The relevance of the modern commonwealth
THE RELEVANCE OF THE MODERN COMMONWEALTH
VICTOR I. LUKPATA (Ph.d) and Solomon Asha (Ph.d in view)
ABSTRACT
The modern Commonwealth can be traced to April 1949 when it was invented to replace the original “British” Commonwealth of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It has now grown to cover 54 countries and its members reflect every region, religion, creed and race on the global scale. There are also a number of countries still knocking on the Commonwealth’s door. Mozambique, a Portuguese Colony for centuries, recently joined, and Rwanda, Yeoman, Palestine, Cambodia all also want to fly the Commonwealth flag.
The focus of this paper is on the relevance of the modern Commonwealth.
THE STRUCTURE OF MODERN COMMONWEALTH
The Commonwealth of Nations consists of three main organs:
The British Crown: Which is a symbol of commonwealth unity.
Commonwealth Premiers Conference: Which meets annually to hold friendly consultations.
Inter-Commonwealth Relations Office: The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, who is a member of the U.K. Cabinet, looks after this office. This office works, as the Secretariat of the organization and its main duty is to carry out and implement the decisions taken at the annual conference of the premiers.
In addition, there are four subsidiary organs of the Commonwealth of Nations as indicated below:
The Parliamentary Association of the Commonwealth of Nations: Which consists of delegates sent by different member countries.
The Commonwealth Economic Bureau: Which helps the member nations in the field of agriculture and provides them technical assistance.
The Economic Advisory Council: Which provides up-to-date technical knowledge of the economic affairs to the members; and
Colombo Plan: Which was taken up in 1950 with the co-operation of Australia, Canada, Ceylon, India, New Zealand, and Pakistan for the Welfare of the people of the Southern and South-Eastern Asian countries.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MODERN COMMONWEALTH
The organization has recorded a high degree of achievement since its inception in spite of the distractions caused by its critics. The following are some of the achievements:
The organization has successfully organized a forum tagged “Creating Commonwealth Youth Enterprise Development Forum” from 9 – 13 November 2003. Over 270 delegates from 45 countries attended the forum and Ministers from Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Kiribati, Uganda, South Africa, Namibia and United Republic of Tanzania were in attendant. The created Commonwealth forum looked at the steps the members of Commonwealth need to put into place to bring about change in their countries and in their communities to promote greater youth enterprise development. The forum acknowledged the contribution young people are already making and highlighted opportunities for them to continue to contribute.
General themes emerging from the created – Commonwealth forum include:
Recognizing that young entrepreneurs flourish, we need to get the basics right.
Youth enterprise development initiatives need the support of all the players. The need to take account of peoples differing needs, and to respect diversity of culture, experience, background and skills and
Affirming the importance of sustainable and responsible enterprise development.
A range of ideas and solutions were proposed by delegates, some of which are country based and others which are regionally focused, including:
Enhancing collaboration among nations, both at regional and the whole of Commonwealths. The Australian Government has made a commitment to keep the creating commonwealth Website going.
Encouraging greater access to business and employment opportunities, mentoring and support. For example, Bangladesh seek to increase youth employment by 3,000 by the year 2006; Fiji will start by improving market opportunities for their two youth delegates: New Zealand is interested in establishing a young entrepreneur network to provide support and information.
A greater focus on enterprise education and training through local school and vocational systems including mainstreaming entrepreneurship in education through the Africa region and enhancing access to enterprise education in rural and regional Australia. The Caribbean region had suggested a review of their educational system design to ensure the inclusion of entrepreneurial studies; and
Promoting the value of youth enterprise development. For example, India plans to set up demonstration plants to showcase youth enterprises; the African region is seeking to establish youth enterprise awards, and the Caribbean has identified the need to develop a common vision for their region.
The forum was the first enterprise development forum under the youth for the future initiative. Many countries/regions are now progressing initiatives and strategies to further enhance enterprise development in their countries/communities.
The second point of achievement is that the organization has successfully maintained socio-cultural and sporting links among member states. For example, in 1986 the commonwealth organization organized and hosted Commonwealth games at Edinburgh. Although Nigeria boycotted the games in protest against South Africa nationals Zola Bud and Anette Cowley participating in the sports meeting. The Nigerian objection was supported by several other commonwealths’ countries, but the British sought to defend the inclusion of the two South African-born athletes arguing that they were bonafide – residents of the United Kingdom. Nigerian action was on the ground that it would strengthen the country’s case for the – downgrading of Francophone African ties with France in favour of greater African unity and cooperation. Akinyemi, the then Minister for External Affairs felt that such a step would give credence to Nigeria’s claim to a leadership role in Africa. Before the appointment of Akinyemi, Nigeria had taken decisions to boycott two major international sports meetings – The Montreal Olympics in 1976 and the Edmonton Commonwealth Games in 1978. These decisions were taken in order to press home the depth of feeling in Nigeria against continuing Western sporting links with the apartheid state in defiance of African and World opinion. And it was on this ground that the Babangida administration sought to explain the decision to boycott the Edinburgh – Games. However, in spite of the boycott by Nigeria, the games were successfully organized to the credit of commonwealth organization.
