Edu Rekha International Journal of Arts, Law and Social Science
Volume- 2 Issue-3 (May-June) 2026
MORAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF INDIGENOUS FINANCE: ETHICAL CHALLENGES OF AJO IN IBORO COMMUNITY, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.
TIMOTHY O.E. POPOOLA, PhD1* & BARNABAS OLUSEGUN DARAMOLA2
View PDFPage: 01-05Abstract
This paper examined the relationship between moral accountability and the sustainability of indigenous finance, with specific reference to Ajo in Iboro community. Ajo, a long-standing rotating savings and credit arrangement among the Yoruba of south-western Nigeria, has traditionally operated on trust, shared responsibility, and communal reputation rather than formal legal enforcement. In recent years, however, concerns have emerged within Iboro regarding contribution default, weak documentation, leadership opacity, and declining communal sanctions, raising questions about the long-term stability of the system. The problem addressed in this study was the gradual erosion of moral responsibility among participants and coordinators, which has begun to undermine trust and collective confidence. The study focused on Ajo operations within Iboro community, examining issues of transparency, accountability, reciprocity, and social enforcement. A qualitative approach was adopted, drawing on semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation, and relevant scholarly literature on indigenous finance and moral economy. The findings revealed that although Ajo remained economically useful and socially valued, its sustainability was increasingly threatened by economic hardship, shifting social values, and inadequate accountability structures. The study concluded that strengthening moral discipline, transparent record-keeping, rotational leadership oversight, and community-based dispute resolution mechanisms are essential for preserving both trust and continuity in indigenous financial systems.
Key Words: Ethical Challenges, Indigenous Finance, Moral Accountability.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST PERPETRATORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF VICTIM PROTECTION
Clieverd Jery Tasane1*, Juanrico Alfaromona Sumarezs Titahelu2 & Sherly Adam3
View PDFPage: 06-13Abstract
Sexual violence against women is one form of human rights violation that has multidimensional impacts on victims, both physically, psychologically, socially, and economically. The high rate of sexual violence indicates that the law enforcement system has not yet fully provided effective protection to victims. The presence of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Sexual Violence Crimes is an important milestone in the reform of Indonesia’s criminal law because it comprehensively regulates the prevention, handling, protection, and recovery of victims. However, in its implementation, law enforcement against sexual violence perpetrators still faces various obstacles, both at the investigation, prosecution, and trial stages. This study aims to analyze law enforcement against perpetrators of sexual violence against women from the perspective of victim protection and to identify obstacles in its implementation. This research uses a normative juridical method with a legislative approach, a conceptual approach, and a case approach. The sources of legal materials consist of primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials that are analyzed qualitatively. The research results show that law enforcement against perpetrators of sexual violence crimes is not yet fully oriented toward victim protection because there is still a legalistic paradigm that emphasizes punishing the perpetrator more than rehabilitating the victim. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the victimological perspective within the criminal justice system so that victim protection can be realized optimally.
Keywords: Law Enforcement, Sexual Violence, Women, Victim Protection.
