Chapter one: Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Community development policies in Nigeria over the years have shown
that our policy makers have either not really understood the problems of
community, ray. Community developments are deliberately ignoring the
problems of community development in Nigeria. Even the nongovernmental
organizations (Ngos) that are community focused have somehow fallen into
the same trap of government act of insensitivity; misplace priority and
outright ignorance about the plight of the community poor and community
development. Both the government and some of these voluntary agencies
often underestimate the quantum of the problems, which comfort the
community people in Nigeria. They are attracted to and trapped in urban
“cores” which generate and communicate their own sort of knowledge which
community “peripheries” are isolated and neglected (chambers 1983).
They try to visualize community development according to their own
experience, which is urban-based, and therefore lacking in content and
form, what constitutes the real kernel of community development.
consequently, the apparent failure of successive
community development policies in Nigeria is to be expected in the light
of the foregoing analysis more worrisome, however, is that while this
act of government neglect an often selfishness to tackle headline, the
problem of community development poor is being multiple, with no end in
sight and this is the midst of plenty makes his case miserable as
succinctly put by the English proverb which says what the eye does not
see, the heart does not grieve about (chamber-1983).
indeed the case of the community poor in Nigeria is the case of
poverty in Nigeria is the case of poverty in the midst of plenty and
that is why it is more painful and call for serious concern especially
the government and the non-governmental organization involved in
community development effort.
there are plethora definitions as to what constitute community development.
professor v. Diejomoh (Udo 1984) sees community development as a
process of not only increasing the level of per capital income in
community areas, but also the standard of living on such factors as food
and nutrition, health, education, housing, recreation and security
knowing this is important step towards addressing the problems of
community development genuinely.
Robert n. Mcnamarah (1976) in his forward to 1978
world development report, is “trapped” in what he terms as absolute
poverty, a condition of life so characterized by malnutrition,
illiteracy, disease, squalid surrounding, high infant mortality and low
life expectancy is to be beneath any reasonable definition of human
decency inspite of the remarkable changes recorded in the countries of
the south in recent years.
community development policies in Nigeria over the years
have not succeeded in achieving the desired goals by way of uplifting
and improving the material living conditions of the community poor
inspite of the resources that have been put into the sector and attempt
to point the way out. This research study does focus on Nasarawa state.
1.2 statement of the problem:
the worrisome living condition which people live in
communities in Nigeria have found themselves today inspite of a
government they can call their own has naturally compelled the need to
looking into why this is so, especially that the world, particularly in
thecountries of the south, in the test century has witnessed monumental
progress in all spheres of life. Questions likes: is the community man
actually lazy and therefore brought upon himself (human being) the
present predicament or that deprivation is normal and therefore not two
bad as believed by some people agitate the mind and continue to beg for
answers. It is the plight of the community dwellers are not only
suspect, but they constitute a smokescreen, perhaps from imperialist to
confuse the people and subject them to further misery and perpetual
state under-development in Nigeria. That is the question we shall
attempt to answer in this work.
it is instructive to note that beginning with the colonial times many
development plans have been evolved in the country. With varying
interest and attention on community development yet without significant
changes.
details of these shall come in the later part of this
work, but suffice it to say that the excruciating community problems
which an average Nigeria is going through today leading to a multicity
of other problems such as available deprivation, suffering and death
make this research a compelling starting point to find out why we are,
were we are today and perhaps where we may go from here.
1.3 Research Questions:
The following are the research statement.
(i) To what extent has government effort toward the
development of the community areas in Nigeria over the years succeeded
in improving the living condition of the community people?
(ii) What is the level of involvement of the community people in project initiation and implementation?
(iii) Are there any impediments on the way of government on
its determined effort to develop the community areas?what are the
impediments.
(iv) What positive roles has Nasarawa local government
played as an agent of community transformation to develop its community
since its creation?
(v) Are there any development targets the local
government? What are they and how does the local government intend to
achieve them?
