INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT Edited by PETER BLUNT and D. MICHAEL WARREN With a Preface by NORMAN UPHOFF INTERMEDIATE TECHNOLOGY PUBLICATIONS 1996 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY C o n t e n t s P r e f a c e N O R M A N U P H O F F I n t e r m e d i a t e T e c h n o l o g y P u b l i c a t i o n s L t d , A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t 1 0 3 - 1 0 5 S o u t h a m p t o n R o w , L o n d o n W C 1 B 4 H H , U K I n t r o d u c t i o n P E T E R B L U N T A N D D . M J © T h i s s e l e c t i o n : P e t e r B l u n t a n d D . M i c h a e l W a r r e n 1 9 9 6 A F R I C A P A R T 1 A C I P c a t a l o g u e r e c o r d f o r t h i s b o o k i s a v a i l a b l e f r o m t h e B r i t i s h L i b r a r y T h e d r u m s p e a k s - A 1 . I S B N : 1 8 5 3 3 9 3 2 1 5 d e v e l o p m e n t w i t h a ' Y a a G a l b o B . J . L I N Q U I S T w r m T r a d i t i o n a l s e t t l e m e 1 2 . d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e ' P A T R I C K A . M c A L J H o m e t o w n a s s o c i a t i 3 . i n t e r e s t s i n N i g e r i a J M I C H A E L L . M c N l I n d i g e n o u s o r g a n m 4 . T h e c a s e o f A r a . N i D . M I C H A E L W A R A K I N T O L A O M O L T h e O g b o m o s o P m 5 . d e v e l o p m e n t a s s o c i G . 0 . K O L A W O L E C o m m u n i t y d e v e l o 6 . T h e c a s e o f I s a l u ( N i g e r i a B O L A N L E W . W A J T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f 7 . s u s t a i n a b i l i t y o f 0 1 i n l s e y i n , N i g e r i a N O R M A H . W O U T r a d i t i o n a l l e a d e r ! 8 . G h a n a N A N C Y C O S W A J ' I n d i g e n o u s h e a l e r 9 . p r e v e n t i o n p r o j e c t T y p e s e t b y J & L C o m p o s i t i o n , F i l e y , N . Y o r k s E D W A R D C . G i l l P r i n t e d i n U K b y S R P E x e t e r UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY C o n t e n t s P r e f a c e v i i N O R M A N U P H O F F A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t x i i I n t r o d u c t i o n x i i i P E T E R B L U N T A N D D . M I C H A E L W A R R E N P A R T 1 A F R I C A 1 . T h e d r u m s p e a k s - A r e w e l i s t e n i n g ? E x p e r i e n c e s i n d e v e l o p m e n t w i t h a t r a d i t i o n a l G a b r a i n s t i t u t i o n - T h e Y a a G a l b o B . J . L I N Q U I S T W I T H D A V I D A D O L P H 2 . T r a d i t i o n a l s e t t l e m e n t , c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y a n d r u r a l d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e T r a n s k e i 7 P A T R I C K A . M c A L L I S T E R 3 . H o m e t o w n a s s o c i a t i o n s : B a l a n c i n g l o c a l a n d e x t r a l o c a l i n t e r e s t s i n N i g e r i a n c o m m u n i t i e s 2 1 M I C H A E L L . M c N U L T Y A N D M A R K F . L A W R E N C E 4 . I n d i g e n o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d d e v e l o p m e n t : T h e c a s e o f A r a , N i g e r i a 4 3 D . M I C H A E L W A R R E N , R E M / A D E D O K U N A N D A K I N T O L A O M O L A O Y E 5 . T h e O g b o m o s o P a r a p o : A c a s e - s t u d y o f a n i n d i g e n o u s d e v e l o p m e n t a s s o c i a t i o n i n N i g e r i a 5 0 G . 0 . K O L A W O L E 6 . C o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t a s s o c i a t i o n s a n d s e l f - r e l i a n c e : T h e c a s e o f I s a l u C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t U n i o n , I s e y i n , ~ N i g e r i a 5 6 B O L A N L E W . W A H A B 7 . T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f i n d i g e n o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o t h e s u s t a i n a b i l i t y o f c o n t e m p o r a r y Y o r u b a s t r i p - w e a v i n g i n d u s t r i e s i n I s e y i n , N i g e r i a 6 7 N O R M A H . W O L F F A N D B O L A N L E W . W A H A B 8 . T r a d i t i o n a l l e a d e r s h i p a n d c o m m u n i t y m a n a g e m e n t i n N o r t h e r n G h a n a 8 8 N A N C Y C O S W A Y A N D S T E V E A . A N A N K U M 9 . I n d i g e n o u s h e a l e r a s s o c i a t i o n s a n d a S o u t h A f r i c a n A I D S - p r e v e n t i o n p r o j e c t 9 7 E D W A R D C . G R E E N A N D B O N G I E Z O K W E UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY u . i n t o C o m m u n i l l a n d s e l f - s u s t a i 6 C o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t a s s o c i a t i o n s a n d i n t o d e v e l ~ m e n t P l a n a s s e l f - r e l i a n c e : T h e c a s e o f l s a l u C o m m u n i t y v i l l a g e s a n d I D D e v e l o p m e n t U n i o n , l s e y i n , N i g e r i a T h e r e a r e 3 1 i n t o t h e s o c i l l l l B O L A N L E W W A H A B * S o m e o f t b c l l a n d a c t i v i t i e s • I n t r o d u c t i o n I s a l u C o l l l i D I I I I N D I G E N O U S O R G A N I Z A T I O N S A R E g r a s s r o o t a s s o c i a t i o n s b u i l t o n t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f c o - v o l u n t a r y a s s o o p e r a t i o n a n d o r g a n i z e d g r o u p w o r k . T h e s e p u r e l y t r a d i t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , o p m e n t a l p r o j w h i c h i n c l u d e c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t a s s o c i a t i o n s o r u n i o n s , h a v e e x i s t e d h i n t e r l a n d b u t f o r m a n y c e n t u r i e s i n d i f f e r e n t f o r m s , e s p e c i a l l y a m o n g p e a s a n t s o c i e t i e s , a n d a l m o s t c e r t a i J i l h a v e b e e n r e s p o n s i b l e f o r m u c h o f t h e s o c i o - e c o n o m i c a n d p h y s i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t o f s u c c e s s ' m o f t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e c o m m u n i t i e s . a c t i v i t i e s i n I l l W a r r e n ( 1 9 9 2 : 5 ) o b s e r v e s t h a t i n d i g e n o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d a s s o c i a t i o n s p l a y e v o l v e d f r o m v e r y v i t a l r o l e s i n c o m m u n i t y - l e v e l e f f o r t s t o i d e n t i f y a n d p r i o r i t i z e t h e i r s e c r e t o f i t s • p r o b l e m s a n d s e e k s o l u t i o n s . I n t h e p a s t f e w y e a r s , c o n s i d e r a b l e w o r k h a s b e e n d o n e b y v a r i o u s s c h o l a r s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d o n t h e i n v a l u a b l e r o l e s b e i n g A i m a n d a l a i p l a y e d b y t h e s e i n d i g e n o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s ( l O s ) i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t p r o c e s s T h i s c h a p t e r c ( W a r r e n e t a l . 1 9 8 9 ; W a r r e n , 1 9 9 1 , 1 9 9 2 ; W a r r e n e t a l . 1 9 9 5 ; A d e j u m o b i , t h e I C D U t o 1 9 9 1 ) . M a n y o f t h e s t u d i e s c o n f i r m e d t h e i m p o r t a n t s e l f - r e l i a n t d e v e l o p m e n t t o w a r d s a c b i c f u n c t i o n s b e i n g c a r r i e d o u t b y t h e l O s i n t h e i r v a r i o u s c o m m u n i t i e s f o r m a n y g e n e r a t i o n s . o t o d i s s e m i l l I n m o s t d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s , c i t i z e n s , e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e i n t h e u r b a n a r e a s , t i o n a l s t n 1 1 l o o k t o t h e i r g o v e r n m e n t s t o p r o v i d e f o r t h e i r n e e d s . I n t h e l a s t t w o d e c a d e s , o t o a p p r a i s e h o w e v e r , g o v e r n m e n t s , e s p e c i a l l y i n A f r i c a , h a v e f o u n d i t e x t r e m e l y d i f f i c u l t t o o t o e x a m i J M m e e t p e o p l e ' s s o c i o - e c o n o m i c a n d w e l f a r e n e e d s . T h e h a l l m a r k s o f t h e c r i s i s i n o t o b i g h l i g l A f r i c a a r e i t s d w i n d l i n g r e s o u r c e s , g r o w i n g e x t e r n a l d e b t s , d e c l i n i n g e c o n o m i c o t o i d e n t i f y p e r f o r m a n c e r e f l e c t i n g v e r y p o o r e a r n i n g s , e n v i r o n m e n t a l d e g r a d a t i o n , i n s u f f i - t o e n a b l e i c i e n t f o o d p r o d u c t i o n a n d p o l i t i c a l i n s t a b i l i t y . T h e s e a n d o t h e r f a c t o r s h a v e o p m e n t m f o r c e d g o v e r n m e n t s t o e x p l o r e t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n s c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d o r g a n i z a - t i o n s c a n m a k e t o w a r d s s e l f - r e l i a n t d e v e l o p m e n t . N a r r o w i n g p u b l i c - s e c t o r a c t i v i t i e s a n d c o m m i t m e n t s a n d t h e i n c r e a s e d c a p a - M e t h o c l o l a l c i t y o f t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r t o e n g a g e i n s o c i o - e c o n o m i c a c t i v i t i e s h a v e r e i n f o r c e d T h e m e t h o c i G t h i s d r a m a t i c s h i f t t o c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s a s p r o v i d e r s f o r t h e n e e d s ' i n s i t u p a r t i o f t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s . D e v e l o p m e n t p l a n n e r s a n d p o l i c y m a k e r s h a v e a l s o r e a - s i n c e 1 9 6 4 • l i z e d t h a t i t i s c o s t - e f f e c t i v e t o w o r k w i t h a n d t h r o u g h i n d i g e n o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s c o r r e s p o n d e l o n a n y d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m m e . T h e s c o p e o f d e v e l o p m e n t h a s a l s o e x p a n d e d t o D i s c u s s i o n s i n c l u d e w h a t B r o w n a n d K o r t e n ( 1 9 8 9 : 6 ) c a l l e d a p r o c e s s b y w h i c h m e m b e r s o f a n d C h i e f ! a s o c i e t y d e v e l o p t h e m s e l v e s a n d t h e i r i n s t i t u t i o n s i n w a y s t h a t e n h a n c e t h e i r i n f o r m a t i o n a b i l i t y t o m o b i l i z e a n d m a n a g e r e s o u r c e s t o p r o d u c e s u s t a i n a b l e a n d j u s t l y d i s t r i b u t e d i m p r o v e m e n t s i n t h e i r q u a l i t y o f l i f e . C o n c e p b l l l E v e r y c o m m u n i t y i n N i g e r i a h a s a l w a y s h a d a v a r i e t y o f i n d i g e n o u s o r g a n i z a - t i o n s a n d a s s o c i a t i o n s w h i c h p l a y i m p o r t a n t r o l e s . F o r t u n a t e l y , a l l t h r e e l e v e l s o f I n d i s c u s s m . g o v e r n m e n t i n N i g e r i a h a v e r e c o g n i z e d t h e n e e d f o r c o n c e r t e d c o m m u n i t y s e l f - n e c e s s a r y 1 1 ' 1 h e l p e f f o r t s i n o r d e r t o r e a l i z e t h e n e e d s a n d a s p i r a t i o n s o f a l l N i g e r i a n s . T h e ~ G o v e r n m e n t s n o w a p p e a l t o a n d e n c o u r a g e c o m m u n i t i e s t o o r g a n i z e t h e m s e l v e s p e r s p e c t i v a O m u t a , 1 9 1 c o m m u n i t y * S e n i o r L e c t u r e r , D e p a r t m e n t o f T o w n P l a n n i n g , T h e P o l y t e c h n i c , l b a d a n , N i g e r i a . UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Community Development Associations and Self-reliance 57 into Community Development Councils (CDCs) in order to achieve self-reliance d and self-sustaining development. Community development was incorporated into development planning in Nigeria in the 1975-80 Third National Develop- y ment Plan as a means of promoting meaningful physical developments in villages and towns. There are 315 indigenous organizations in Iseyin, the activities of which reach into the social, political, occupational, cultural and religious spheres of life. Some of them are gender-specific associations. Unfortunately, the existence and activities of most of them are not known to people in larger communities. Isalu Community Development Union (ICDU) is one such community-based i of co- voluntary association in Iseyin which has successfully undertaken several devel- ations, opmental projects for the benefit of its members within the town and in the existed hinterland but whose activities are not known to some sections of the town and cs. and almost certainly not to outsiders. The task of this chapter is to expose the 'magic !pment of success' of the ICDU by providing a documentary of its establishment and activities in all their ramifications. ICDU is an indigenous organization which liS play evolved from the indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and is the underlying ~ their rt secret of its success. has i being Aim and objectives lrOCeSS IIDlObi, This chapter examines the past and present activities, potential and capacity of !pment the ICDU to undertake self-initiated and self-financed community projects ·many towards achieving self-sufficiency and self-reliance. The objectives are: areas, o to disseminate information about the functions, characteristics and organiza- ~ades, tional structure of ICDU; o to appraise the process of decision-making, project selection and execution; icult to risis in o to examine sources of money and mode of spending; momic o to highlight its achievements and constraints/weaknesses; o to identify means of strengthening the capacity of ICDU for self-reliance and insuffi- s to enable it to contribute further to the socio-economic and physical devel-have pmiza- opment of Isalu, in particular, and Iseyin town, in general. I capa- Methodology lforced :needs The methodology used in this chapter is what Goode and Hatt (1952) termed the so rea- 'in situ participant' approach. The author has been an active member of ICDU r.ations since 1964 and has been involved in every activity. Minutes of meetings, adedto correspondences, project files and other relevant documents were consulted. IJers of Discussions with past and current officers of the union especially Mr Onatunji :e their and Chief Siji Oke (the current chairperson) enhanced the accuracy of the l justly information contained in the chapter. pniza- Conceptual framework wels of In discussing the concept of community development association it is considered ly self- necessary to look at the underlying concepts. pians. The term 'community' has been defined by different authors from varied aselves perspectives (Akorede, 1986; Abiodun and Aguda, 1986; Nottridge, 1972; Omuta, 1986; Kolajo, 1960; Abram, 1971; Wey, 1988). While some see ria. community as people who have a common interest (Webster's Dictionary) or UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 5 8 I n d i g e n o u s O r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d D e v e l o p m e n t ( ~ a s p e c i f i e d g e o g r a p h i c a l e n t i t y t h a t c a n b e i d e n t i f i e d i n s p a c e , s u c h a s a t o w n , o n o t h e r s s e e i t a s h o u s e s a n d p e o p l e l o c a t e d i n a g i v e n a r e a . O r T h e c o n c e p t o f c o m m u n i t y h a s b e e n f u r t h e r d e f i n e d i n t e r m s o f t h e m o r e i r u c o m m o n t r a i t o f m e m b e r s h a v i n g a s e n s e o f i d e n t i t y a n d d e v e l o p i n g c o m m o n f 0 4 i n t e r e s t s , e x p e r i e n c e s a n d r o o t s , w h i c h h e l p t h e m t o r e c o g n i z e a n d o u t l i n e t h e a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e i r