THE AUTONOMY QUESTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examines the nexus between the autonomy question of local government and socio-economic development in rural Nigeria. It adopted the sustainable development theory, and relied on qualitative data, with extensive utilization of journal articles, monographs, magazines, and relevant web pages. The analysis were purely descriptive and content based (i.e content analysis), wherein inferences were drawn. The paper unraveled that despite the imperativeness of local government autonomy to rural socioeconomic development, there has been persistence issues of excessively interference (politically and economically) by both state and federal government. In this regard, emphases were thus placed on, among other things, instilling in the minds of the populace a favorable attitude toward accepting as well as adhering to local government autonomy and discouraging practices that will favour excessive usurpation of powers of local government by state governments in the country. The paper suggested among others that full (political and economic) autonomy should be granted to local governments, and therefore the federal government of Nigeria should urgently approve the revised federal constitution for Down up financial relationship.