(vi) Are there problem militating against
1.4 Objectives of the Study.
The study is an attempt to identify the various impediments on the
way of government to development and transform the community areas in
Nigeria and to try to re-engineer the process by way of offering/
suggestion/possible solutions
The research study will focus on the development plan in the problem
of community development in the country which have attempted to tackle
the problem of community development in the country and to what degree
of success, on the basis of which we shall point the way forward.
1.6 Significance of the Study.
The significance of the research work is on community development and
administration right from the colonial time till date in their various
attempted to develop community areas. Have failed to achieve the desired
goals. Thus it is imperative for researchers and scholars interested in
the study of Nigeria politics and administration to venture into this
area to find out what has gone wrong with government effort in this
direction and how to possibly correct it. The studies will after a good
starting point of discussion as to why there is into liable level of
community problem in Nigeria and interestingly how this co-exist with
affluence. What this means is either that the government is not doing
enough to improve the living condition of the community areas and render
them more vulnerable to deprivation and available deaths.
1.7 Scope and Limitation of the Study.
the research study centered on community development
and the problem envisaged or encounter in the course of this research
work include difficulty involved in reaching some of the sample village
due to poor road, network.
consequently in a attempted to solve this
problem the researcher had to make do with what was really available in
travelling to such areas namely boardly of open vans knows in some
places as “Akworekura” while in extreme situation motorcycles population
called “Achaba, Okada or going” depending on which part of the country
(Nigeria) are come from.
Similarly, due to the hypocritical attitude of government to the
plight (community). It was not easy to get their attraction and the
readiness to talk to the researcher.
there was the general problem of time frame or
constraint faced in the cause of the research work, the lecture
(whenever it become necessary) because like earlier stated the research
work was carried out side by side with may class work needless to say
that the approach, the problem of time was conveniently put to rest
1.8Definationof Terms:
in order to enhance a better group of the subject issue the discourse
study it is important for us to after some explanation and
interpretation of some of the basis terminology used in the study.
Local Government
(UnitedNation in 1959). Sew local government as “a political
sub-division of a nation which is constituted by law and has
sub-stantial control of its local affairs, including the power to
imposed tax
Orewaand Adewumi(1992) also sew “local government as a system of
local communities and towns. Which are organized to maintain law and
order provided some limited range of social services and co-operation of
the inhabitants in joint endeavors towards the improvement of their
conditions living “going further they asserted that the local government
provides the community with a formal organization framework which
enable them to conduct their members for the general public?
Development
Rodney (1972:9-10) development is a process whereby the people of a
society increase their capacity of satisfy their needs through the
explanation of the resource within their environment by organizing the
abilities and energies of the people to exploit such resources. What
this means in essence is to portray development as a process dual and
multifaceted phenomenon that involves changes in the material life of a
people.
Community
G.O.H. Cole (1920) community means “ a complex social life, a complex
including a number of human being living together under conditions of
social relationship bound together by a common, however constantly
changing stock of convention, customs and tradition and conscious to
some extend of common social objects and interests”.
Sutherland and Maxwell (1961:316) defined community as “a local area
over people are using the same language, conforming to the same norms
feeling more or less the same sentiments and acting upon the same
professor.V.Diejomah (udo 1984) defined community development as the
process of not only increasing the level of per capital income in
community seas, but also the standard of living of the community
population either the standard of living measured on such factors as
food, nutrition, health, education, housing, recreation and security.
Tanzania model
(Doctor Nyeyere). Before Nyeyerebecome president of Tanzania he
frequent Tanzanians that when independence comes they would need to
exert themselves more than ever before. The common salutation was “Uhum”
which means freedom and response was “ Nakazimeaning ( and work). Every
person old or young embraced the idea upon independence the people
responded enthusiastically (actively) to the plea of the president and
urgency of community development workers, the politicians and the
officials to take up self-help or nation building activities. Project
sprang up so rapidly that the government could not cope to meet the
effort of the people with material and technological assistance many
projects of little use were completed and many useful ones were not
completed. Most of the efforts do not contain the essential of
self-help; the idea of project execution comes from outside promotions,
they were motivated patriotism and political enthusiast.
at the outside of independence (1961) Tanzania leaders recognized the
critical element that had to be considered for nation building and
thus.
