Navigating the Tension Between Sovereignty and Self-Determination in Postcolonial Africa: Blueprints for the Midcentury

Preface and Acknowledgments
Table of National and International Laws Pertaining to this Book
Map of Africa with the Three Countries Featured in the Book
Contents
Abbreviations
List of Tables
Part I Starting Points
1 Argument
	Introduction
	Rifeness of Self-Determination Conflicts in Postcolonial Africa
	Significances of the Book
		Troublesome Tension
		Statecraft in Africa and Contradictory Messages from Global Institutions
		Debate Against Absolutizing Sovereignty
		Juxtaposing the Three Countries on a Set of Key Indicators
		Caveat: Identification of the Tension Between Sovereignty and Self-Determination Does Not by Itself Exhaust the Merit of This Book
	The Kanu Saga from Nigeria as a Textbook Example of the Problem This Book Addresses
		Extraordinary Rendition of Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021
		Opinion of the UN Working Group Related to Kanu
		Latest Denouement Related to the Kanu Trial
		Takeaways from the Kanu Saga
	Intersection of International Law, Constitutional Law, and Conflict Resolution from the Prism of the Three Case Studies
		Need for More Constitutional Law in Discussions Relating to Sovereignty and Self-Determination
		Importance of Constitutional Law as a Conflict Resolution Mechanism
		The Three Case Studies
	Organization of This Book
	Appendix A to Chapter 1: Loci of Separatist Movements in Africa
	Appendix B to Chapter 1: New States Admitted to UN Membership Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989
2 Conceptual Framework
	Introduction
	Indicators of the Tension Between Sovereignty and Self-Determination: Survey of Six Global and Regional Instruments
		Foundational Role of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Relating to the Six Instruments
		UN Charter
		The ICCPR and ICESCR
		The UNDRIP
		OAU Charter
		The CAAU
	Norm of Sovereignty
		Defining Sovereignty
		Rise of the Sovereign State
		Circumscription of the Sovereign State
	The Right to Self-Determination
	Relationship Between Sovereignty and Self-Determination
	Conclusion
	Appendix to Chapter 2: Fundamental Freedoms Embedded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Part II Constitutional Law and the Right to Self-Determination in Postcolonial Africa: Three Case Studies
3 Sovereignty and Self-Determination in a Constitutionalized Setting: Ethiopia in Comparative Perspective
	Introduction
	Ethiopia, Land of the Blue Nile: Basic Facts Related to the Country
		Etymology of Ethiopia
		Geopolitical Features and Demographic Profile
		Mainstay of Ethiopia’s Economy
		Social Revolution and Popular Upheaval in Ethiopia After Selassie
		Justifying the Portraiture of Ethiopia as Land of the Blue Nile
	Ethiopian Constitutionalism from 1931 to 1995
		Pre-1931
		The 1931 Constitution
		The 1955 Constitution
		The 1987 Constitution
		The 1995 Constitution
	Article 39 of Ethiopia’s 1995 Constitution
		Multiple Accomplishments of Article 39
		Two Unavailing Criticisms of Article 39
	The Politics of Constitutional Engineering in Ethiopia
	Self-Determination Struggles in Ethiopia Before 1995: Eritrea
		Basic Facts on Eritrea
		Three Key Events in Eritrea’s Self-Determination Campaign
		Collapse of the Federation Experiment Between Ethiopia and Eritrea
		The Eritrean War of Independence
		The Referendum on Eritrean Independence
	Gauging the Status of the Right to Self-Determination in Ethiopia Since 1995: Critique of the Theory of Ethnic Federalism
		The Civil War in Ethiopia from November 2020 to November 2022
		The Trouble With the Theory of Ethnic Federalism
	Conclusion
	Key dates in Ethiopian constitutional and self-determination histories
4 Sovereignty and Self-Determination in a Non-constitutionalized Setting: Nigeria in Comparative Perspective
	Introduction
	Basic Facts Related to Nigeria, “Giant of Africa”
		Etymology: From “Amalgamation” to British Crown Colony
		Navigating Native Resistance Through a Semblance of Constitutional Reforms
		Independence, Republicanism, and the Experience of Federalism Since Independence
		Demographic Features and Profile
		Mainstay of Nigeria’s Economy
		Justifying the Giant of Africa Moniker
	Nigerian Constitutionalism from 1960 to 1999
		The 1960 Constitution
		The 1963 Constitution
		The 1979 Constitution
		The 1999 Constitution
	The Politics of Constitutional Engineering in Nigeria
	Biafra 1: 1967–1970
		Causes and Courses of the War
		A “Cruel War”
		Two Silver Linings from the Biafra War
			The Ahiara Declaration
			Improved International Responses to Humanitarian Emergencies
