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| The Intermittent Conflict and the Challenges of Rural Development in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria |
Cinjel Nandes Dickson (Ph.D.), Arinzechi Nneka Peace, Fortune Okwah Chujor
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Abstract:
The intermittent conflict in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State has become a recurrent nightmare that kept re-occurring despite several interventions by both the local, state and national government to put a lasting solution to it. The conflict is chiefly between the herders who are predominantly the Fulani and the farmers who are the Tiv. The recurrent conflicts has impacted negatively on rural development; this is manifested in the form of poor agricultural production, food insecurities, decline in socio - economic activities, population displacement and many others. The study adopted a combination of methods; first, we relied on secondary data drawn from an array of published and unpublished materials relevant to the study - books, journals, magazines, conference and seminar papers and newspaper. Other sources of secondary data were archival materials, memoranda, reports, white papers of investigation panel and commission of inquiry. Primary data was generated using a two pronged participatory method which combined key informants, interview and focused group discussion. In interpreting out data, the relationship between the conflicts and rural development was established at both theoretical and empirical levels. Empirically, we used a qualitative and historical method that was critical and analytical in providing descriptive and historical details. The study established that land, land resources and crop damages are at the heart of the protracted conflicts in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. Recommendations such as: the need for developmental programme, reform of agrarian policies to carter for both the farmer and the herder, redesigning of functional mechanism to nip the conflict in it bud and many others were proffered.
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