Assessment of the Traditional Leaderships’ Activities in Community Development in Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed traditional leaderships’ activities in community development in Omuma Local Government Area of River State. A descriptive survey design was used to carry out the study, with the study’s population of 328 respondents across three clans that make up the study area. The clans are: Ofeh, Eberi, and Ogba/Ajuloke clans. The sample of the study consists of one hundred and ten (110) respondents drawn from 11 out of 46 towns/villages in the study area, through a purposive sampling technique. A questionnaire was used for the data collection for the study. The face and content validity of the instrument were carried out and the instrument tested for reliability, with a reliability index of TLACDQ = 0.74 was determined through Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Frequency counts, percentage and mean statistics were the descriptive statistics used to answer the research questions; while the hypotheses were tested using independent t-test and analysis of variance at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study showed that personal characteristics of the traditional leaders in the study area were linked to community development. The activities of the traditional leaders were shown to influence community development, while the tested hypothesis indicated that that there is significant difference between the activities of traditional rulers and leaders in community development in the study area, amongst others. Based on the findings of the study, the study concluded that efforts of concerned members of Omuma communities coupled with the efforts of the traditional leadership and non-governmental organization; communities will enhance the development of communities in both human and infrastructural activities. it was recommended, amongst others, that community members should consider the personal characteristics of the traditional rulers and leaders before selecting and empowering an individual to take the authority as a traditional

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