CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study
Lagos is one of the thirty-six
states in a Federal polity called Nigeria. The governmental structure consists
of a Federal Government, 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory
and 774 Local Government.
In March, 1999 the civilian
administration inherited 20 Local Governments. This has increased to 57 with
the creation of new 37 Local Governments by the state. 'The law backing this
development was published in the supplement to Lagos State of Nigeria Official
Gazette Extraordinary No.35 Vo1.32 of 18th October 1999. There are about 20
wards in each local government in the state and each is adequately represented
in the local government legislature.
Lagos State is a sprawling urban Centre
whose unique endowments and strategic location have attracted domestic arid
international immigration, producing a megacity of immense dynamic complexity
and opportunity? Metropolitan Lagos, which approximates to 17 of the old 20
Local Government areas covering about 350/0 or the states landmass, accounts
for over 85% of the estimated population,
Q1aking it the most urbanized
state in Nigeria.
The state is estimated to be
growing at between 6% and 8% annually, making it one of the fastest growing
cities in the world growing 10 times faster than New York and Los Angeles.
Lagos State is a melting pot of cultures attracting diverse Population from
within and outside Nigeria. These in population has actually resulted into slums
in many areas of Lagos state.
Slums, in heavily populated urban areas are characterized by
substandard housing and equating. They emerge in response to housing needs
created by rapid population shift from the rural areas to the cities.
Two types of slums are easily
identifiable in Lagos. The first type grew out of illegal occupation of vacant
land- called "squatter settlement" and the second grew out of legal land
tenure.
The growth of slums in Lagos
State has its root in the structure and distribution of its population.
Estimates by' the United Nations and the Lagos State regional Master Plan put
the state's population at about 11.6 million inhabitants. The 1991 census of
Nigeria however puts the population of Lagos State at 5,685,781 or 6.42 percent
of the national total.
The figure still makes Lagos
State the most populous State in the federation with a land area of 3,577sq.km.
It is the smallest in the country. The state's population density of 1,590
persons per sq.km is high. The density value for built up metropolitan Lagos,
estimated at 20,000 per sq km is even higher still.
1.2 Statement of
Problems
Slums occur when the demand for
houses in rapidly growing cities outstrips the supply. While Lagos State has
the highest population in Nigeria; it has the smallest land space which has translated
to rapid concentration of population which will require continual provision of
infrastructural facilities.
The Lagos State Government, in
its blueprint for the regional development of the 1980- 2000 emphasized the
provision of social-economic facilities for the ever expanding metropolis to
make life tolerable particularly in the rural areas and encourage population
stability.
The government's effort at urban
sustainability has been stated at various forms.
The problem to be addressed by
this study is what has been done to reduce the growt of slum in Ajegunle Owode
and blighted community in the environs.
1.3 Objective of
study
The primary objective of the
study is to focus on the development of urban, the growth of slums and the role
of the government to reduce them.
It also seeks to identify the
role(s) if any, of the communal groups and self-help efforts in urban
sustainability.
The study also proposes to
document the missing gaps in the development of sighted communities.
1.4 Significance of
Study
The process of urbanization in Lagos has thrown-up
developmental problems like local governance, land acquisition, housing,
sanitation, transportation, water supply and the Provision of public
infrastructure which have remained endemic subject of governmental policy and
programmes.
The road development since the
1970s, the reconstruction of Ikorodu Road into a 10-lane dual carriage way, the
construction of the Third Mainland Bridge and the Inter connecting roads that link
them into elaborate route ways have been both responses to and catalysts of the
explosive growth of metropolitan Lagos. The study is significant in identifying
and appraising the factors that contributed to the Growth of slums and their
role in urban sustainability.
It hopes to determine the place
of communal effort in urban development and help understand the symbiotic
relation between governmental agencies.
Most importantly, the study will update the available records on rural
development by Inclusion of its projects at
urban sustainability at the grassroots.
1.5 Research Question
The following questions are
important to the research work. These questions will be used has guide to make
the work genuine for further study.
i.
What are the possible
factors that led to the growth not slum in Agboyi Ketu.
ii.
Who were the slum
dwellers in Ketu.
iii.
What measures is taking
by Lagos state government to control the growth of slum in Lagos
iv.
