Rural development is the process of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people living in relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas. The competitive of rural community in Kogi state will not be under estimated if the increase on understanding the role individuals can discharge toward development.
In our society today most developmental expectation are hanged on the naked of government or leaders which has slowdown the rate of development. Though government as the sole proprietor of the state play cogent role toward this trend but this duty should not be entirely vested as part of it responsibility.
In the 90s dedicated missionary lay foundation of project which has being and is still being build on by present society, an examples in the state are the missionaries structures, layout, master plan, schools and the likes existing and still being in use within the state now.
Nigeria as a whole, is the grant of million naira that was giving by Michael Carnegie to university Ibadan library for the purchase of material, some were in the form of scholarship, voluntary services to the community, building of religion houses, schools, public toilet, etc.
In our contemporary society today, we have wealthy people such as highly placed politicians, business tycoon, academician etc, this people in their own little hand stretched can lay blocks in their community, buy a book to the library stocks, graze the access road in their street or construct road even if its 1.08km distance. If all this effort are consistence and put together, our road map to development will be easier and safe to flight.
The need for rural development cannot be overemphasized, for community to approach development from a wider perspective, it has to created more projects, conducive environment, focus on a broad range of development goals such as education, entrepreneurship, physical infrastructure and social infrastructure which all ploy an important role in developing rural regions.
Over the months, we have witness so many financial crime committed by individuals and group in our society while Justice has being slay to some, others are still hanging and yet, not a block has being lay down by such individual in their local community for general purposes which may have being considered as substitute granting them pardon/mercy, rather they will come over to the community, brag around with their wealth for the poor to envy or covet and at the end the rural head vested to them a chieftaincy titles.
To achieve this developmental trend the state in my opinion, rural development should be top-down from the local or regional authorities (local govt/state govt) to NGOs, business tycoon in the community, elites, political, and philanthropist groups. This group/individual could give their personal assistance towards construction of schools, equipment of schools with teaching aids and facilities, mobilizing toward towards waging war against indiscipline and social vices, construction of drainages, building of clinic where first aids can be administered, collaborating with investor to take a look at resources abundant in the community, provision of public toilets, pipe borne water.
Just as we have it in the NYSC scheme corp member personal project, individuals too should be merited by the community head at the end of their year based on their contribution through recognition and chieftaincy and not based on the wealth you have acquired, even intellectual/spiritual assistance and this will go a long way in making our society a better place aside govt intervention.
My Opinion…
– Kareem Onivehu A., a librarian/information specialist, writes from Lokoja.
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