Rural Urbanization in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State: Antecedents, Requirements, and Prospects
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The paper focused on the antecedents, requirements, and prospects of urbanizing the rural communities of Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State with such potentials as demographic transition, infrastructural facilities, social amenities, private and governmental establishments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith based organizations (FBOs), employment opportunities etc. To achieve the goal of this paper, three (3) research questions were raised to guide the secondary data generation through the review of literature from books, archival materials, journals, unpublished monographs, etc. However, three (3) functionalist models of urban ecology (concentric zones, sector, and multi-nuclei), and conflict theory (new urban sociology) were adopted and used as frames of explaining the structure of urbanized areas and social relationships. In the light of this, the paper argued that rural urbanization processes in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State predated the colonial and post-colonial eras, but became more pronounced during these periods because of such factors as using centrally located and coastal villages as provincial capital and divisional headquarters as well as upgrading and conversion of these centres into state capitals and local governmental headquarters. The findings revealed that these colonial and post-colonial urban policies in addition to various urban planning and development laws are antecedents and requirements for rural urbanization. The paper recommends among others the harmonization of the colonial and post-colonial urban development policies, progrmmes and the relevant laws in order to facilitate rural urbanization processes in the Local Government Area and elsewhere in Akwa Ibom State.
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