e n v i r o n m e n t s a s r e s o u r c e s , a s w e l l a s a s o c i a l w h o l e n e s s i n ( N w h i c h e a c h m e m b e r h a s a s t a k e a n d i n w h i c h l i f e i s r e g u l a t e d b y c o - o p e r a t i o n g i ~ r a t h e r t h a n b y c o m p e t i t i o n a n d c o n f l i c t ( K o l a j o , 1 9 6 0 ; A b r a m , 1 9 7 1 ) . a d i T h e c o n c e p t o f d e v e l o p m e n t i s a c o m p l i c a t e d o n e h a v i n g t e c h n i c a l , s o c i o - ( N c u l t u r a l a n d e m o t i o n a l c o n n o t a t i o n s a n d o n e w h i c h c a n b e d e f i n e d f r o m s p a t i a l a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l p o i n t s o f v i e w . F i s h e r ( 1 9 8 4 ) , D e B l i j ( 1 9 9 3 ) a n d F r i e d m a n n ( 1 9 8 1 ) h a v e a l l w r i t t e n o n t h e s u b j e c t . D e v e l o p m e n t i s a t e r m u s e d t o d e s c r i b e T h t h e p r o c e s s o f o v e r c o m i n g p o v e r t y a n d d i s e a s e s a s w e l l a s t h e p r o v i s i o n o f I s e i n f r a s t r u c t u r a l f a c i l i t i e s s u c h a s b r i d g e s , h o s p i t a l s , s c h o o l s , e l e c t r i c i t y a n d w a t e r N i l i n a r e a s w h e r e t h e s e a r e l a c k i n g ( O l a y i w o l a , 1 9 9 0 ) . 0 , D e v e l o p m e n t i n r e l a t i o n t o c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t i n v o l v e s t h e s t i m u l a t i o n n U J o f s e l f - h e l p a n d c i t i z e n s ' a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n c o m m u n i t y a f f a i r s ( E k o n g , n a l 1 9 8 8 ) . I t i m p l i e s i m p r o v e m e n t i n t h e q u a l i t y o f l i f e o f a g i v e n p e o p l e . ( E l a i g w u , 1 9 8 8 ) . m u C o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t ( C D ) i s t h e p h y s i c a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f b a c k w a r d a i M h a b i t a t s i n s t a g e s r e p r e s e n t e d b y t h e s y m b o l i c p r e s e n c e o f s u c h s t r u c t u r e s a s t o : m o d e m b u i l d i n g s o r t o w n h a l l s , s c h o o l s , h o s p i t a l s , r o a d s a n d b r i d g e s , p i p e - o f b o r n e w a t e r a n d e l e c t r i c i t y ( T a k a y a , 1 9 8 8 ) . T h e X l t h I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e p h ; o f S o c i a l W o r k h e l d i n 1 9 6 2 i n R i o d e J a n e r i o g a v e a d e f i n i t i o n w h i c h f i t s I a p p r o p r i a t e l y t o t h e o b j e c t i v e o f t h i s c h a p t e r . I t d e f i n e d C D a s ' a c o n s c i o u s r e c a n d d e l i b e r a t e e f f o r t a i m e d a t h e l p i n g c o m m u n i t i e s r e c o g n i z e t h e i r n e e d s a n d S i l l t o a s s u m e i n c r e a s i n g r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s f o r s o l v i n g t h e i r p r o b l e m s t h e r e b y t O J ! i n c r e a s i n g t h e i r c a p a c i t i e s t o p a r t i c i p a t e f u l l y i n t h e l i f e o f t h e n a t i o n ' o f ' ( E k o n g , 1 9 8 8 : 3 6 8 ) . 1 f o r C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n ( C D A ) ( a C o H i c k s a n d G u l l e t t ( 1 9 8 2 ) o b s e r v e d t h a t a n o r g a n i z a t i o n i s f o r m e d b y t h e c o m i n g l o c t o g e t h e r o f i n d i v i d u a l s t r y i n g t o a c h i e v e t h e i r p e r s o n a l o b j e c t i v e s . I n t h i s w a y , t o • t h e s u r v i v a l i n s t i n c t o f a n i n d i v i d u a l , a s A d e d o k u n ( 1 9 9 3 ) p u t s i t , b e c o m e s a o f · c o l l e c t i v e s u r v i v a l i n s t i n c t . A n a s s o c i a t i o n i s s i m p l y a s p e c i a l - p u r p o s e g r o u p w b ( B r o o m a n d S e l z n i c k , 1 9 7 3 : 2 0 6 ) . F o l l o w i n g f r o m t h e a b o v e d e f i n i t i o n , a f i m c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t a s s o c i a t i o n c a n b e d e f i n e d a s a v o l u n t a r y a s s o c i a t i o n a c t i o r i n t e r e s t g r o u p m a d e u p o f p e o p l e w i t h m u t u a l i n t e r e s t s , c o m m o n p u r p o s e s , t r a i t s a n d p e c u l i a r i t i e s , c o m i n g t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e s o l e a i m o f c o l l e c t i v e l y t a c k l i n g F a . a c o m m o n p r o b l e m o r m e e t i n g a n e e d ( w h i c h i s o f t e n s o c i o - e c o n o m i c ) w h i l e s t i l l I s a l r e t a i n i n g a d e g r e e o f s e l f - i n d e p e n d e n c e . O Q ! l T h e m a i n o b j e c t i v e o f m o s t c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s i s t h e s o c i a l a n d r e a : e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e i r v a r i o u s c o m m u n i t i e s . T h r o u g h t h e i r u n t i r i n g o n , e f f o r t s , s u c h g r a s s r o o t a s s o c i a t i o n s h a v e u n d e r t a k e n c o m m u n a l c o n s t r u c t i o n o f e i g l r o a d s a n d b r i d g e s , p o l i c e s t a t i o n s ( e . g . O j e O w o d e v i a S a k i ) , s c h o o l s a n d b a n k s l e a ~ " ( e . g . A r a C o m m u n i t y B a n k , A r a C o m m u n i t y D a y - c a r e C e n t r e a n d t h e c o m m u - I n i t y l i b r a r y ) , m a r k e t s , h e a l t h c e n t r e s , p o s t o f f i c e s , t o w n h a l l s , m o s q u e s , c h u r c h e s , s o c d a m s , a n d p a l a c e s ( W a r r e n , 1 9 9 2 ; A g b o l a , 1 9 8 8 ; O l o w u e t a l . , 1 9 9 1 ; C A S S A D , r e l i 1 9 9 2 ; T o g u n d e , 1 9 9 4 ) . O t h e r a c h i e v e m e n t s a r e t h e g r a n t i n g o f s o f t l o a n s a n d s o c o t h e r f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e t o m e m b e r s a s w i t h t h e W e a v e r s ' A s s o c i a t i o n i n I s e y i n UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Community Development Associations and Self-reliance 59 (Wolff and Wahab, 1995). Women's associations have been equally effective not only in the dissemination of information on family planning, immunization, and Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT), but also in the establishment of agro-based industries. The Ara Women's Co-operative Society established a palm-oil and food processing industry in Ara Town (Warren, 1992; Adedokun, 1993). Self-reliance is the expression of human faith in people's own abilities (Nweze, 1988: 4). It is a conception of development in which peoples of a given society are mobilized to transform their physical, technological, political, administrative, economic and social environments for their own well-being (Nwosu and Nwankwo, 1988: 64). The lsalu Community Development Union Iseyin, the headquarters of the Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria, is located 96 kilometres north of Ibadan and 43 kilometres north-west of Oyo town. Iseyin is widely reputed for the weaving of narrow-strip cloth. A great number of its citizens are employed in this craft. They produce very fine quality native cloth, Aso Oke, hence the popular saying, 'Iseyin-the home of Aso Oke'. There are hundreds of indigenous associations in Iseyin, each with its own name, constitution and times of meeting, modes of operation, management styles '' and level of achievement. There is, however, one basic objective that is common to all of them which is to enhance the socio-economic status and living standards of individual members to enable them in turn to contribute positively to the physical and socio-economic growth and development of Iseyin. Iseyin is made up of eight wards. Of all the wards, Isalu ward has an enviable record of social and physical development through