This paper is evaluating the two popular community development approaches; the Top-down and the Bottom-up with their divergent differences in application and the influence each has in developmental projects/ programmes. The authors then proposes a new model / approach "MIXED METHOD". The works of John Cohan and Norman Uphoff, Robert Chambers as earlier advocates of participatory development comes to mind as they tried to deviate from the previous and most popular topdown approach. Considering the fact that there has been arguments on the choice of one against the other, this paper proposes the "mixed method" as the most appropriate approach, as a new approach to balance the dichotomy thereby filling the research gap in search of most appropriate community development method. This advocates the application of both methods as there is need for a mix of both top-down and bottom-up for effective community development. This view of mixed method is borrowed from the supportive and effective empirical evidence for the adoption of mixed methods research in recenttime. The review of previous articles, books, conference proceedings, and other internet publications were utilized as the methodological approach hence, the study used secondary data. The paper concludes that there should be a systematic blending or mixing of both top-bottom and bottom-up so as to achieve a holistic and appreciable sustainable development that carries every one along.

The problems associated with oil spill clean-up has been of burden to all oil spill stakeholders all over the world and the method of clean-up depends on the type of spill, the volume of spill, the location and weather at the time of clean-up. Generally, while the clean-up of oil spill on the sea involves the use of standard oil boom, foxtail skimmer and dispersion system mounted on an airplane, spill on land can be cleaned with high-pressure system, scooping, and in-situ burning. In Imo State, the clean-up was through in-situ burning, scooping and burying the oil. The communities participated in the clean-up as voluntary services and sometimes for financial gains. The study utilized mixed methods and a total of 376 correctly filled and returned out of 400 administered questionnaires were used and 13 interviews were conducted for this research. Purposive sampling method was utilized for the qualitative as it gave the researcher the opportunity to select informants with deep knowledge and experience coupled with willingness to release the authentic data required for the analysis of the study. The findings show that communities in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta in Imo state Nigeria actively participated in oil spill clean-ups in their localities whenever there was spill and at the end of it, they suffered great psychological, health and other socio-economic impacts.

The study examines the economic impacts of oil spill on the life of the people of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Communities in Imo State Nigeria. The oil spill has polluted the rivers making it difficult to fish; the spills on farms have destroyed the crops leading to low yield and income, and this caused socioeconomic problems in these communities. The oil spill in these communities are peculiar as it occurs both on water and land unlike other spill in other countries occurring only on water. Literature shows that oil spill worldwide caused severe economic impact including loss of income, drop in share prices, loss of funds through clean-up and remediation, and payments for injurious harm to businesses and environment. The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory and stakeholders’ theory are useful in this study. The international laws on oil spill compensation have not been adequate, hence compelling countries to invoke their national laws. Using mixed methods, the findings of the study show that the income of these communities was negatively affected and little or no compensation paid to the affected communities. Inadequate enforcement of oil spill laws in Nigeria coupled with lack of political will to strictly enforce these laws has been identified. The spill caused psychological trauma and stress, occupational displacement, decrease in income, poverty and diseases in these communities. There is a need to amend the international laws on oil spill covering both spill from ship and on land, and the urgent need for all related agencies in Nigeria to be active in their duties. The oil companies need to be proactive in addressing the problems created by oil spill, while urgent clean-up and adequate compensations need to be paid.