The Nexus between the Leadership Question and the Poverty Trap in Africa
This paper examines the nexus between leadership question and the increasingly persistent poverty incidence in Africa, taking into consideration the effects of globalization. It argues that the dearth of an authentic knowledge leadership that is infused with patriotism, conscience, knowledge and transformational interest with Africa as centre of its foreign policies has been the bane of socio-economic development in Africa. The paper investigates this submission by examining the issues of how Africa got into the poverty trap, the leadership challenges in relation to globalization and poverty trap. It suggests how the challenges could effect a transformation out of this poverty trap. The development of knowledge leadership, Afro-centric foreign policies, diversification of the economy, industrial entrepreneurship revolution and internal generation of development funds are some of the recommendations out of this poverty trap.
The Nigerian University System and the Challenges of Capacity Building in a Globalized Economy
Abstract: The scaring effects of globalization and the global economic shift have affected world economic order to the extent that the weak economies are still trying to grapple with the production processes. The necessity of international discourse, alignment and reorganization generated by the new economic order has not provided the needed solution. Rather, the process has continued to erode and reorder the traditional economic activities of the weak economies to the extent that there is unprecedented unemployment. This gives the impression that the university academic system, with the courses and programmes taught, is not structured in a flexible manner to arrest the situation. This paper on the synergy between the Nigerian university academic system and the challenges of capacity building in a globalized economy investigates why, in spite of the numerous international discourses, economic restructuring, etc. unemployment, especially among the products of universities, continues to escalate, economy continues to dwindle, political structures and governance continue to deteriorate. The observation is that the Nigerian university system has failed to achieve, among the beneficiaries, the expected capacity building, intellectual capital and knowledge necessary to drive the economy in this dispensation. The paper recommends inter alia, an overhaul of the Nigerian university system to take care of the critical requirements of current production processes, flexibilization of labour and employment, ensuring that the knowledge and skills acquired are information and communication technology oriented and the development of the power and energy sector because of its regeneration and multiplier effects on job and wealth creation. Key words: Capacity Building; Flexibilization; Intellectual Capital; Nigerian University Academic System; Globalization
Chronic Poverty: Meanings and Analytical Frameworks
This paper provides an overview of the meaning of 'chronic poverty,' and identifies frameworks for analysing it, as understood by the Chronic Poverty Research Centre (CPRC) during the initial stages of research. After an introduction to the CPRC, the second section briefly reviews the major frameworks for conceptualising, defining, explaining, and measuring poverty in its broader sense, and relates these to the study of chronic poverty. It is suggested that research undertaken by CPRC should focus on poverty in its broadest, multi-dimensional sense, and that those who are chronically poor are likely to be poor in several ways, not only in terms of income. At the same time, the analysis of money-metric and other quantitative indicators are the primary means by which study of chronic poverty is presently undertaken, and will continue to have an important role to play in research. Our understanding of chronic poverty is also likely to draw upon notions of both absolute and relative poverty, vulnerability, social exclusion, and capabilities and freedoms, as well as upon subjective assessments by the poor themselves. In the third section, the characteristics of chronic poverty are presented. Long duration is identified as both necessary and sufficient for poverty to be considered chronic. It is hypothesised that chronic poverty will also often be multi-dimensional and severe. It is proposed that a five-tiered categorisation of the poor be adopted - always poor, usually poor, churning poor, occasionally poor and never poor - and that transitions between different levels over time be closely monitored. It is suggested that the tightest possible definition of chronic poverty would be intergenerationally transmitted (IGT) poverty, which is likely to be relatively intractable and therefore likely to escape current poverty reduction efforts. In this way, IGT poverty is both a characteristic and cause of chronic poverty. The subsection on IGT poverty draws upon the literature surrounding the intergenerational transfer of different capitals. This is followed by an analysis of the ways in which severity and multi-dimensionality are often characteristics of chronic poverty, and a brief review of the relevance of the World Bank's Voices of the Poor studies to an understanding of chronic poverty. The final two subsections argue that the chronically poor are a heterogeneous group. There are several sets of people who are particularly susceptible to chronic poverty, and that are likely to experience multiple and overlapping vulnerabilities. These groups include those experiencing deprivation because of their stage in the life cycle, those discriminated against because of their social position in the community or household, those with health problems and impairments, and people living in remote rural areas, urban ghettos and regions where prolonged violent conflict and insecurity have occurred. In the fourth section, the causes of chronic poverty at different levels of analysis are explored, and analytical frameworks for their understanding are laid down - quantitative panel data analysis; livelihoods analysis; freedoms; social and political exclusion; and policy analysis frameworks, which include consideration of avoiding the negative impacts of development which help to extend and deepen poverty for the poor. The final two sections bring together the preceding work and discuss the implications of our initial understanding of chronic poverty for future research.