Evaluation of Socio-Economic Status of the Indigenous Population on the Permanent Site of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

The study sought to describe the relationship between socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the indigenous population living on the permanent site of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), after they were displaced from their lands. The study adopted the sustainable rural livelihoods model as a tool for studying livelihoods in the study area. Data for this study was obtained through the administration of 349 copies of questionnaire using a multi-stage sampling technique. Socio-Economic Scale (SES) for Northern Nigeria was used to classify the respondents into three SES classes. TheSES classes of the respondents were examined using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage). The Spearman rank correlation statistic was used in testing the hypothesis for the study. The majority (65.6%) of the respondents fall into the lowest SES class using a 28- point indicator. With a p=.020, findings revealed that there was no significant correlation between income and socio-economic status of the indigenous population. The study recommends prompt payment of compensations, provision of permanent and pensionable jobs as well as access to funds for business and other entrepreneur skills as ways of supporting and boosting their livelihoods. The indigenous population can also be encouraged to form cooperatives and savings schemes to enable them to raise capital to pursue alternative livelihoods.