- Expansion of Agriculture
- PublicWorks (Effective Communication Network)
- HigherEducation.
- Education for Self-Reliance
- Freedom and Development
The president stressed that development, means developing themselves
so that there may be change in their own interest. He pointed out that
if development is for greater freedom and well being of the people then
it cannot result from force. He contended that decision making and
willing action can take place only if people understand their needs know
how to meet these needs and have the freedom to decided and act upon
them.
- A structure for local and national development approach was formed.
- An operational and administration scheme was
made for useful association and joint effort between people and
government.
- Village development committee was organized to promote local planning and action by people.
- District rural development and planning
committee were formed to amalgamate the plans of people and government
into useful local action.
- Regional development committee ware given the
task of representing the interest of government at the level.
- National committee of ministers and officials
was formed to given overall credence and guidance to the entire effort.
The government officials and technical’s of each district council
whose task was to prepare development plans based on the needs and
desires of the people expressed through the village development
committee.
The typical functions of district councils had been to collect taxes
enforce law and carry out the general duties of government at local
level. It was recognized that not all council or council members were
well versed in development planning and implementation, but with the
adviser delegated to work with them, they were expected to develop
experience. The major improvement in principle was that planning was
made to be the responsibility of those who had to carry it out.
The Ujaman Programme
Ujamanis a Swaliliword for the political ideology development in
Tanzania by dr. Nyerere. It is after translated as “togetherness” and is
a kind of socialism which encourages economic productivity to benefit
the whole nation.
Inujaman some farmers may work on their individual farms but
plantation and small factory for processing the cotton people gave their
labour free.
Project
j. A king defined project as an optimum set of investment oriented
action by means of which a defined combination of human and material
resources expected to cost a determined.
koleman defined project as a scheme or a part of a scheme for
investing resource which can be reasonable analyzed and evaluated as
independent inits.
The world bank- defined project as a proposal for capital investment
to developed facilities to provide goods and services, which increase
the aggregate consumption benefit to people plans.
Robert m. (years not stated) defined plans as “a comprehensive and
general in its description of the development of a community or a given
location” planning can be described as the general and comprehensive
guide to policy for many year in to the future.
G.oolayonwa (2000) defined plan as a means of achieving the set
objectives. Plan has time dimension depending on the level at which the
plans are made. Top level plan use to be long range covering many years
ranging 5-20 years, at middle level, the range may be between 2-3 years
to a year, long term plans are usually called strategic plans, while
medium range plans usually called tactical plans and short range plans
operating plans.
Rural transformation.
ProfessorMichaelTodaro(1991) defined rural transformation as the
psychological, political, economical and cultural transformation from an
archaic way of life to something modern that raise the quality of human
life.
Integrated rural development (ird)
(Chaton1981) defined integrated rural development as a
multidimensional strategy for improving the quantity of life for rural
people. It is based on the assumption that the socio-economic framework
of the traditional rural system is absolute, so integrated rural
development strategies are designed to change this framework and promote
structural changes. A strategy, which is gaining ground in many
countries, as the
Chapter Two:Literature Review
2.0 Introduction:
Community development has been recognized as a development par
diagram in Nigeria from time immemorial to date, however, it remains
rudimentary and operates more meaningfully, in the rural then urban
areas. Struggling to avoid being completely left behind, many community
dwellers develop the spirit of self-help for the provision of some of
the basic needs within their communities.
Self-help activities have been internet in several communities the
rural communities especially, have unique social cohesiveness and are
homogeneous culturally and linguistically. The tradition and societal
norms encourage communal approaches to the solution of a variety of
problems.
