ABSTRACT
The
major purpose of this study is to determine the impact of interpersonal
communication in conflict and community
development with a particular reference to Ivo Local Government Area.
Data collection was based on questionnaire and oral interview and the data was
analyzed with percentage, finally the
hypothesis was tested using correlation method. It was discovered that
interpersonal communication plays a vital role towards conflict resolution and community
development. The study also narrates how interpersonal communication serves as
a medium of communication used in conflict resolution and initiation of
development policy. It was on the basis of the above findings, that it was
recommended among other things to the opinion leaders peace committee and
community leaders to gather with community developers, that interpersonal
communication is the best approach of communication because of its face to face
and immediate feedback during interaction . However this medium of
communication should be used in dialoguing policies in conflict resolution and
community development.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1 background
of the study
1.2 statement
of the problems
1.3 Research
questions
1.4 Purpose
of the study
1.5 Research
hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the study
1.7 Scope
of the study
1.8 Limitation
of the study
1.9 Definition
of terms
1.10
Organization of the study
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
REVIEW
The
meaning and nature of communication
The
origin of the word communication
The
process of communication
The
major types of communication
Level
of communication
Meaning and nature of interpersonal communication
The
nature of interpersonal communication
The
meaning and nature of conflict
The
meaning and nature of community development
2.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Theory
of conflict resolution and analysis propounded by Morton Deutsh in 1973
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research design
3.2
Area of the Study
3.3
Population of the study
3.4
Sample and sampling techniques.
3.5
Method of data collection
3.6
Instrument for data collection
3.7
Reliability of the instrument
3.8
Validity of the instrument
3.9
distribution and retrieval of instrument
3.10
Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.2
Analysis of research questions –
4.3
Testing of hypothesis –
4.4
Interpretation of Hypothesis-
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLYUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1
Summary of findings
5.2
Conclusion
5.3
Recommendation
References
Appendix
A
Appendix
B
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Communication
is the life wire of every living organism. To live is to communicate what a
cell does in every living organism is exactly what communication does to human
being and it entire environment. Communication is the eye through which people
sees other peoples mind and know their intention and adapt to it and restore
ecological harmony which will enhance development within them.
For the cause of this research work,
I will rest my study to a branch of communication known as interpersonal
communication. Because of its authenticity and accuracy in generating
information as a result of face to face interaction and immediate feedback in
nature.
The importance of interpersonal
communication in conflict resolution and community development” cannot be over
emphasized in Nigeria and the entire world. Interpersonal communication have
played a vital role in conflict
resolution and community development. Interpersonal communication is
very vital necessary in community development, because of the function it
performed in establishing unity within the communities that made up the Ivo
Local government Area in Ebonyi State.
The functions interpersonal
communication can perform will be enumerated as follows settlement of land
dispute, rural conflict intertribal crisis and other controversies among the
communities. Interpersonal communication will be very-very vital in all
endevour because it will enhance development in the community through dialogue
because through communication there will be peace it is certain to have
progress with development in our various communities.
According to Chibuzor Asomugha and
Anwuli Chukwukaelo (2014:32) Communication which is used in everyday life from
greeting process of sending and receiving message that enables human to share
knowledge ideas thought, information feelings emotion and attitudes. According to Nweneme (2009:21) interpersonal
communication is the type of communication which occurs between two persons in
face to face communication encounter.
He
added that during interpersonal communication contact, it made between
personal, one act as a sender or source the other act as a receiver or decoder.
According to Agbo and Ezinwa (2008: 68) interpersonal communication cannot exist
in a vacuum, they must be some form of
human interaction or contact, persons must be involved. Finally Okunna
(1999:16) said that it is a type of communication that take place between or
among persons predominantly in a face to face situation, she added that
interpersonal communication include public speech panel discussion,board
meeting and social conversation. She also stated that this type of
communication can as a well take place in a small micro group gathering such as
village meeting round table discussion
or meeting of academic and non academic staff on the other way community
development can be defined according to Eberinwa (2011:109) as a movement
designed to promote living for the whole community with the active
participation and if possible on the initiative of the community but if this is
not forth coming spontaneously by the use of techniques for arousing and
stimulating it in order to secure its active and enthusiastic response to the
movement. According to Onwuka (2008:13) he see community development as a process by which effort of the people
themselves are united with that government authority to improve the economic,
social and political/cultural condition of the people to enable them contribute
fully to the national progress. He added that community development makes it
possible for the participation of people. Themselves in effort to improve their
level of living standard with much reliance on their own initiative and
priority as possible on the provision of technical and other services in a way
that will encourage efficiency and effectiveness in development of the
communities. However the term conflict means misunderstanding, controversy and
situation that is so un-conducive to people and their programmes. Why
resolution is a process that involves
discussion or dialogue to bring to an end of any conflict and restore harmony
in our organization finally to identify the evolution of my case of study “Ivo
Local Government area in Ebonyi State was created out from old Ohazara in formal
Imo State and located in Ebonyi south. It is made up of two communities which
are Isiagu and Akaeze
Interpersonal communication has
helped immensely in resolving of conflicts and as well encourage development in
Ivo Local government Area entirely such conflicts
resolved and development achieved can be list as follows settlement of
political crisis, interperty crisis that erupted in Akaze in the year 2003 and
other communal conflict and land dispute between the two communities. On the
other hand development achieved can be enumerated as follows; building of
maternity home, hospital, school, pipe borne water, market etc which promote
the standard of living of the people within the local government
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The
researcher wants to look at problems conflict and controversies which exist in
Ivo Local government area how it have hinder development. The problems will be
stated as follows;
1. The
political crisis that exist between the two communities that made up the local
government in struggle of who will emerge as he local government chairman.
