TITLE:
Leadership Effectiveness in the Care of Internally Displaced Persons’ and Camps in Africa
AUTHORS:
Ruth Abiola Adimula, Olugbenga Ayodeji Mokuolu
KEYWORDS:
Theory, Internally Displaced Persons, Camps, Efficiency, Social Needs, Survival Strategies
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Leadership,
Vol.12 No.4,
December
15,
2023
ABSTRACT: The Paper discusses how leadership effectiveness can
improve the care of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and management of camps in Africa, based on
the recent surge in the number of displacements, resulting from insurgency,
militant activities, natural disasters and several conflict-related
displacements and the uncoordinated camp structure. This cross-sectional
descriptive study adopted focus group discussion, structured interview and key
informants interview (KII) guides, to undertake two stages of study, being
situation analysis in selected IDPs camps on management practices; and using
the knowledge gathered to formulate a conceptual framework—four-phased model of
an IDP’s transition to align survival strategies to social need, viz: 1) After-Shock
(IDP-phase-1): This is the immediate period after the occurrence of the
event, characterised by a mixture of the emotion of gratitude for survival. 2) Stabilisation
(IDP-phase-2): The phase of settlement into a camp routine with a
predictable system of meeting basic needs. 3) Empowerment (IDP-phase-3): The
stage of acquisition of vocational and necessary management skills
towards economic independence; and 4) Re-integration (Post-IDP-phase): The
phase of coordinated exit from the camp and reintegration into the society as
self-sustaining individuals. It concludes that efficiency in the care of IDPs
in camps is weak. The recommendation is to improve camp management leadership
effectiveness to strengthen IDP response, to facilitate the protection of their
rights while allowing a systematic exit of IDPs instead of creating an IDP
conundrum.