Influence Of Traditional Institutions on Community-Driven Developmental Projects in Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64348/zije.2026561Abstract
Traditional institutions have remained vital agents of governance, cultural preservation among others. This study examined the influence of traditional institutions on community development in Otukpo Local Government Area, focusing on their roles in leadership, conflict resolutions, resource mobilization and socio-economic transformation. The study adopted a theoretical and empirical approach using relevant development theories such as structural functionalism, dependency theory. Three research questions were generated, and three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance, chi-square statistical tool was used to analyze the hypotheses. The findings revealed that traditional institutions significantly contributed to community development through grassroots mobilization, peace building and local governance, despite challenges such as political marginalization and modernization pressures. The study also revealed that traditional institutions had significant influence on promoting grassroots participation in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. The study recommended that integrating traditional institutions into formal governance structures can enhance sustainable community development. It further recommended that the government should provide clear constitutional roles for traditional institutions to enhance their legitimacy and effectiveness
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