RURALISATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: THE SECURITY CHALLENGES AND ROADMAP
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The UN Sustainable Development Goals present a remarkable blue print for socio-economic development that seeks to end poverty and ensure prosperity for all by year 2030. Many States in Nigeria have adopted this blue print (even with amendments) with focus on rural and agriculture development. Majority of Nigerians live in the rural area engaging in farming and farms related activities. Agricultural development and rural development therefore, create a nexus with a multiplier effect that can enhance national development. This paper assessed the possibility of the realisation of the laudable goals of sustainable development through ruralisation – demographic shift, life style and cultural shifts, and policy and economic focus. Relying on secondary data analysis, the paper revealed competing extremist assaults on Nigeria’s rural areas including incessant violent crises between herders and farmers, banditry, Fulani militias attacks, organised criminal invasions, inter-communal and intra-communal crisis as well as climate change induced crisis, which exert negative effect on ruralisation. Attacks on rural areas have created fears, destroyed communal social bonds, and widespread displacement. The paper concluded therefore, that the challenges posed by insecurity will constrain ruralisation and the realization of rural development in line with UN sustainable development goals. It recommended among others the creation of a multi-faceted security approach that would combine formal and informal security actions to curb insecurity, and free the rural area for infrastructure investment and realization of rural and agricultural development. Ruralisation will create room for economic viability and address challenges like food insecurity and poverty.
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