collective self-help efforts. Since the 1940s members of the Isalu community have been living and working together as a team with the motto 'Strength in Unity'. Every indigenous member of the community belongs to the ICDU automatically. In pursuance of the latest efforts of the Nigerian government to encourage the formation and proper functioning of Community Development Associations (CDAs), the Oyo State Government launched the Oyo State Chapter of the Community Development Council (CDC) in early 1989 at Ibadan. The Iseyin local government version of the CDC is the CDC Committee which is supposed to oversee the affairs of all CDAs within the local government area. At the time of writing there are 301 registered CDAs within the local government, eight of which are in Isalu. The ICDU is larger in scope and greater in membership, functions and activities than any of the present CDAs. An appraisal of the I activities of the other CDAs is the subject of another chapter. Founding of the ICDU Isalu Community Development Union is a very dynamic, progressive and well organized indigenous association. It evolved over the years because of the realization of its members that development would not happen if they relied on government to provide the essential services needed in the community. Of the eight wards in Iseyin, it is in Isalu that the government developmental effort is least felt. In the early 1940s the elders of Isalu community came together to establish a society called 'Majeobaje Society, Isalu'. Every adult in Isalu, irrespective of religious faith, political leaning and socio-economic status, was a member of the society. Although the majority of the members were illiterate, they were people UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 6 0 I n d i g e n o u s O r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d D e v e l o p m e n t w h o k n e w m u c h a b o u t e v e r y a s p e c t o f l i f e i n t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d t h e t o w n a s a O r g a n i z ~ J w h o l e . T h e c h a i r p e r s o n o f t h e s o c i e t y w a s t h e l a t e M u s t a f a D o g o w h o r a n t h e A s s t a t e < l a f f a i r s o f t h e s o c i e t y f o r a l m o s t 2 0 y e a r s . O n e r e a s o n f o r t h i s w a s t h e f a c t t h a t t h e f e m a l e c i s o c i e t y w a s a n o n - p o l i t i c a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s e t u p m a i n l y t o p r o m o t e t h e p h y s i c a l B r a n c h 3 1 a n d e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t o f I s a l u . T h e r e w a s n o c u t - t h r o a t c o m p e t i t i o n f o r a b r a n c h v J p o s i t i o n i n t h e s o c i e t y a n d , i n a n y c a s e , h o l d i n g a n o f f i c e c a l l e d f o r c o n s i d e r a b l e b o d y t o 1 1 d e d i c a t i o n a n d s a c r i f i c e . E a c h b c h a i r p e l " S 4 M e m b e r s o f t h e M a j e o b a j e . S o c i e t y m e t r e g u l a r l y a t t h e C a t h o l i c M i s s i o n i n i n t e r n a l 3 1 B o d e I s a l u a n d c o n t r i b u t e d a s m a l l a m o u n t e a c h . A t s u c h m e e t i n g s v a r i o u s i s s u e s t u r e o f t i l w e r e d i s c u s s e d , b u t t h e f o c u s w a s a l w a y s o n t h e i n a d e q u a t e s o c i o - p h y s i c a l i n f r a s t r u c t u r e i n t h e c o m m u n i t y . p r e s i d e n t f o r t h e b r . T h e M a j e o b a j e S o c i e t y h a s t h e c r e d i t f o r i n i t i a t i n g a n d o p e n i n g u p t h e 3 8 k m O f f i c e r ( 2 4 m i l e s ) I s a l u - I k e r e r o a d i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 4 0 s . T h i s i s t h e r o a d t h a t l e a d s f r o m m e e t i n g . B o d e I s a l u t o t h e s i t e o f t h e I k e r e G o r g e D a m ( p r e s e n t l y u n d e r c o n s t r u c t i o n ) . e v e r y B o T h i s r o a d l i n k s t o g e t h e r t h e v i l l a g e s w h e r e t h e p e o p l e o f I s a l u h a v e t h e i r e l i g i b l e t f a r m l a n d s : E l e b i i r i , I g b o r o , A l a y i n , O l o b o , A g b e d e , A b u g a g a , O n i t o t o , E l e - w h i c h , b ) k u k u , E l e e r a , O n i s a h o , I k o d u , a n d B a l e l a y o a m o n g o t h e r s . o r d i n a t i 0 1 I n 1 9 5 4 , t h e M a j e o b a j e S o c i e t y w a s g r a n t e d p e r m i s s i o n b y t h e W e s t e r n E l e c t i o R e g i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t B o a r d b a s e d i n I b a d a n t o u n d e r t a k e t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f m e m b e r 1 a 4 . 4 k m r o a d t h r o u g h t h e b o a r d ' s U p p e r O g u n L i v e s t o c k E s t a t e t o A l a y i n v i l l a g e I ~ p e r s o n a l • f r o m w h e r e a l i n k r o a d w a s l a t e r c o n s t r u c t e d b y t h e s o c i e t y t o I p a p o t o w n . F u r t h e r m o r e , i n M a r c h 1 9 5 5 , t h e s o c i e t y c o m m i s s i o n e d t h e O w o d e m a r k e t b u i l t M e e t i n g ~ i n I k e r e w h e r e b u y i n g a n d s e l l i n g o f f a r m p r o d u c t s t o o k p l a c e . M e e t i n g s I t i s u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t m o s t o f t h e d e v e l o p m e n t a l a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e M a j e o b a j e h o l d s i t s 1 S o c i e t y w e r e n o t p u b l i c i z e d . I n 1 9 6 1 , t h e e d u c a t e d m e m b e r s o f t h e I s a l u o n r o t a t i ( c o m m u n i t y c a m e t o g e t h e r a n d l a u n c h e d t h e I s a l u L i t e r a t e s ' U n i o n ( I L U ) . T h e m e m b e r s u n i o n ' s o b j e c t i v e s w e r e t o b r i n g i n t o t h e l i m e l i g h t t h e l a u d a b l e p r o g r a m m e s a n d m e e t i n g s a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e M a j e o b a j e S o c i e t y , t o p r o m o t e t h e e d u c a t i o n a l a d v a n c e m e n t o f T h e I a m e m b e r s , t o e d u c a t e m e m b e r s o f t h e c o m m u n i t y o n t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f s e l f - h e l p e n c o u r a g t c o m m u n i t y p r o j e c t s , a n d t o p r o m o t e s o c i a l i n t e r a c t i o n b e t w e e n m e m b e r s a n d m a j o r i t y 4 o t h e r p e o p l e i n t h e t o w n . D e c i s r o F o r m a n y y e a r s t h e I L U f u n c t i o n e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f t h e M a j e o b a j e S o c i e t y o n e w h o I w h i l e c o m p l e m e n t i n g i t s a c t i v i t i e s . A p o i n t w a s r e a c h e d , h o w e v e r , w h e n t h e m a j o r i t y ' s s e p a r a t e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e t w o a s s o c i a t i o n s w a s v i e w e d a s u n h e a l t h y . I n o r d e r t o r e m o v e t h i s n o t i o n , a n d , m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y , t o e n s u r e t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f a l l C h a r a c t e c i t i z e n s i n c o m m u n i t y a c t i v i t i e s , t h e I L U w a s c h a n g e d t o t h e I s a l u P r o g r e s s i v e S o m e o f t U n i o n ( I P U ) i n D e c e m b e r , 1 9 8 2 . T h e n o m e n c l a t u r e o f t h e a s s o c i a t i o n w a s t h a t : i t u c h a n g e d a g a i n i n 1 9 9 0 t o t h e I s a l u C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t U n i o n ( I C D U ) a u t o n o 1 0 0 w i t h t h e m o t t o : ' P r o g r e s s i n T o g e t h e r n e s s ' . T h e n e w n a m e w a s a d o p t e d t o ( b y b i r t h ) e m p h a s i z e t h e c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t o r i