Quality of Life (QoL) of Rural Dwellers in Nigeria: A Subjective Assessment of Residents of Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun-State

Drawing on data collected from a survey of 156 randomly selected residents of Ikeji-Arakeji, this study evaluates rural quality of life (QoL) in Osun State, Southwest Nigeria. Findings showed that majority (52.6%) of the residents were living below poverty line. Results further revealed that residents were less satisfied with key quality of life indicators especially on availability of portable water, electricity, quality of recreational facility, cleanliness of the area and access to waste disposal facilities among others. That residents enjoyed a very low level of satisfaction on these indicators was owing to the fact that infrastructure related to them were either not available or in poor condition. The study therefore, concludes that the quality of life of rural residents in Nigeria is poor.Government and community intervention is therefore necessary in the provision of employment opportunity and infrastructure so as to improve the economic situation of the rural dwellers in the study area.

Keywords: Rural area, Quality of Life, Infrastructure, Wellbeing.