Channels for information exchange among member nations has been successfully created exemplified by the Created” Commonwealth Website”. The Australian Government has made a commitment to keep the created commonwealth Website going.
In keeping to the objective of promoting educational assistance in the form of scholarship, technical knowledge and facilities for development, commonwealth scholarship is awarded on a yearly – basis for both undergraduate and graduate programmes. Beneficiaries are to undertake their studies within the commonwealth countries of their choice.
The achievements of commonwealth organization are so numerous that they cannot all be pigeon – hold or narrowed down into writing in a paper of this nature in view of its limitation in scope.
CONCLUSION
The relevance of modern commonwealth organization is anchored on its numerous achievements as reflected in the evidence that the organization has successfully organized a forum tagged “Creating Commonwealth Youth Enterprise Development Forum”, maintained socio-cultural and sporting links, created commonwealth Website, provided for scholarship award on a yearly basis for both undergraduate and graduate programmes among others.
WORKS CITED
B.B.C. Online Network, BBC World Service: News and Information for Africa.
Gabriel O. Olusanya, A. Akindele (eds). The Structure and processes of Foreign Policy Making and Implementation in Nigeria, 1960 – 1990 (Ibadan. Vantage Publishers Int’l Ltd).
L.N. Srivastva: International Relations from 1914 to Present Day: (Delhi: Surjeet. Book Deport).
The World Book: Encyclopedia; (Chicago: World book inc).
About the Author
LUKPATA, VICTOR IKONG (Ph.D)
E-Mail: victorlukpata@rocketmail.com
08059813098, 08133759769
BIODATA
Date of Birth: 4th July, 1968
Sex: Male
Marital status: Married
Nationality: Nigerian
State of Origin: Cross River
Local Govt. Area: Yala
Senatorial Destrict: Northern
Home Town: Obat Wanihem North Ukele
Contact Address: 23 Grace land Close,
Unical Satellite Town, Calabar.
ACADEMIC RECORD
DATE
INSTITUTION
QUALIFICATION
2003-2008
University of Calabar
Ph.D. History and Int’l Studies
2000-2003
Imo State University, Owerri
M.Sc. Int’l Affairs and Diplomacy
1995-1999
University of Calabar
B.Sc. (Hons) Public Administration
1987-1989
S.B.S. Akamkpa
IJMB “A Level”
1978-1983
Sec. Gram. Sch. Wanokom
WASC
1972-1978
Primary School, Iwango Idah
FSLC
WORK EXPERIENCE
1996-2004
Cross River State Government:
Administrative Officer
2004-2008
Cross River State Government:
Ministry of Health, Calabar
Hospital Administrator
2006-2010
CES, UNICAL
Part Time Lecturer
2008-Date
Management Development Institute, Calabar
Management Development Officer/Principal Admin. Officer
MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES (LUTHERAN HOSPITAL YEHE/GOVERNMENT DENTAL HOSPITAL, CALABAR 2005-DATE)
1. Hospital Management Committee - Secretary
2. Drug Committee - Member
3. Finance and Supply Committee - Member
4. Sanitation Committee - Secretary
5. Disciplinary Committee - Secretary
6. Quality Improvement Committee - Member
7. Patient Consultative Committee - Secretary
8. Emergency Preparedness Committee - Member
9. Waste Management Committee - Member
HOSPITAL MEETINGS
1. Administration Meetings - Secretary
2. Heads of Department Meeting - Secretary
3. General Staff Meeting - Secretary
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
1. Ukelle Progressive Association, Calabar-Secretary (1997-2006)
POSITION IN CHURCH (BCCM
1. Men Fellowship (Group 4) - Treasurer 2008-Date
2. BCCM - Usher 2010-Date
PUBLICATIONS
Lukpata, Victor (2011) –http://www.articlesbase.com/international-studies-articles/paradigm-for-analysis-of-nigerias-foreign-policy-4691993.html
Lukpata, Victor (2011) –http://www.articlesbase.com/international-studies-articles/national-interest-acase-of-philosophical-inconsistency-4692161.html
Lukpata, Victor (2011) –http://www.articlesbase.com/international-studies-articles/national-interest-and-national-development-4691192.html
Lukpata, Victor (2011) –http:www.articlesbase.com/international-studies-articles/the-revenue-allocation-formular-in-nigeria-a-continuous-search-4737325.html
Lukpata, Victor (2011) –http://www.articalesbase.com/international-studies-articles/the-politics-of-revenue-allocation-in-nigeria-1958-1968-4737387.html
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