UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN

THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIRST (151st)

INAUGURAL LECTURE

“WORK, INDUSTRY AND SOCIETY:

THE SYNERGY THAT
MIRRORS THE REALITY OF OUR
EVERYDAY EXISTENCE”

By

PROFESSOR NOAH YUSUF

B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. Industrial Sociology, Ph.D (Ibadan)
Professor of Sociology
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences,
University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

THURSDAY, 30TH OCTOBER, 2014

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This 151st Inaugural Lecture was delivered under the
Chairmanship

of:

The Vice-Chancellor
Professor Abdul Ganiyu Ambali
DVM (Zaria), M.V.Sc., Ph.D. (Liverpool), MCVSN (Abuja)

30th October, 2014.

Published by
The Library and Publications Committee
University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Printed by
Unilorin Press,
Ilorin, Nigeria.

ii
 PROFESSOR NOAH YUSUF
B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. Industrial Sociology, Ph.D (Ibadan)
Professor of Sociology

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BLANK

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Courtesies:
The Vice Chancellor,
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic),
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services),
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Technology and
Innovation),
The Registrar,
The University Bursar,
The University Librarian,
Provost, College of Health Sciences,
Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences,
Deans of other Faculties, Postgraduate School and Student‟
Affairs,
Professors and other members of the Senate,
Directors,
Head of Department of Sociology,
Heads of other Departments and Units,
All other Academic Colleagues,
All Non-Academic Staff,
My Lords Spiritual and Temporal,
Distinguished Students of the Department of Sociology,
And the entire Faculty of Social Sciences,
Gentlemen of the Print and Electronic Media,
Distinguished Guests,
Great Unilorites!
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Preamble
In the name of Almighty Allah, the Beneficent, the
Magnificent. I give glory to Almighty Allah for sparing our
lives to witness this glorious day, and for making today‟s
special event in my life a reality. I also give thanks to Him
for His numerous mercies in my life and specifically for
making it possible for me to attain the academic pinnacle of
professorship in the number one and most-subscribed

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university in Nigeria, the University of Ilorin, popularly
known as “the Better By Far University” . I appreciate
Almighty Allah on behalf of those whom He used to lay the
solid foundation of the foremost citadel of learning in
Nigeria. To these individuals, known and unknown, may
they continue to reap the fruits of the seeds which they
laboured to plant and nourish, Amen. To those who had
passed on among them, I pray that Almighty Allah grant
them eternal rest, Amen.
Mr. Vice-Chancellor sir, at this preliminary
juncture, please permit me to echo the memory of my late
parents – Pa Yesufu Iyanda Onire, the patriarch of Yesufu
Enulo compound in Okeya-Ipo, Irepodun Local
Government Area of Kwara State. Along with him was my
mother – Princess Wuraola Apeke Yesufu, a dutiful and
loyal wife to her husband and a model of motherhood.
Though both did not step the corridor of a formal school,
they were, nevertheless, the most “educated” individuals I
have ever come across in my life! They knew the value of
education and did all they could to ensure my steady
academic progress while they were alive. They strived
tirelessly to raise me through their humble means- farming,
believing that one day their “small boy” would make it in
life. Glory be to Almighty Allah, the “boy” eventually
made it and today he is a Professor in the foremost
Nigerian university!
However, Almighty Allah, who knows best,
recalled them to His abode, barely two weeks interval,
between 10 – 26 October, 1985. It was a time when I was
still struggling with my undergraduate programme at the
University of Ibadan. I was then in the second year of my
B.Sc. Sociology degree programme. May Almighty Allah

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grant them Aljanah firdaus, Amen. The sweet memory of
their contributions to my life shall for ever remain fresh.

A Review of Inaugural Lectures in the Faculty of Social

Sciences
Today‟s inaugural lecture entitled: “Work,
Industry and Society: The Synergy that Mirrors the
Reality of Our Everyday Existence”, is the second in the
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences of
this university, since its establishment as a full-fledged
academic department in 1984. The first inaugural lecture in
the Department was delivered on 28th January, 1988 by the
pioneer Head of the Department, Professor J. A. Sofola,
entitled: “Cultural Self Knowledge and Cultural Self
Appreciation for True Development in Nigeria”. In the
former Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, eleven
inaugural lectures have been presented to date, while
today‟s lecture is the first in the new Faculty of Social
Sciences of this great University. The glory goes to
Almighty Allah.

My Odyssey in the World of Sociology

My academic journey into the discipline of
Sociology started in 1984 after my second unsuccessful
attempt to secure admission into the university on the
completion of my Advanced Level Programme at the then
famous School of Basic Studies, Kwara State College of
Technology, Ilorin. There, I wrote the University of
Cambridge-moderated General Certificate of Education,
Advanced Level Examinations. I, like other prospective
applicants, “blindly” chose Sociology as my first course of
preference at the University of Ibadan. This third attempt
secured for me a direct entry placement in the Department

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of Sociology of the Premier University. I have the unique
privilege of being taught by foremost Professors in the
Department of Sociology and the Faculty of Social
Sciences of the University. They included Professor Onigu
Otite, Professor S.O. Imoaghene, Professor W. Ogionwo,
Late Professor E. A. Oke (of blessed memory), Professor
Uche C. Isiugo-Abanihe, Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, Dr. Olu
Akinkoye, Dr. C. Dominico, Dr. Austine Isamah and Dr.
Anthony Obemeata (Sociology); Professor Peter Ekeh,
Professor John „Bayo Adekanye (Adekson), Professor
Tunde Adeniran, Professor Adigun Agbaje, Professor
J.A.A. Ayoade, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, Professor O. B.
C. Nwolise (Political Science) and Professor D.C.E.
Ugwuegbu and Dr (Mrs) Shittu (Psychology). The tutelage
under these reknowned scholars has great impact on my life
and specifically on my future academic career. However, at
the time, it never occurred to me that the young man from a
modest town in Kwara state, who accidentally ventured
into Sociology would one day rise to become a Professor in
the foremost and internationally-acclaimed number one
university in Nigeria! In making this possible, Almighty
Allah has demonstrated that He is the Alpha and Omega
who can do all things. I give glory and adoration to Him.
A watershed in my academic career occurred during
my Ph.D programme in the Department of Sociology,
University of Ibadan, under the supervision of Professor
(then Dr.) Funmi Adewumi – an erudite scholar, acclaimed
labour unionist and dogged human right activist. This was
the period when I began to cultivate interest in Industrial
Sociology and Industrial Relations. A number of factors
drew my attention to these two sub-fields. Firstly, I
developed a peculiar interest in the study of human
behaviour in industry, especially with regards to how these

