COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RESIDENTS ON HOUSING PATTERNS IN INTERNATIONAL BORDER TOWNS OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

 

OJO Oladimeji Olusola¹*, OPOKO Akunnaya Pearl², OLOTUAH Abiodun Olukayode³, OLUWATAYO Adedapo Adewunmi⁴

¹PhD Student, Department of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota Ogun State, Nigeria, oladimeji.ojo@federalpolyilaro.edu.ng

²Department of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota Ogun State, Nigeria, akunnaya.opoko@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

³Department of Architecture, Federal University of Technology, Akure Ondo State, Nigeria, olotuah@yahoo.com

⁴ Department of Architecture, Covenant University, Ota Ogun State, Nigeria, dapo.oluwatayo@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

*Corresponding Author

 

Abstract

Appropriate housing policy that enhances quality and standard of living in international border towns requires understanding the socio-economic and cultural factors of residents in the selected towns. However, research to this effect in international border between Nigeria and Benin Republic is either scarce or not available; hence the crux of the current study. Three towns at Nigeria-Benin Republic international border, namely Idi-Iroko, located within Ipokia Local Government Areas (LGA), Ohunbe town is in Yewa North LGA, while Ilara, falls within the jurisdiction of Imeko Afon LGA. These three towns are within the three LGAs in Ogun State that share border with the Benin Republic. It should be noted that an adequate study of these three border towns was considered as part of the research in order to draw a logical conclusion on variables germane to the study. The three towns were purposively selected given their high population sizes, location of government agencies and concentration of economic activities. The study employed a representative sample size of 361 households. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Model was developed to empirically carryout such differential analysis at 5% level of significance. The results suggest that socio-economic and cultural conditions of residents across border towns are significantly different from other. However, intra-town significance difference depends on level of comparison between towns. The study found that housing formation patterns is relative to residents’ socio-economic and cultural characteristics in international border towns. The study recommended that socio-economic and cultural factors of residents should be given special focus in the formulation of government housing policies. This will encourage quality of life and standard of living in international border towns.

Keywords: Cultural features, Housing, Housing pattern, International border towns, Socio-economic