e n t a t i o n o f t h e u n i o n . e n j o y a 1 m e m b e r t A i m s a n d o b j e c t i v e s o f I C D U T h e I C D U i s t h e o n l y r e c o g n i z e d b o d y t h a t b r i n g s t o g e t h e r e v e r y c i t i z e n o f I s a l u F u n d i n g a n d t h e o n e t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e c o m m o n g o a l a n d a s p i r a t i o n s o f t h e w a r d c o u l d b e I C D U , J . i k J a c h i e v e d . T h e o b j e c t i v e s o f t h e I C D U a s c o n t a i n e d i n i t s c o n s t i t u t i o n a r e t h e T h e u o i 0 1 s a m e o b j e c t i v e s s t a t e d e a r l i e r f o r t h e I L U . O n e d i f f e r e n c e i s t h a t t h e I C D U h a s l a u n c h i n s : a n u n l i m i t e d s c o p e . R e l i g i o n a n d p o l i t i c s a r e p e r h a p s t h e o n l y t w o a r e a s t h a t t h e I n i t i a l 1 3 u n i o n d o e s n o t c o n c e r n i t s e l f w i t h , t h o u g h i t t a c k l e s s u c h p o l i t i c a l p r o b l e m s a s t h e r e l e v a a s k i n g f o r r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i n t h e l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . t h e p a r e n l UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Community Development Associations and Self-reliance 61 Nmasa Organizational structure 1 ran the As stated earlier, membership of ICDU is free and open to every male and :that the female citizens of Isalu. There are three branches of the Union-the Home physical Branch and the Ibadan and Lagos branches. The membership strength of each •fora branch varies but the Home Branch has the highest number. There is one parent iderable body to which every branch is responsible. Each branch is organized in the same way. Officers include a chairperson, vice- ISion in chairperson, general secretary, assistant secretary, financial secretary, treasurer, •issues internal auditor and a social secretary. The difference in the organizational struc- [lhysical ture of the branches and that of the parent body is that the parent body has a president and a vice-president as opposed to the chairperson and vice-chairperson le 38km for the branches. lis from Officers are elected in the same way, usually at the end-of-year general action). meeting. As for the parent body, the end-of-year general meeting comes up on ire their every Boxing Day, 26 December. Any member from any of the branches is 10. Ele- eligible for election into any office except the post of the general secretary which, by convention, is usually restricted to the home branch, for ease of co- Jfestern ordination of activities. :tion of Elections are peacefully and democratically conducted. Every nominated village member reserves the right to accept or reject his/her nomination based on t town. personal conviction. r:t built Meeting schedule ieobaje Meetings are held in all branches once a month. The Ibadan Branch, for example, e lsalu holds its meeting on the first Sunday of every month at three locations in Ibadan J)_ The on rotation-Beere, Bodija and Ojoo. This is to encourage the attendance of IICS and members who are scattered all over the city. The parent body holds two quarterly Dent of meetings and one end-of-year general meeting, all in Iseyin. if-help The language of the meeting in all the branches is Y oruba. This is to nand encourage the full participation of all members, especially the elders, the majority of whom do not speak English. lociety Decisions are usually taken on matters after a thorough discussion where every- lCD the one who has an opinion is allowed to express it. Voting then takes place and the nb-to majority's wish is upheld. Projects for execution are selected by the same process. of all laSive Characteristic features 11 was Some of the characteristics of the ICDU which have sustained it over a time are lCDU) that: it is a grassroots (community-based) association; it is independent and lied to autonomous; it is built on truth and a sense of purpose; though membership is (by birth) compulsory, there is no coercion; it pursues the needs of members to enjoy a meaningful existence; though guided by a constitution which every member tries to observe, it employs indigenous knowledge in its operations. flsalu Funding uldbe ICDU, like any other development-oriented organization, requires funds to operate. 11e the The union's usual sources of funding are annual subscriptions, occasional levies, tUbas launchings, donations, gate-takings and sales of almanacs/calendars. ilill the Initially, each member contributed a five-naira subscription per year through :ms as the relevant branch. This has since been raised to 20 naira per year and is sent to the parent body to fund any project in hand. Each branch is run through small UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 6 2 I n d i g e n o u s O r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d D e v e l o p m e n t a d d i t i o n a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s b y m e m b e r s . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e H o m e B r a n c h h a s w h a t i t T a b l e ~ c ~ c a l l s a ' s e c r e t b a g ' i n w h i c h m e m b e r s w h o a t t e n d i t s m o n t h l y m e e t i n g s w o u l d d r o p i n t o i t a n y a m o u n t h e / s h e c o u l d a f f o r d . M o n e y f r o m t h i s s o u r c e h a s n e v e r b e e n a d e q u a t e b e c a u s e , s m a l l a s i t i s , s o m e m e m b e r s s t i l l f i n d i t d i f f i c u l t t o p a y . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e I b a d a n B r a n c h r a i s e d o n l y 1 0 0 0 n a i r a a s a n n u a l s u b s c r i p t i o n s 3 5 k m l ! i n 1 9 9 3 . O t h e r s o u r c e s o f f u n d i n g h a v e t h e r e f o r e b e e n i n t r o d u c e d . 4 . 4 k m ~ T h e r e a r e o c c a s i o n a l l e v i e s o n m e m b e r s , e s p e c i a l l y w h e n e v e r t h e r e i s a n O w o d a u r g e n t p r o b l e m t o s o l v e o r a p r o j e c t t o f i n a n c e . A f l a t r a t e w o u l d b e l e v i e d o n 1 } k m I 1 k m B e m e m b e r s . E a c h b r a n c h w o u l d c o l l e c t t h e l e v y f r o m i t s m e m b e r s a n d r e m i t i t t o 1 l k m I ! t h e p a r e n t b o d y . T h e c o l l e c t i o n o f s u b s c r i p t i o n s a n d l e v i e s f r o m m e m b e r s o f t h e 1 k m B e H o m e B r a n c h i s t h e m o s t d i f f i c u l t . T h e b r a n c h o f f i c e r s u s u a l l y e n l i s t t h e s u p p o r t c u l v l o f c o m p o u n d h e a d s t o c o l l e c t m o n e y f r o m p e o p l e i n t h e r e s p e c t i v e c o m p o u n d s . 1 0 d e a l A n n o u n c e m e n t s o n s u c h m a t t e r s a r e u s u a l l y m a d e i n m o s q u e s a n d c h u r c h e s 5 d e e p d u r i n g c o n g r e g a t i o n a l p r a y e r s . 1 . 