Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi

RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION IN OSUN STATE: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Anthony Abayomi, Awe Ene Norah, Akindola Rufus Boluwaji. Federal University, Oye-Ekiti

Abstract

Rural-Urban migration continues to be a phenomenon that has persisted over time. Men and women, especially youths are commonly in the habit of leaving the rural areas in search of the proverbial golden fleece in the urban areas. However, contrary to the widespread belief that limitless job opportunities exist in the urban areas, data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicate that youths' unemployment is on a steady increase in Nigeria. The study explored reasons for rural-urban migration and its implication for national development. The study was anchored on the Push and Pull theory as propounded by Everett Lee. The study was carried out in Obokun Local Government area of Osun State and four rural communities were randomly selected. Fifty respondents were randomly selected from each of the rural communities making it a total number of 200 respondents comprising of males and females aged 15 years and above. Questionnaire was used to obtain data and analysed using frequency and percentages. The study found that the failure of successive government's rural development programmes, neglect of rural infrastructures, apathy to agriculture, desire for unavailable white collar jobs are the push-pull factors for rural-urban migration. It was recommended that government should take rural infrastructural development as a priority in its plans, create employment opportunities in the rural areas, as well as make agriculture attractive and profitable for the youths to curtail rural-urban migration.

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