COMMUNITY PERCEPTION AND SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN OWERRI WEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between community perception and sustainablerural development in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria. Grounded inParticipatory Development Theory and the Igbo philosophy of Igwebuike (collective strength), theresearch investigated how community members perceive development interventions and how theseperceptions influence the success and sustainability of rural development projects. Using a mixed-methods design (qualitative and quantitative), data was collected from 382 survey respondentsacross ten autonomous communities, complemented by community dialogues and key informantinterviews. Findings reveal a significant gap between government planners and communityperception. The study shows that community perception is shaped by three main factors: the levelof inclusion in project planning, respect for local cultural values (Omenala), and the visible impactof projects on daily livelihoods. Results indicate a strong positive correlation between positivecommunity perception and project sustainability (r = .68, p < .001). The study advances debates onparticipatory development by demonstrating that cultural factors—specifically Igbo philosophicalconcepts—mediate the relationship between participation and sustainability, challengingtechnocratic assumptions in mainstream development theory. Recommendations were made basedon the findings.