Eguria

Dangers of Drug Trafficking By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Meaning of Drug Trafficking A drug is a substance which cures illnesses if taken in the proper way. When taken in an improper manner however, a drug can be very dangerous. In some cases, it leads to instant death. That is why the sale and distribution of drugs is not done carelessly in the society. The government licenses people who sell and distribute drugs after certifying that such people have what it takes to do so. However, despite measures taken by the government, there are people who sell and distribute drugs without the permission of the government. This is illegal and dangerous. The act of selling drugs without the permission of the government is referred to as drug trafficking. On the other hand, there are substances that referred to as hard drugs. These drugs are very harmful especially to those who consume them. They are, therefore, illegal drugs. Some people buy and sell these hard drugs across national borders. The ...

Consequences of Drug Abuse to the society By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Drug abuse is injurious to human health and has negative socio-economic consequences on the larger society as well as the international community. At the individual level, drug abuse may lead to changes in personality, a loss of interest in one’s career goals, insanity and even death. The individual may because an embarrassment to his or her family or friends and ultimately find himself or herself isolated from them. Other effects of drug abuse on an individual include: • Weakness in the organs of the body due to destruction of the body cells. • Malfunctioning of the system. • Exposure of the body to all forms of diseases. • An unkempt and dirty appearance. • Formation of street gangs or ‘area boys’ as they are known in Nigeria. • Insanity and even death. At the society level, drug abuse increases the number of unemployed persons who could have contributed to the development of the country. Hence, there is a loss ...

Consequences of Drug Abuse and Harmful Substances By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Meaning of Drug Abuse Drugs are chemical substances that alter a person’s physiological condition. They are used in treatment, prevention or cure of diseases. Drugs are used in so many ways, and as such they are important. Sometimes, people use certain drugs and because of the way it makes them feel, they repeatedly take these drugs, even without a doctor’s advice or prescription. This is drug abuse. Drug abuse is the use of drugs and medications without a doctor’s prescription. Drug abuse is also known as substance abuse. Drugs can be abused in various ways. A person may abuse a prescribed drug by taking an overdose or too little of that particular drug or by smoking, inhaling, sniffing or injecting illegal drugs into the body. Forms of Drug Abuse Drugs can be abused in various ways. These are: • Through self-medication. • Taking an overdose. • Taking too little of a prescribed drug. • Receiving treatm...

Positive Group Behavior By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Meaning of Group and Group Behavior A group is a number of people or things that are put together or considered as a unit. Group behavior is the way a group of people with similar goals behave, which might be different from how they would normally behave if they were alone or as individuals. A group behavior distinguishes it from other groups. Types of Group Behavior There are different types of group behavior in the society. Some of these include: • Mass Action: This is the behavior that happens by chance among people in different places who come together to express a preference to or a grievance against a given social situation. The characteristics of a mass action are: a) It is spontaneous, i.e. those who are involved do not plan for it. It happens by chance. b) It is undertaken by people in different geographical locations. c) It is a reaction against a common social situation in the society. d) These people in different geograp...

Conditions of Marriage By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Marriage is a very important institution in every society; hence people are encouraged to marry for the continuity and progress of the society. However, there are conditions that ought to be satisfied by people who intend to marry. If those conditions are not met, people do not give their support for the marriage to hold. Conditions for marriage include:  Physiological fitness: Marriage is for those who are physiologically or biologically fit, because after marriage, people are expected to bear children. If people going into marriage, especially women are not physiologically mature, child bearing will be risky. This is why underage people or people who are not physiologically fit are not encouraged to marry.  Psychological fitness: Marriage is not only concerned with development of the human body. It is also concerned with the development of the human mind because the body and the mind work together for the betterment of the individu...

Purposes of Marriage By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Marriage is the legal union of a man and a woman as husband and wife. We can also say that marriage is a legal union of a man and a woman after customary rites so that they become husband and wife, live together and have children. It is one of the five major institutions in the society and one that ensures that the society does not die through the reproduction of young ones. Biblically, it is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman to share their lives and family responsibilities together. Purposes of Marriage Marriage serves many purposes in the society, some which include: • Means of Setting up a Family: Once a man and a woman are married in the way that is approved by the society, they become a family. • Procreation: Precreation means the production of young ones or children. It is in marriage that man and woman are approved to have children. • Sexual Satisfaction: Sexual satisfaction is achieved in marriage. It is importa...

Family Bond and Cohesion By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Members of a family should work together towards making the family an ideal one. They should work in love, harmony and understanding sharing hopes and aspirations at all times to realize those hopes and aspirations. The term, family bond and cohesion refer to the coming together of family members and the state of remaining together in unity and strength. Family bond and cohesion is one of the best things that can happen to a family. Without bond and cohesion in a family, such family cannot progress. Family bond and cohesion enjoin family members to the following things, among others: • Regular consultation: With family bond and cohesion, members consult one another regularly. They hold family meetings regularly, sharing problems and finding solutions to them. • Joint goal setting: This is the aftermath of regular consultation; decisions are made jointly rather than individually. • Joint implementation: Family bond enables family memb...

Family Bond and Living Together as One Family By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Every member of the society belongs to a family and that is why it is often said that the family is an off-shoot of the society. We can define a family as a group of people who are related by blood, and in most cases live together. There are two major types of family structures: the Nuclear and the Extended family structure. The nuclear family structure is the type of family that is made up by a father, mother and their child or children living together without any other family member living with them. The nuclear family structure is the smallest family unit in the world. The extended family structure is made up of your father’s relatives and your mother’s relatives. These includes: uncles, aunties, cousins, nephews, nieces, grandpa and grandma, etc. A family is always made up of two sides: the father’s side and the mother’s side, that is, the case of most African people. The extended family structure is the larg...

