Mainstreaming Peacebuilding in the Development of Conflict-Affected Oil Producing Community of Imo State, Nigeria

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The quest for social peace and development, referred to as the effort to enhance the wellbeing of people in society has remained a concern in the conflict-affected oil producing communities in Imo State. Looking at the 11th and 16th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which focus on making human societies inclusive, safe, resilient and peaceful; the underlying understanding is that social conditions constitute the vital components of sustainable development. Sadly, these goals are significantly hampered by constant and widespread violent conflicts and extremism in the oil producing communities. The communities have remained a tale of poverty, squalor, and gross underdevelopment in the midst of plenty, due to environmental degradation which has continued to impact negatively on the people’s means of livelihood. To address the challenges posed by violent conflicts and destructive impacts, this study interrogates the need for mainstreaming peacebuilding in development of conflict-affected oil producing communities in Imo State. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, using secondary data from journals and published articles. The theoretical framework of the peacebuilding and economic growth, developed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) was adopted. Findings of the study revealed that social losses attributable to violent conflicts especially, in developing oil producing communities call for development initiators to consider the mutual interface of peace and development. The study concludes that mainstreaming peacebulding in development of oil producing communities in Imo State will encourage sustainability and therefore recommends that conflict-sensitive development programmes should be promoted, and development intervention initiators should focus on the root causes and dynamics of conflict in the oil producing communities.