Do the local
government and community identify the problem of slum of slum in Agboyi Iketu
v.
What are the
relationship between the local government, state government and community to
tackle the problem of slum in this area
vi.
is there any
significant control to environmental degradation in Ketu
vii.
How has the growth of
slum affect urban sustainability in Lagos
viii.
The Lagos state
government has embarked on a megacity plan, how
this will be achieved.
1.6 Research Methodology
The methodology of the research
is a very crucial historical because it exhibits the details II of how the research exercise was
performed. This gives credence to the study. t'
he methodology entails a comprehensive and objectives description of the method employed in carrying
out this research and thereby enhancing the study acceptability. The work will
consider primary sources such as oral interview, journals and some other
secondary sources such as internet document and news I journals.
1. 7 Scope and Limitations of Study
The study would be limited in
depth and coverage to the area of study, even as it takes a global view of
slums growth in the state.
It is envisaged that the study
will depend mostly on primary sources like interviews with Community leaders
and records from government publications in the face of dearth materials on the area of study.
1.8 LITERATURE REVIEW
Urbanization is an unending
process in Africa. Mabogunje "Cities
and African Development" (1976), p33,
asserts that the primary role of cities as centers of transformation underlies
their attraction for an ever increasing number of migrants from rural areas all
over the continents. He suggests that the very rapid growth of .population in Lagos especially since 1920
has been marked by a remarkable land use development.
Mabounje "Urbanization in
Nigeria" (1968), p267, notes that the overall land-use development of
the city is mean to be governed by zoning regulations as to the sitting, I design, quality and use of buildings.
These regulations have however
not been applied with firmness and decisiveness resulting in a proliferation
within metropolitan Lagos of problem areas of localized poor housing, poor
environmental sanitation, low accessibility and discordant land-use.
He attributes the problem of
inefficient urban management in Lagos to a set of complete factors related
partly to the fact that Lagos was the federal capital and partly t4 the nature
of metropolitan expansion. The nature of the metropolitan expansion has meant
that the Greater Lagos now include parts of a number of administrative
divisions outside the municipality. The process of urbanization Omiya, the City
of Lagos, Ten Short Essaysl, (1995), p.47, believes slums occur when the demand
for houses in rapidly growing cities outstrips the supply George describes a
slum as an "environment in which a set of
forces interact to give rise to a
devalued physical and social image of an area by a large community.
A report to the state of Lagos
Mega City, Lagos, (2004), p. 31, notes that the city witnessed several suburban
expansions into the country-side from its central core, an area of 70km2 encroaching and absorbing other
fringe settlements.
Through several land reclamation
schemes the land area of the metropolis was greatly enraged after 1952 as it
engulfed several small neighbouring areas, such as Mushin, Somolu and Bariga,
which used to be part of the former Western Region.
The annexation of nearby
settlements like Ikeja, Somolu Ketu and Ojo, impinging on Ik1rodu and others
made the problem of urban sprawl and agglomerations apparent. .
The report adds that the
inadequacy of the combined efforts of private and public institutions to
provide housing for the populace has encouraged the proliferation of such slams
and squatter settlements which house about half the total population of
metropolitan Lagos.
Cases in point are Ajegunle,
Aiyetoro, Okobaba., Badia, Amukoko, Makoko, Somolu, Bariga, ketu, Ilado-
Maroko and Coker village. Badejo Urban Settlementsand Derelopments (1999),
p.46, argues that the political economic, industrial and social affluence
enjoyed by Lagos State led to the massive migration of people into It,
parti1ularly Lagos metropolitan area, hence the state's urban problems.
Badejo Urban Settlements and
Developments, (1999); p.50, identifies the main urban problems of Lagos:
(i) Inadequate
and inefficient provision of basic services, amenities and conveniences such as
public transport, health facilities, housing, water supply and educational
facilities which remain the greatest failure.
(ii) Environmental deterioration and degradation
owing to inadequate solid waste
disposal system, poor sanitation, flooding and blocked drainage.
(iii) Urban
management
(iv) Urban
unemployment
(v) Mabogunje, Cities and African
Development (1976) p.21], also notes that Lagos suffers from all the
ailments of a city that has grown too rapidly housing shortage makes
over-crowded dwellings and shim conditions widespread.
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