‘URBAN GOVERNANCE; THE RELEVANCE OF COMMUNITY SQUARES IN

EMERGING OWERRI CAPITAL TERRITORY OF IMO STATE, NIGERIA’

by

Arc. Agoha, Basil Onyekozuru, MNIA, Ph.D

Department Of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Sciences,

ChukwuemekaOdumegwuOjukwu University, Uli campus, Anambra State, Nigeria

Email; baseconsultants@yahoo.com, bo.agoha@coou.edu.ng

Phone; +2348035487851

1
URBAN GOVERNANCE; THE RELEVANCE OF COMMUNITY SQUARES IN EMERGING OWERRI
CAPITAL TERRITORY OF IMO STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
In traditional Igbo settlement, community squares over the years have been used as meeting
places for all sorts of public community gatherings and decisions on governance but the
decimation of these facilities in emerging cities is closing up this avenue and may lead to
increased agitation and discontentment as cities grow. The research sought todevelop a
framework for the integration of community squares in the emerging capital territory to
improve urban governance.Owerri Capital Territory has 7 Local Government Areas and 49
community squares out of which 4 and 13 respectively were randomly selected. The research
collected data on indicators of public meetings provided by the selected community squaresin
Owerri Capital Territory using questionnaires, maps, Geographic Information System,(GIS)
and Geographic Positioning Systems,(GPS) and interviews. The data wereanalysed with
Analysis of Variance,(ANOVA) and Pearson statistical tools and it was found that
theintegration of community squares into the emerging Owerri Capital Territory would
provide avenues for meetings, formal and informal consultations, advocacy, decision-making
and public opinion vent that could reduce agitation, discontent and provide avenues for
feedback to improve urban governance in the emerging city of Owerri Capital Territoryin
particular and cities in developing countries in general.
Keyword: Community squares, feedback system,heritage, public opinion, Urban governance.
1.Introduction
Although governance involves government it is not government but defines how government
interacts with other institutions and stakeholdersto improve the wellbeing of the people and
give proper public account, (UNDP,2003).The ingredients of good governance are;legitimacy
and voice of the people to improve participation and consensus building, clear direction on
strategic vision for development, performance that leads to responsiveness, effectiveness and
efficiency in governance, accountability through transparency and fairness which improves
equity and rule of law,(Graham,Amos and Plumptre,2003).
At the grassroot level, community squares provide an informal meeting point for all
stakeholders to actualize the above issues in good governance. This is so because as informal
public open spaces which evolved with the peoplefrom generation to generation over the
years, as they transform, they transmit democratic principles, culture, tradition and
philosophy of the people,(Farmer and Gibb,1979). As squares exist at family, kindred, village
and community levels as public good and environmental resources, these virtues also exist at
these levels to varying degrees. Traditionally, the squares provide conducive environment for
interaction. This is why without the integration of the squares therefore, not only that the
egalitarian and democratic nature, design and development are gradually lost but
encouraging egalitarian and democratic values many a time are disrupted by urbanisation.
Hence the growth and development of cities especially in developing countries stir up
struggles and agitations for the control of power and resources by stakeholders and
government thus leading to protests, disagreements and conflicts.As cities grow in emerging
democracies, there is the need to provide avenues for a broad and effective participation of
the people in governance, as feedback system from elected representative especially in

2
developing countries has not been good enough to warrant good governance. This is
important to reduce the perception by the ruled of high handedness, dictatorship and tenure
elongation with accompanying lawlessness. The concept of town union, neighbourhood
associations and recently town hall meetings as a feedback mechanism done in formal
settings have not been effective hence the growing rate of agitation for power control in
urban areas. An informal and natural outdoor setting provided by the community squares
therefore may be of great improvement in the march for the growth of democratic principles
and institutions.
2.Literature review

i).Philosophical framework

Community squares are not only outdoor environmental elements interpreting the
philosophy and life of the people but a symbol of the egalitarian and democratic life
of the people,(Oguejiofor and Onah,2005). That is why community squares are found
at different levels of family, kindred, village and community strata where the
principles idealism, realism, existentialism, phenomenology and pragmatismin the life
of the people are expressed. Dialogue, dialectics of life, socio-political,socio-
economic,socio-cultural questions are raised, debated and resolved. It is here the
religious, legal, public opinion and resolutions are taken for the progress of the
traditional society. As philosophical approach simplifies complex ideas and
statements about our experiences, through rational approach and guiding principles to
solving problems the community square platform for philosophical expression, since
it is a critical and systematic study of general and fundamental problems concerning
matters on existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language,through rational
argument,(Teichmann and Evans,1999). As the study of problems which are ultimate,
abstract and very general, it requires an environment of freedom of expression which
community squares provide. These problems concerned with the nature of existence,
knowledge, morality, reason and human purpose are not only discussed but are
expressed in artistic form in the community squares and transmitted from generation
to generation. This helps not only philosophical inquiry in and insight as to questions
about knowledge, truth, reason, reality, meaning, mind, and value, but are artistically
found in the community squares,(Grayling,1998,Camillo,). Community squares
therefore provide sustainable opportunity for intercultural and multidisciplinary study
of philosophy to advance knowledge

