LOCAL-GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AS A SPATIAL FRAMEWORK FOR RURAL-DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Rural development has attracted attention from many quarters. The present administration in Nigeria is particularly anxious to bring it about in the shortest time possible. But most of the discussions of rural development tend to neglect the vital link between it and administrative structure. This paper therefore stresses the role which an appropriate administrative arrangement can play in bringing about rural development. The paper reviews the various efforts that Nigeria has made since 1950 to derive a suitable local administrative structure. It focuses on the 1976 reform and shows how it has failed to provide a suitable spatial framework for rural development. Based on the experiences of the past and the realities of the present, some principles are put forward as guidelines for an effective local administrative structure. Finally, an administrative arrangement which is development oriented and comprehensive enough to cater for the interest of all communities is proposed. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.