Rural – Urban Migration in Nigeria: Implications for Development and Social Order in the 215t Century

Abstract

The phenomenon of unregulated movement of people especially from rural to urban areas in Nigeria is on the increase, Sad enough, the movement is mostly characterized by the most viable and productive proportion of the population in the rural areas whose ages are between 16 and 35 years, The peculiar history of the emergence of modern cities in Nigeria which is located in the capitalist political economy as well as the deliberate but jaundiced governmental policies, provision of infrastructural facilities and the establishment of industries largely contribute to the phenomena. Unfortunately, the migration of most of these people from rural to urban areas is associated with unmet needs such as job opportunities, good infrastructural facilities and better living conditions. In order to cope with the challenges of life, majority adopt illegal survival strategies that directly challenge and impact Oil development strategies and the issues of social order In terms of methodology, this paper reviews relevant secondary and empirical documents where it is argued that most of the vices being witnessed ill most of the cities in Nigeria cannot be isolated from the problem of unregulated rural-urban migration, The paper posits that there is the need on one hand for a paradigm shift in the country’s development policies, both at the phase of formulation and planning and Oil tile other; the commitment to actively execute to details, Such policies that will stem the tide of rural-urban drift, Second, there is the need to adopt best practices that will engender viable management of both the rural and urban areas in order to deal with the problem of security and order: