THE DYNAMICS OF DEVELOPMENT IN OWERRI CAPITAL TERRITORY: A STUDY OF THE MILITARY AND CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATIONS OF IMO STATE, 1976-2020

Abstract

Imo State of South-eastern Nigeria has witnessed both Military and Civilian administrations, under the period of study, 1976-2020. The dynamics of the state history is captured in the process of urbanization and the ideological dialectics of the socio-economic and political engagements of its governors. This work undertakes a comparative study and the historical perspectives of various administrations in Imo State since its creation in a sequential Milicivilian periodization. Literatures abound on developments on the state capital Territory, but none has put the events in a systematic comparative chronology, which this work intends to do. It is the dynamism of change that ignites development, however the study shows that the development of Owerri was rather slow considering its age. To determine the reason(s) for the slow pace of development informed this study. Oral interviews, observations and relevant literature were used as sources of data collection. The method adopted was historical narrative, with thematic and analytic approach. The study recommends that government should pay more attention to the people’s prioritized needs like creating employment, building good intra-state roads, industries, and the even spread of development, which would have accelerated development more.