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behaviours could lead to the realization of the national
objectives of accelerated socio-economic development.
This ignited my interest in industrial sociology as a branch
of general sociology which focuses its attention on the
social organization of industrial production. With regards
to industrial relations, I developed special interest in the
plight of the working class, especially, those in Africa and
other developing regions of the world. In post-colonial
Africa, workers‟ collectivities (trade unions) have
consistently experienced repression, intimidation and
outright proscription from governments in their struggle
towards improving the condition of their members. I
therefore took it as a personal challenge to conduct
researches on workplace conditions, sensitize stakeholders
on them and recommend practical measures for
ameliorating them. In addition, I was concerned about the
apparent poor work attitudes among public employees in
Nigeria. My personal experience of the lackadaisical
attitude of Nigerian public servants to government job
while in a community secondary school during my National
Youth Service between 1986 and 1987 further ignited this
interest. I also had interest in the issue of workplace
democratization as a step towards enhancing democracy at
the larger society. Hence, my doctoral thesis was on
“worker participation in management decision-making in
selected establishments in Lagos, Nigeria”.
In the course of my academic career, I have
engaged in research activities in the broad discipline of
Sociology, but with specialization in the areas of Sociology
of Work, Industrial Sociology/Industrial Relations and
Problems in the Society. The title of today‟s lecture –
“Work, Industry and Society: The Synergy that
Mirrors the Reality of Our Everyday Existence”, takes

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its root from this academic interest and in my research
activities of over twenty-two years in the Department of
Sociology of this great University.
The rest of this lecture is structured into seven (7) sub-
themes:
1. The Disciplines of Sociology, Industrial Sociology
and Sociology of Work
2. Meaning, Origin and Evolution of Work in
Human Societies
3. Culture and Perspectives of Work across Human
Societies
4. Dynamics of Work and Industry in the Nigerian
Society
5. My other Contributions to knowledge
6. Dignity of Work: The Story of my work-life
7. Conclusion and Recommendations

The Disciplines of Sociology, Industrial Sociology and

Sociology of Work
Mr. Vice-Chancellor sir, I shall begin this lecture by
introducing the academic discipline of Sociology and other
related sub-disciplines- Industrial Sociology, Industrial
Relations and Sociology of Work, which are areas that I
made most of my academic contributions.

Sociology
The word “Sociology” was coined in 1839 by
Auguste Comte (1798 - 1857), the French Philosopher,
popularly referred to as the “Father of Sociology” in his
classical book Social Physics. Sociology was derived from
two Greek words “socius” interpreted as companion or
society, and “logos” meaning knowledge or science or
study. Etymologically then, Sociology could be understood

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as the science of society. In a broader perspective,
Sociology is the systematic (scientific) study of man and
his society. It directs its attention to the study of social
behaviour and human groups. As a science, sociology seeks
to interprete and understand human social action in order to
arrive at an explanation of its cause and effects. It focuses
on the influence of social relationships upon people‟s
attitudes and behaviour and provides answers to the
question of how societies are established and changed.
Sociology represents an attempt by foremost philosophers,
and present day scholars alike, to adopt similar methods
and techniques which were popular in the natural sciences
(specifically, Biology and Physics) to the understanding of
human behaviours and his society.

Figure 1: Auguste Comte - 1798-1857 (Father of

Sociology)

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Industrial Sociology
Industrial Sociology is the application of
sociological approach to the reality and problems of
industry (Rao, 2012). The sub-discipline centres its
attention on the social organization of factory, the store and
the office. Such focus includes not only the interactions of
people playing roles in these organizations but also the
ways in which their work roles are interrelated with other
aspects of their lives (Spaulding, in Rao, 2012). Industrial
Sociology took its origin from the concern about the
implications of behaviour within the workplace. The
academic discipline attempts to explain these behaviours
and provides clues as to how they can be modified or
changed to achieve the objectives for which the industry
was established. As a sub-discipline of Sociology,
industrial Sociology concentrates on such areas as work
organizations, occupations, industrial relations, work
behaviour and attitudes. In essence, it deals with the
analysis of human beings in technological change,
globalization, labour markets, work organizations and
managerial practices (Osama, 2010). The origin of
Industrial Sociology has been traced to the attempts of the
classical theorists to come to terms with the nature of
industrialization.

Industrial Relations
Industrial relations is concerned with the dynamics
of interactions among participants in the industry. These
are principally, the management, the workers and the
government. Levine (1958) views industrial relations as the
respective roles of management, labour and government in
the process which relates workers to employers, workers to
workers, and workers to work. Industrial relations thus

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covers all aspects of employment relations, that is,
everything that affects the relationship between workers
and employers right from the time the employee joins the
work organization until he leaves the job (Yusuf, 2010b,
p.99).

Sociology of Work
The sub-discipline of Sociology of Work is
interested in the broad issues of the implications of work
among men in the society. It directs its attention to such
issues as the conception of work, social organization of
work, attitude of people towards work and the
interrelationship among participants at the workplace.
Other issues of concern are work experience, values,
ideologies, orientations, work and non-work as well as
gender and work.

Industrial Sociology

SOCIOLOGY Industrial Relations

Sociology of Work
Sociology of Work
WorkIndustrial
Figure 2: Sociology and RelatedRelations
Fields of Industrial
Sociology

Meaning, Origin and Evolution of Work in Human

Societies
A casual observation of human societies across the
globe whether in ancient time or in the contemporary
period would show that people are engaged in one activity
or the other for the purpose of making a living and to
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ensure their continual survival. In essence, work occupies a
central place in the lives of men in the society. Work can be
understood as:
1. The carrying out of tasks which enable people to
make a living within the environment in which they
find themselves (Watson, 1985, p. 2);
2. Activities which are undertaken in order to meet
certain individual needs either directly or indirectly
by providing for the needs of others, such that
goods and services, or the means to purchase them,
are received in exchange (Ogunbameru & Oribabor,
2008, p 3.);
3. Synonymous with business, occupation,
employment, job, function, office, etc., and can be
said to be activity undertaken in return for payment,
reward in money or in kind (Akpala, 1982, p.3)
4. The setting for several kinds of basic social
behaviour - co-operation and helping in groups,
supervisory relationship, negotiation and
bargaining, assessment and appraisal (Argyle, 1972,
p.251);

5. Not just something that a society organises to meet

social needs, or which people carry out in order to
survive. It is a framework within which those
people who own and control economic resources
seek to ensure appropriation of the surplus
(Thompson, 1983, p.4).

From the various perspectives of understanding

work as cited above, it is possible to deduce the following
common trends regarding the meaning of work:

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 (i) That work is a necessity – man lives to work
and works to live;
(ii) Work involves physical and/or mental
exertion;
(iii) Work involves earning of wages needed to
purchase food, clothing, shelter and other
necessities of life;
(iv) Its meaning and importance derive from the
values, culture, and the social structure of a
society. More importantly, work is directed
to the attainment of specific objectives;
(v) Work occupies a central place in the lives of
man because it is that aspect of his life
which gives him status and binds him to
other members of the society. It is also
relational by bringing together those who
plan its social organization (management)
and those who carry out the activities
involved in it (workers);
(vi) Work is a social activity. It is done with
other men or women. Work is never done by
individuals alone. This is because work
needs the co-operation of other men. The
Biblical incident of the Tower of Babel
(Genesis 11 verses 3-9) aptly illustrates this
fact. The incident shows that when people
refused to co-operate in their work, failure is
bound to be the end result.

