CONTESTING THE NIGERIAN STATE
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CONTESTING THE NIGERIAN STATE CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE CONTRADICTIONS OF SELF-ORGANIZATION Edited by Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome
CONTESTING THENIGERIANSTATE Copyright Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome, 2013. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2013 978-1-137-32452-8 All rights reserved. First published in 2013 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN in the United States a division of St. Martin s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-45898-1 ISBN 978-1-137-32453-5 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/9781137324535 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the Library of Congress. A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: July 2013 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is dedicated to the memory of my parents, Matthew Odusanya Odulaja and Sarah Segilola Odulaja, who shaped my formative years and taught me the value of hard work and trust in God. And to the memory of my brother, Morohunfolu Olugbenga Odulaja, and my sister, Mogbolade Olukemi Odulaja, who touched my life in manifold, profound ways. May they all rest in perfect peace.
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CONTENTS List of Illustrations Acknowledgments ix xi 1 Contesting the Nigerian State: Civil Society and the Contradictions of Self-Organization Introduction, Concepts, and Questions 1 Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome 2 Civil Society and the Challenges of Development and Nation Building in the Postcolonial African State 25 Ademola Araoye 3 State Failure and the Contradictions of the Public Sphere, 1995 2005 57 Ayo Olukotun 4 Mobilizing for Change: The Press and the Struggle for Citizenship in Democratic Nigeria 79 Wale Adebanwi 5 Gendered States: Women s Civil Society Activism in Nigerian Politics 109 Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome 6 Feminist Civil Society Organizations and Democratization in Nigeria 157 Funmi Soetan 7 Women s Associational Life within Traditional Institutions in Yorùbá States 173 Fatai A. Olasupo 8 Sexual Struggles and Democracy Dividends 199 Ebenezer Obadare
viii CON T ENTS 9 Politics in a Sub-Formal Economic Setting: Workplace Investment Cooperatives in Southwestern Nigeria, c. 1986 2011 217 Oluf mi A. Akin la Notes on Contributors 245 Index 249
ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 2.1 Illustration of Relative Value Convergence and Dissonance between Three Hypothetical Groups 37 Tables 7.1 Some Women Traditional Rulers at the Local Level 175 7.2 Precolonial Women Traditional Rulers 188 7.3 Some Contemporary Women Rulers in Yorùbáland 191 9.1 Membership in Select CICS, 2009 2011 229 9.2 UCH CICS: Financial Indicators as of March 31, 2011 (Current Naira) 230 9.3 OAU Progressive CICS, Ltd., Financial Statistics, 2006 2010 (Naira Million, Current) 231 9.4 Loans to UCH CICS Members as of March 31, 2011 (Million, Current Naira) 233 9.5 CICS Financial Indicators as of March 31, 2011 (Current Naira Per Member) 233
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSENTS M any colleagues and friends contributed to bringing this book to print. When the project began in 2005, Axel Harneit-Seivers circulated a concept paper on (Un)civil Society from the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria, which generated much deliberation and disputation. Axel and Olufemi Akinola were originally supposed to coedit the book with me. We had several discussions about editing and publishing the conference papers. Ultimately, my two colleagues had more pressing responsibilities and I undertook to take on the project. Other scholars who did not attend the conference also contributed chapters. It has been a pleasure working with them, not least because they were focused, diligent, and personable throughout the process. Olufemi Vaughan was of great help in reading several drafts and giving sound advice and valuable insights. My family my husband, Dr Muoyo Okome, and my sons, Muoyo A. Okome and Kemi Okome, supported me in more ways than I can recount, and have been unflagging in their dedication, and love. My sisters Morohunmubo Olufunmilayo Meigbope, Modupe Oluremilekun Kuteyi, and Mobolaji Olubukola Akanji have been exemplary in constantly motivating, praying for me, and believing in me. I also thank Chukwudi Onike, and Sharon Cromwell, my exceptional research assistants, who did much of the important support work that contributed immensely to the publication of the book.