The Land Question And Agricultural Production Among Women In Ozalla Community, Edo State, Nigeria

Thc plight of Nigerian women in terms of their developmental and economic opportunities is often circumscribed by gender discrimination. They have continued to suffer the disadvantages of an unequal household division oflabour, barriers to ownership of communal land, discriminatory inheritance practices which are grounded in deep-rooted customary practices that stcm from ingrained presumptions about the role and statlls ofwomen vis-a-vis men. Using Ozalla Community, Edo State, Nigeria, this paper examines the gender dimensions of the land question as a principal economic resource that attracts constant disputes, with particular reference to women's right of access to land and the need for ownership of land, so as to enhance their level of food production and living standard. This is imperative, because, in this community, a woman's right to use land is pegged on her marital status. If she is abandoned, divorced or becomes widowed, she may likely loose her right to the land that has been hI. source of survival. It is a patrilineal community with a g. (ontocratic style of mlership, which is seen as retrogressive with little room for change. A combination ofmethods was used in the study. They include survey method to generate quantitative data, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and case studies for the qualitative data

Rural-Urban Migration And Agricultural Development In Nigeria

Dliven by the lack of opportunities for remunerative "wk, despairing of even the most minimal social amenities, and dreading the prospect of a life time of back breaking labour for pitifully meager economic rewards, hundreds of thousands of young men and women abandon the countryside and migrate to the cities. This paper therefore examinL this trend of events and the multiplier effects as peO];j~ move from the countryside to the cities in search of white collar jobs and the severe effects this has had on agricultural production in rural Nigeria. The study is both exploratory and descriptive using both content analysis and survey research involving descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. The findings revealed that ruralurban migration is selective of age, marital status, and educational background while the primary reason for the movement is to better themselves economically. Also, that the massi ve influx of people to the urban centres is due to the dearth in rural infrastructure and economic opportunities and the neglect suffered by the agricultural sector. The position of this paper is that more proactive measures be adopted in rural infrastructural development. It further recommends that government should adopt and enforce policies that will create the enabling environment for rural transformation and agricultural development in Nigeria, especially in terms of policy formulation, articulation and implementation that would eventually enhance the living conditions of rural dwellers

Patriarchy and Women's Agricultural Production in Rural Nigeria

The crucial importance of women's contribution to food security in developing countries like Nigeria cannot be over emphasized. It is estimated that about 80% of women in rural areas are engaged in food crops production. Rural women are regarded as the mainstay of small scale agriculture. In most developing countries such as Nigeria, the concern for increasing women's economic participation especially in food production can be seen within the wider general concern to alleviate the economic conditions of the poor households, esp cially those in the rural sector, majority ofwhom are-women and who occupy lower socioeconomic status compared to their male counterparts. Nigeria is a patriarchal society and inheritance is patrilineal which invariably--creates severe cultural inhibitions to the aspiration and productive capacity of women. This paper therefore discusses the constraints faced by women in Nigeria as producers and income earners for their families by focusing on women's burden of reproduction, decision making power, access to and ownership of land, capital, information and technology. In discussing this, it is recognized that both women and men are an integral part of the solution to increasing agricultural productivity and improving household food security and nutrition

LAND OWNERSHIP PATTERNS AND THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF WOMEN: A STUDY OF OZALLA COMMUNITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

This study was carried out in Ozalla community, Edo State, Nigeria, which is an area that is rural and agrarian and where the level of literacy is quite low. It focused on the challenges faced by women in their quest for land, including the difference between access to land and ownership of land and how this affects the economic life of rural women. The theoretical framework centred on two related theories, namely the conflict theory and the African feminist theory. A combination of methods was used in the study. It employed the survey method for the quantitative data as well as in-depth interviews and focus group discussions for the qualitative data. The area was stratified on the basis of quarters and 789 women were randomly selected for interview using systematic sampling technique. The qualitative method involved the use of eight in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions sessions. Four hypotheses were tested. The results showed that women’s status to inherited land significantly determines the amount of food crops produced in acres. Also, women’s status to the land cultivated significantly determines the level of their income from farming for monthly expenses. However, women’s status to the land cultivated did not determine their access to credit facilities for farming. And, women’s status to inherited land significantly determines the decision on choice of crops to cultivate. Results from the qualitative analyses, which corroborate the quantitative data, show that women in Ozalla community only have access to land but not ownership. Also, ownership of land did not affect how credit facilities were attained as both men and women did not benefit such from the government, development banks and micro finance banks or even from the local government. Men have control over land and other properties because women are usually not considered or consulted when issues of inheritance are discussed. In addition, women’s status to land determined the choice of crops to grow. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that, because of its retrogressive nature, gerontocratic rule should be gradually replaced by the prescribed model of kingship and succession rule that would guarantee a dynamic and progressive style of rulership in Ozalla community. Also, women should be considered in inheritance rights through modification of cultural practices guaranteed by adequate enforcement of the statutory law and review of the customary law in Ozalla community. In addition, government must be responsive to the plight of rural women, and family relations, especially a woman’s brothers or brothers of a deceased husband should be accommodating and understanding in handling women’s demands such as the need for land to farm

Religion And Its Attendant Conflicts In Nigerian: A Paradox

Religion, ideally, is not an arena of conflict. Rather it is man‟s attempt to find and maintain peaceful relations with the supernatural powers and his fellow human beings. Unfortunately, the management of religion and the organization of different bodies of believers and worshippers have given rise to conflicts in Nigeria. In particular, adherents of the universalistic religions, Islam and Christianity, together with their sects, have clashed over situational supremacy, access to prestige, power and privilege, information management, most especially, in relation to the political sphere in Nigeria. This research paper therefore examines the consequent effect of these disruptions in a secular State like Nigeria, especially on peaceful co-existence, life and property, including its social, economic and political environment, all of which could have been avoided

SUSTAINING THE VALUES AND VIRTUES OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTIONEERING PROCESS IN NIGERIA

This paper explores the ideals of political participation and the values and virtues it is supposed to propagate in a democratic setting as we approach the threshold of a new political dispensation. It takes a historical review of the electioneering process in Nigeria and how this has been riddled with thuggery, rigging of elections, god fatherism, political praise singing, constitutional manipulations and amendments to favour the party in power. Cases of assassinations, arson and murder have occurred as a way of destabilizing the opposition. Corruption has become the order of the day while the need for capacity building has been completely neglected. The culture of poverty has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society and so people sell their votes to the detriment of the political process. It concludes with the assertion that only an independent electoral commission free from governmental interference is desirable for the co1mtry. Also is the need for us to change our values towards selflessness, sincerity and integrity so as to enhance the gains of our nascent democracy