ii).Empirical framework
In its simple form community squares are similar to the Greek Agora and Roman fora as they
evolved traditionally with the people. As public open spaces they exist at kindred, village and
community level as squares and are the main organising element and centre of traditional
activities and settlements as in ancient Babylon,Assyria, Africa and some parts of Nigeria,
(Anthony and James,1979;Urguhart,1977). In Igboland the Ugwuele settlement in Uturu
wasprominent in the history of traditional settlement.

iii).Theoretical framework

3
As organizing element, the central business district, where socio-political, socio-economic
and socio-cultural activities take place in the community squares forming the nucleic area
with the adjoining villages as multiple nucleic nodes aggregating around the nuclear central
area,(Donald, Alan and Robert,2003). While the nucleic theory talks of a dominant centre of
development, the multiple nucleic advocates several simultaneous centres of development
which could merge into a megacity in the future. These generally follow the concentric circle
theory which formed the basis of the development of the Owerri Capital Territory masterplan,
(Imo State Government, 1977). Although each of these has its limitation, they find expression
in traditional settlements of the communities in Owerri Capital Territory.
iv).Conceptual framework
Community squares being informal public open spaces that evolved with the people over the
years have been transferred from generation to generation and serving the people of all ages.
This has been possible following the lifecycle that makes them sustainable,(Gunderson and
Holling,2002). This however happens as the result of creation of new environmental
equilibrium in the succeeding generation to adjust to the changing realities and hence making
community squares resilient. Environmental sustainability and resilience nourish and
perpetuate community life and transform the environment with the ability to adapt,
(Engel,1990).
3.Aim
The aim of the research was to develop a framework for the integration of community
squares into the emerging Owerri Capital Territory so as to improve urban governance.
4.Objectives
i).To identify indicators that favour urban governance in the community squares within
Owerri Capital Territory
ii).To establish the extent of differences in the conditions of the community squares in Owerri
Capital Territory
5.Problem statement
The location of community squares traditionally makes them accessible and usable by
residents as meeting places for socio-political and socio-economic activities. At the creation
of Imo State with Owerri as the state capital, the community squares in Owerri urban were
not identified and integrated into the urban design of the city but decimated and new open
spaces were created. While the new open spaces were abandoned by the residents, the old
locations of the community squares were still used as meeting places leading to blocking of
streets and conflict of use between the residents and the government. Since the capital
territory has the core urban, the semi-urban/suburban and rural areas, there is still the
opportunity to integrate the community squares in the rural and suburban/semi-urban
segments of the emerging capital territory. As the community squares in core Owerri urban
had been decimated, those in the semi-urban/sub-urban areas are endangered.With the
community squares in the rural areas almost still intact, great opportunity for identification
and integration therefore exists in the emerging Owerri capital territory. This is the problem
the research sets to address.

4
6.Research questions
i).What indicators favour urban governance in the community squares within the Owerri
Capital Territory?
ii). To what extent are the differences in the conditions of the community squares in Owerri
Capital Territoryfavour urban governance?
7.Hypotheses
Ho1; There are no indicators that favour urban governance in the community squares within
Owerri Capital Territory.
Ho2; There are no differences in the conditions of community squares in Owerri Capital
Territory.
8.Research scope, design and methods
Owerri Capital territory covers 7 local government areas of Owerri Municipal, Owerri West,
Owerri North, and parts of AbohMbaise,NgorOkpuala,Mbaitoli,Ohaji/Egbema with 47
community squares. With random sampling the number of local government areas and
community squares were reduced to 4 and 13 respectively for the research. The local
government areas studied were; AbohMbaise,Owerri Municipal, Mbaitoli and Owerri West
while the community squares studied were AforEnyiogugu, Ugwuekwema, Nkwo-
UkwuOrodo, OrieMbieri, Idem Ogwa, NkwoUbomiri, AforIrete, Eke Amakohia-
Ubi,Amaocha shed, AmaochaAfara, Umuokpo and Okolochi. Survey questionnaire,
Geographic Information System, (GIS), Geographic Positioning System, (GPS) and
interviews were used in data collection. Variables collected for the socio-political and
environmental indicators were; size, location, hierarchy of open spaces, reception for very
important persons,(VIPs) and meeting places, in the community squares.Out of the 390
copies of questionnaires administered, 350 were retrieved, GIS, Geo-eye satellite images
2015 and Garmin V72 hand held GPS, spot 2.5 instrument were used to determine the exact
locations, sizes and conditions of the community squares. The analysis of data was done with
analysis of variance,ANOVA and Pearson correlation using the Statistical Programme for
Social Sciences, SPSS.
9. Data collection, analysis and results

