THE ROLE OF
INFORMATION GATHERING IN THE RAPID SOCIAL-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Rapid
economic development and social well-being constitute the transformation
imperative of developing countries of the world and indeed, remain the
normative goal of the international community (Ehi, 2009). This involves the
attainment of sufficient levels of economic growth to allow for a progressive
improvement in the material standard of living of the populace. However, for
Nigeria and most African countries, the economies are in an abysmal state. The
worsening economic conditions have been generating a mix of domestic, social
and political tension. We have had series of development plans in Nigeria. Nigeria
is permanently hunted by the spectre of development. Its fifty three years of
independence actually are rolling by daily in search of development. The myth
of growth and development is so entrenched that the country’s history passes
for the history of development strategies and growth models from colonial times
up to date. No term has been in constant flux as development. This seems the
only country where virtually all notions and models of development have been experimented
(Aremu, 2003).
Information gathering refers to gathering
information about the issue been faced and the ways other organizations and
communities have addressed it. The more information one have about the
issue itself and the ways it has been approached, the more likely one is able
to devise an effective program or intervention of to address the situation
(Bala, 2007). There are obviously many sources of information, and they vary
depending on what is been looked for. In general, information can be gathered
from only 2 sources, existing sources or natural example.Existing sources refers to published
material of various kinds that might shed light either on the issue or on
attempts to deal with it. These can be conveniently divided into
scholarly publications, aimed primarily at researchers and the academic
community, mass-market sources, written in a popular style and aimed at the
general public and statistical and demographic information published by various
research organizations and government agencies (Iwe, 2000). Natural example
includes programs or interventions developed and tried in communities that have
addressed similar issue. Studying them can tell can indicate what worked for
them and what didn’t, and why. By giving the insight into how issues play the
other communities, they can provide nuts-and-bolts ideas about how to (or how
not to) conduct a successful program or intervention. For the most part,
information sources here are the people who are involved in efforts to address
issues similar to the one been faced (Iwe, 2000). Additionally, there are a
number of natural examples (such as single case studies) that have been written
about descriptively in the literature of community psychology or public health
that may be relevant to your work.
Security
involves freedom from danger or threat to a nation’s ability to protect and
develop itself, promote its cherished values and well-being of its people. This
takes into account the need for information gathering and significance of human
well-being in the security considerations of a country especially in a
developing country like Nigeria. In this connection, it is easy to establish a
nexus between information gathering, national security and development.
Accordingly, it is meaningless to talk of social economic transformation in the
absence of national security. In other words, insecurity in a nation is a
threat to social economic transformation. National security is a sine qua non
for political stability and socio-economic development of any nation
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There
has been no previous research on role of information gathering in the rapid
socio economic transformation of Nigeria but however gathering the information
that already exists about the issues hindering development and attempts to
address it is one of the most important aspects of planning a program or
evaluation that can bring about the needed socio economic transformation in
Nigeria. By putting together what’s known about the issue and the history
of the successes and failures of various approaches to it, the nation can build
a program structure that includes new innovations and elements that have worked
for others in similar situations. However, the researcher is examining the role
of information gathering in the rapid socio economic transformation of Nigeria.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
following are the objectives of this study:
1. To
examine the role of information gathering in the rapid socio economic
transformation of Nigeria.
2. To
identify the approaches to reliable information gathering for the purpose of
socio economic development.
3. To
identify factors that influences rapid socio economic transformation of Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What
is the role of information gathering in the rapid socio economic transformation
of Nigeria?
2. What
are the approaches to reliable information gathering for the purpose of socio
economic development?
3. What
are the factors that influenced rapid socio economic transformation of Nigeria?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO:
Information gathering cannot be used as a tool for rapid socio economic
transformation of Nigeria.
HA:
Information gathering can be used as a tool for rapid socio economic
transformation of Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
following are the significance of this study:
1. The
outcome of this study will be very useful to policy makers and government of
Nigeria on how information gathering can be used as a tool for rapid socio
economic transformation of Nigeria with a view of using this information to
address the problems ravaging the country.
2. This
research will also serve as a resource base to other scholars and researchers
interested in carrying out further research in this field subsequently, if
applied will go to an extent to provide new explanation to the topic.
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
study on the role of information gathering in the rapid socio economic
transformation of Nigeria will cover the approaches to information gathering
and how it can be used as a tool for socio economic development and
transformation of Nigeria.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
1. Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
2. Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study
with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted
for the research work.
REFERENCES
Aremu, I.
(2003). Development and Political Stability in Kwanashie (ed.) Korea
Development Institute.
Bala, J. T.
(2007 ) “The Foundations of Religious Intolerance in Nigeria: backgrounds for
Understanding the Maitatsine Phenomenon’’. Bulletin of Ecumenical Theory.
Ehi, O.
(2009) “The Challenge of National Security and Development” A paper delivered
at the Delta State Christian Professional League Seminar on Crisis Management
and Nation Building at Grand Hotel, Asaba, 19th Nov.
Iwe, N. S.S. (2000), Religious
Fanaticism, Causes, Effects and Remedies. Calabar: Sea Print.