Leadership Styles of Community Leaders and Sustainability of Community Development Projects in Southwest, Nigeria

This study investigates the relationship between the leadership styles of community leaders and the sustainability of community development projects in Southwest, Nigeria. Utilizing a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 300 community leaders and 1,500 community members across 60 communities in Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo states. The study identified autocratic leadership as the predominant style among community leaders in the region, followed by pseudo-democratic, with transformational leadership being the least adopted. Findings indicate a low level of sustainability for community development projects, attributed partly to leadership styles that may not effectively motivate community participation and project longevity. Statistical analyses, including Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression, reveal a significant positive relationship between leadership styles and project sustainability. Specifically, transformational leadership style emerged as the most significant contributor to project sustainability, while autocratic leadership showed less contribution. These results suggest that leadership style plays a crucial role in determining the success and longevity of community projects. Recommendations include promoting transformational leadership training for community leaders, fostering participatory decision-making processes, enhancing project management practices, and advocating for policy changes to support sustainable community development initiatives in Southwest, Nigeria. Overall, this study contributes to understanding the dynamics of community leadership and project sustainability in the context of Nigerian communities, offering insights for improving leadership practices to enhance community development outcomes