The politics and administration of community development in the Rivers State of Nigeria

This thesis is about the politics and administration of community development in the Rivers State of Nigeria, Prior to the creation of the Rivers State in 1967, efforts had been made by the people to improve their local communities; and the people's attainment of political autonomy presented enormous challenge in the task of local development. Today, both at the local and state government levels, resources are mobilised so as to improve living conditions in the state. There are new expectations in a new state. At the local level, there are different participants in community development, namely, planning committees, chiefs, elders, youths and communal patrons. However, neither are all participants in community development united, nor is there a widespread consensus about political interests and values among the people. In some communities, there are political disputes and power struggles among the different participants, thus affecting the pace of local development. Nevertheless, all the participants appreciate the need for development. At the official level, there are planning bodies. Rural Development Officers, Sole Authorities, Permanent Secretaries and Commissioners who make or influence decisions in respect of community development. Of the different participants in community development, this work shows that those of the patron class are the most eminent, not only in the locality but also in the public service. Hence the patron is in a position to play a 'linkage role' between the locality and Port Harcourt, the seat of administration. The linkage role of the patron largely explains the fact that rural polyethnic politics is projected into Port Harcourt, Hence this thesis casts light on: the politics of communalism, the activities of the. different participants in community development and the emergence of community influentials. One of the main themes of the thesis is that, given the general pattern of expectations in a new state, even as an administrator, the community influential (the patron) will always protect the interest (whether they be real or imagined) of his people. In short, the main argument is that administration has no purpose other than to serve the political goals of the different communities in the State