The politics of forest governance investigates the power tussle over forest control between the state/formal actor and a determined army of marginalised informal actors. The forest has been at the centre of innumerable conflicts, which have inevitably resulted from power struggles in a bid to gain forest control. These have had demonstrable implications on human development and the security of Nigeria. Scholars have focused extensively on the formal actors, while, the subtle and the everyday "taken-for-granted" nuances of the informal actors, which has led to forest conflict and insecurity has remained insignificant. Forest control matters are dependent on the "survival of the fittest". This research employs qualitative methodology for data collection in gazetted forest-reserve areas of Ogun, Osun and Ondo states. The research work provides insights into the power nuances and contexts that drive forest conflicts and underdevelopment. It offers solutions to the management of power asymmetries of forest actors.