		Immediate Aftermaths of Nigeria’s War Over Biafra
	Biafra 2: The Period Since 1999 under the Fourth Republic
		Igbo Self-Determination Initiatives under MASSOB from 1999 until 2011
		Igbo Self-Determination Initiatives under IPOB Since 2012
	Matters Arising: Two Lingering Questions Begging for Answers
		The Coterminous-ness of Igbo as an Ethnic Group and Biafra
		Why Nigeria Did Not Precede Ethiopia in Constitutionalizing the Right to Self-Determination
			Failure of Power Devolution
			Failure of Social Justice
	Conclusion
	Appendix A to Chapter 4: Key Dates in Nigerian Constitutional and Self-Determination Histories
	Appendix B to Chapter 4: Text of “The Kaduna Declaration”
		Preamble
		Observations
		Our Stand
		Prelude to Final Separation
		Conclusion
5 Sovereignty and Self-Determination in a Non-Constitutionalized Setting: Cameroon in Comparative Perspective
	Introduction
	Cameroon, “Africa in Miniature”: Basic Facts Related to the Country
		Etymology of Cameroon
		Geopolitical Feature and Demographic Profile
		Cameroon’s Political History from Precolonial Through Colonial to the Period Since Independence and After
		Mainstay of Cameroon’s Economy
		Portraiture of Cameroon as “Africa in Miniature” in Analytical Perspective
	Cameroonian Constitutionalism from 1960 to 2008: A Tale of Three High(er) Laws
		The Constitution of 1961
		The 1972 Constitution
		The 1996 Constitution
	The Politics of Constitutional Engineering in Cameroon
	The South Cameroon Problem: Demands for Restoration of Federalism
		Negating the Proposition that Abolishing Federalism Affirmed the Political Maturity of Cameroonians: Multiple Voices
		Individuals
		Separatist Organizations
		Political Parties
		All-Anglophone Conferences
		A Disconcerting New Phase in Cameroon’s “Anglophone Problem”
		Government Crackdown on Peaceful Demonstrations
	The South Cameroon Problem: Crossover into Demand for Separate State
		Declaration of Independence by Southern Cameroonians as Federal Republic of Ambazonia
		The Cameroonian National Government’s Response to the Declaration
	Conclusion: Now What?
	Appendix: Key Dates in Cameroonian Constitutional and Self-Determination Histories
Part III Navigating the Tension Between Sovereignty and Self Determination in Postcolonial Africa
6 Object Lessons from the Case Studies
	Introduction
	Recapitulation of Case Study Materials from Chapters 3 to 5
	Collage of Six Object Lessons from the Case Studies
		The Privilege of Sovereignty Over Self-Determination to the Point of Reification
		Failure of Power Devolution Indicative of a Love of Concentrated Powers
		Failure of Social Justice
		Bad Structure
		The Need to Go Beyond Constitutionalization of Self-Determination
		The Counterproductivity of Cracking Down on the Free Exercise of Self-Determination
	Conclusion
7 Blueprints for the Midcentury
	Introduction
	Tale of Three Parties
		Central Governments
		Agitators for Self-Determination
		International Community
	Collage of Fourteen Blueprints
	For Central Governments
		Blueprint No. 1: Respect the International Law Doctrine of Self-Determination
		Blueprint No. 2: Don’t Use Force Against the Legitimate Exercise of the Right to Self-Determination
		Blueprint No. 3: Address the Legitimate Concerns of Agitators for Self-Determination
		Blueprint No. 4: Respond Appropriately to Agitations for Self-Determination
		Blueprint No. 5: Take Power Devolution Seriously
		Blueprint No. 6: Take Social Justice Seriously
		Blueprint No. 7: Put More Quality in Civil-Democratic Rule
	Self-Determination Agitators
		Blueprint No. 8: Conduct Your Campaign with Maturity and Responsibility
		Blueprint No. 9: Commit Yourselves to the Pursuit of a Qualitatively Different State and Society
		Blueprint No. 10: Practice Internal Democracy and Accountability
		Blueprint No. 11: Don’t Expect Quick Results
		Blueprint No. 12: Be Realistic
	The International Community
		Blueprint No. 13: Place the Right to Self-Determination on the Same or Near Footing as Sovereignty
		Blueprint No. 14: Don’t Intervene
	For the Midcentury
		Changing Demography in Africa
		Ameliorating the Tension in the Interest of International Peace and Security
	Conclusion
8 Conclusions and Prospects for the Future
	Navigating the Tension Between Sovereignty and Self-Determination in Postcolonial Africa
		Factors Which Lent Urgency and Exigency to the Proposals in This Book
		Achievements of the Book
	Prospects for the Future
		Analysis of Three Voices on the Recognition of the Right to Self-Determination as a Matter of International Law
		Timothy W. Waters
		Stephen Tierney
		Dapo Akande
		Final Word
References
Index