EFFECT OF COMMUNITY POWER STRUCTURE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN SELECTED RURAL COMMUNITIES OF KATSINA, ENUGU AND EKITI STATES, NIGERIA
Abstract:
In Nigeria, the greater percentage of the population lived in the rural communities and these communities have continuously served as the basis for producing food and engage in primary economic activities. In spite of its importance, rural communities lack basic amenities such as potable water, electricity, health facilities and motorable feeder roads with low purchasing power and standard of living.
Most development activities such as investment and government provision of amenities are concentrated in the urban areas neglecting the rural areas. These have led to a gradual worsening in the quality of life in the rural areas, thus stimulating rural-urban migration on a massive scale.
It has equally attracted development activities and policies in Nigeria since colonial and postcolonial era with the major concern of identifying suitable strategies for tackling rural underdevelopment and dearth of infrastructure.
Drawing from the above therefore, the rural areas need development to raise the standard of living of the rural people. The shift is partly in response to the well-documented inadequacies of top–down approach to development.
These gave rise to the community-driven development that is tailored by the community power structure applying community-based planning strategies and the use of participatory action to implement, monitor and evaluate community programs.
The study, ‗Effect of Community Power Structure on Community Development in selected rural communities of Katsina, Enugu and Ekiti State Nigeria‘ is a research work that examines the role played by Community Power Structure on Community Development.
They study employed the pluralist theory and Mixed Methods Research approach of sampling, data collection and analysis to answer the research questions. Some of the research objectives include identifying the nature of Community Power Structure in the selected rural communities of Sabuwa, Ikere and Nsukka local government areas and determining the effect of the Community Power Structure on Community Development in the study area.
The population and sample size of the study was draw from the rural communities of this study based on the method of sampling as indicated by MMR. The primary and secondary data were generated through observation, focus group discussion, interview and questionnaires that were distributed, retrieved and analyzed.
The study employed the use of Research Assumptions and Hypotheses in order to find answers to the research questions. The data were then analysed with the aid of tables, figures, plates and the test instrument of Pearson Correlation Coefficient.
The findings of the study include the noticeable features of community development and also the ―discovery‖ of power as a variable that is also a major determinant of development in the communities of the study.
The study further finds that, instead of having only one family dominating or having majority influence on decisions relating to community development, there is ―pool‖ of power actors each trying to influence and dominate decision making at the community level.
The study reveals that though there were little variations in the nature of Community Power Structure among the different rural communities of the study, yet all are working towards improving the living standard of their people.
In conclusion, the study confirms that community power structure remains the main catalyst for the communities to employ in the quest for sustainable community development that is satisfactory for the immediate growth of the community and the ultimate development of the nation.
The study therefore recommends among others, the need to engage the community power structure in capacity building that will further enhance their collective performance, thereby engineering development in their communities.
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There is also the need to continuously identify the ways and opportunities that can enhance community development to be critically shaped by the community power structure, its networks and histories,
while at the same time collaborating simultaneously with broader power relations set by the federal, state, local government, local and international development partners together with donors‘ agencies.
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