Origin and Evolution of Work in Human Society *(An

interlude of video clips on: Ise ni oogun ise (work is the
antidote of poverty) and the evolution of work in human
society).

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 According to the Biblical narration of the creation
story, in the beginning, God designed that man should live
and enjoy his life without working. The Book of Genesis,
chapter 2, verses 15-16 contain this passage:

And the Lord God took the man, and put

him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and
to keep it.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying:

Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat.

The man (Adam) was in this situation until his

“fall” which was adduced to his rebellion against his
creator through the "first sin". God, then, sent Adam and
Eve out of the garden of Eden with a curse to the effect that
they would not eat until they toil or work. According to
other Biblical verses, God proclaimed to man (Adam):
. . . cursed is the ground for thy sake; in
sorrow shalt thou eat of it all days of thy
life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring
forth to thee; And thou shalt eat the herb of
the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou
eat bread, till thou return unto the
ground (Genesis 3 verses 17-19).

Also, in the Glorious Qur‟an Chapter 7 (Surat Al-

A‟raf or The Heights) verse 24: Allah (SWT) says:
Get ye down, with enmity between
yourselves; On earth will be your dwelling-
place and your means of livelihood – for a
time.

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 These quotations from the Holy Bible and the
Glorious Qur‟an clearly show that work came about when
man (exemplified by Adam and Eve) disobeyed God, and
as a consequence, God decreed that he should henceforth
engage himself in some activities to be able to meet his
daily needs.
Work has experienced changes over time in human
societies depending on the type of social organization, level
of technology and challenges faced by the people. As
shown in Figure 3 below, the early man first engaged in
hunting and gathering. At this stage man lived a nomadic
lifestyle in which he relied on readily available food and
fibres. This was followed by horticultural activities which
first appeared about 12,000 years ago. Here, human groups
were more settled and there was rudimentary development
of agriculture and the use of limited technology. Agrarian
society came next about 5,000 years ago and it was
characterized by larger, more stable settlements with the
use of improved technology leading to increased food
production. Industrial production began around 1760 to
1850 and it was dominated by the reliance on mechanical
power and new sources of energy, specialization and
division of labour, centralized workplaces as well as
economic interdependence. The post-industrial society
began in the 1960s and it involved extensive reliance on
services, especially in the processing and control of
information. The last phase in the evolution of work in
human society is the post-modern era which began in the
late 1970s and it is characterized by the use of high
technology, mass consumption of consumer goods and
media products as well as globalization (Schaefer, 2012).

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 Post-Modern

Post-Industrial

Industrial Production

Agricultural Production

Pastoralism

Hunting and Gathering

Figure 3: The Evolution of Work in Human Society

Culture and Perspectives of Work across Human

Societies
Tylor (1891) provided us with the most acceptable
definition of culture. According to him, culture is: “the
complex whole of man‟s acquisition of knowledge, morals,
belief, art, custom, technology, etc. which are shared and
transmitted from generation to generation. Culture is the
totality of learned, socially transmitted behavior. It includes
the ideas, values and customs of groups of people
(Schaefer, 2012). Culture comprises all human social
attributes which are not innate (or inborn) but which are
acquired from other men in the society and which are
transferable to future generations.
Work is an important aspect of culture. Just like any
other human social attribute, work – its conception,

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meaning, values and attitude towards it vary across
societies. Historically, the cultural norm of placing a
positive moral value on doing a good job is a relatively
recent development in most societies. Working hard was
not the norm for Hebrew, classical, or medieval cultures. It
was not until the Protestant Reformation that physical
labour became culturally acceptable for all persons, even
the wealthy. The Greeks, like the Hebrews, regarded work
as a curse (Roger, 1996). The Greek word for work is
“ponos”, taken from the Latin “poena”, which means
sorrow. Philosophers, such as, Plato and Aristotle made it
clear that the purpose for which the majority of men
laboured was in order that the minority, the elite, might
engage in pure exercises of the mind - art, philosophy, and
politics. The Greeks believed that a person's prudence,
morality, and wisdom were directly proportional to the
amount of leisure time that person had. For the Romans,
work was to be done by slaves, and only two occupations
were suitable for a free man - agriculture and big
businesses (Steven, 2009).
To the Early Christians, work has no intrinsic value
or importance, but useful in promoting health of body and
soul, making the virtue of charity possible and guard
against evil thoughts and habits. In contrast to the above,
the Early Catholics regarded work as a dignity to man
while the Lutherians conceived work as a form of serving
God, and a means towards spiritual salvation. Similarly, the
Calvinists believe that work has the virtue of austerity; that
is, men must lust after the fruits of their labour – wealth,
possessions and good life-style such that their toils and
sweat serve to establish the “Kingdom of God on earth”.
The Calvinists view of work has great influence on
the western society. In his work, Protestant Ethic and the

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Spirit of Capitalism, Max Weber (1864 – 1920) traced the
success of capitalism in the West to the adherence to the
Calvinists philosophy of hard work, austere life-style and
earthly success as determinants of heavenly goal. In
contrast, the failure of such an experiment in other societies
was adduced to inability to abide by these tenets.

Perspectives of Work in the Nigerian Society

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic society with more than 300
different ethnic groups (Nnoli, 1980). Work has varying
meanings to these different ethnic groups. For the purpose
of this lecture, the cultural perspectives of work among the
three major ethnic groups in the country shall be discussed
briefly:

Work among the Hausa

The traditional structure of authority among the
Hausa places emphasis on obedience, loyalty and respect to
authority. These cultural prescriptions are reflected in the
behaviour of the people in the workplace. Implied then, the
Hausa people regard work as the means to attain worldly
success and workers are expected to treat management with
respect while carrying out instructions faithfully. They
belief that individuals who work is able to take care of
himself, his family and give charity to the less privileged in
the society. The lazy individuals are not respected in the
society and they are given names like ragon mutun (the
lazy one), malalaci (indolent man) among others.

Work among the Igbo

In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe depicts the
work ethics in Igboland in the contrasting characters of
Okonkwo – the strong, hardworking and bold warrior

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against his father, Unoka – the lazy, improvident, fun-
loving and timid man (anagbola). While the Umuofia
people respected Okonkwo and regarded him as their hero
and rallying point of the community, Unoka was despised
and largely seen as a weakling and drunkard. The story
demonstrates how an industrious and hard-working person
who achieved success in his chosen career is admired
among the Igbo while a lazy man is not respected. The Igbo
also believe in the benefits of hardwork- good life, good
food and befitting house. Hence, it is only a person who has
succeeded through hardwork in business or other
engagements that is deemed “mature” for marriage. The
proverb “A lazy man has no relative” aptly depicts the
worldview of the Igbo on hardwork and success. The Igbo
believe that a man must be self-mature to work hard and to
compete with and challenge the power of superiors (Aluko,
2003).

Work among the Yoruba

Work occupies a prominent place in Yoruba culture.
The Yoruba believe that since the time of creation, man has
been compelled to sweat (work) before earning a living.
The Yoruba people cherish hard work while laziness is
detested. A popular saying among the people is: Ise ni
oogun ise, meaning, work is the antidote for poverty.
Among other popular sayings among the Yoruba which
depict their world-view about work are:
The Yoruba believe that every adult must engage in one
form of work or the other. Those who refuse to work are
despised by the community; they are not respected in the
society. Such individuals cannot be honoured by the King
(Oba) and most people would not be willing to give out
their daughters in marriage to lazy suitors.

