COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF RURAL PEOPLE'S LIFE

1.1 Introduction

The word community is referred to all people living in a specific place, such as a traditional group of people found within a particular region. Community development includes the development of the community members or building the capacity of people for them to reach their full potential. It includes any process that enables the community to improve their standard of living through their own efforts and sometimes in co-operation with agencies from outside their community. Community development workers, such as community health workers should work as agents of change where they facilitate community groups or individuals to bring about improvements themselves. They should enable groups to identify their needs and evaluate the progress they are making in achieving their goals (Friedman et al., 2006).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Traditional rulers have been the basis of local government in most of Africa throughout history. In pre-colonial Africa, African societies were ruled by kings supported by a hierarchy of chiefs and councillors or advisors. These traditional leaders served as political, military, spiritual and cultural leaders and were regarded as custodians of the values of society.

A local government is recognized through its function and the purpose it serve or makes to the local populace. It sees to the cultural, political social and economic development of the people within its jurisdiction towards ensuring the improvement of their living standard and to bring about better living condition. The local populace or people are however the rural dwellers. The question that really comes to mind is why community transformation or who should contribute to community development and transformation. Noticeably, community transformation and local government are interrelated. Hence they work hand in hand.

Community transformation implies that changes and innovation under modernization of sub-tons within the local government which are very far away to the state or regional government. However, it should be emphasized that the experienced colonial administration of the birth in Nigeria before independence in 1960 brought a great set back in the grass root development and community transformation which was a result of the selfish interest of the British government, in other words, one can say that colonial administration has exploited both the human and nature resources of community people through various means such as: force labour high taxation, indirect rule system of government and imbalance of payment in trade exercise and thus left rural area underdeveloped therefore, in an attempt to reduce the problems created by the British government administration if not totally bring about it eradication, the federal government in 1976 launched a nationwide local government reform which was attempt to aimed at trying local government under the same umbrella for effective and sufficient administration and to mark uniformity in their development which now pave way for turning point the history of local government.

The objective of federal government blue print called the guideline for local government reform was improve the quality and image of local government all over Nigeria an effective local government is better placed as a government of the grass root for the development or rural area. In the words of education sovina, it involves a through on-going transformation of social structure and extensive mobilization and motivation of the masses. However, a government that is for away from the day to day realities of rural areas is unlikely to be required with the task of rural transaction and development in us also has this view, local government are total government worth as basic tissue are to human bodily, without which government will not frugality. Community transformation as part of local government endeavor as part of local government endeavor shall be discussed in subsequent chapter ahead.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Community Development as an Instrument for Improving the Quality of Rural People's Life.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that most local government authorities are still financially handicapped and needed expansion on their revenue base. In must local government are charged with a lot of responsibilities and functions and thus, their self generated revenue or internally generated resources are insufficient to meet required needs of its people dutiful tasks under the constitution and guideline are to meet or provides both social political, culture and economic needs of its populace.

In order to ascertain the viability and genius in transformation and development of rural areas of Ilorin south local government of Kwara state. The following statement could be distribution analysis of social development in rural areas, the distribution analysis of social political and economic activities for the areas and its people

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Community Development as an Instrument for Improving the Quality of Rural People's Life. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the level of grass root transformation and development that has been attained so far in time provision of rural essential facilities
2. To examine the success and failure of Ilorin south local government in grass root transformation as well as the factors responsible for those functions and responsible suggestion to rectify the situations.
3. To identify the problem that the grass root transformation is facing and on basic of this make recommendation as possible solution to the identified problem.
4. To proffer solution to the problems lastly to know the historical background of Ilorin south local government area of Kwara State.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What is the level of grass root transformation and development that has been attain in Ilorin south local government of Kwara state?
• What is the problem that the grass root transformation is facing?
• What is the success and failure of Ilorin south local government in grass root transformation as well as the factors responsible for those functions and responsible suggestion to rectify the situations?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant level of community grass root transformation and development that has been attain in Ilorin south local government of Kwara State
• H1: There is a significant level of community grass root transformation and development that has been attain in Ilorin south local government of Kwara State

1.7 Significance of Study

The project will be great importance to government in terms of planning implementation and transformation programmed; the study will contribute to body of existing knowledge.

It will serve as guidance to the local government especially the decision making.

This study will be of immense benefit to students of public administration and other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Community Development as an Instrument for Improving the Quality of Rural People's Life in Ilorin south local government of Kwara State.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.10 Definition of Terms

Community: A place in which an interacting group of people living in the same territory; town, village, suburb, or neighborhood. In this study, it means a trait or concern commonly shared by people, children, and youths in terms of social relations characterized by personal intimacy, emotional ties and social cohesion.

Development: Is regarded as a continuous process of positive changes in the quality and span life of a person or group of persons. Thus ‘Development' used in this context is more meaningful when it has to do with progressive improvement in the quality and living standards of the people pertaining to their aspirations and resources at their disposal.

Local Government: The government at the grassroots level in a Federal system like Nigeria and headed by a democratically elected chairman or sole administrator appointed by the governor of the state.