access to Justice in Ghana: Confronting Legal Uncertainty, Institutional Exploitation, and the Need for Transparent Reform.
Abstract
Ghana’s stamp duty regime, anchored in the Stamp Duty Act, 2005 (Act 689) and the Evidence Act, 1975 (NRCD 323), has long been marked by statutory ambiguity and administrative opacity. For decades, courts oscillated between excluding unstamped documents and permitting curative stamping, creating uncertainty for litigants and practitioners. This doctrinal inconsistency was resolved by the Supreme Court in Nii Aflah v. Boateng [2023], which affirmed stamping as a statutory precondition for admissibility and declared earlier precedents permitting post execution regularization per incuriam. While this ruling provides doctrinal clarity, deeper institutional challenges persist. The Stamp Duty (Amendment) Act, 2023 codifies instruments requiring stamping and outlines exemptions, yet Lands Commission practices remain opaque. Officers continue to stamp all documents indiscriminately, impose per page rather than per instrument charges, and conceal revenue splits, inflating costs and eroding trust. This study employs a mixed methodology, combining doctrinal analysis, qualitative interviews, and comparative perspectives from jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, India, Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria, to demonstrate that ambiguity and discretion are not inevitable features of stamp duty systems. Codified schedules, transparent fee structures, and technological innovations such as e stamping and blockchain verification have proven effective elsewhere in embedding predictability and fairness. The study advances an integrated reform agenda encompassing statutory enforcement, institutional accountability, technological modernization, and equity-oriented policy interventions. It concludes that Ghana must transform stamp duty from a barrier to justice into a transparent, predictable, and accountable instrument of fiscal policy and legal procedure. Future research should quantify litigant burdens, assess e stamping feasibility, and interrogate Lands Commission practices to guide reform.
| 5 |
Author(s):
C. O. Okwelum (Ph.D.), A. J. Onoyemeakpo (Ph.D.), A. O. Okwelum.
Page No : 74-88
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Implications of the Petroleum Industry Bill for Niger Delta Host Communities.
Abstract
Introduction: The long awaited Petroleum Industry Bill has been passed into law by the Buhari administration. One of the expectations of the law was the provision of 10 percent of oil resources mined in the Delta for the host communities. This has been dashed. Rather, 30 percent of the profit of NNPC ltd is provided for frontier exploration. This was dramatic.
Methodology: This study which is doctrinal in method was mainly anchored by newspapers and parliamentary reports. It analyzed the circumstances that informed the delay in the passage of the bill for over 20 years and those surrounding the passage. It reviewed the opinions of focused groups and stakeholders in the region and the roles played by legislators preceding the passage of the bill.
Findings: The study found that the State and the multinational oil companies have continued to act in concert to shortchange host communities.
Results: The outcome of the bill led to the expansion of the definition of host communities; the provision of frontier exploration fund, and the restriction of import license to oil refineries.
Conclusion: It concludes that the passage of the bill into law did not meet the agitations of the host communities. Rather, it has exacerbated them even when several efforts have been made in the past to assuage them but to no avail.
Recommendations: It recommends that the Act should be reviewed to reflect the aspirations of the host communities by increasing their percentage to 10 while bringing down the percentage for frontier exploration fund to 10.
| 6 |
Author(s):
Racheal Amoah (Ph.D.), Evans O. N. D. Ocansey (Ph.D.), Peter A. Boateng (Prof.), Emmanuel Duncan.
Page No : 89-99
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Technology for Gender Equality: Harnessing Digital Solutions for Inclusive Public Policy-Making in Ghana.
Abstract
Gender equality in the process of formulating a public policy is still a burning issue in the world, being inhibited by the under-representation of women and gender biases inherent to the traditional systems of governance. This paper looks at how digital technology can support more exclusive and gender policy-making especially in Ghana. It discusses the potential to increase the voice of women with the help of innovations, including artificial intelligence, big data analysis, digital participation platforms, and civic technologies, to better collect gender-disaggregated data and create more responsive and evidence-based policies. Based on the case studies of Iceland, India, and UN Women projects, the paper indicates effective use of technology in enhancing participatory governance and gender-responsive laws. The analysis also acknowledges significant challenges including the gender digital divide, limited digital literacy, algorithmic bias, online harassment, and weak institutional support. These barriers reinforcing existing inequalities if not carefully addressed. The paper concludes that technology is not the answer to structural gender inequalities but it can be used as effective force of catalyzing gender justice, should accessibility, ethics, and meaningful inclusion be prioritized in integrating technology in policy. The paper emphasizes the importance of inclusive design, equitable access, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Hence the study call for deliberate efforts to ensure that digital innovation contributes to fairer, more inclusive policy-making processes in Ghana and beyond.
| 7 |
Author(s):
Ember Yange.
Page No : 100-118
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Ethical and Legal Implications of AI-Driven Anti-Corruption Technologies in Developing Democracies.
Abstract
This study explores the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI)–driven procurement monitoring to enhance transparency, accountability, and fraud detection in public procurement systems of developing democracies. Through a comparative analysis of global AI practices and emerging digital oversight models, the research focuses on machine learning techniques, including anomaly detection and logistic regression implemented in TensorFlow 2.0, with data stored and managed in MySQL. The findings suggest that AI can quickly identify risks, optimize audit resource allocation, and improve public transparency through data-driven risk scoring. However, significant challenges remain, including poor data quality, algorithmic bias, limited institutional capacity, political resistance, and concerns regarding explainability. Effective adoption requires complementary reforms in data governance, capacity building, open data standards, and the integration of AI outputs with human oversight. Future research should explore context-specific strategies for AI implementation, assess its empirical impact on reducing corruption, and develop methods to mitigate algorithmic bias while ensuring transparency and accountability in developing democracies.
| 8 |
Author(s):
Amala Okafor.
Page No : 119-128
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Maternal Health as a Justiciable Right in Nigeria and Africa.
Abstract
Amala Okafor's legal and policy analysis reframes maternal health in Nigeria and Africa as a justiciable right, confronting one of the continent's most glaring indicators of systemic governance failure, public health neglect, and legal under-enforcement. In Nigeria, which bears a disproportionate share of global maternal deaths, the crisis stems not from inevitable tragedy but from preventable causes rooted in weak institutions, chronic underfunding, socio-cultural barriers, and critically, the absence of enforceable accountability mechanisms. Unlike developed nations where maternal mortality often reflects mere systemic fragmentation within otherwise robust frameworks, Africa's challenge reveals deeper structural deficiencies that demand urgent rights-based intervention. Okafor argues affirmatively that state failures to deliver accessible, adequate, and timely maternal healthcare constitute clear violations of constitutionally enshrined socio-economic rights, statutory obligations under frameworks like Nigeria's National Health Act, and regional human rights instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. By synthesizing domestic jurisprudence with continental precedents, the analysis charts a transformative pathway: elevating maternal health from vague policy aspiration to concrete legal entitlement through strategic litigation, judicial benchmarks, and multi-stakeholder accountability. Recommendations emphasize mandatory health budget allocations (at least 15% of national spending), citizen-led enforcement suits, and governance innovations to halve Africa's 200,000+ annual maternal mortality burden. Ultimately, Okafor positions maternal health as Africa's moral and developmental imperative, urging policymakers to wield legal muscle over goodwill to save lives and build equity.