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Table 1: Some Proverbs on Perspectives of Work
among the Major Ethnic Groups in Nigeria
S/N HAUSA IGBO YORUBA
1 Aiki shi ney mukunli Ngana kpuchie ute, Osupa wu mi ju okunkun,
nasara aguu ekpughee ya eni ti n sise wu mi ju ole lo
(Work is the key to (When laziness wraps (I prefer moonlight to
success) mat, hunger unwraps darkness, so I prefer a
it (i.e. a slothful hardworking person to a
person prefers loafing lazy man)
about to working but
hunger teaches him
that he cannot eat
without working)

2 Ba a kada gizo, ba a Nku onye kpara na Arisemase nii san furo

ce koki ta taso (One nwato ka o na-anya loogun, baale ti osi dile nii
should not attempt an n’agadi ( The di konkoso (An idle man is
easier task before a firewood a man the one who goes to war
more difficult one is fetches in childhood without arms, it is the idle
over) is what he will use to house-head who is left
warm himself in old behind to look after
age) toddlers)

3 Barin kasha a aki Aka aja na-ebute onu Agbalagba tin se igi ta, o
bashi maganin yunwa mmanu mmanu ti sin mi re l’ewe (An old
(Do not delay (till (Soiled hands bring man who engages in fire-
tomorrow) what you about soiled mouth) wood selling must have
can do now or today) rested during his youthful
days)

4 Kashin turmi bana Ame daari (work Ko-ni-ise ilu nii si i fi ese
wadan kare ba ne makes it possible for ro igboro bi oko (He who
(Do not attempt a man to feed well) is idle would have to
task you cannot “work” roaming about the
execute) street as he would do on
the farm)

5 Kowa ya ci ladan Onriworo kisho vavi Eda ti ko sise yoo jale (He
kuturu ya yi masa (A lazy man lacks who does not work will
aski ( He who has patience for harvest certainly steal).
been paid to do a job time)
must execute it
however distasteful it
may be)

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 From Table 1 above, it is clear that the three major
ethnic groups in Nigeria have similar views about work.
The general trend in these proverbs are that work is
important to men; people must be hard-working; those who
work would reap the fruits of their labour, those who refuse
to work would suffer, and that work serves to promote the
progress and development of the society.
Dynamics of Work and Industry in the Nigerian Society
Mr Vice-Chancellor sir, the preceding discussion on
the perspectives of work across human societies as well as
among the major ethnic groups in Nigeria was undertaken
as a prelude to the treatment of the central theme of this
lecture, namely, the synergy among work, industry and the
Nigerian society.
Work is a universal phenomenon, however, the
attitude towards it varies across human societies. The main
thrust of my lecture is that when people work, it should be
done with vigour (industry) if it should lead to the socio-
economic transformation of the society.
In a speech at the Convocation ceremony of the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on 7th March, 1982, former
President Aliyu Shehu Usman Shagari described Nigerian
workers as having one of the worst attitudes to work in the
world. More than thirty-two years after the speech, it is
certain that not much have changed with regard to work
attitude among Nigerians. Some of my researches on
industrial behaviour shed lights on the work attitude of
Nigerians. Work attitude is here meant by the
predisposition to act or react in a certain way to certain
stimuli. In my study on workers‟ commitment in Nigeria‟s
industrial organizations (Yusuf, 1994a) I found that in the
two organizations used for the research, workers‟
commitment was related to the leadership style adopted by
19
the management. As shown in Table 2 in the organization
where the majority of the respondents indicated that the
management adopted democratic supervisory style, workers
tended to have higher commitment in respect of their
willingness to remain in the company for long,
identification with the corporate goal, loyalty to the
organization and willingness to make extra efforts to ensure
the realization of organizational goal. On the other hand, in
the second organization where there was rigid control,
majority of the workers expressed lower commitment to
their organisation.

Table 2: Workers’ Perception of Authority and

Organizational Commitment
Supervisory Organizational Commitment Total
Style
High
Low
Autocratic No % No 75
Laissez-Faire % 53
Democratic 20 18 55 62
71
43 38 10
13
50 44 12
16
Total 113 100 77 190
100
Source: Yusuf (1994)

In another study, I investigated the factors

determining work aspirations of Informal Sector workers
(Yusuf, 1999). My findings showed that the informal sector
workers were characterized by low education (78%) and
low income (51.8%) and fell within the active age group
(57.5%). In addition, a large percentage of the informal
20
sector workers had purely instrumental or financial
orientation towards work. That implied that most of the
workers desired that their work would provide for them
external benefit such as money. Factors that were found to
be responsible for the observed patterns of aspirations
among the subjects included specific demographic
variables such as income level, family size and parental
background. The study further found a weak relationship
between respondents‟ educational attainment and their
work aspiration. On the contrary, income was found to be
closely related to the observed pattern of work aspiration.
The study also found that the largest proportion of the
respondents (65.5%) indicated that they had derived mostly
financial benefits from their work. This finding agrees with
the observed work attitude among Nigerian public
employees which indicates that majority of them have
purely instrumental orientation to work.

Table 3: Employees Job Aspiration

Type of Aspiration No Percentage
Financial Benefit 105 65.6
Opportunity for social 38 23.8
achievement
Fulfillment of societal 17 10.6
norms
Total 160 100
Source: Yusuf (1999)

As shown in Table 3, the findings of the study

reflect on the current situation in Nigeria in which a large
proportion of the workers are interested in their salary.
Very few, except the professionals and other creative
workers are interested in other values which are derivable

21
from their jobs. The reactions of workers to either intrinsic
or extrinsic motivation differ based on the social
environment, category of workers and type of work. For
instance, lower level employees are usually interested in
external factors especially money. In contrast, higher level
employees and professionals are motivated by intrinsic
factors (Yusuf, 1999).
In the study conducted by Yusuf and Mohammed
(2011), family background and job motivation of female
hawkers in Ilorin, Kwara State and Lapai, Niger State, were
investigated. The study was simultaneously conducted in
Ilorin and Lapai for the purpose of obtaining a comparative
data on the subject matter. The findings of the study
indicated that while majority of the respondents from Ilorin
were from “broken homes”, majority of the female hawkers
from Lapai were from stable families. In both locations,
female hawkers were largely from poor families and their
basic motivation for engaging in hawking was, among
others, to augment resources for payment of school fees,
support the household needs, take care of old parents and as
source of employment prior to marriage.