0 h a c I n a d d i t i o n , f u n d i n g i s s o u g h t f r o m w e l l - t o - d o m e m b e r s o f t h e u n i o n i n t h e ~ f o r m o f d o n a t i o n s t o w a r d s a p a r t i c u l a r p r o j e c t . S u c h a f f l u e n t m e m b e r s h a v e P u r c h a l a l w a y s r e s p o n d e d e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y . U n t i l a f e w y e a r s a g o , t h e I C D U a l s o o r g a - ( ) g u l l n i z e d f r i e n d l y f o o t b a l l m a t c h e s b e t w e e n i t a n d o t h e r c l u b s w i t h i n a n d o u t s i d e * p l u s t i l I s e y i n . P r o c e e d s f r o m t h e g a t e u s u a l l y w e n t t o t h e p u r s e o f t h e u n i o n . I n 1 9 6 9 , t h e I C D U p r o d u c e d i t s f i r s t a l m a n a c / c a l e n d a r w h i c h w a s s o l d t o m e m b e r s o f t h e p u b l i c . T h e p r o c e e d s w e r e p u t i n t o t h e u n i o n ' s a c c o u n t . T h i s w e n t o n u n t i l 1 9 9 0 . T h e I n 1 9 8 9 , t h e I C D U l a u n c h e d i t s 5 0 d e e p - w e l l s p r o j e c t w i t h a v i e w t o r a i s i n g O n e C 1 l a d d i t i o n a l f u n d s t o c o m p l e t e t h e f i r s t p h a s e o f t h e p r o j e c t i n a d d i t i o n t o p u b - A k a l ~ l i c i z i n g t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e u n i o n . T h i s l a u n c h i n g w a s t h e f i r s t o f i t s k i n d f o r a O j u d e . c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d o r g a n i z a t i o n i n I s e y i n . C O i l l J D I T h e I C D U i s l u c k y t o h a v e m e m b e r s w h o b e l o n g t o v a r i o u s p r o f e s s i o n s : t o w n ( u s u a l } p l a n n i n g , a r c h i t e c t u r e , p h a r m a c y , m e d i c i n e , l a w , b r i c k l a y i n g , c a r p e n t r y a n d a u t o T h e m e c h a n i c s . A p a r t f r o m c a s h c o n t r i b u t i o n s , s o m e m e m b e r s c o n t r i b u t e i n k i n d , R u r a l I e s p e c i a l l y t h e i r e x p e r t i s e t o w a r d s g r o u p p r o j e c t s . F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e t o w n p l a n n e r w i t h 1 1 i n t h e u n i o n a s s i s t e d i n t h e l o c a t i o n a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e d e e p w e l l s a n d t h e o n t h e a c q u i s i t i o n o f a 0 . 8 - h e c t a r e s i t e f o r t h e p r o p o s e d I s a l u C o m m u n i t y C e n t r e . M e m b e r b r i c k l a y e r s a n d p r i v a t e c o n t r a c t o r s h a v e s u p e r v i s e d t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n F a c t o t J o f t h e d e e p w e l l s f r e e o f c h a r g e . I t i s U S 1 A s a w a y o f r e d u c i n g t h e c o s t o f p r o j e c t s , t h e I C D U u s e d t h e d i r e c t l a b o u r I C D U ~ a p p r o a c h t o a l a r g e e x t e n t , e s p e c i a l l y i n i t s f o r m a t i v e y e a r s a n d u p u n t i l t h e e a r l y T h e I ( 1 9 8 0 s . A l l t h e r o a d s o p e n e d u p a n d c u l v e r t s b u i l t w e r e t h r o u g h d i r e c t c o m m u n a l C O O U D I I l a b o u r . C o m p o u n d h e a d s w o u l d l e a d t h e i r m e m b e r s ( w h i c h i n c l u d e m a l e s a n d w h i c b l f e m a l e s , c h i l d r e n a n d a d u l t s ) t o c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e s a r m e d w i t h t h e i r h o e s , b y r . . c : . c u t l a s s e s , a x e s a n d c a l a b a s h e s . M a i n t e n a n c e o f t h e r o a d s i s c a r r i e d o u t t h r o u g h e n c e b t h e s a m e p r o c e s s . A t t h e t i m e o f w r i t i n g , t h i s a g e - o l d p r a c t i c e o f r o a d m a i n - h o l i s t i c : t e n a n c e b y m e m b e r s o f t h e c o m m u n i t y s t i l l g o e s o n , e s p e c i a l l y o f t h e l o c a l s i d e n : d a c c e s s a n d f a r m r o a d s . T h i s p r a c t i c e i s w h a t A d e d o k u n ( 1 9 9 3 ) t e r m e d ' V o l u n t e e r r o a d . w W o r k e r s L e a g u e ' i n h i s s t u d y o f t h e A r a c o m m u n i t y i n O s u n S t a t e , N i g e r i a . a t t e n t i c l p l a c e d A c h i e v e m e n t s I n o T h e I C D U h a s a c h i e v e d a l o t w i t h i n t h e s h o r t p e r i o d o f i t s e x i s t e n c e a n d , g i v e n f a c t i o a t h e r e s o u r c e c o n s t r a i n t s ( e s p e c i a l l y f i n a n c i a l ) o f i t s m e m b e r s , i t i s n o w c o n s i d - e x c b a D i e r e d o n e o f t h e f e w e d u c a t i o n a l l y a d v a n c e d w a r d s i n I s e y i n w i t h i t s m e m b e r s h a s b e e s p r e a d w i d e l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e s o c i e t y , i n c l u d i n g p o l i t i c s . T h e t a b l e b e l o w s h o w s " ' ' ' a s o m e o f i t s a c h i e v e m e n t s . a s p n M UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY I Community Development Associations and Self-reliance 63 1 what it Table 6.1: Ust of community development projects undertaken by the lsalu :s would community, lseyin as never Project Year Cost It to pay. criptions 35km Bode lsalu-lkere road 1940s Direct labour 4.4km Olobo-Aiayin road 1954 Direct labour :re is an Owode market at lkere 1954/55 Not available evied on 1lkm Ita Molosin-lsoko--Oiuwole road 1967 Direct labour :mit it to 1k m Bode lsalu-Oke lgere-Oke Alafia road 1970 Direct labour :n of the 1lkm Bode lsalu-Our Lady Hospital-Saki road 1972 Direct labour c support 1 km Bode-lsalu-Oiokooyo-ltan road including 3 Not available Not available culverts apounds. 10 deepwells (already commissioned) 1988/89 30 000* naira churches 5 deepwells (almost completed) 1992/93 20000 naira 1.0 hectare land to build lsalu Community Centre at 1993 25000 naira on in the Elera, lsalu ICeS have Purchase and perimeter survey of 1128m2 of land at 1993 5000 naira llso orga- Ogunbado, lsalu d outside . In 1969, • plus free service as of the llti11990. The 10 deep wells first constructed are evenly distributed within Isalu ward. to raising One each is located at Isoko, Oke Adeta, Irawote, Ojudo Ogunbado, Ojude ll to pub- Akala/Otugbede, ldi Iyalode, Ojude Awe, Ojude Afuku, Ojude Gbodo, and kind for a Ojude Aworan. The wells have improved the quality of life of members of the community, especially during the dry season when the various compound wells ions: town (usually very shallow) and most streams dry up. yand auto The ICDU also succeeded in convincing the Directorate of Foods, Roads and IC in kind, Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) of the need to build a road from Ikere to link Iseyin mp1anner with Igbeti, a town in the Irepo Local Government Area. Work has already begun lis and the on the project. ly Centre. JDStruction Factors responsible for the ICDU success rect labour It is useful here to highlight the factors that made it possible for members of the il the early ICDU (from the time of the Majeobaje Society to date) to achieve its objectives. communal The ICDU adopts a combination of three approaches in its operation: the males and community, self-help, and special purpose or problem-solving approaches lbeir hoes, which are three of the six approaches in the development processes as identified JUt through by Long et al. (1973). Within ICDU, there is broad-based participation, adher- road main- ence to democratic procedures, application of indigenous leadership and a I the local holistic approach to community problems. The union usually lists things con- . ·volunteer sidered as problems facing the community and attempts to set one or two (e.g . Nigeria. road, water, farmland, school buildings, schoolteachers) as targets for immediate attention. The union takes advantage of its educated members who are highly placed in government or in the society in its approach to issues. In over half a decade of its existence, the union has not experienced any :and, given factions or divisions among its members. Although people of similar ages lOW consid- exchange more pleasantries and relate more with one another, such rapport Is members has been used positively to make union work more effective. dow shows There is an absence of leadership fights as officers are democratically elected as provided for by the constitution of the ICDU. The traditional community UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 6 4 I n d i g e n o u s O r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d D e