Age grade association: a non state actor in the sustainability of community development projects in Southeast, Nigeria

Abstract Age grade association is a pattern through which members of the community are grouped into batches according to date of birth. The associations comprise people of equal or about the same age operating within a given community with the aim of individual and collective development. The age grade associations articulate and mobilize resources for the execution of community development projects. They are grassroots agents that serve as an organ for the maintenance of peace, law and order in the community. Some past attempts at community development failed due to the non-involvement of the community members in decision–making processes. This study explored age grade association as a non state actor in sustainability of community development projects in Southeast, Nigeria. Data was drawn from 56 respondents. The instruments for data collection were Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and In-depth interviews (IDIs). Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed in selecting the study participants. The study sample was drawn from four communities in four local government areas of Abia and Ebonyi States. The study examined the nature of age grade associations; the contributions of age grade associations and the challenges of age grade associations in sustainability of community development projects. It established that age grade associations are grass root agents that executed and sustained community development projects. The study also found that project site selection is sometimes problematic and this has implications for project sustainability. The study recommends adult literacy education for the social and political empowerment of members of age-grade associations.