PEACE-BUILDING AS THE PANACEA FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examines the peace building template as the panacea for development in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The study explores the realities in the Niger Delta; the prevailing social conflict in the area and the relationship between peacebuilding and development. In doing this, the study adopted historical and descriptive research method and used the structural functionalism, with human need theories as the frameworks of analysis. From the analysis, it is discovered that the adoption of state building strategies achieved little result, because, state building mechanism is just for regime survival. It was also found that government relied on militant driven solution. This, again, ignored the holistic development desires of the region. Peace can only be built in the troubled region through development. Development in this context should be a process for meeting human development goals of the region while sustaining the ability of the natural systems to continue providing natural resources and the ecosystem for future generation to meet   their needs