Nigeria and development in the 21st century: The theatre for development alternative

Indices of development begin with the development of human beings; human beings that will later develop other facets of the society such as the economy, natural, mineral and all other resources available in the country. Hence education is of paramount importance in any nation. The globalization of nations in the close of the 21st century further attests to this reality. It is however sad that while the 'so called developed countries' of the West are fast accelerating in terms of development, the same can not be said about majority of the 'Third World Countries'. What then are the problems facing such an oil-rich country as Nigeria that has remained practically stagnant in the face of development? This paper therefore seeks to explore some of the reasons for the backwardness and the near stagnation of the country 51years after attaining political independence. The paper argues that the Top-bottom developmental policies rather than the Bottom-top policies are largely responsible for this. We conclude that using the Theatre-for -Development alternative which encompasses the traditional nuances of communication; to conscientize, promote dialogue, conduct research and encourage participation and awareness, sustainable development would be attained.