Nexus of land conflicts and rural-urban migration in south-west Nigeria: implications for national development in Nigeria

Abstract

Land is an important resource and a factor of production that is strategic to development. The acquisition of land for agriculture especially in the rural areas has been fraught with conflict resulting in loss of lives and property as well as a push-factor for the migration of people to urban areas for safety and better life. Men and women, especially the youth are commonly in the habit of leaving the rural areas in search of the proverbial golden fleece in the urban areas as a survival strategy. However, contrary to the widespread belief that limitless job opportunities exist in the urban areas, data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicate that youth unemployment is steadily increasing in Nigeria. The unemployed population in Nigeria in 2011 was 64million, in 2015 it was 76.9million and rose to 78.4million as at the second quarter (Q2) of 2016. Youth accounts for 94 percent of the total unemployed persons in Nigeria. The study explored the nexus of land conflicts and rural-urban migration vis-a-vis its implication for national development. It was revealed that conflicts arising from access to land from the rural growing population, failure of successive government neglect of rural infrastructure, apathy to agriculture, desire for white collar jobs are some of the push-pull factors for rural-urban migration. It was recommended that government should institute a land Use Policy that will see to the administration of land allocation in order to reduce the conflict on access to land, quick resolution of land conflicts, as well as taking rural infrastructural development as a priority in its plans. Employment opportunities should also be created in the rural areas, agriculture should be made attractive and profitable for the youths through a conflict-free access to land resource to minimize rural-urban migration.