Community development in Nigeria has witnessed consideration
transformation in terms of the nature of projects embarked upon,
political recognition and the extent of integration into development
planning. Various groups in the rural communities have been involved in
the provision of a aided range of facilities includes social, physical
and institutional infrastructure.
In various parts of the country, the self-help approach has been
adopted in the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads, primary
and secondary schools, health centers postal agencies and market stalls
as well as provision of potable water and electricity part of the
transformation was the increased involvement of the government since the
1970s.
Many scholars and international organizations defined community development.
according to united organization defined community
development as the process by which the efforts of the people themselves
are united, with those of government authorities to improve the
economic, social and cultural conditions of the rural communities to
integrate those communities into life of the nation and to enable them
to contribute fully to the solution of national problems (Uno 1960).
bolas and Bello, i.o. (1978) says community development implies a
massive effort to increase production, create and spread employment and
root out fundamental causes of poverty, diseases and illiteracy among
the community people in the other words, community development involves
the far reaching transformation of the social and economic structures,
institution, relationships and process in any community area.
Aziz, s. (1978) defined community development as a multidimensional
process by which the productivity, income and welfare, in terms of
health, nutrition, education, and other features of satisfactory life of
community people can be improve or transformed.
According to United Nations (1955) defined community development as
an education process to create condition of economic and social progress
for the whole community with its’ active participation and fullest
possible reliance up on the community initiative”.
National policy on integrated rural development document (1991).
Defined community development as the strategy and process where
significant improvements are brought about and sustained in the
economic, socio-cultural and political life of the community population.
Professor v. Diejomoh, (Udo, 1984) defined community development as a
process, of not only increasing the level of per capital income in the
community sector, but also the standard of living of the community
population. The standard of living in this regard includes such factors
as food, nutrition, health education housing, recreation and security.
V. Lele (1999) defined community development as a way of improving
the living standard of the low income and in so doing acquire the
attitudes, experiences, and co-operative skills for repeating this
process again and again on their own initiatives.
2.1 Theoretical Framework:
A major disturbing phenomenon in the developing world particularly in
the African continent is the issue of community development. The
question of community development problems in the midst of affluence has
continued to defer solutions inspire of all efforts to find a recipe to
the problems. That the continent is blessed with a enormous and
abundant human and natural resources is not in doubt, but that the mass
of the people. Living in this continent is poor and grappling daily with
basic issues of survivals namely food, housing and clothing is what
scholars must cannot understand.
in most of the developing countries, the bulk of the populations
reside in the community areas. Consequently to understand and squarely
address the situation posed by these crises of living we have to
understand the concept of community participation and most particularly,
as it affects the community development policies over the land years
and see to what extent they have been genuine or otherwise.
Community Participation
This is the involvement of people in community development activities
in terms of ideas, planning, directing, execution, supervision and
evaluation of program and projects. It is an opportunity provided by the
local government for the people to have a say in the issued which
affect them it is a planned process by the local government to involve
members of the communities in political, economic, social and cultural
issues in decision-making –participation is a kind of minimum freedom
which is accorded to communities at the grassroots level to sit
together, discuss and make recommendations on the issues affecting their
livelihood before forwarding them to the local government. In the past
the local government usually formulated policies and only involved the
communities during the implementation when labor was needed. Today
participation has become fashionable because it is a central theme in
community development which is also a component of social development.
when a community come together, decides on its’ priorities
and invoices its’ development program, it is participating and feeding
on input into the system in a way lives would be affected as and how
they want, if the local government encourages participation, at is
automatically embarking on a process of bringing people together and
closer to itself. This is a sure way that the local government can
contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of its people.
Conversely, the attitudes of the community to development program depend
largely on the type of the community. For example at the local level it
is relatively easy to whip up collective enthusiasm for development
where as in a town where the ties of tradition are weak or non-existent,
it is not easy to imbibe communal spirit.
Arising from the foregoing, what then is community development?