2. The
land dispute which erupted within the two communities in 1991 and other
communal crisis.
3. Problem
of bad road bad water electricity etc.
4. The
problem of identifying felt need.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
These
research questions will be enumerated as follows;
1. What
effort has interpersonal communication made towards resolving of political crisis in Ivo Local government area?
2. To
what extent has interpersonal communication been used as a means of identifying
the felt need of the people?
3. How
far has conflict withhold the development of the community?
4. What
was the role played by interpersonal communication as a means of dialogue and
discussion during 1991 land crisis between Akaeze and Isiagu?
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
main purpose of this research topic is to know interpersonal communication has
contributed immensely in the resolution of communal conflict, political crisis
land dispute and other controversies in Ivo local government area and it effort
in developing the communities within Ivo.
Moreover
to determine the extent to which rural dwellers in Ivo local government adhered
to interpersonal communication as a means of conflict resolution and community
development.
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The
following hypothesis was formulated to guide the study
Ho:
interpersonal communication make no effort towards resolving political crisis
in Ivo Local government area.
Hi:
interpersonal communication made effort towards resolving of political crisis
in Ivo local government area
Ho:
conflict has not withheld the development of the community
Hi:
conflict has withheld the development of the community.
Ho:
Dialogue and negotiation have never been a means of settling conflict and
identifying felt need of the community.
Hi:
dialogue and negotiation have been a means of settling conflict and identifying
the felt need of the community.
Ho:
community leaders and peace committee have not adhered to interpersonal
communication as a means of discussion.
Hi:
community leaders and peace committee have adhere to interpersonal
communication as a means of discussion.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This
study is out to inform people from Ivo local government area the impact of
interpersonal communication in resolving of conflict and development of the two
communities that made Ivo local government. The main impact of interpersonal
communication in Ivo L.G.A can be seen
below.
i.
Resolving of “2003) political crisis
through the help of interpersonal communication
political crisis erupted in Ivo L.G.A was successfully resolved.
ii.
Since people from Ivo L.G.A adopted the
system as a means of resolving conflict and other minor controversies there is
a decrease in conflict and increase in development because peace within them.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
scope of this study is to find out the problem and controversies that exists
and how those problems have hinder development on one hand. On the other hand,
how interpersonal communication will be use as means of solving them and
enhancing development. I this topic the researcher will limit the scope of the study in the
following groups of people, community
leaders, peace committee, development union, the councilors, farmer, unemployed
persons and students from various community that make up Ivo Local government
area.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY.
In
a research project of this nature, it is difficult to complete the work without
going through numerous of factors which constituted impediments. The impediment
will be time and money. This resulted in the researcher not being able to
gather the entire questionnaire distributed and not being able to print as much
questionnaire as may be required in this work.
1.9 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
To
expand the knowledge of the reader of this research work the following term
will be defined.
i.
Interpersonal communication:
Interpersonal communication is the type of communication which occurs between
two persons in a face to face communication encounter. He added that during interpersonal
communication contact, its made between persons one act as a sender or source,
the other act as a receiver or decoder with immediate feedback. According to
Okunna (1999: 15) this is the type of communication that take place when two or
more individuals are involved mostly in a face to face situation with immediate
feedback.
ii. Conflict:
According to oxford advanced learners dictionary 6th edition which
defins conflict as the opposition or disagreement, fight
struggle and quarrel.
iii. Resolution
according to the same dictionary which defines resolution as the act of resolving
and settling problems dispute and other related controversies.
iv. Community
development: According to Onwuka (2008:13) he defines community development as
the process by which effort the people themselves are united with those
government authority to improve the economic, social and cultural condition of
the communities to integrate those communities into life of the nation to
enable them contribute fully to the national progress.
IVO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA: Ivo L.G.A is presently in Ebonyi south and was created
from old Ohazara. A local government in 4th republic during the
regime of Abdusalam Abubakar.
1.10
ORGANIZATION
OF THE STUDY
This
provides template or map that will guide the readers through the reading and understanding the
project. It contains how the study organized and conducted and how the chapters
in the project have been sequenced to achieve the research objective.
CHAPTER
ONE of this work will give background information to the study where problems
to be study will form the purpose of research study and research question will
be formulated for it
CHAPTER
TWO, will review relevant literature as regard to the variables under review.
It is a careful revision of writing or collection of production that exist on
the phenomenon under study and theory will be adopted to form the theoretical
framework which will present theory that will explain the variables or
phenomenon under study.
CHAPTER
THREE this refers to the overall strategy that the researcher chooses to
integrate the different components of this work in a coherent logical way,
thereby ensuring he will effectively address the research problem. It comprises
the blueprints for the collection measurement analysis and confirming the
accuracy and authenticity of data collected.
CHAPTER
FOUR This is the process of organizing and analyzing data into it logical
and sequential order separately the
whole into its constituent part according to the specific research question
under statement of the problem.
CHAPTER
FIVE this is where the whole research work under study are been summarized and
generalization is given in form of conclusion and recommendation as a solution
to the problem of the study.