Table 4: Reasons for Hawking among Female Hawkers

in Ilorin and Lapai
Reasons Ilorin Lapai
No (%) No (%)
To pay school fees 24 (45) 17 (34)
To feed self 7 (13) 9 (18)
To cater for the family 18 (33) 15 (30)
A profession 5 (9) 9 (18)
Total 54 (100) 50 (100)
Source: Yusuf (2011)

22
 The views of two respondents who were
interviewed during the research are important here:
First respondent: I started hawking since my father
died because my mother alone
cannot afford to take care of me and
my younger ones. I have six siblings
and my father left no property
behind. Therefore, I have to hawk so
as to supplement my mother’s efforts.
(A 14-year old female hawker in
Ilorin)

Second respondent: I dropped out of school to hawk so

that I can feed myself and my family
because my parents cannot afford to
satisfy my needs. My father is
crippled and my mother is jobless
because she has to take care of our
father. So, whatever I realize from
my business serves as support to take
care of the entire family. (A 19-year
old female hawker in Lapai)

While most Nigerian employees are interested in

financial incentive, in advanced economies of Western
Europe and North America, financial incentive is the least
important for motivating workers. As an illustration to the
above statement, Brown (2007) narrated the experience of
three factory workers in London who won large sum of
money from football pools and after a short period of
leisure had to return to their ordinary manual work. The
money which these men had was quite sufficient and if well
invested could enable them to live comfortably for the rest

23
of their lives. Yet they chose to return to their low-paid job
while having millions of pounds in their bank account! He
also mentioned another instance, in which some women
who had been retired on generous pension were seen
standing by the factory gates each evening waiting for their
friends to come out. They also continue to attend most
social events organized by the company, and when part-
time work is available, they were always ready and willing
to apply.
The import from these illustrations is that some
people work not solely because of money, but rather,
regard the workplace as a centre of social activities. Work,
for these individuals, is a social activity through which they
produce goods and services required by the society and as
well bind the individual into the pattern of social
interrelationships. It is also from the workplace that status
and functions are allocated to individuals.
It is evident from the above mentioned illustrations
that some men continue to work even though they have no
need for the material benefit. So that even when their
security and that of their family are guaranteed, they still
continue to work. This is simply because people derive
social benefits, respect and admiration from fellow men
from the work they do. For other people, work is an
avenue for securing ego satisfaction by gaining power and
exerting it on others.
In order to confirm the extent to which the above
incidents could be true in the Nigerian work environment, I
conducted an interview with some beneficiaries of SURE-P
Mother and Child Health Programme in Kwara state on
why they decided to take the job after their retirement from
the state service (Yusuf, 2014). Their responses were varied
but instructive:

24
First Respondent: I worked in the state service for thirty-
five years before my retirement as Chief
Matron. When I got information about
the SURE-P programme I decided to
apply because I believe that I am still
agile and can still make use of my
knowledge and skill in the new
programme. (A 48 year old retired
Chief Matron)
Second Respondent: I enlisted in the SURE-P programme so
as to make myself busy and to guide
against idleness and sickness due to
boredom if I should remain at home
after retirement.. My three children are
well employed and they take good care
of me and my husband. (A 56 year old
Retired Chief Nursing Officer)
Third Respondent: Let me tell you from the onset that I am
not doing this job because of the salary.
Rather, I am here because of my
commitment to the Nursing profession.
When I learnt that the programme was
designed for regnant women and
children, as a Paediatric Nurse, I opted
to participate as part of my
contributions to ‘Mother and Child
Care’ even after my retirement. (A 54
year old Retired Matron) (A 56 year old
Retired Chief Nursing Officer)

25
 These testimonies demonstrated that while majority
of lower level public employees in Nigeria are largely
motivated by financial incentive (i.e. salaries), there are
exception of some workers who are interested in working
for the purpose of meeting other non-financial needs.
Soleye (1989) also found that generally, most
Nigerians have different attitudes towards personal work
and official or government work. While people who are
involved in private business or technical work such as
bricklaying, carpentry, painting, hair dressing, have
devotion towards their job, the same cannot be said of
workers in the public service.
These contrasting attitudes to work among
Nigerians conform to Ekeh‟s (1975) theory of two publics
in the African social life. According to him,
There are two public realms in post-colonial
Africa, with different types of moral linkages to
the private realm. At one level, is the private
realm in which primordial groupings, ties, and
sentiments influence and determine the
individual’s public behaviour (primordial
public). The primordial public is moral and
operates on the same moral imperatives as the
private realm. On the other hand, there is a
public realm which is historically associated
with the colonial administration and which has
become identified with popular politics in post-
colonial Africa. . . Its chief characteristic is that
it has no moral linkages with the private realm
(civic public). The civic public in Africa is
amoral and lacks the generalized moral
imperatives operative in the private realm and in
the primordial public (Ekeh, 1975, p.92).

26
 Quite different moral rules govern the conduct of
people. While in the private realm (Primordial Public),
members of the community are expected to conduct their
affairs with honesty, dedication and transparency.
Consequently, when an individual steals community
property, refuses to partake in community projects, or is
suspected of witchcraft, tough social sanctions are applied.
On the contrary, when the same individual operates in the
public realm (civic public) as a government employee or
top government official, the expectation of the society
changes. Here, members of his community expect to derive
maximum benefits from the office occupied by „one of
their own‟. Hence, if he steals public fund and makes
donation to the community, he is treated as a hero!
In my study on employees‟ response to
technological innovation and sustainable development in
Nigeria (Yusuf, 2012a), I found that most Nigerian
employees demonstrated varying reactions to the
introduction of new technology in their workplaces. The
common reactions were:
(a) apprehension and fear due to the belief that the new
technology would replace them thereby loosing
their jobs;
(b) mistrust of management intention for introducing
new technology – majority of the employees
believed that the management deliberately
embarked on the policy for the sole purpose of
recruiting young graduates who would then be
trained to operate these new technology;
(c) willingness to embark on strike as a protest against
the policy of the introduction of new technology to
their workplaces; and

27
 (d) non co-operation with the management in
implementing a policy for the introduction of new
technology.

A few of the employees however indicated that they

would welcome such policy of introduction of new
technology to their workplaces. They suggested that the
management should involve the employees in the decision
on such policy to ensure compliance.
Generally, the work attitude exhibited by public
employees in Nigeria can be summarized as follows:
1. Nigeria is a fatalistic society where people believe
more in divine intervention than hard-work
(Examples are traders and businessmen who keep
talisman for good luck and quick sales in their
trades).
2. Most Nigerian public employees engage in private
practice (the excuse has always been that the salary
is not adequate; but even those who earn fat salaries
– medical doctors, engineers, lecturers and other
professionals in public service also engage in
private practice).
3. There is low commitment to work among Nigerian
public workers (This is evidenced in the frequency
of people leaving one job for another, lateness to
work and eagerness to leave the office immediately
after the closing hour).
4. There is the general perception among Nigerian
public workers that government work is “nobody‟s
work”.
5. There is general attitude of indolence and apathy
among Nigerian public employees.

