BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT CRISIS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: CASE STUDY OF OKU-IBOKU AND IKOT OFFIONG

ABSTRACT
This study focused on the “Boundary Adjustment Crisis/dispute and socio-economic development in Nigeria, a study of Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong villages in Akwa Ibom State. The study sought to ascertain how the crisis/disputes have affected the socio-economic development parameters – like level of poverty, provision and sustainability of infrastructure and social amenities, unemployment, peaceful co-existence security of lives and property among others. Extant literature were reviewed and there is a common understanding that crisis/dispute is inevitable in all human societies and that factors that result to crisis/dispute are multi-dimensional. The Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong Crisis has been largely caused by the son of the soil syndrome or indigenous settler and the natural tendency to gain material resources by man. This was further buttressed by the social atavistic theory, which maintained that there is a natural tendency on the part of creatures to migrate, expand and dominate space or territory using a means possible- Peace or through force. It is therefore, the tendency to expand one’s territory breeds resistance or clash of occupations. A historical descriptive survey design was adopted. Both Primary and secondary data were utilized. The paper found out that Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong Crisis has affected the provision of infrastructure facilities in the area, it has led to increase in the level of poverty, youth unemployment etc. The study therefore recommends that a participatory or people oriented approach to curb conflict situation in our society or villages should be adopted.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page – – – – – – – – – i
Certification – – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – – iv
Abstract – – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Content – – – – – – – – vii
List of Tables – – – – – – – – – viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – – 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study – – – – – – 4
1.4 Research Questions – – – – – – – 4
1.5 Research Hypotheses – – – – – – – 5
1.6 Significance of the Study – – – – – – 6
1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study – – – – – 6
1.8 Definition of Terms – – – – – – – 7
1.9 Organization of the Study – – – – – – 7
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Impacts of Crisis on Socio-Economic Development – – – 11
2.1.1 Case Study – – – – – – – – 15
2.2 Theoretical Framework – – – – – – 17
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design – – – – – – – 20
3.2 Population of the Study – – – – – – 20
3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques – – – – – 20
3.4 Instrument of Data Collection – – – – – 22
3.5 Validation of Instrument – – – – – – 22
3.6 Method of Data Collection – – – – – – 22
3.7 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – – 23
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA, PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction – – – – – – – – 25
4.2 Testing of Hypothesis – – – – – – 29
4.3 Discussion of Findings – – – – – – 34
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – 37
5.1 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 37
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – 38
References

LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 – – – – – – – – – 25
Table 4.2 – – – – – – – – – 26
Table 4.3 – – – – – – – – – 27

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Research has made it clear that human history is characterized by crisis. There is now consensus among scholars on the inevitability of crisis in relations among human beings (Weeks, 1992; Fraiser and Hopel 1984; Burton, 1997). What therefore differs is the approach or strategy adopted to resolve or manage crisis that arises from boundary adjustment situation. The effectiveness or otherwise of the management of crisis is itself largely dependent on how the causes of the conflict have been understood.
Boundary adjustment crisis may therefore be seen as contradictions arising from differences in the interest, ideas, ideologies, orientations and precipitous tendencies of the people concerned. These contradictions are inherent at all levels of social and economic interactions of human race, it may therefore exist at individuals, groups, institutional, regional, national and international.
Nnoli (1998), postulates that a social conflict occurs “when two or more actors oppose each other in social interaction, reciprocally exerting social power in an effort to attain scarce or incompatible goals and prevent the opponent from attaining them. Boundary adjustment crisis constitutes some of the major recurring problems bedevelling socio-economic development in Akwa Ibom State and the country at large.
Achieving sustainable development has become a difficult task for nations, in spite of effort put forth by development experts to bring about development. The term sustainable development was brought into common use by the world commission on environment and development (WECD) in its 1987 seminar report titled “Our Common Future”. In a more broad and encompassing definition, sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own need. Hence, it has been argued that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of disunity, rancor and crisis.
Since the creation of Akwa Ibom State in 1987, it has experienced inter-community crisis caused by boundary adjustment, some of the notable examples include: Idua Essang vs. Udung OIkum in Oron, Ikot Umo Essien vs. Obot Akara in Ini, Obot Itu vs. Obodio in Itu, Ika vs. Ukanafun in Oruk Anam, Mbiankon vs. Enaan Ikot Eboh in Uruan, Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong in Itu Local Government Area etc. One common features of these boundary crisis, has to do with confrontational and violence dimension which led to losses of lives and property of the people who hitherto lived together in relative harmony.

Oku-Iboku vs. Ikot Offiong boundary adjustment crisis which lasted for more than 17years has shown how communal co-existence could be ruptured with attendant disastrous consequences on the social, economic, agricultural, cultural, political and educational life of the people. This crisis ha negatively affect the agricultural aspects of life, because of their wide engagement in farming which they normally produce the following farm products that normally flourish our Itam metropolitan market such as: fresh pepper, fresh fish, vegetable, garri, okra, garden eggs, etc, but due to this crisis, these crops are being destroyed and abandoned because of fear of death.
Boundary crisis is antithetical to socio-economic development as well as sustainable development, this is because development can only be sustained in an environment that is free at rancor, killings, destruction of lives and properties. The consequence of Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong crisis to the communities in particular Itu Local Government Area and Akwa Ibom State in general is quite devastating and grievous which its impact includes general insecurity, armed robbery, prolonged dislocation of families, poverty, more violent struggle for power, low infrastructural development, vandalization of infrastructures, social amenities and lack of employment.
It is against this backdrop that the researcher is interested to probe into studying the boundary adjustment crisis and socio-economic development using the case of Oku-Iboku vs. Ikot Offiong as well as bring forth strategies and approaches suitable for resolving boundary crisis in the area.

1.2 Statement of Research Problems
Crisis as earlier said, is inevitable to human beings and cannot be overemphasized. In view of this, various communities in the state are victims of this circumstances of boundary adjustment crises/dispute. The Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong Crisis has affected the socio-economic development and activities in the study area and Nigeria in general.
This is because most of the socio-economic activities that has been taking place in the area such as; farming, fishing, palm wine tapping, refining of local gin, trading and many others are no more going on as a result of this crisis. Also, houses and structures worth billion of naira are burnt down, this has negatively affected the social well being of the people, because some of their children have withdrawn from school, in the other side of Oku-Iboku house rent has been increased and funds meant for socio-economic development were channeled for protection of lives and properties leading to displacement of priorities.
Farming and fishing which was the major source of income and sustenance have seized, it also affect the socio-economic development because the Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong people where the major producers of fresh pepper, garden egg, vegetable, fresh fish etc that has been flourishing our Itam metropolitan market, also bringing neighbouring state like Aba into trading relationship in order to strengthen our economy, but since the escalation of the crisis tends to become dormant.
Thus, it is important to note that most boundary crisis/dispute crisis as the insult of struggle over farm land, water and air space. The Oku-Iboku and Ikot Offiong crisis/dispute arose as a result of son of the soil syndrome, could it be that of traditional and cultural differences? Is it as a result of bias historical information?