THE NEED FOR POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL OF IGBETI MARBLE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

In spite of the high deposit of natural resources in Nigeria, the country’s economy is nothing to write home about. The concentration of the Nigerian government on oil exploration at the expense of other natural resources has become issue of worry. Most natural resources remain unharnessed and untapped because they are under the purview of the federal or central
government. This paper investigates the issues surrounding the Igbeti marble and makes use of interviews, journals abstracts and internet source. It discusses that the Igbeti marble had remain unexploited by the federal government and more importantly had portend political and environmental disadvantages on the host community and therefore recommends that in the spirit
of true federalism the deposit should be ceded to the state government as this would create more employment and income and practically, it will also douse the tension between the two opposing camps, thereby allow for environmental protective regulations amongst others.