28
 6. Most Nigerian workers are largely motivated by
monetary rewards.
7. Nigerians believe that they cannot derive job
satisfaction from public employment and therefore
have to do it as disinterestedly as possible.
Mr. Vice-Chancellor sir, we must note that the
attributes mentioned above are not true of all categories of
workers in Nigeria. While majority of the public workers
demonstrate these traits, on the other hand, when Nigerians
are found working in their private establishments or in their
professional callings, they are found to exhibit quite
striking positive work attitude! Therefore Nigerian
accountants, engineers, lawyers, medical doctors, dentists,
for example, who work either as private practitioners or
under a private establishment are committed, diligent and
goal-oriented. The reason for this is not far-fetched. It is the
dichotomy in the perception between government job and
private job.
Generally, the attitudes of people towards work are
purely socially and culturally moulded. In other words, men
are taught and learnt what to expect and want from work.
This learning experience is through the various
socialization agencies- the family, neighbourhood, school,
church/mosque, mass media among others. A famous
philosophical saying on the relevance of work in human
society is: “If war is too important to be left to the generals,
then work is equally too important to be left to the
workers”.
Work Attitude Checklists
Mr. Vice-Chancellor sir, as we ruminate over the
poor work attitude among Nigerians, I wish to indulge each
of us present here today to undertake this short academic
exercise by answering the following questions:

29
Table 5: Work Attitude Checklists
S/N Statement Often Seldom Never
1 How often do you tell
your boss that you would
be willing to do an extra
job over the prescribed
routine?

2 How often do you stay in

the office to complete
your work schedule for
the day after the closing
hour?

3 How often do you give

your boss suggestions on
how to solve a recurring
problem in your
workplace?

4 How often do you arrive

at your office 30 minutes
before official
resumption time?

5 How often do you think

about your office after
the closing hour?
Key: Often = 2; Seldom = 1; Never = 0.
Rating: 9-10 = Excellent; 7-8 = Very Good; 5-6 =
Good; 3-4 = Poor; 1-2= Very poor; 0 =
extremely poor.
Remarks: 5-10 = Industrious; 0-4 = Not industrious

30
 As each one of us engages in the self-evaluation
exercise, let us leave this hall with the determination to
improve on our work attitude in the interest of our work
organizations and our country, Nigeria, at large.
The study by Yusuf, Olatunji and Issah (2014c) is
concerned with the issue of ethical re-orientation for
national integration and unity of the Nigerian people. It
found that some work ethics in the traditional African
settings are relevant in modern work setting. Such ethics
concern those acceptable or appropriate behaviour expected
of participants in the production process. These include
honesty, dedication, hard work, integrity, fairness, sense of
commitment and responsibility, all of which are the
bedrock of traditional African society. The study
recommended an ethical re-orientation as a way of
achieving national development, integration and unity of
the Nigerian people.

My other Contributions to Knowledge

In my over twenty-two years of academic
experience in the University, the following are some of my
other contributions in my areas of research interest.

(a) Workers Experience in Organizations

An important theme in my research activities is
concerned with workers‟ experience in organizations.
Some of the researches conducted on this theme included:
 Child-caring role and work experience of female
employees
 Workers‟ participation in management decision-
making
 Experience of sexual harassment by female workers
 Women‟s health and safety at the workplace

31
 Yusuf (1995) investigated child-caring role and
work experience of female employees in a Nigerian work
environment. The study found that the largest proportion
of the respondents (53%) were involved in caring for young
children, followed by 27% who indicated that they were
caring for older children while 20% indicated that they
were not engaged in any child-caring role as at the time of
the study. Lastly, evidence from the study attested to the
fact that, in a number of ways, child-caring role of working
women had implications on their work performance and
experience as working mothers. The import of this finding
is the need for policy makers to formulate appropriate laws
to alleviate the plight of women workers. The bill on
paternity leave which was recently passed into law by the
Lagos State House of Assembly is a good step in this
direction. The bill, among other things, approved 10-day
paternity leave, while female workers were given an
extended maternity leave of six months. The leave was
meant to reduce the negative implication of the extensive
work life of parents. Other states in the federation are
advised to follow this noble model.
Yusuf (2008d) investigated workers‟ participation
in management decision-making within selected
establishments in Lagos, Nigeria. The study revealed that
Nigerian workers highly desire increasing involvement in
the management of their workplaces. However, data from
the study indicated that workers had low participation in
the management decision-making process in their
establishments. In view of the close connection between
democracy and workers‟ participation, the study
recommended an increasing involvement of Nigerian
workers in the management of their workplaces as a step

32
towards strengthening citizens‟ political participation
(democracy) at all levels of government.
Yusuf (2010a) focused on the experience of sexual
harassment by female employees in a Nigerian work
environment. The study found that some female workers
related that they experienced sexual harassment in their
workplaces in the forms of sexual advancement, enticement
and intimidation as well as sexual related gestures, largely
from their male bosses. However, no respondent reported
having experienced rape. Most respondents preferred to
shun the abusers rather than report either to the higher
authority or the police or take any other measures such as
legal action. Majority of the respondents who indicated
that they had experienced work-related sexual harassment
were junior workers. Sexual harassment was seen to be a
negative factor inhibiting the morale and productivity of
female workers.
The plight of women at the workplace has attracted
increasing attention of scholars in the fields of industrial
sociology and industrial relations. Across the globe, female
workers are faced with new challenges at their workplaces.
However, these challenges vary across individuals, work
environment, nations and regions. Female workers are
faced with several health and safety hazards in their
workplaces which are not only injurious to their personal
health, but also constrain them in the performance of their
job roles. Yusuf (2011a) highlights the challenges faced by
female workers with respect to their health and safety at
work. The study identified the major risks to include
multiple role stress for married mothers of young children
who engaged in full time office work and whose husbands
contribute little to household work and childcare; health
risks incurred by female workers during pregnancy; and,

33
experience of strain and exhaustion due to overload work
from heavy work demands. All these are seen to pose
serious dangers to the health of female workers. Measures
that were recommended for reducing the health problems
encountered by female workers were:
(i) the need to enact specific legislations on the
protection of female workers in the Nigerian
industries;
(ii) regular inspection of industry to ensure strict
compliance by employers of existing safety
laws and regulations, for instance Factory
Act;
(iii) wider sensitization on the need to improve
the work condition of workers with
emphasis on the female workers;
(iv) enlightenment campaign for female workers
on the need to take precautionary measures
against risks and dangers to their health and
safety at the workplace.

(b) Industrial Relations

My works on industrial relations concentrated on
the following general themes:
 Gender issues in Nigeria‟s industrial relations
 Industrial conflict and dispute settlement.
 Impact of trade unionism on democracy
Yusuf (1998d) ex-rayed gender issues in the
Nigerian industrial relations system. The following were
identified as the critical gender issues in the nation‟s
industrial relations:
- Dual role of working women
- Occupational hazards and career women
- Female labour force participation

34
 - Union participation of working women
- Sexual discrimination at work
The work concluded that women were at the
receiving end with regards to their conflicting roles at home
and the workplace. For instance, while a female worker is
expected to be a responsible wife and caring mother at
home, simultaneously her work-role expectations as a
committed and hard-working employee is not
compromised. In addition are peculiar health hazards which
she experiences at the workplace such as inhaling
pollutants during pregnancy. Furthermore, in spite of the
rising proportion of female employees in modern labour
force, their involvement in trade unionism has been found
to be low, implying that their plight would not be well-
addressed by the male-dominated unions. All these issues
call for increasing gender mainstreaming and advocacy by
researchers and other concerned groups.
Yusuf (2007) was on industrial conflict and
machinery for dispute settlement in the Nigerian industrial
relations system. The Disputes Settlement Act provides that
every organization should make provision for internal
mechanism for settlement of disputes. This mechanism
must be exhausted before resorting to the use of external
intervention in the forms of mediation, conciliation and
arbitration. When all these fail to achieve the intended
purpose, then feuding parties are expected to proceed to the
apex labour jurisdictional body- the Nigerian Industrial
Court. The existing mechanisms for resolving industrial
conflict in Nigeria were found to be inadequate as the
incessant strikes and labour disputes would attest. The need
to strengthen these instruments for a more dynamic
industrial relations environment was advocated.

