Key Features:

- No of Pages: 79
- No of Chapters: 5
- Preliminary pages
- Images
- Tables
- Full research conducted
- Appendix
- Apa6 Style Referencing

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Abstract:

This study was conducted to ascertain the stakeholder’s engagement and conflict management of the federal university of Owerri (FUTO) with the host communities. The study employs a descriptive survey approach to illicit response from the indigenes of the host communities. A total of 400 respondents were administered a well-structured question which was analysed using both inferential and descriptive statistics. It was discovered that the communities have approached the issues in a subtle manner, using legal means, going on protest and at times being disruptive. On the other hand, FUTO has failed to employ global best practice in conflict management. The chi-square value calculated was less than tabular value (2.939< 3.84, P (0.086), therefore the null hypothesis was accepted. It is recommended that FUTO should in deploy proper conflict management practice, involving the stakeholders of the community to ensure harmonious relationship and coexistence with her host.

Table of Content:

DECLARATION i
APPROVAL/CERTIFICATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
LIST OF TABLES viii
LIST OF FIGURES x
ABSTRACT xi
CHAPTER ONE 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM 4
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 5
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 5
1.5 HYPOTHESIS 6
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 6
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 7
1.8 CASE STUDY AREA 7
1.8.1 Climate, Geography and Vegetation 11
1.8.2 Population and Activities 12
1.8.3 Infrastructure 13
1.9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 14
CHAPTER TWO 15
LITERATURE REVIEW 15
2.1 INTRODUCTION 15
2.2 THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 15
2.2.1 THE THEORY OF UNANTICIPATED CONSEQUENCES OF PURPOSIVE SOCIAL ACTION 15
2.2.2. CONFLICT THEORY AND CAUSES OF CONFLICT 18
2.2.3 THE CONCEPT OF STAKEHOLDERS AND THE STAKEHOLDER THEORY. 22
2.2.4 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 23
2.2.5 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 24
2.2.6 BEST PRACTICES IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 26
2.3 HISTORICAL SURVEY 32
2.4 EMPIRICAL SURVEY 33
2.5 VARIABLES OF THE STUDY 34
2.6 SUMMARY OF REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 35
2.7 LITERATURE GAP 35
CHAPTER THREE 36
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 36
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN 36
3.2 TARGET POPULATION OF THE STUDY 36
3.3 SAMPLING AND SAMPLING DESIGN 36
3.3.1 SAMPLE SIZE 37
3.4 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT 38
3.4.1 Secondary Data 38
3.4.2 Primary Data 38
3.5 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE 39
3.6 DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE 39
3.6.1 RELIABILITY OF INSTRUMENTS 40
CHAPTER FOUR 41
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 41
4.1 INTRODUCTION 41
4.2 SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS 41
4.3 SECTION B: STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 45
4.4 TEST OF HYPOTHESIS 52
CHAPTER FIVE 54
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 54
5.1 INTRODUCTION 54
5.2 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 54
5.3 IMPLICATION OF FINDINGS 55
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS 55
REFERENCES 56
APPENDIX 1 59
QUESTIONNAIRE 60
APPENDIX 2 66

Introduction:

The importance of tertiary education to human existence and civilisation cannot be understated, it has been described as the bedrock upon which modern civilization is built upon, so much that it is impossible to visualize life without education (Yusuf, 2014). According to Adayo (2011), education is a prominent propeller of the evolution and progress of human society which helps both in the growth of healthy environment and engenders a more sophisticated and civilized society. Tertiary education like most projects of man was established principally to enrich the academic enterprise and enhance the socio-cultural and economic wellbeing of the larger society through applied research (Akpotor, 2018).

The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) was established as a world class technology institute in Imo State, Nigeria. The institution specializes in the practical training of students geared towards transforming the nation’s economy from consumer oriented to production-oriented, with sound technological base. FUTO which is sited on over 4,500 hectares of land (Nwosu, 2016) has a rich history of proving manpower for the technological advancement of the Nigerian economy and the direct development of its host communities.

It is an undeniable fact that a tertiary institution is a catalyst for rapid socioeconomic and infrastructural development of its immediate environment, that is to say that the establishment of an institution, ushers in an avalanche of benefits (Jenyo and Adebayo, 2013) as these communities are presented with tremendous economic, social and physical development opportunities through a symbiotic relationship with the tertiary institution. The symbiotic relationship between tertiary institutions and host communities cannot be overemphasized (Olanrele and Awodoyin, 2011), taking into cognizance the contributions, individual and groups make towards the establishment and continual growth of institutions domiciled in their communities. Communities provide land, worship centres, security, water, hospitals, and accommodation for students and staff (Bello and Adebisi, 2014) and play a very vital role to the success or failure of a tertiary institution activities through their contribution of interests, ownership rights and human resources thereby making them ‘stake-holders’ (Bourne, 2009).

Securing stakeholder support is key for the successful implementation of most organizational initiatives, and without this support many projects will fail (Berman & Wang, 2010). This is especially true of large-scale projects that may significantly alter how an organization’s activities are conducted. The effect of establishing such capital intensive, land transforming venture such as tertiary education requires proper impact assessment on the host communities and proper planning to mitigate adverse effects which such projects may have on the baseline conditions of the host community’s environment, absence of such process may lead to conflicts in the future between the host communities and the institution. FUTO in recent times has seen increased conflict between the school’s management and host communities since the turn of the millennium. The age-old project/host community conflict has seen the FUTO pitted against the host communities for limited land resources as both the host communities and the institution have seen tremendous growth in population and social-economic activities.

Over the years, there has been similar conflicts between host communities/stakeholders and tertiary institutions, both in private and public sectors. The University of Port-Harcourt is also facing a land encroachment crisis with its host communities, Umuekini in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and Umuchiolu-Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area, that has led to destruction of properties and loss of lives (Ojakorotu, 2013). In 2019, the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ife reported that about 162 hectares of land belonging to the university was in contention with its host communities. The host communities claimed that the land was rightfully theirs, while the university claimed that the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi gave the lands to the university. (Olawale Oyegbade, The Nigerian Voice, 2019). The unending crisis in the oil rich Niger Delta as an example has been a source of constant disruption to the activities of oil and gas companies in Nigeria. Land belonging to the host communities is taken for oil exploration activities hence depriving the communities of farms land, similarly, exploration and production activities leads to unintended consequences such as spillages in water bodies and lands which leads to water and land pollution, thus making both fishing and farming activities impossible in the region. Host communities became violent against oil companies when the oil company activities resulted in high levels of destruction of fishing territories and farm lands leading to loss of livelihood of the host communities as farm land, marine resources environment degradation (Uzodike, 2009; Obi, 2009; Abide, 2011). In similar manner, host communities of some airports such as the Yola International Airport in Nigeria have accused the airports of depriving them of land that would have been utilized for farming activities and at the same time contributing to the noise and air pollution of their environment (Birma & Ezra, 2020).

Tension and conflict as part of human society rises when there is an erosion of ownership rights such as access to land for agriculture and investment. This is exasperated when there is an increasing population which is not accompanied by an increase in productivity or by new opportunities to acquire income, then competition over land heightens and may be manipulated by elites (Azeez and Onyema, 2013). Issues of access to land resources and uneven distribution are observed as veritable causes of disaffection which often feed conflict in communities and regions with a history of non-standardized land distribution (Deininger, 2003).

Several crises in tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been traced to poor policy communication, stakeholders’ rejection of decisions or the management of conflicts by the authorities of tertiary institutions. Many times, these crises not only affect normal academic activities but also result in avoidable deaths and destruction of scarce learning infrastructure. (Nwanmereni, 2020)