General Objectives of Social Studies By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Social studies deal with human life in a social environment. It focuses on the study of how man lives in the society, what he does and how his life is influenced by the things around his environment. It is also concerned with the study of man’s interactions with his physical and social environments. Social studies have therefore become an important course of study in educational institutions. The general objectives of social studies include the following:  Develops in Students the Ability to Adapt to Changing Environment: Social studies teach students to be aware of their immediate environment and how to solve problems that may threaten its peace and progress. Students will know that they are living in a dynamic and changing world, which requires adaptation to live a good life. It enables students to also know the difficulties and benefits of living in a society with diverse cultures, languages and religion.  To Inculcat...

Election Malpractices By Eguriase S. M. Okaka A malpractice is any act or behavior that is against the law and makes the actor an offender. Electoral malpractices are unlawful acts or behaviors of persons, an electoral commission, political parties or candidates during elections that influence the outcome of an election result to favor their parties or candidates, thereby rendering the election results unacceptable. It is a form of political corruption. Therefore, it is a criminal act. Electoral malpractices are enemies of democracy in the society. They ruin the reliability and integrity of an election and produce officeholders who do not perform their duties as expected. Forms of Electoral Malpractices in Nigeria • Fake ballot papers: These are not genuinely printed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). They are used to manipulate votes. • Manipulation of vote and voters: some people or groups influence votes by releasing wrong figures after the counting of vote...

Election and Voter Responsibility By Eguriase S. M. Okaka An election is the process of choosing candidates, from among interested persons, who will represent the people or occupy a political office. An election is a very important ingredient of democracy. Democracy requires that leaders do not make themselves or impose themselves on the led. Instead people are to choose their leaders. In our modern society, election is not only used in choosing people who serve in the executive and legislative arms of government, but also in the society choosing leaders or representatives for example among families, communities, trade unions, church, towns unions, etc. A voter is a person who is eligible to vote in an election. To qualify to vote, one must: • Be of age, that is, an adult. Here in Nigeria, a person must be up to eighteen (18) years of age. • Register to vote. Only citizens who register their names are allowed to vote during general election. Voting is the process of taking part i...

PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Democracy cannot flourish properly without strong pillars. These pillars are those necessary prerequisites upon which democracy operates. These pillars guarantee enjoyment and survival of democracy in a state. The pillars of democracy include the following:  The People: The people constitute the basis for democracy. Democracy cannot be practiced in a vacuum. It is a society composed of people that are well informed. People are, therefore, the most important pillars of democracy in the society.  The Constitution: The constitution determines the structure of government with their powers and functions for the welfare and security of the people.  Political Parties: Political parties provide platforms for aspiring candidates and also present alternative choices for the electorate in a democratic setting.  Impartial Electoral Process: This involves the conduct of free and fair elections in a country. It is a pillar that holds democracy firm...

The Government by the People (Democracy) By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Democracy means government by the people. The term is derived from Greek word demos, meaning ‘people’, and ‘kratos’, meaning ‘rule’. In a democracy, the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. The general principle of democracy is that the majority rules while the minority rights are protected. According to Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Democracy links government to the people. That is, it gives everyone an opportunity to participate. This is why it is a popular form of governance in most countries of the world. The principles of democracy can also be used in other areas of life e.g. in business, in schools and at home. Democracy has two types: Direct democracy and indirect (representative) democracy. In direct-democracy, the power of decision-making is exercised by the peo...

Consumer Rights and Responsibilities By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Consumer rights are the entitlements of a consumer to get the required value for the consumption of any good or service. Consumer rights seek to protect the interest of consumers against faulty goods, counterfeit goods, poor service, problems with contact, problem with builders, rogue traders, internet fraud, etc. In Nigeria, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) was established by Act No. 66 of 1992, to provide protection for all consumers of goods and services. The Council has enforced compliance by the business sector to some extent. It has also adopted strategic initiative to enhance the protection of the rights of consumers and the prosecution and litigation of recalcitrant to achieve satisfactory redress. However, we have high rate of consumer rights abuses in the communications, aviation, banking and power sectors of the economy. Market failures manifest in different ways with varying degrees of a negative impact on...

Roles of Individuals and Groups in the Protection of Human Rights and the Rule of Law By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Human rights are basic rights of citizens to be enjoyed by them as contained in the constitution. Such rights include: right to life, right to education, freedom of expression, right to fair hearing, etc. Government establishes institutions that aid the protection and enjoyment of these rights such as the police, judiciary (court), civil defense, Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), NAFDC, ICPC, EFCC, customs and the military. In Nigeria, we also have the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which is legally empowered to look into cases of human rights abuse. However, human rights are sometimes infringed upon by either an individual or the government. Steps Necessary for the Protection of Human Rights Under a democratic government, rights of citizens are not only entrenched in the constitution, but also protected by actions, policies and institutions of government. T...

HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW By Eguriase S. M. Okaka The Rule of Law Law is the body of rules and regulations that guide the government and the governed (citizens). A law is also the body or system of rules recognized by a community and enforceable by an established process. Such laws are contained in the constitution which can be written or unwritten. The law prescribes rights and responsibilities of the citizens to the state and also clarifies the powers of the government. This indicates that the law of every community, state or nation should be respected by everybody irrespective of their status. The rule of law on the other hand, means the supremacy of law over every person in the state. Rule of law emphasizes the principles of supremacy of law, equality before the law and the enjoyment of individual rights. The doctrine of rule of law is credited to Prof. A. V. Dicey, who states that every political leader that is assigned with the role of controlling the affairs of a stat...