ABSTRACT
This study is a determination of the
level of participation of youth in community development in Oredo Local
Government Area. The main objectives of the study were to examine the extent to
which the youth have and can still contribute their strength meaningfully to
the development of their communities. Also the study tried to find out the
modalities of mobilizing the youths to take part actively in community
self-help. Philosophy which was helped to reduce the high rate of youth’s
migration to urban areas for search of social amenities. The work will evaluate
the youth contributions so far towards the development of this area. The
hypotheses tested includes the following: that youth efforts in community
development projects are appreciated by other members of the community, that
the major factor militating against youth participation is land dispute. Different
method of data collection was adopted to obtain information from the public.
Questionnaire was designed and distributed to different respondents. The
questionnaires involved 100 respondents, the entire hypothesis were accepted
and analyzed. Finding of these tested hypotheses could be seen in chapter four
of this research work. Based on these findings, suggestions aimed at
eliminating these inherent problems have been advanced in chapter five of this
research work. Recommendations were made in the following directions: that
youth should be told how the community funds are being controlled or expended,
that youths should be given free hands of initiate new projects, to supplement
the effort of formal education system through training and impacting self-reliance
skills that can make the youth more job creating than seeking, that youths
should act in the various capacities as agents. They should be instrumental to
most enlightenment campaigns in the rural areas. That it is necessary to
re-educate the youth on the important impact they owe their community in
development activities. By so doing, they serve as channels for introduction of
modern ways of living and doing things.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Table of Contents v
Abstract vii
Chapter One: Introduction 1
1.1
Background
to the Study 3
1.2
Statement
of Research Problem 4
1.3
Research
Questions 4
1.4
Research
Hypotheses 5
1.5
Purpose
of the Study 5
1.6
Scope
of the Study 6
1.7
Significance
of the Study 7
1.8
Limitations
of the Study 7
1.9
Operational
Definition of Terms 8
Chapter Two: Literature Review 11
2.1
Introduction 11
2.2
The
Role of Youths in Rural Development in Oredo Local
Government of Edo State 11
2.3
Government
Programme for Youths 18
2.4
Summary
of the Chapter 19
Chapter Three: Research Methodology 21
3.1
Research
Design 21
3.2
Population
of the Study 21
3.3
Sampling/Sampling
Techniques 21
3.4
Instrumentation/Materials 21
3.5
Data
Collection/Analysis 23
Chapter Four: Data Analysis, Interpretation and Discussion 24
4.1
Introduction
24
4.2
Presentation
of Information on the number of Respondents and
their Demographic Data 24
4.3
Summary/Discussion
30
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations 32
5.1
Summary
of Findings 32
5.2
Conclusion 33
5.3
Recommendations 34
References 36
Appendices 37
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
The
aim of rural development is to get rid of poverty. Youth involvement in
community development programme has been as long as man’s existence. Their contribution
towards community development in a given area like Oredo Local Government has
much to be desired. It is generally accepted in most developing countries like
Nigeria, that government alone cannot develop all the rural communities as at
when due. Apart from leadership, there are other things that are against the
attainment of a meaningful, progressive and just society that we have been
longing for but failed to respond decisively. Although these are few books that
cover the role of youth in community development or nation building. This study
will treat all aspects of the topic as evidence to show whether or not youths
played effective contributive role in the development of rural areas Oredo
Local Government is not an exception, this is because they need the help or
support of the youths to assist the nation in achieving self sufficiency in
areas like food production and the realization of structural transformation of
the Agricultural sector (Doorbus, 2001).
It is
a common thing that “youths are the leaders of tomorrow”, it could therefore be
seen that the contributions of youths to rural development is very important,
hence people look up to the youths for active leadership, self reliance,
honesty, selfless service, industrial knowledge, patriotism and discipline.
Generally, youths constitute about 2/3 (two-third) of the
active population, by youth we mean those young active and powerful or dynamic
people in the society under the ages of forty. They have some qualities, which
includes responsibility to challenges (Oadire, 2010).
The
community does show that government alone cannot provide all the development
needed by themselves,, as a result the communities are to mobilize themselves
by using the resources at their disposal to provide amenities through self-help
and popular participation; we cannot over emphasize the effect of youth class
or cooperative organization in carrying out such a task, no wonder BEJA says
“there is hope that our country will still grow and survive into a great nation
despite the ills of our times and that hope is in the youths”.
The
researcher will attempt to state the energetic nature of youth class in Oredo
Local Government. The hope of the rural communities is to have access to the
provision of the basic social amenities. But the way of achieving this hope
cannot be guaranteed by the government alone, but through the help or
contribution of the rural developers, moreover no community should see rural
development as the sole responsibility of the community development officers, in
order not to experience law level development, unemployment, starvation and
poor health care, government can no longer or finds it difficult to satisfy all
these needs due to the enormity of the task on her, hence from time immemorial,
youths have been assisting the elders in the development of their areas. Their
participation is very essential and this further boosts national
development.
1.1
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
THE PEOPLE: Majority of the people that stay within Oredo Local
Government area are from Edo (Bini), though there are people from other parts
of the State being among the indigenes. The number of people residing there is
relatively more compared to other local government due to development that has
come to the place.
The culture
of the people is rich and unadulterated, which has its origin in Edo (Bini). It
has its statutes, morals, beliefs and values, social, religious and political
institution. There are also ancestral cults to which every person is born into;
to deny them is to deny one’s birth right and citizenship. Their cultural
values also affect their marriage, ceremonies, new yam festivals, burial
ceremonies and their cultural dances.