9.1).data collection

The variables for which data was collected for the research were; location of community
squares, size of community squares, hierarchy of open spaces, reception of very important
persons, (VIPs) and community meetings

9.1.1).Location of community squares

5
Most of the community squares in Owerri capital territory were located in suburban, rural and
semi-urban areas of Owerri capital territory in the proportion of 39.8%, 29.5% and 26.1%
respectively while core urban area was 4.6%. This is given in Table 9.1
Table 9.1: Aggregated Location of community squares

 Value label % Cumulative %frequency

Suburban 39.8 39.8
Semi-Urban 26.1 65.9
urban area 4.6 70.6
Rural areas 29.5 100
Total 100.0
Source: Fieldwork, 2015

The sizes of the community squares in the rural, semi-urban and suburban areas were large as
most of them had not been adversely encroached upon.
While congestion and encroachment in the urban areas made it almost impossible for the
development of the community squares into modern public open spaces, for urban
governance. The aggregated 95.3% in the rural, semi-urban and suburban areas were
available for integration into the urban milieu of the emerging Owerri capital territory.
Particularly of note was, AmaochaAfara 100% rural with Y-junctions, its reach forest area
and Y-junctions (Plate: 9.1).

Plate 9.1: AmaochaAfara community square; a typical rural area

Source: Fieldwork 2015

9.1.2.Size of community squares:

6
Cumulatively, 90.7% of the community squares in Owerri capital territory were situated on
more than five (5) plots of land and only 9.3% in less than five (5) plots of land, the
combined 95.3 percent, size of rural, semi-urban and suburban areas provided great
opportunity for integration and upgrade to public square and open spaces for urban
governance.
Table 9.2: Size of community square Aggregation

 Value label % Cumulative % frequency

Less than 5plots 9.3 9.3
More than 5 plots 90.7 100.0
  100.0
Source: Fieldwork, 2015

9.1.3. Hierarchy of open spaces in the community squares:

Most of the community squares in Owerri capital territory had hierarchy of open spaces
(79.8%) created organically over the years as a result of usage by the people as in Table 9.2,
Plates;9.1,and 9.2. This provides opportunity for multiple outdoor meetings and gatherings
needed for good consultation in urban governance
Table 9.2: Aggregated Hierarchy of open spaces in the community squares

 Value Label % Cumulative % frequency

Disagree 13.1 13.1
Fairly agree 7.1 20.2
Agree 79.8 100
Total 100.0
Source: Fieldwork, 2015

9.1.3. VIPs reception in the community squares:

In the use of community squares for VIP reception, only very few people (18.3%, Table 9.3)
disagreed on the aggregate that the community squares were used for the reception of very
important persons, (VIPs), while another negligible number of respondents, (26.6 percent)
fairly agreed but just a little above average number (55.1%) respondents agreed fully
authenticated that the community squares were used for such public functions as the
reception of VIPs Table 9.3. This was made possible as a result of large, variety of hierarchy
of open spaces where many sociocultural and socio-political functions such as consultations,
meetings and dances could take place at the same time during such occasions.
Table 9.3: Aggregated VIPs reception in the community squares

 Value label % Cumulative % frequency

Disagree 18.3 18.3
Fairly agree 26.6 44.9
Agree 55.1 100
Total 100.0
Source: Fieldwork, 2015

7
ii).data analysis
Ho1:i).Table 9.4: Result of Pearson correlation bivariate analysis of the relationship between
Hierarchy of open spaces and VIPs receptions
The relationship was significant and positive, indicating that hierarchy of open spaces in the
community squares encouraged meetings such as receptions for community interactions and urban
governance

VIPs reception Remarks

Hierarchy of Karl Pearson 0.452 Significant at 0.01
open spaces in correlation confidence level
the community coefficient
squares sig.(2-tailed) 0.00
N 322
Source; (Fieldwork, 2015)

ii).Table 9.5: Result of Pearson correlation bivariate analysis of the relationship between
location and sizes of community squares
Though the relationship was significant,the correlation was negativeindicating that location
affects the sizes of community squares in Owerri Capital Territory. The larger sizes existed
from urban, sub-urban, semi-urban and rural in increasing order.
Sizes of community Remarks
squares
Location of Karl Pearson -0.236 Significant at 0.01
community correlation confidence level
squares coefficient
sig.(2-tailed) 0.00
N 319
Source; (Fieldwork, 2015)

