THE ROLE OF ASSOCIATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (A CASE STUDY OF AGULU

IN ANAOCHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA)

CHAPTER ONE

                                  INTRODUCTION

1.1        BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Throughout  history,  human  societies  have  continually  strove to  develop in  one way  or the  other, although at different place   and  measure   the development is a  universal   phenomenon   commonly  linked with  human  beings.

Everywhere,  man   is faced with  the  task   of  rising  above his  material   limitations  through  providing   for his  needs   and improving  the  quality  of  his  material well  being and   efficiency   of tools. 

        In this study, the  concept  of  development  is  taken to the  sequence  of  changes that is aimed  as  improving   the  socio-economic, political and cultural  life of a   people.

        In  this content of  this work, community   development may  be  defined  as operationally as the conscious  self  help  without  the  assistance  from  the  government  for  the  provisions  of certain  basic  socio-economic infrastructure  that basic necessary   or  required  in the  raising   of the  standard   of living   of the   people  while  discouraging  rural,  urban  drift.

        In Nigeria, communities  in different  parts of the  country  have  over  years engaged  themselves  in several  development  activities  in  an attempt   to provide some  basic infrastructure  that  would   make   life  more   meaning  to the  members   of their  communities. They no longer wait   or depend   solely   on  their local, state   or  federal  for provision  of the development  community  has become popular, in  recent  times  communities  has become   increasing   more, and the  unability  of the   various government   to provide   for them, all  their  needs.  This trends of the  development further  call  on  various local   institutions  in the  private  sector, in  other   words  non-government  organization  (NGO)  to  supplement   government  efforts  in  development   of their  localities.

        The  complementary role   played by there community based association (CBA) such  as  community   friends, age grade unions,  woman  associates , member  of  city  club in the  Agulu e.t.c  have  created  some  positive  impact  on  provision  financial  assistance  skills and  provisions specific services.

        Our major  concern  here  is  the communities  based associates   with  participation   reference  to Agulu in  Anaocha local government area  in Anambra state.

        It is  also  patient  to  mention  that he  role   gab in condition of living  existing between  the  rural and  urban area  has posed  as services  challenge   to   success  government  n  Nigeria. The  methods  adopted  to bridge   the   gap  have  even   proven  more   pragmatic  as  there   has never been  a   conscious on  the best  approach  to  use   in  developing.

        This study   is an  attempt   to took at a  typical  rural area in  Anambra  state (Anaocha   local  government   area) and to   see how it has   been   trying  to surmount  its development problems.

1.2 STATEMENT  OF THE PROBLEM 

From the colonial  era  to the present  attempt  have been made  to  develop  the  rural   areas  with  titles   or no  results. This  the  concept   how has been  written  and   discussed  in  recent  years. Majority   of rural  area   live  in sub-standard  houses  poor environmental   and unplanned   rural  communities.  But   the  most  strictly   features   is infrastructure such as  hospitals, schools pipe-born   water electricity, industries, good roads   and recreational  facilities  are  generally   lacking  in   most   Nigeria  rural  areas. Further more, the  problems  of unemployment,  the  wide  different  income between  intellectual  and manual  labour of which is certain cases have reinforced each other cases have reinforced each  other to result  in  massive  rural  urban  migration especially  among  young  productive  age grade  group.

        In Nigeria at various levels, government  have recognized  the problems  suffered  by rural residents  has  not only  been a top  of discussion  among  lanners, academicians pollution   and the press, but   also has  been  a subject  of significant  attestation.

        Since  government alone cannot provide    for all the   needs   of rural  communities, it has  intensified   its dall on  the  rural communities  non- government  organizations   and  individuals to engage  in self- help  project as a way of   complementing government  efforts. Most  government  f  federal , state and   local levels in this  respect  have provided   marching  grant  to assist communities  and  completed  self help   projects.

        To a large  extent, this  new orientation is rapidly  yielding  some good results as most  rural  communities  in  recent times embark  on various  viable  projects that  accord hem a face new lease  of life. Today  a good   number  of communities  in Agulu  Anaocha   local  government  area  in  Anambra state  have in  recent  times  especially  from  the 1970’s  became development  conscious  as various  organizations  begin to  emerge   and  successful  embarked  on several  development  projects  in the area. Indeed  community   based on  associations   constitute  a potential force in  the development  other their  communities.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY                   

        The purpose of his  study   is to ascertain the impact of Community Base Association (CBA) in the development of communities, particularly Agulu,  Anaocha Local Government Area in Anambra State.  

