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Decentralizing Rural Development Practice in Nigeria: The Challenges and Opportunities

Received: 21 August 2015    Accepted: 02 September 2015    Published: 12 September 2015
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Abstract

The decentralization of economic and political powers has been an important tool for developing the rural and remote areas across the world. But how does decentralization work in some contexts and what are the challenges and opportunities? This paper discusses these issues in relation to Nigeria’s rural development experiences and practices. Various Nigeria’s rural development programmes have been reviewed to assess how their implementations have benefitted from decentralization practices. The results demonstrate that decentralization has not been strictly applied as a framework for the development of the rural areas. Colonial and post-colonial rural development plans have always been centrally directed. Even when constitutional reforms were effected to grant political, administrative, fiscal and financial autonomy to the rural areas through the local council authorities, actual implementation hardly reflect the ideals of decentralization. The paper argues that while the prospect of decentralization implies enormous opportunities for the development of the rural areas, such opportunity may hardly be realized due to a lack of local capacity to participate in local governance activities. Given this limitation, decentralization, in whatever form, will continue to be a tool to consolidate the State and elite powers.

DOI 10.11648/j.hss.20150305.14
Published in Humanities and Social Sciences (Volume 3, Issue 5, September 2015)
Page(s) 185-192
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Local Government Autonomy, Local Capacity, Participation, Decentralization, Nigeria, Rural Development

References
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[6] Brinkerhoff, D. W., with O. Azfar (2006). Decentralization and community empowerment: does community empowerment deepen democracy and improve service delivery? Paper prepared for: U. S. Agency for International Development office of democracy and governance. RTI International, Washington DC.
[7] Conyers, D. (1986). Decentralization and development: a framework for analysis. Community development journal 21 (2).
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[13] Isa MK (2015). Nigerian local government system and governance: lessons, prospects and challenges for post 2015 development goals. Presented at the International Research Society for Public Management Conference, University of Birmingham, UK 30th March to April 2nd.
[14] Iwuagwu, O. (2006). Rural development in eastern Nigeria: an assessment of colonial and post-colonial development plans in the former Owerri Province, 1946-1976. Lagos Historical Review, 6: 118-132.
[15] Johnson, Ronald (1995). “Decentralization Strategy Design: Complementary Perspectives on a Common Theme.” Washington, DC: US Agency for International Development, Implementing Policy Change Project, August.
[16] Kiser, L. and Ostrom, E. (1982). The three worlds of action. In E. Ostrom, B. Hills (eds): strategies of political inquiry. Sage, pp.179-22.
[17] Nikkhah, H. A. and Ma’rof Redzuan (2009). Participation as a medium of empowerment in community development. European Journal of Social Sciences. Vol. 11, No. 1: 170-176.
[18] Okafor J. (2010). Local government financial autonomy in Nigeria: the State Joint Local Government Account. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance. Issue 6: 127-131.
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[21] Prud’ home, R. (2003). Fiscal decentralization in Africa: a framework for considering reform. Publication Administration and Development, Vol. 23, pp.17-27.
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Author Information
  • Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

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    Nseabasi S. Akpan. (2015). Decentralizing Rural Development Practice in Nigeria: The Challenges and Opportunities. Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(5), 185-192. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20150305.14

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    Nseabasi S. Akpan. Decentralizing Rural Development Practice in Nigeria: The Challenges and Opportunities. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2015, 3(5), 185-192. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20150305.14

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    AMA Style

    Nseabasi S. Akpan. Decentralizing Rural Development Practice in Nigeria: The Challenges and Opportunities. Humanit Soc Sci. 2015;3(5):185-192. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20150305.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.hss.20150305.14,
      author = {Nseabasi S. Akpan},
      title = {Decentralizing Rural Development Practice in Nigeria: The Challenges and Opportunities},
      journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
      volume = {3},
      number = {5},
      pages = {185-192},
      doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20150305.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20150305.14},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20150305.14},
      abstract = {The decentralization of economic and political powers has been an important tool for developing the rural and remote areas across the world. But how does decentralization work in some contexts and what are the challenges and opportunities? This paper discusses these issues in relation to Nigeria’s rural development experiences and practices. Various Nigeria’s rural development programmes have been reviewed to assess how their implementations have benefitted from decentralization practices. The results demonstrate that decentralization has not been strictly applied as a framework for the development of the rural areas. Colonial and post-colonial rural development plans have always been centrally directed. Even when constitutional reforms were effected to grant political, administrative, fiscal and financial autonomy to the rural areas through the local council authorities, actual implementation hardly reflect the ideals of decentralization. The paper argues that while the prospect of decentralization implies enormous opportunities for the development of the rural areas, such opportunity may hardly be realized due to a lack of local capacity to participate in local governance activities. Given this limitation, decentralization, in whatever form, will continue to be a tool to consolidate the State and elite powers.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    AB  - The decentralization of economic and political powers has been an important tool for developing the rural and remote areas across the world. But how does decentralization work in some contexts and what are the challenges and opportunities? This paper discusses these issues in relation to Nigeria’s rural development experiences and practices. Various Nigeria’s rural development programmes have been reviewed to assess how their implementations have benefitted from decentralization practices. The results demonstrate that decentralization has not been strictly applied as a framework for the development of the rural areas. Colonial and post-colonial rural development plans have always been centrally directed. Even when constitutional reforms were effected to grant political, administrative, fiscal and financial autonomy to the rural areas through the local council authorities, actual implementation hardly reflect the ideals of decentralization. The paper argues that while the prospect of decentralization implies enormous opportunities for the development of the rural areas, such opportunity may hardly be realized due to a lack of local capacity to participate in local governance activities. Given this limitation, decentralization, in whatever form, will continue to be a tool to consolidate the State and elite powers.
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