| 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.