Ho2: The extent of the differences in the conditions of community squares in the Owerri

Capital Territory

Condition was analysed against location, size of community squares, hierarchy of open
spaces, reception and meetings in the community squares. The result was significant and
showed that differences in the conditions of community squares existed both within urban,
semi-urban/suburban and rural areas of Owerri Capital Territory, Table:9.6, Plates:9.1 and
9.2.

8
Table 9.6:Posthoc result of ANOVA on the extent of differences in the conditions of
community squares in Owerri Capital Territory

Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.

Between Groups 42.212 2 21.106 23.078 .000

Location of community
Within Groups 305.467 334 .915
squares
Total 347.680 336
Between Groups 4.412 2 2.206 12.840 .000
Size of community squares Within Groups 54.635 318 .172
Total 59.047 320
Between Groups 12.918 2 6.459 9.525 .000
Hierarchy of open spaces Within Groups 221.058 326 .678
Total 233.976 328
Between Groups 7.131 2 3.565 5.365 .005
Reception for VIPs Within Groups 217.321 327 .665
Total 224.452 329
Between Groups 10.030 2 5.015 11.210 .000

Meetings Within Groups 139.132 311 .447

Total 149.162 313

Source: Fieldwork 2015

Plate: 9.2: NkwoukwuOrodo in a typical semi-urban area

9
Source: Fieldwork,2015

Conclusions and recommendations

The research found that there were significant differences in the sizes, location of the
community squares, hierarchy of open spaces, very important persons receptions and meeting
places in the community squares in Owerri Capital Territory. While those in the rural,
suburban and semi-urban areas have sizes more than five (5) plots of land; from 79.1 plots of
land in semi-urban to 612.3 plots of land in the rural area the core urban area at
Ugwuekwema had less than five plots of land. This shoed that the community square in
Owerri Municipal Local Government area is almost decimated. Since most undeveloped
areas of Owerri Capital Territory Is sub-urban,semi-urban and rural,there is therefore great
potential in developing the community squares into gardens for public gatherings for urban
governance in the emerging Owerri Capital Territory.
Since the indicators that favour meetings and urban governance in the community squares
within Owerri Capital Territory such as location of the community squares, sizes of the
community squares, presence of hierarchy of open spaces in the community squares,
reception of very important persons are in the sub-urban, semi-urban and rural areas of the
emerging capital territory, it is recommended that the government with the communities and
stakeholders identify, designate and acquire these community squares with a view to
developing them into public open spaces for the Capital territory to be used for public
discusses and good urban governance.

10
References

Anthony, J.C., and C.S. James. 1979. introduction to Urban Planning. New York: McGraw - Hill.

Camillo, C. 2003. "City building according to artistic principles." In Time-Saver Standards for Urban
Design, by W. Donald, P. Alan and S. Robert, 2.1-11. NewYork: McGraw-Hill.

Donald, W., P. Alan, and S. Robert. 2003. Time - Saver Standards for Urban Design. New York:
McGraw - Hill.

Engel. 1990. "Introduction: The Ethics of Sustainable Development." In Ethics of Environment and
Development; Global Challenge, International Response, by J.R. and Engel, J.G. Engel, 10-11.
London: Belhaven Press and Tuscan University of Arizona, Press.

Farmer, W.P., and J.A. Gibb. 1979. "Land use planning." In Introduction to urban planning, by
A.J.,Synder,J.C. Catanese, 234-257. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Governance, Instiyute of. 2003. http://institute of governance. August 15. Accessed January 15,
2017. iog.ca/defining-governance.

Graham, J, B. Amos, and Plumptre.T. 2003. Principles of good governance in the 21st century, No.15.
Technical report, Otawa: institute of good governance.

Grayling, A.C. 1998. Phylosophy1;A Guide through the Subject. London: Oxford University Press.

Gunderson, L.H., and C.S. Holling. 2002. Panarchy: Understanding transformation in human and
natural systems. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Imo State Government. 1977. Imo State Official Gazette; the Owerri capital development Authority,
Edict. Owerri: Imo State Government.

Teichmann, J., and K.C. Evans. 1999. Philosophy;A Beginner's Guide. London: Blackwell.

Urquhart, A.W. 1977. Planned urban Landscapes of Northern Nigeria; a case study of Zaria. Zaria:
Ahmadu Bello University, press.

11