35
 The central focus of Yusuf (2008g) was on trade
unionism and the Nigerian worker in the context of
contrasting environments. It examined the plight of workers
in relation to their trade unions in military and democratic
political environments. Military regime was found to be
associated with harassment and intimidation of workers
while democracy granted workers a measure of freedom
(although not without some constraints) as they could
freely associate, embark on strike and engage in collective
bargaining with the employers and government. It found
that unrestrained and effective trade unionism was
desirable under a favourable political climate which
democracy stands the best chance to provide.

Dignity of Work - The Story of my Work-Life

Mr. Vice-Chancellor sir, before I conclude this
lecture, I consider it as a duty to share my post-graduation
job experience with this distinguished audience,
particularly that the experience demonstrates the synergy
among work, industry and the Nigerian society which is the
central theme of this lecture. I completed my National
Youth Service in September, 1987 after my graduation
from the University of Ibadan in 1986. For the next three
years after the national service, I was in the Nigerian labour
market in search for employment. First I had to register
with the Federal Ministry of Employment at the Federal
Secretariat, Ikoyi, Lagos. I also registered with the National
Directorate of Employment (NDE) located at Saka Jojo
Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The Directorate was set up
by the then Federal Military Government as a step towards
reducing the high rate of unemployment in the country.
When these efforts did not yield any fruit, I started a
business venture (Prime Partners) with a friend who also

36
graduated from the same Department in the University of
Ibadan.
Prime Partners had its location at 48 Murtala
Muhammed Way, Ebute Metta, Lagos. The company
engaged in typing, photocopying, lamination and binding
although the only equipment owned was an old manual
type-writer! The method adopted was to contact final year
undergraduates in universities within Lagos for the typing
and binding of their projects. Photocopying and lamination
services were done by using a near-by business centre
while the company charged commission for every service
rendered. In addition to these, we engaged in the sale of
“Gari-Ijebu” which we collected on credit from my
partner‟s mother in Ijebu, in Ogun state, and remitted the
principal amount to her after sales while collecting another
pack.
This short life story is meant to demonstrate to our
teeming Nigerian youths who are currently caught in the
unemployment quagmire, that with determination, self-
denial and perseverance, they can take themselves out of
the trap and achieve their life goals. In addition, the
upsurge of anti-social acts among Nigerian youths in the
forms of internet fraud (popularly called “Yahoo-Yahoo”),
cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping among others is
considered counter productive, while the option of hard
work has a better outcome. Nigerian youths must learn to
work; they must learn to be industrious, as ways towards
building a prosperous Nigerian society.

37
 Conclusion and Recommendations
Mr. Vice-Chancellor sir, distinguished guests, ladies
and gentlemen, I would like to conclude this lecture by
affirming that my contributions to knowledge as a
Professor in the Department of Sociology of this great
university is largely in the sub-disciplines of Sociology of
Work, Industrial Sociology and Industrial Relations.
Hence, the title of my lecture, „work, industry and society:
the synergy that mirrors the reality of our everyday
existence‟, is derived from my researches in these areas.
The main thrust of my lecture is that all men (and women)
in the society are engaged in one work or the other to
ensure daily survival; work must be pursued with vigour
(industriously) if it is to lead to the transformation of the
society. These researches have led me to arrive at the
following conclusions:
1. Work occupies a central place in the lives of men in
the society. It is also an essential aspect of human
social behaviour and it determines a number of
man‟s activities in the society. For instance, a man‟s
experience at work would affect his behaviour in
other spheres of life- family, church/mosque,
friendship, politics, among others.
2. Work attitude is largely determined by several
factors prominent among which are the enabling
environment provided at the workplace and the
general socio-cultural factors.
3. The three dominant ethnic groups in Nigeria cherish
hard-work (being industrious) while detesting
indolence or laziness.
4. Nigerian public employees have been found to
demonstrate poor work attitude and this is
unfavourable to the attainment of the national

38
 objective of accelerated socio-economic
development.

Based on the issues raised in the lecture, the

following recommendations are put forward:
1. Nigerians should begin to appreciate the value of hard
work. It is obvious that if Nigeria must develop, people
must work diligently. The crave for flamboyant
lifestyles among the political class and the rich in the
society should be discouraged because it is sending
wrong signals to the youth that they can also live a
good life without hard work. The youth must be
educated on the positive values of work - commitment,
diligence, dedication, perseverance and honesty. They
must also be shown that making it through foul means
such as armed robbery, internet scam, embezzlement of
public funds, political thuggery, has its negative
consequences.
2. Nigerians must begin to appreciate and celebrate few
individuals among us who have demonstrated the
positive values of work and industry in our society. For
instance, private organizations and government
ministries and establishments should institute “Best
Worker Award”, “Worker of the Month/Year Award”,
“Honest Civil Servant Award”, “Incorruptible Officer
Award”, “Transparent Officer Award”, etc. The
University of Ilorin has provided a model in this
direction through its “Researcher of the Year Award”
while the Establishment Unit of the University similarly
has the “Staff of the Year Award”. While these are
highly commendable, other universities in Nigeria are
advised to take a cue from these noble examples. At the
national level, the National Honours Award usually

39
 conferred by the President on eminent Nigerians who
have distinguished themselves in their respective fields
is a right step in this direction. The inclusion of our
Vice-Chancellor, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, and
his predecessor, Professor Is-haq O. Oloyede among the
last honorees on 29th September, 2014, is yet another
confirmation of the foremost position of the University
of Ilorin.
3. The current work attitude among Nigerians, especially
those in the public service, is not conducive to national
development, and therefore needs to be improved. As
explained earlier in the lecture, public sector workers in
Nigeria are associated with negative attitudes like
lateness to work, idleness, non-chalance, low
commitment among others. All tiers of government
must take measures to reverse these attitudes to positive
ones.
4. All stakeholders in Nigeria‟s industrial relations should
take practical measures to ensure a peaceful industrial
relations environment. While industrial conflict is a
natural process of industrial relations, it must not be
allowed to degenerate to a level of protracted strikes.
This could be achieved through a virile collective
bargaining process. Whenever trade unions declare
their intention to embark on strike, it must not be
allowed to prolong unnecessarily as was the case with
previous strikes of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) and the recent strike by the
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). Warning strikes
are meant to prepare management or government for
necessary action. However, when a prolonged strike
ensues after a warning strike, it implies that
stakeholders (especially the management or

40
 government) are not concerned about the negative
effects of such industrial action.
5. Nigerians must imbibe the spirit of positive work
ethics; they must be industrious, committed, dedicated
and transparent. The realization of these goals would
lead to the building of a prosperous society capable of
meeting the needs of today and preparing for the
challenges of tomorrow. Indeed, the synergy among
Work, Industry and Society serves as the mirror which
reflects the reality of our everyday existence!

