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Press Freedom in West Africa: an Analysis of one Ramification of Human Rights

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

Chris W. Ogbondah
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Extract

Human rights is an issue that is broader than ordinarily understood. Its ramifications cover political, economic, social and cultural rights. Almost every nation has made constitutional provisions guaranteeing these rights. The purpose of the constitutional provisions is to defend, by institutionalized means, the rights of human beings against abuses of power committed by the organs and agencies of the state. Notably enough, however, each nation emphasizes those human rights that it frequently respects and observes. Thus, the United States emphasizes, for example, freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of religion as if those aspects that it emphasizes constitute the entire human rights.

Type
Research Article
Information
African Issues , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , Summer 1994 , pp. 21 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 1994 

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Footnotes

*

Chris W. Ogbondah is an Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Northern Iowa. His most recent publication is “Military Regimes and the Press in Nigeria: Human Rights and National Development. “

References

Notes

1. For an understanding of some of the ramifications of human rights, see e.g., Holcombe, Arthur, Human Rights in the Modern World, New York: New York University Press, 1948;Google Scholar Stuber, Stanley, Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Your Community, New York: Associated Press, 1968;Google Scholar UNESCO, Human Rights: Comments and Interpretations, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1973 Google Scholar; Nelson, Jack and Green, Vera, eds., International Human Rights: Contemporary Issues, New York: Human Rights Publishing Group, 1980.Google Scholar

2. Blaustein, Albert and Flanz, Gisbert, eds., Constitutions of the Countries of the World, Dobbs Ferry, New York: Oceania Publications, Inc., 1993.Google Scholar

3. IPI Report, vol. 41, no. 3, 1992, p. 4.

4. IPI Report, vol. 41, no. 8, 1992, p. 12.

5. IPI Report, vol. 41, no. 12, 1992, p. 39. See also Index on Censorship, February 1993, p. 40.

6. Index on Censorship, October 1993, p. 48. See also Index on Censorship, September 1992, p. 47.

7. IPI Report, vol. 41, no. 12, 1992, p. 6.

8. Aihe, D.O. and Oluyede, P.A., Cases and Materials on Constitutional Law in Nigeria, London: Oxford University Press, 1979.Google Scholar

9. For details of State Security (Detention of Persons) decrees enacted by various military regimes, see the issues of Supplement to Official Gazette Extraordinary, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Feb. 11, 1966, p. 31; May 4, 1967, p. 97; Feb. 13, 1984, p. 3.

10. For details of this decree, see Supplement to Official Gazette Extraordinary, Federal Republic of Nigeria, May 30, 1967, p. 111. See also Daily Times, June 1, 1967, p. 16.

11. Sen Supplement to Official Gazette Extraordinary, Federal Republic of Nigeria, June 21, 1967, p. 125. See also Daily Times, June 23, 1967, p. 1.

12. Supplement to Official Gazette Extraordinary, Federal Republic of Nigeria, March 11, 1976, p. 53.

13. For an understanding of the details of this law, see Ogbondah, Chris, Nigeria’s Decree no. 4: A Sword Against the Pen, Ph.D. dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, 1986.Google Scholar

14. See West Africa, April 20, 1987, p. 749.

15. For details of this law, see Ogbondah, Chris, Military Regimes and the Press in Nigeria, 1966-1993; Human Rights and National Development. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 1994, pp. 148–149.Google Scholar

16. For the details of this decree, see e.g., Vanguard, August. 17. 1993, p. 14; The Guardian, August 17, 1993, pp. 1-2; West Africa, August 30-September 5, 1993, p. 1531.

17. For the details of the Amakiri case see Onagoruwa, G.O., Press Freedom in Crisis: A Critical Analysis of the Amakiri Case, Ibadan: Sketch Publishing Company, 1977.Google Scholar See also Ogbondah, Chris, “The Pen is Mightier than the ‘Koboko’: A Critical Analysis of the Amakiri Case in Nigeria,” Political Communication and Persuasion, vol. 8, 1991, pp. 109–124.Google Scholar

18. For a deeper understanding of the effects of these laws on the press see Aboaba, Doyinsola, The Nigerian Press Under Military Rule, Ph.D. dissertation, University of New York at Buffalo, 1979;Google Scholar Ekwelie, Sylvanus, “The Nigerian Press Under Military Rule,” Gazette, vol. 25, 1979, pp. 219–232;CrossRefGoogle Scholar Onyedike, Emmanuel, “Government-Press Relations in Nigeria: Effects of the Press Laws,” Gazette, vol. 34, 1984, pp. 91–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

19. IPI Report, vol. 40, no. 3, 1991, p. 4.

20. Shaw, D.L. and Brauer, S.W., “Press Freedom and War Constraints: Case Testing Sieberťs Proposition,” Journalism Quarterly, vol. 46, 1969, pp. 243–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

21. Stevens, J. D., “Press and Community Toleration: Wisconsin in World War I,” Journalism Quarterly, vol. 46, 1969, pp. 255–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

22. IPI Report, vol. 37, 1988, pp. 1 and 11.

23. Ogbondah, “The Pen is Mightier Than the ‘Koboko,’” pp. 109-124.