THE IMPACT
OF URBAN RURAL DEVELOPMENT
CALABAR
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
sociology
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Calabar, city and
seaport in Southeastern Nigeria, capital of Cross River State, on aim, estuary
of the Gulf of Guinea. It is a major transportation center, with good road
connections, to the rest of Southeastern Nigeria and neighboring Cameroon, and
excellent natural harbor, and an airport. The city is the market center for the
surrounding area in which cacao, palm oil, cassava, rubber, and timber are produced.
Industries include sawmilling, boat building, cement and ceramics production,
and food processing.
The city is the
site of the University of Calabar (1975) and the Federal Polytechnic, Calabar
(1973).
Calabar dates from the 17th
century, which it was a prominent slave- trading port. During the 19th
century, it became a center from trade in palm oil and palm kernels. From 1885
to 1906 Calabar was the center for British administration of Southern Nigeria.
The Efik are the city’s dominant ethnic group. Population (1995 estimate) 170,000.
1.2 Statement of the Study
Nigeria
is still a primarily rural country, with only 48 percent of its population
living in cities. Urban areas, however, doubled their share of the population
between 1970 and 1996. The country has a long history of Urban development,
particularly in northern and southwestern Nigeria where substantial cities are Lagos,
and Ibadan.
Calabar,
one of the Nigeria first capital and grew as Colonial Nigeria leading port.
In
Calabar, and other coastal cities, Christian Missionaries introduced European
education in the 1,840s. within a few decides, schooling in English was well
established, and some elite families sent their children abroad to study.
Government
reforms in the 1970s led to a primary school enrollment rate of about 90
percent of all Calabar Children in 1980. The rapid expansion contributed to
falling standards of instruction and other problems. By 1990 only 72 percent of
children attended the compulsory first six years of education, due to government cutbacks, rising school
fees, the deterioration of building inferior instruction, and poor prospects
for graduate.
1.3 Objective of the Study
As
in other parts of the country Calabar traditional society have recently been
involved in development in many ways. Although this is so empirical study is
rather lacking in this regard to ascertain the level to which this is true in traditional Calabar
society and Efik in particular. What is, however, Clear is that the Urbanizational
changing role of efik people has left impact in every fiber of the society.
Therefore,
the aims of this research are as follows:
1. The
assessment of Urbanization and social development of the contemporary traditional
efik been turned around by the influence of Colonial and traditional factors
which has aided the Efik to integrate in Calabar properly.
2. To
examine the advantages of Urbanization and social changes of new religious,
educational opportunities towards development in Calabar.
3. To
find out the understanding of the Urban and social role of efik in Nigeria
generally.
4. To
ascertain the rate of conformity to modern values and system in Calabar and
society so as to optimizes their potentials
1.4 Significance of the Study
Much can be said
to have been done in the area of Urban and social change in Nigeria society before
and after Colomalism.
Many researchers
have highlighted the social, economic, religious and political changes that
have occurred and how they affect Calabar and Africa in general. Most importantly,
such works seen only to take into account the developmental aspects of those
changes, consequences neglecting such as the agents of changes in this case, Coloniatism
with its tools namely, Western education, Christianity and market economy.
This study is
also important because it intends to show the extent Calabar people, aided by
Urbanizational and social developmental tools of western education,
Christianity have gone in asserting that the time has gone when they should not
longer be regarded as beasts of burden and however of wood. This is in spite of
existing social barriers and economic obstacles in Calabar traditional
societies and Nigeria in generally.
1.5 Scope of the Study
A study on
Urbanization and social development evolves a whole range of sociological issues
such as men, women and family and national development and family planning etc.
really the scope of this research centered on Urban and social change or
development and predominantly Urban traditional Calabar society.
This
research work is limited to the impact of Urban rural development on Calabar
institution with the view of the contemporary.
Undoubtedly,
the major table of this research is on identification of social changes that
have occurred in these aforementioned areas such as sex, age education and
religion.
1.6 Research Hypothesis
The following
hypothesis will be generated for statistical analysis:
i. There
is a significant difference between Urban and rural development on social
changes.
ii. There
is a significant difference between the Christian in Urban and Christian in rural
area in responding positively to familial departures from traditional customs of
development.
iii. With
the advent of colonialism development has, ceased to be an important aspect of
Calabar societal, social development.
iv. There
is a significant difference between even the younger generation and the older
generation toward embracing development.
1.7 Definition Concepts
The following
terms have been specifically defined for the purpose of this study and the
meanings attached to them as definition in this study.
URBANIZATION:
Shift of population from rural area to cities, and
the resulting growth of Urban areas.
SOCIAL:
Relating to human society and how it is organized.
DEVELOPMENT:
Physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and
societal changes.
TRANSPORTATION:
Area of commerce that uses to transport people,
cargo and mail.
TRADITION:
People custom or belief.
COLONIALISM:
One country’s domination of another country or
people.
RURAL
DEVELOPMENT: Residential area, housing, project,
and council estate.
SOCIAL
CHANGE: Refers to successive differences observable
in traditional Efik societies with family, marriage social development since
the advent of western education.
AMENITY: Leisurefacilities
INFRASTRUCTURE:
Economic and social underpinnings of a community or
nation. Elements of infrastructure include systems of transportation, power
generation, communications, banking, education and health.
PROPOUNDING:
suggest idea or explanation, to put forward a
suggestion or theory for others to consider.
MIGRATION:
Movement of people, especially of whole groups,
from one place, region, or country to another, particularly with the intention
of making permanent settlement in a new
location.