Participatory Development in Rural Nigeria

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Periodical article

Title:	Participatory Development in Rural Nigeria
Author:	Okafor, Francis C.
Year:	1987
Periodical:	Canadian Journal of African Studies
Volume:	21
Issue:	2
Pages:	231-237
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	rural development self-help Bibliography/Research Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/484373
Abstract:	Based on fieldwork carried out from July 1983 to August 1985, the author documents and analyses the nature of community self-help development efforts in two rural communities of Bendel State, Nigeria: Onicha-Ugbo in Aniocha Local Government Area, and Illah in Oshimili Local Government Area. In both cases the study covered two self-help projects (rural water supply scheme, construction of a secondary school, a market centre, and a community meeting hall) and one government-sponsored project (road construction, and the building of a post office). Results indicated that over eighty percent of the respondents participated strongly in the self-help projects, compared with only five percent in the government projects. Self-participatory development is held in high esteem. Citizens want to be actively involved in initiating and executing the rural development projects from which they will ultimately benefit. Sometimes this very enthusiasm has led to communities embarking on projects which have doubtful rationale in terms of their priority and resource conservation. Bibliogr., notes.