Acknowledgement
I am indebted to a number of individuals and groups
for their contributions to my academic career in particular
and my sojourn in life in general. My thanks go first to the
Almighty Allah, the source of my life, my Sustainer and
my Guide. He has been gracious to me since birth till the
present day. His presence, guidance, protection and
sustenance have brought me to where I am today. I cannot
thank Him enough.
While my late parents started the journey of my life,
Almighty Allah used someone to fulfil God‟s dream for my
life. The person is my uncle and „father‟ Alhaji B. Y. Yusuf
Olorun Logbon, the popular watch/clock merchant (Baba
Alago) in Oyingbo, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. He took up my
tutelage right from my secondary school through my
undergraduate and post-graduate studies (Mr Vice-
chancellor sir, please permit me to request him to rise for
recognition).
I am also indebted to other members of my
extended family: Madam Jaratu Yusuf, Messrs Kareem
Yusuf, Raheem Yusuf, Rasaq Yusuf, Musibau Yusuf,

41
Lukman Yusuf, Kamali Yusuf, Azeez Yusuf and Mrs
Taibat Ajayi.
The following individuals also deserve mentioning:
Elder and Dr (Mrs) David Alabi, Revd. Timothy Alabi,
Chief Dotun Omoniyi, Mr Gbenga Afolabi, Alhaji Sikiru
Amolegbe, Mr Lateef Kayode Adeyeye, Alhaji Ismail
Bello, Alhaji Ahmed Oko-Alaro, Alhaji Ahmed Ayinla
Agaka, Mr Gboyega Olaniyi, DSP Emmanuel Adegbola
Aina, Chief and Chief (Mrs) Olusola Okunola, Elder & Mrs
D. A, Ayewoh, Engr A. T. Lawal, Mr and Mrs David
Alabi, Pa J. A. Moliki, Bishop Afolabi Amoo and Mr
Moses Olalemi.
The contributions of my academic mentors need to
be mentioned. First, are my Ph.D supervisors - Professor
Funmi Adewumi and Dr Anthony Obemeata; along with
them is Dr Onaolapo Soleye who supervised my Master
degree dissertation, all in the Department of Sociology,
University of Ibadan. Other mentors at my Alma mater who
deserve to be acknowledged include Professor E. A. Oke
(of blessed memory), Professor Ayodele Jegede, Professor
Layiwola Erinosho (now retired), Professor Uche C.
Isiugo-Abanihe, Professor Adeyinka A. Aderinto and
Professor Lanre Olutayo. I also need to mention Professor
Omololu Soyombo (University of Lagos), Professor Wale
Adesina and Professor Olu Olufayo (EKSU). Professor O.
A. Ogunbameru and Professor Olabisi Aina (OAU). At the
University of Ilorin, the following academic mentors also
deserve mention: Professor B. Salawu, Professor Abayomi
Omoteso, Professor Y. A. Quadri, Prof. O.A. Adetifa,
Professor M. A. Akanji (Vice-Chancellor, Federal
University of Technology, Minna), Professor O. B.
Oloyede (former Vice-Chancellor, Fountain University,
Osogbo, Professor R. A. Lawal, Professor W.B.R. Johnson,

42
Professor L. K. Ayorinde, Professor Luke Edungbola,
Professor M. A. Belewu, Professor O.E. Abdullahi,
Professor R. W. Omotoye, Dr O. O. Dosumu, Dr B.F.
Arokoyo, Professor Steve Metiboba (the Deputy Vice-
Chancellor, Kogi State University Anyigba), Professor
Wole Atere of Federal University, Oye Ekiti and Professor
“Biodun Akinpelu of the Lagos State University, Dr. F. B.
Onaeko of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour
Studies is also acknowledged.
I thank Professor Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede (OFR)
the former Vice-Chancellor for his role in my life and
especially for being the „angel‟ sent by Almighty Allah for
my Professorial elevation. May you likewise continue to
witness elevation in your life, amen. I wish to thank the
incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdul-Ganiyu
Ambali (OON). He has proved to be a leader who
recognizes talents and contributions of staff.
I also need to express appreciation to all academic
staff in the Department of Sociology including Mr R. A.
Seniyi, Dr A. Y. Muhammed, Dr. D. S. Adekeye, Dr O. A.
Fawole, Dr. A. A. Abdullahi, Mr. M. A. Adebisi, Mr
Abdul-Lateef Raji, Mr S. Abdul-baqi, Mrs. Isiaka and Miss
Kafayat Mahmoud. Dr. J. O. Fayeye of the Department of
Social Work; Mr Olumide Fagbamila and Miss Lara
Faworaja both of the Department of Psychology are all
acknowledged. All the non- academic staff in the
Department of Sociology are also appreciated.
Academic mentors in the Faculty of the Social
Sciences are also acknowledged: Professor Ayodele Jimoh
(Dean of Faculty) Professor A. F. Adedayo, Professor J. F.
Olorunfemi, Professor R. A. Olawepo, Professor A. E.
Davies, Professor H. A. Salihu, and Professor M. A. Alabi.
Prof. Jackson Olujide and Professor Sidikat Adeyemi of the

43
Faculty of Management Sciences are also acknowledged.
Other academic staff in the Faculty to be acknowledged
include: Dr. L. T. Ajibade, Dr. A. Usman, Dr J. A.
Oladipo, Dr. S. L. Tilakasiri, Dr F. A. Aremu, Dr E. O.
Oriola, Dr R. A. Bello, Dr G. T. Arosanyin, Dr G. T. Ijaiya,
Dr Y. A. Ahmed, Dr J. O. Olaniyi, Dr Saka Lukman, Dr K.
A. Iroye, Dr (Mrs) C. I. O. Ogunleye-Adetona, Dr (Mrs)
Afolabi Tunde, Mrs Ene Adeniyi, Dr Nurudeen Malik and
Mr Rilwan Sakariyau.
My children deserve special appreciation for their
unwavering support especially with the academic demands
which in most cases kept their father away from home.
Rasheedat, Abdul-Rasheed and Abdul-Mueez. Also my
numerous children who I have the privilege to raise in my
family, viz: Ahmed, Morufat, Aminat, Kafayat, Muheebat
and Abdul-Wahab all from the enlarged Yesufu Onire
family.
On a last note is my special appreciation to my dear
wife, Hajia Muibat Oluseyi Yusuf (nee Sanni). Her support,
care and prayers brought me to where Almighty Allah has
gracefully established me today. A wise saying of our
elders is very much true of her: He who finds a good
companion as wife has found peace, progress and
accomplishment in life.
Thank you all for listening. May Almighty Allah
bless you all. Amen.

44
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