INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIII, Issue VII, July 2024
www.ijltemas.in Page 148
(Ejiofor, 2021). Eric Wolf established the political ecology theory in 1972, which examines the relationships between social,
political, and economic factors, as well as environmental changes and difficulties. It emphasises the ways that political and
economic power structures influence environmental policies. The RUGA strategy, which seeks to manage resources and land, is
inextricably intertwined with political and economic processes. Understanding Ogun West's political ecology makes it simpler to
analyse how power dynamics and economic interests impact community attitudes to policies.
Karl Marx proposed the concept of struggle in 1848. It maintains that competition for limited resources puts civilization in
continual strife. It brings attention to the disputes that occur among different social strata and groups. Conflict theory may be
utilised to examine the implementation of RUGA since it may exacerbate land competition between farmers and herders. If not
managed correctly, this rivalry may lead to other disagreements (Eme et al., 2014).
Thomas Homer-Dixon proposed the eco-violence hypothesis in 1999 to investigate how resource scarcity and environmental
degradation may lead to violent conflicts. It stresses how competition for scarce resources may lead to conflicts. The RUGA
method aims to address grazing land disputes, which are exacerbated by resource shortages and environmental deterioration. This
idea contributes to an understanding of how ecological factors impact herder-farmer conflicts in the Ogun West (Ojong et al.,
2021). According to modernization theory, developed by Walt Rostow in 1960 and Max Weber in 1905, civilizations progress
through a series of stages as they expand and evolve, resulting in both social and economic transformation. It typically predicts
that more modern, successful procedures will replace traditional ones. The RUGA policy aims to bring pastoral practices up to
current. To understand the resistance to RUGA, one must examine how modernization attempts may disrupt traditional ways of
life and produce community tensions and conflicts (Melson & Wolpe, 1970).
According to the frustration-aggression hypothesis, which was developed in 1939 by John Dollard, Neal Miller, Leonard Doob,
O. H. Mowrer, and Robert Sears, violence frequently results from anything impeding or irritating an individual's attempts to
accomplish a goal. If local communities' demands and objectives are not sufficiently met by the RUGA policy, they may become
frustrated and engage in violent opposition and conflict (Adekeye et al., 2022). The theoretical frameworks that are being
explored offer a thorough comprehension of the several aspects that affect how the RUGA strategy is expected to affect
community security in Ogun West. Using these ideas, we may more effectively assess the potential outcomes and obstacles of the
policy, highlighting the need of inclusive, egalitarian, and environmentally sustainable means for resolving conflicts and
supporting community progress.
Empirical Review
In Nigeria, the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) policy was introduced to decrease herder-farmer conflicts. Many studies have looked
into the program's impact on community security. This report summarises empirical research conducted in 2017 and examines
numerous facets of the RUGA policy and its consequences. Ademola (2020) investigated the causes of diverse Nigerian
communities' rejection of RUGA using qualitative approaches such as document analysis and interviews in "Herder-Farmer
Conflicts and RUGA Policy". The investigation found that the major reasons for resistance to the approach were worries of Fulani
herder domination and ethnic distrust. The findings underline the need to develop inclusive and transparent strategies to eliminate
ethnic prejudice and foster communal harmony. Ojo (2023) conducted "Migratory Pastoralism, Herders-Farmers Conflicts, and
the Ruga Settlement Policy in North Central Nigeria" using a mixed-methods approach that included surveys and focus group
talks. The study discovered that because host communities were not included in the decision-making process, there was
widespread opposition to the unilateral implementation of RUGA. Because of this exclusion, mistrust, and resistance grew,
emphasizing the importance of participatory techniques in policy implementation to promote acceptance and efficacy.
Agbakwuru and Awujo (2020) conducted a descriptive analysis across many geopolitical zones in Nigeria for their work "Ruga
Policy and National Integration: Implications for Guidance And Counselling." The study, which included a comprehensive
questionnaire, found that RUGA worsened ethnic tensions. To achieve national unity, the authors proposed discontinuing the
RUGA policy and instituting more inclusive policies (Agbakwuru & Awujo, 2020). Ojo (2023) employed quantitative methods
with a sample of 385 respondents in Benue State for "Climate-related Armed Conflict and Communities' Resistance to Rural
Grazing Area Settlement Policy in Nigeria's Middlebelt." The study showed that a key source of opposition was the local
population's separation from the RUGA policy formulation process. Opposition was discovered to be largely motivated by
aspects such as a lack of policy understanding and a fear of losing ancestral lands. Ejiofor (2021) used the ontological security
theoretical framework in "The Fear of Ethnic Domination: Explaining the Persistence of Natural Resource Conflicts in Nigeria"
to investigate the continuous nature. Based on qualitative data, the study concluded that historical prejudices and ethnic concerns
were significant barriers to RUGA's acceptance, resulting in its suspension. The findings emphasised the need for methods that
address ethnic fears and promote cooperative security-seek.
Ebisi and Olisa's 2020 study, "RUGA" The Socio-Cultural Implications in the South East Region," used qualitative research to
analyse the socio-cultural consequences of RUGA in Nigeria's South East. According to the study, the plan was perceived as an
imposition by the federal government, which exacerbated ethnic tensions. The proposals included the establishment of extensive
community awareness activities as well as all-inclusive policy efforts. Ojong et al. (2021) conducted research in Cross River State
with 400 participants titled "Ethno-communal Crisis and its Implications on Food Security and Business Activities in Nigeria".
The study found that ethno-communal disputes had a significant impact on food security and business activities. To resolve