v e l o p m e n t l e a d e r s i n I s a l u ( O m k o s a , O g b o y e , A a b a , a n d B a a l e I k e r e ) u s u a l l y g i v e t h e i r f u l l a n d c u l v m o r a l s u p p o r t t o a n d p e r m i t a l l t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f I C D U i n c l u d i n g t h e e l e c t i o n o f T e a c h e n o f f i c e r s . T h e r e i s n o c o e r c i o n o f m e m b e r s . I s a l u C o T h e I C D U d o e s n o t o p e r a t e v e r y r i g i d r u l e s ; r a t h e r t h e r e i s f l e x i b i l i t y i n t h e s c h o o l a J w a y i s s u e s a r e h a n d l e d a n d p r o b l e m s t a c k l e d . A c c o u n t a b i l i t y i s t a k e n s e r i o u s l y . T h e u T o d a t e , n o o f f i c e r o f t h e u n i o n h a s e v e r b e e n a c c u s e d o f c o r r u p t i o n o f a n y s o r t , d i s t r i b u t i i n c l u d i n g e m b e z z l e m e n t o f u n i o n f u n d s . S t a t e m e n t s o f a c c o u n t s a r e r e n d e r e d g o v e r n m p u n c t u a l l y . c e r t a i n i J P o l i t i c s a r e d e - e m p h a s i z e d w i t h i n t h e u n i o n . A l t h o u g h m e m b e r s o f t h e I s a l u w h o i n v ; c o m m u n i t y h a v e a l w a y s i n d i v i d u a l l y b e l o n g e d t o d i f f e r e n t p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s a g a i n s t a e x i s t i n g i n t h e c o u n t r y , s u c h f e e l i n g s a r e u s u a l l y p u t a s i d e w h e n i t c o m e s t o r o y a l t i e s m a t t e r s a f f e c t i n g t h e c o m m u n i t y . M e m b e r s a c t i n u n i s o n . I C D U o t h e r c o 1 1 C o n s t r a i n t s f o r a d d r e T h e I s a l u C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t U n i o n i s f a c e d w i t h s o m e p r o b l e m s r a n g i n g p r o v i d e . f r o m i n a d e q u a t e f i n a n c e s t o l o w l e v e l s o f c o m m i t m e n t . A s s t a t e d e a r l i e r , t h e M e m b s o u r c e s o f f i n a n c e f o r t h e u n i o n a c t i v i t i e s a r e l i m i t e d a n d a b i t u n r e l i a b l e a s m a n y t h e y h a v • m e m b e r s d o n o t p a y e i t h e r t h e s u b s c r i p t i o n o r t h e o c c a s i o n a l l e v y . T h i s a f f e c t s a n e n v i a l i t h e n u m b e r a n d t i m e o f p r o j e c t c o m p l e t i o n . h i g h l y e e l T h e p r e s e n t s u b s c r i p t i o n o f 2 0 n a i r a p e r m e m b e r p e r y e a r i s g r o s s l y i n a d e q u a t e f o r m e d I I a n d s h o u l d b e r a i s e d i n l i n e w i t h t h e c u r r e n t r a t e o f i n f l a t i o n i n t h e c o u n t r y . I n p r o g r a m J J a d d i t i o n , r a f f l e s , f i l m s , a n d o t h e r f u n d - r a i s i n g e v e n t s s h o u l d b e o r g a n i z e d c e s s f u l c . r e g u l a r l y . T h e r e i s i g n o r a n c e o n t h e p a r t o f s o m e m e m b e r s o f t h e b e n e f i t s o f i n d i v i d u a c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t a c t i v i t i e s . A w a r e n e s s t a l k s s h o u l d b e o r g a n i z e d f r o m s o m e a s s t i m e t o t i m e f o r m e m b e r s . T h e l e v e l o f c o m m i t m e n t a n d p e r s o n a l a b i l i t y v a r i e s e x p a n d i t g r e a t l y a m o n g m e m b e r s , e s p e c i a l l y a m o n g s t u d e n t s a n d a p p r e n t i c e s w h o d o n o t c o n t r i b u t e f i n a n c i a l l y t o a n y p r o j e c t . R e f e r e n c T h e H o m e B r a n c h i s f o u n d n o t t o b e a s e f f e c t i v e a s e i t h e r t h e L a g o s o r I b a d a n A b i o d u n . J b r a n c h e s . T h i s m a y b e e x p l a i n e d b y t h e s i m p l e f a c t t h a t m o s t o f t h e m e m b e r s o f p r e s e n l l t h e L a g o s a n d I b a d a n b r a n c h e s a r e m u c h m o r e e n l i g h t e n e d a n d a c c u s t o m e d t o A b r a m , C . t h e s e l f - h e l p p r o j e c t s o f c o m m u n i t i e s i n w h i c h t h e y w o r k o r l i v e . A d e d o k u n , T h e r e i s a g e n d e r p r o b l e m , a s t h e I C D U i s a l m o s t 9 0 p e r c e n t m a l e . T h e r e a s o n P a p e r J l i s t h a t v e r y f e w w o m e n o f I s a l u c o m m u n i t y m a r r y w i t h i n t h e · c o m m u n i t y . 1 5 - 1 7 . W o m e n f r o m o u t s i d e t h e c o m m u n i t y w h o m a r r i e d m e m b e r s o f t h e u n i o n d o A d e j u m o b i n o t b e l o n g t o t h e I C D U . I t i s s u s p e c t e d t h a t t h e r e w o u l d b e g r e a t e r p a r t i c i p a t i o n R e l i a n c a n d b e t t e r f u n d i n g i f m e m b e r s h i p o f t h e I C D U w e r e t o b e b a s e d n o t o n l y o n t h e A g b o l a , T . b i r t h p l a c e b u t a l s o o n m a r r i a g e . V o l . X . A k o r e d e , ' t h e D i s C o n c l u s i o n G e o g n ~ ~ T h e I C D U h a s c o m e a l o n g w a y . W i t h v e r y l i m i t e d r e s o u r c e s a t i t s d i s p o s a l , i t B r o o m , L : H a r p e r , h a s b e e n a b l e t o a c h i e v e m o s t o f t h e o b j e c t i v e s f o r w h i c h i t w a s e s t a b l i s h e d , B r o w n , W e s p e c i a l l y t h e a t t a i n m e n t o f s e l f - r e l i a n c e t h r o u g h g r o u p a c t i o n o r c o m m u n i t y o p m e n t d e v e l o p m e n t . C e n t r e f o T h e I C D U h a s , f r o m i t s i n c e p t i o n , e n g a g e d i n a p r o c e s s o f m o b i l i z i n g a n d ' C o i i U D c r e a t i n g a w a r e n e s s a m o n g i t s m e m b e r s o n t h e n e e d f o r g r o u p a c t i o n a n d / o r N i g e r i a : c o l l e c t i v e e f f o r t s t o d e v e l o p t h e m s e l v e s a n d t h e i r c o m m u n i t y . I t i s n o w s e e n D e B l i j , K b y m o s t o b s e r v e r s a s a m o v e m e n t t o w a r d s t h e s o c i a l , e c o n o m i c , c u l t u r a l a n d . W i l e y • p o l i t i c a l e m a n c i p a t i o n o f m e m b e r s o f t h e I s a l u c o m m u n i t y . I C D U i s a m o v e m e n t E k o n g , E J d e s i g n e d t o p r o m o t e b e t t e r l i v i n g f o r t h e w h o l e c o m m u n i t y . I t h a s s u c c e s s f u l l y L t d . d o n e t h i s t h r o u g h t h e c o m m u n a l c o n s t r u c t i o n a s w e l l a s m a i n t e n a n c e o f r o a d s E l a i g w u , J . UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Community Development Associations and Self-reliance 65 full and culverts, markets, and, recently, a block of four classrooms (donated to the o of Teachers' College in Iseyin) and provision of water. Construction work on the Isalu Community Centre, which will have a hall, library, postal agency, nursery the school and recreational facilities, is to commence in January, 1995. asly. The union has constantly been used as a tool to redress imbalance in the sort, distribution of amenities or services and even representations in the local cred government's affairs. It has, on a few occasions, initiated court actions against certain individuals who trespassed on its communal land, against cattle rearers salu who invaded farms with their cattle thereby destroying mature crops, and also rties against a larger community for pocketing the Isalu community's share of the :s to royalties being paid on the land which belongs entirely to the Isalu community. ICDU has become a method and, interestingly, a model being copied by the other communities in Iseyin, for achieving group goals and objectives, especially for addressing the basic needs in the community which government is unable to ging provide. Members of Isalu community have not only developed a spirit of self-reliance, , the IWlY they have demonstrated it. The ICDU has great capacity and potential to attain rects an enviable lever of self-reliance in all endeavours. It is endowed with a group of highly educated members who are arousing greater consciousness in the unin- formed members and mobilizing the women for greater community development (Wlte y. In programmes. Unity, co-operation and mutual interest, which are basic to suc-cessful community development, are openly exhibited by members. Once their lized of individual economic ventures and earnings improve and, if the union can get ts some assistance from any international donor agency, it would conveniently from aries expand its community development activities and become more self-reliant. ()DOt References adan Abiodun, J. and Aguda, A. (1986), 'Spatial Organization of Urban Communities'. Paper :rs of presented at the Conference of the Nigerian Geographical Association, ABU, Zaira. ed to Abram, C. (1971), The Language of Cities. New York: The Viking Press. Adedokun, R.A. (1993). 