Ideology, local administration and problems of rural development in the Republic of Benin
| Published date | 01 October 1984 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230040406 |
| Author | S. Bamidele Ayo |
| Date | 01 October 1984 |
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Vol.
4,
361-372
(1984)
Ideology, local administration and problems
of
rural
development in the Republic
of
Benin
S.
BAMIDELE AYO
University
of Ife, Nigeria
SUMMARY
Administration at the grass-roots level is expected
to
be a vehicle
for
local development. This
explains why governments in the Third World Countries and even in the industrialized states
have always demonstrated their willingness actively
to
involve their grass-root administrations
in promoting rural socio-economic transformation. The Republic of Benin is one
of
the Third
World
countries where local administration is involved in promoting rural development.
However, the local administration has failed to make a noteworthy contribution
to
rural
development, especially since the inception
of
the regime
of
Brigadier Mathieu Kerekou.
This paper attempts to explain the minimal contribution
of
local administration to rural
development in Benin. One of the key reasons elaborated
is
the existence
of
other institutions
charged with the same responsibility
of
promoting rural development. Finally, attention is
drawn to the method used in translating socialist ideology into reality through co-operatives
and the mobilization
of
human resources. This method conflicts with the interests
of
the
masses which are being alienated, thereby limiting the success recorded by the local
administrators.
INTRODUCTION
The need for administrations or governments at the local level to make significant
contributions to rural development, especially in the developing countries, has been
stressed emphatically by many students of development. (Chappel, 1977,
p.
11;
Humes, 1973,
p.
21; Sady, 1962; Yahaya, 1979). In this paper
it
will be argued that
local administration in the Republic
of
Benin under the current regime
of
Brigadier
Mathieu Kerekou has not made any noteworthy contribution to rural socio-
economic transformation.
The reason for this is that the central government has created other local technical
organizations and has entrusted these organizations with
the
same responsibility of
promoting rural development.
This
limits
the
areas
of
participation of local
administration. But a more serious obstacle to local administration making an
important contribution to rural development in Benin is the political assignments
which the local administrators have simultaneously to carry out in their respective
localities. These administrators are responsible for propagating socialist ideology in
their communities. The strategy which they have to adopt in performing this role
conflicts on many grounds with the interest of the masses. The financial problems
which local administrative institutions face constitute another obstacle to the
promotion of rural development.
Dr.
Ayo is
in
the Department of Public Administration at the University
of
Ife, Ile-lfe, Nigeria.
0271
-2075/84/040361-12$01.20
0
1984
by John Wiley
&
Sons, Ltd.
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