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- 92 CAN GLOBALIZATION IN NIGERIA’S NIGER DELTA BE HUMANISED FOR INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT? By Macleans A. Geo-JaJa Introduction This article seeks to understand the most pressing challenge for Africa at this time, Globalization and its related trends. It shows how Globalization limits the capacity of governments to fulfil local demands (employment, education, environment, and livelihoods sustainability), due to decline in social budgeting. The variation of Globalization’ impacts creates different growth rates across countries and decides how the distribution benefits some countries and regions, while others are losing. This is detailed in the paragraphs that follow. Who Benefits from Globalization? Forces of Globalization are transforming the essential structures of nations in terms of their capacities and autonomy. In today’s world, a nation is both indispensable and inadequate for policy formulation, particularly for the implementation of comprehensivehuman-baseddevelopmentstrategy.Ifanationisseenaseconomically weak, it is easily exposed to interference. This means that some nations no longer have control of the management of their economy. Neither do they have sovereignty over policy formulation or decision-making authority. International financial institutions, tightly enmeshed in international networks and economic restructuring worldwide, have carried through wide competitive production and economic policy measures. The integration into the global economy makes policy mixes, processes and development implementation a nightmare for developing countries. Imposing change from the outside cannot work according to the plans and promises oftheneo-liberalists,ashasbeenseeninnationsofAfricaandLatinAmerica.In1999, Africa’s population represented 50 per cent of the poorest global decile, whereas in 1970 its share was 16 per cent. Also, 39 per cent of Africans were found in the lowest global decile in 1999, compared with 17 per cent in 1990. Research on education and development shows that illiteracy and education poverty is higher in Africa than in any other region of the world. It is at the same time the only continent on the globe where children are taught through a language they do not understand (BrockUtne 2000). This has tended to contend the development process as it entails a series of constraining measures: a populations political awareness, social development, and - 93 cultural growth and to raise standards of living by increasing material welfare and improving education. The contending viewpoints on the impact of Globalization on society are twofold: Neo-liberals believe that Globalization has brought rapid prosperity to t developing countries; and Humanists argue that Globalization serves the needs of the so-called developed t countries at the expense of transformation of societies in developing countries. Both Globalization and anti-Globalization campaigners insist that their route is the road that leads to convergence in living standards, consensus building and wholistic social change. The presumption is that all nations fall into line to achieve international development goals for a more inclusive and equitable world. But the economic prosperity of developed countries has been at the expense of developing countries, particularly African ones. Even at the turn of the 21st century self-adjusting markets called for by neoliberalism and age-old mercantilism policies still persist. Such unjust Globalization processes have widened the gap between rich and poor nations through rising inequality, mounting debt burdens and trade agreements that disproportionately benefit rich countries. For instance, the factory model of schooling (Western educational system) found in most developing countries today that are rooted in mechanistic and linear worldview opposes traditional values. This antithesis of the endemic social structure of the indigenous people further facilitates dependence on rich nations. Drawing from the experience of Nigeria and that of the Niger Delta region, I will try to explicate how Globalization has accelerated underdevelopment and disclosed the harmful roles played by the World Bank and the IMF in this process. This is necessary as those who subscribe to neo-liberalism continue to state that Globalization reduces poverty and income inequities. Measurement of success must go beyond economic focus and include transformation of social life, which captures the multidimensionality of poverty.. If it does not stress the importance of inclusive policies that build on citizen’s rights and support the provision of national public goods and social investment, how can it contribute to poverty reduction, national enablement, and human development? Globalization and its effects need to be understood both globally and in their specific context (Held et al 1999) Giddens 1990). If the answer is not Globalization and trade liberalisation, is there any alternative route to prosperity for the Niger Delta? Economic Consequences in the Niger Delta Although Nigeria has experienced some economic growth and development, regional...

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