        This work aims therefore, to example the contributions of Community Based Association (CBA) in the developmental process of rural communities in Agulu, it is also aimed at enlightening the public on the need or  importance and role (CBA) in buying a face lift to  the standard of living of rural communities development programmes by the association and the implementation of such programme Vis-a vis their effects on the development and welfare of the inhabitant of the Agulu people.

1.4  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

        The study is intended to asses the role of community based association in rural development. The importance of this study lies in the hope that  its findings would help to correct the enormous impression that rural people are opposed to change the result which would also serve as panacea in bringing about a change in policy formulation and implementation which fails to incorporate the local people.. it is hoped that the solutions, if properly adopte4d would lead to the speedily development of the rural areas and make Nigeria neglect majority to have a taste of good living.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Scope of study covers the general evolution of the activities of community development actors in the areas of rural development in Nigerian local government and Agulu in Anaocha local government in particular. The analysis will cover the impact of community based association and community development committee (CDC) as agents and ling between the various communities and government in rural development.

        The work focused on the former and its community development programmes such as roads, schools, health facilities, water projects, electricity supplies.

        In the main research, it took at project aforementioned and the role of community development in Agulu forms essentially the basis of basis of this study. However, the role of the communities concerned is also of paramount importance in the study because realize are considered in the approach which depend largely on the community themselves.

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

It is purpose of this research work address and provide answers to the following question

1.  What are the contributions of good/bad people in community based association?

2.  What are the role of community base association in community development to make life more meaningful to members of their communities.

3.  What are the contributions of community based association

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

i. DEVELOPMENT;

The term development means different things to different people depending of the ideological beliefs on the issue in question and the period.

        Perhaps Billy Dudley seems to pose the basic question about the meaning of the development, when the said “ to ask about unemployment” what has been happening to inequality.

        Having seen the confusion inherent in attempt that we adopt a single definition as our working definition in this study. Nwogu observes that development therefore is the ability of a man to extract the natural and human resources for the betterment of the entire society.

        The definition here, according to him, development is a multi dimensional process involving changes in structures. Attitudes and institutions as well as the in quality and eradication of true development. True development must means the development of a man unfolding and realization of his creative organized and discipline which is the moving force behind the socio-economic transformation of society.

ii. RURAL AREA

Available literature on rural areas revisal that populations is the main characteristic that differentiate rural from urban area especially in the develop countries. Base upon this single characteristic (which is inadequately) Nigeria classifies any area with a population of 20,000 people and below as rural areas. Using the 1963 census figure of 55.5 million of people, over 44 million is 80% population in Nigeria are rural dweller.

        Population is not only character feature of rural areas in Nigeria, is includes also indicators such as depreciation, degradation and deprivation.

iii. RURAL DEVELOPMENT

        In terms of conceptualization more often than not, we often go back to the united nations definition of development because it contains some useful element that are relevant to the third world countries. Community development is thus defined by the U.N.

        The process by which the effort of people are with those of government Authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural conditions of the community to integrate these communities into the life of the nation and enable them contribute fully to national progress.

        It was also defined at the Cambridge summer conference of Africa Administration held in 1984.

        A movement designed to promote better living for the whole community with the active participation and if possible on the initiative is not forth coming spontaneously by the use techniques for arousing and stimulating it in order to secure its actions interest responses to the movement.

        The distinguishing factor in community development is that, it signs a move by the people themselves in effort to improve their level of living through self help projects.

iv. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (CDA)

C.D.A according to Steve Tamuno constitutes democracy and development. In other words, they are the vehicles through which the issues and aspirations of the people or issues affecting their lives are articulated, harnessed and executed.

v. NON GOVERNEMENT ORGANIZATION (NGO)

        Non governmental organization is organization that is not by government, understand the community where exist the government agencies. They usually constitute the catalyst for the self-help in rural communities as they make effective use of traditional customs value and authority structure.

vi. COMMUNITY BASED ASSOCIATION (CBA)

        This is the third man group within the non-governmental sector, which operates in various forms and otherwise known as people association, grass-root association, self-help or membership support association etc. community based association refers to a broad or self help process and institutions with different structure and varying capacities and characterized by voluntary participation mutual benefits and accountable leadership.

vii. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (CDC)

        This is a group of elected official of a community for the purpose of co-ordinating the self help development of that community.

        Membership will include representatives of improvement Union, development association, age group, woman and youth organization traditional rulers and community heads.