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( e d . ) ( 1 9 8 4 ) , G e o g r a p h y a n d D e v e l o p m e n t : A W o r l d R e g i o n a l A p p r o a c h . t o C o l u m b u s : M e r r i l l P u b l i s h i n g C o . F r i e d m a n n , J . ( 1 9 8 1 ) , ' R e g i o n a l P l a n n i n g f o r R u r a l M o b i l i z a t i o n i n A f r i c a ' , R u r a l A f r i c a n a , N o s . 3 1 2 - 1 3 . G o o d e , W . J . a n d H a t t , P . K . ( 1 9 5 2 ) , M e t h o d s i n S o c i a l R e l a t i o n s . N e w Y o r k : M c G r a w - H i l l . H i c k s , G . H . a n d G u l l e t t , R . C . ( 1 9 8 2 ) , O r g a n i z a t i o n s : T h e o r y a n d B e h a v i o u r . N e w Y o r k : M c G r a w - H i l l . " K o l a j o , J . ( 1 9 6 0 ) , ' T h e C o n c e p t o f C o m m u n i t y ' , R u r a l S o c i o l o g y , 2 5 . L o n g , H . B . , A n d e r s o n , R . C . a n d B l u b a u g h , J . A . ( e d s ) ( 1 9 7 3 ) , A p p r o a c h e s t o C o m m u n i t y l n t r o d u c t i a D e v e l o p m e n t , I o w a C i t y , I o w a : N a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t y E x t e n s i o n A s s o c i a t i o n a n d t h e ' A s o - O K E , 1 H A m e r i c a n C o l l e g e T e s t i n g P r o g r a m m e . a n d c u l t u r a l N o t t r i d g e , H . B . ( 1 9 7 2 ) , T h e S o c i o l o g y o f U r b a n L i v i n g . L o n d o n : R o u t l e d g e a n d K e g a n n u m b e r o f t l P a u l L t d . l g b e t i , O y o 1 N w e z e , A . ( e d . ) . ( 1 9 8 8 ) , P e r s p e c t i v e o n C o m m u n i t y a n d R u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t i n N i g e r i a , J o s : C D S P u b l i c a t i o n s , U n i v e r s i t y o f J o s . a r e s t i l l h o m N w o s u , H . N . a n d N w a n k w o , G . O . ( 1 9 8 8 ) , ' S e l f - R e l i a n c e a s a S t r a t e g y f o r N a t i o n a l I b a d a n a n d 4 D e v e l o p m e n t i n N i g e r i a ' , i n A . N w e z e , ( e d . ) , P e r s p e c t i v e s o n C o m m u n i t y a n d R u r a l w o v e n c l o t h D e v e l o p m e n t i n N i g e r i a . J o s : C D S P u b l i c a t i o n s , U n i v e r s i t y o f J o s . T h e r e s i l i c O l a y i w o l a , L . M . ( 1 9 9 0 ) , ' A S t u d y o f t h e A d e q u a c y o f I n f r a s t r u c t u r a l F a c i l i t i e s i n R u r a l a s f o r c e s o f 1 A r e a s o f O r a n m i y a n L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t ' , u n p u b l i s h e d P h . D . t h e s i s , O b a f e m i A w o - t h e c r a f t s p e 4 : l o w o U n i v e r s i t y , I l e - l f e . f r o m o u t s i d O l o w u , D . , B a m i d e l e , S . A . a n d A k a n d e , B . ( e d s . ) ( 1 9 9 1 ) , L o c a l I n s t i t u t i o n s a n d N a t i o n a l w e a t h e r t h a t D e v e l o p m e n t i n N i g e r i a . I l e - l f e : O b a f e m i A w o l o w o U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s . i n t r u s i v e g m O m u t a , G . E . D . ( 1 9 8 6 ) , ' T h e U r b a n I n f o r m a l S e c t o r a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a l S a n i t a t i o n i n s e c t o r o c c u p N i g e r i a : N e e d l e s s c o n f l i c t ' , H a b i t a t I n t e r n a t i o n a l 1 0 ( 3 ) . T a k a y a , B . J . ( 1 9 8 8 ) , ' S t r u c t u r a l I m p e r a t i v e s f o r V i r i l e C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t M o v e - I n d i g e n o u m e n t i n N i g e r i a ' , i n A . N w e z e , ( e d . ) , P e r s p e c t i v e s o n C o m m u n i t y a n d R u r a l D e v e l - o f c r a f t s C O D o p m e n t i n N i g e r i a . J o s : C D S P u b l i c a t i o n s , U n i v e r s i t y o f J o s . t h e a s o - o l c e i T o g u n d e , 0 . 0 . ( 1 9 9 4 ) , ' A R e v i e w o f S e l f - H e l p E f f o r t s i n O k e - O g u n , O y o S t a t e , h a n d - w o v e n N i g e r i a ' . P a p e r p r e s e n t e d a t t h e N a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o n R e g i o n a l U n d e r d e v e l o p m e n t h i s t o r i c a l l y : a t t h e C o n f e r e n c e C e n t r e , U n i v e r s i t y o f l b a d a n , l b a d a n . w e a v i n g i n d W a r r e n , D . M . , S l i k k e r v e e r , L . J . a n d T i t i l o l a , S . O . ( e d s ) ( 1 9 8 9 ) . ' I n d i g e n o u s K n o w l e d g e m a r k e t i n g o S y s t e m s : I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r A g r i c u l t u r e a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t ' , S t u d i e s i n g i n g c o n d i t i t T e c h n o l o g y a n d S o c i a l C h a n g e 1 1 , A m e s : I o w a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , T e c h n o l o g y a n d o k e i n d u s t r y S o c i a l C h a n g e P r o g r a m m e . W a r r e n , D . M . ( 1 9 9 1 ) , ' U s i n g I n d i g e n o u s K n o w l e d g e i n A g r i c u l t u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t ' , m e n t t o ' m o W o r l d B a n k D i s c u s s i o n P a p e r N o . 1 2 7 , W a s h i n g t o n : T h e W o r l d B a n k . W a r r e n , D . M . ( 1 9 9 2 ) , ' S t r e n g t h e n i n g I n d i g e n o u s N i g e r i a n O r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d A s s o c i a - T h e i m p o r t t i o n s f o r R u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t : T h e C a s e o f A r a C o m m u n i t y ' , N I S E R O c c a s i o n a l P a p e r N o . 1 , I b a d a n . C l o t h p r o d u W a r r e n , D . M . , S l i k k e r v e e r , L . J . a n d B r o k e n s h a , D . ( e d s ) ( 1 9 9 5 ) T h e C u l t u r a l D i m e n s i o n T h e Y o r u b a o f D e v e l o p m e n t . L o n d o n : I n t e r m e d i a t e T e c h n o l o g y P u b l i c a t i o n s . l o o m a n d I I W e b s t e r ' s D i c t i o n a r y o f t h e E n g l i s h L a n g u a g e ( 1 9 8 7 ) , N e w Y o r k : L e x i c o n P u b l i c a t i o n s . h o r i z o n t a l l c W e y , S . O . ( 1 9 8 8 ) , ' C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t a n d t h e P r o c e s s o f E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p - s t r i p c l o t h 1 m e n t . ' i n A . N w e z e , ( e d . ) o p . c i t . p r o d u c t i o n c W o l f f , N . a n d W a h a b , B . ( 1 9 9 5 ) , ' T h e I m p o r t a n c e o f I n d i g e n o u s O r g a n i z a t i o n s t o t h e S c h o l a r s l S u s t a i n a b i l i t y o f C o n t e m p o r a r y Y o r u b a S t r i p - w e a v i n g I n d u s t r i e s i n I s e y i n , N i g e r i a ' , W e s t A f r i c a i n P . B l u n t , a n d D . M . 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