ARMS GLAMORIZATION: THE BANE OF VIOLENCE AND POVERTY IN NIGERIA, 2009 – 2021

Abstract

This study interrogates the connection between small arms glamorization, violence and deepening poverty in Nigeria. Security appears to have become a tall dream in Nigeria as the glamorization of arms with its destructive consequences has negatively affected innocent and hapless citizens of the country. The availability of arms has encouraged conflict, wars, weapon trading and has out-rightly entrenched the culture of militarism and wealth-making through arms abuse. Arms glamorization is the means of making arms attractive through government inactions in checkmating the proliferation and abuse of small arms and light weapons. This, not only make small arms attractive but communicated wrong values and encouraged the promotion of guns as a tool for acquiring wealth and power in the society. Works on arms proliferation have become prevalent but none exist on arms glamorization, a gap this study intends to fill. Primary and secondary sources such as interviews, ad-hoc observations and accounts, journals, newspaper reports and text books were analyzed qualitatively using self-report technique, anomie theory and security dilemma approach. The study submits that arms glamorization and its social dynamics fuel conflict and poverty because non-possession of arms is synonymous with weak-willed and vulnerable to human rights violations and death while possessors of arms become valours and confer respect, prestige and power.