Their
main occupation they practice is farming and palm wine tapping, crops grown
there includes yam, groundnut, etc. Though there are many white-colar jobs due
to development of the area but their main occupation is farming.
The Youth: The youth have a storage formation where they come together
and talk on pressing issues concerning the community. They help in keeping the
law of the land and try to influence the decision of the leaders through their
reactions.
1.2
STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM
This
study is to investigate the various problems in Oredo Local Government and how
the youth can be involved in the developmental process in their community. This
study will also focus attention on how the result of the investigation could be
applied to the problems on ground. An attempt would be made to identify the
immediate and remote causes of the problem.
1.3
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.
Do
the members of the community appreciate youth efforts towards community
development projects?
2.
What
is level of youth involvement in community development project in Oredo Local
Government Area?
3.
What
is the level of awareness and consciousness of youths towards the improvement
of their communities?
4.
Does
land dispute stand as a militating force to youth participation in community
development?
1.4
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
In
this kind of study, there are bound to be argument for and against as to the
qualification of youth’s participation in community development activities. To
avoid being biased, hypotheses became necessary to be designed, tested and to
serve as guidelines.
The hypotheses
to be tested in this study are as follows:
1.
That
youth’s efforts in community development project are appreciated by other members
of the community.
2.
That
there is increasing rate of youth involvement in community development projects
in Oredo Local Government Area.
3.
That
the level of awareness and consciousness of youth towards the improvement of
their communities has increased.
4.
That
the major factor militating against youth participation is land dispute.
1.5
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
major purpose of this study is to consider the role of youths in the
development of their rural and local communities.
1.
To
analyze the various factors contributing to the effective mobilization of
youths for participation in community development.
2.
To
bring into light the efforts of the youths in bridging the gap of development
between the rural communities and urban centres.
3.
To
evaluate the different functions performed by the youths and community leaders
in ensuring the successful execution of a project.
4.
To
determine the extent of involvement of youths in community development.
5.
It
is also the objective of this research work to find out how existing unity
among the youth in our rural area can promote peace.
6.
The
study will look into the activities of the youths in the development of their
rural communities and to suggest ways of improvement.
7.
To
access the contribution of the youth in terms of financial and social
organization in uplifting the living standard of the people.
8.
To
find out and suggest ways and means through which the government, social
workers and other social agencies can be involved for effective development.
1.6
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
For
the purpose of proper understanding, this study shall have its main focus on
the rural areas (communities) within the shores of Oredo Local Government Area
of Edo State.
1.7
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
researcher believes that this study is of great importance. It will be of good
use to know the degree of youth involvement in self help projects. This study
will make people know that youth possess productive talent ability of which
they need to be harnessed for the execution of community development projects.
It is
significant because most teachings and learning are carried out today by youths
whose studies are focused on involvement in developmental process such as adult
literacy programme to discipline, reading, writing among illiterates in the
community.
The result
of this study is likely to provide useful data for exports in youth research.
1.8
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
There
are many limitations encountered in the process of gathering the necessary
information for this research work. Thus;
a.
Information
was obtained through interviews during which some of the respondents felt
reluctant to answer some questions relating to their activities in the area
where they lived.
b.
There
was inadequate finance to carry out most of the work expected to be done during
the data collection.
c.
Another
problem was time wasted where information were hardly retrieved.
d.
Time
was yet another factor that posed a set back to information gathering for this
research work, since it was done along side with normal school lectures, as a result,
time was too short for comprehensive collection of data.
e.
Lack
of sufficient literature highlighting youth activities in the area of rural
development was another limitation.
1.9
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
The
researcher wishes to define the major concepts in this research work which
include:
a.
Role: This is defined according to Oxford
Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary as a prescribed functions or functions an
individual is expected to do in any given situation; it could also mean the
part played on a real life situation.
b.
Youth: Youth can be defined as young people
who have stopped being children but are not yet fully accepted as adults. They
are usually called youth because they are strong, young, dynamic and very
active in the society.
The
rational youth policy defines youth as all those within the age range of
fourteen and forty (14 – 40) years. By implication, anyone above forty years of
age is not a youth and should not be regarded as such. It is assumed however
that any person or persons within 14 – 40 years can contribute their quota to
the development of their communities. Therefore any attempt by any organization
or community to isolate them in the formation of their development association
is bound to fail. So it is advisable to include youth in such organization in
order to achieve success.
c.
Rural Development: The role of youth in rural
development cannot be fully understood without the definition of the key words
in the concept of rural development.
Rural
is defined as a local/community/village setting while development connotes the
act or process of developing or being developed. The concept of rural
development stems from the fact that most rural set up are under developed,
hence it was designed to promote better living condition for the whole
community especially the rural communities. Rural development has acquired so
many definitions from individuals and different schools of thought (Oxford Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, 2nd ed.).
According
to the United Nation (1966), the term community development is the process by
which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of government
authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural condition of
communities to integrate those communities into the life of the nation and to
enable them to contribute fully to national progress. For the purpose of this
study, community development is an organized communal effort designed to raise
the standard of living of the inhabitants of a particular area, which may
include physical and non-physical structures. It is also a way of accomplishing
local betterment through willful cooperation and mutual understanding between
the members of the community.
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