This document discusses the need for public participation in urban renewal schemes, using a case study of Onitsha, Nigeria. It notes that Onitsha has experienced many failed or abandoned urban renewal projects due to lack of consideration of local culture, traditions, and lack of participation. Effective urban renewal requires considering the economic, social, political and physical subsystems of a city, as well as engaging and communicating with the public. Mass media can help facilitate this participation and ensure community needs are addressed.

1. NEED FOR PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION IN ANY
URBAN RENEWAL SCHEME
(A CASE STUDY OF ONITSHA METROPOLIS)
BY
ANTHONY EMEKA ALU
(PG/EMS/08/3332)
TERM PAPER IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENT OF THE COURSE URBAN RENEWAL
TECHNIQUES (ENV 723)
October, 2009
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2. DEDICATION
THIS work on Urban Renewal Scheme in the discipline of Environmental Management
(Urban Renewal Technique) is dedicated to all that work towards a Sustainable Future
amidst the depletion of the environment’s exhaustible resources.
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3. ABSTRACT
IN an audience with Obi Akazua in the Onitsha Kingdom in the 1870s, John Whitford
(1877) depicted an interesting example of the workings of Igbo democracy, even in one
of Igbolands relatively few monarchies. The state of Onitsha was confronted with an
important decision – whether to permit the establishment of a European trading firm.
First, the King, obi of Onitsha, consulted with the wishes of the gods, through the Dibia
(native doctor). The European firm, which sought a site for its establishment, provided an
appropriate fee, both to the King himself, his Ndi ichie (titled men) and to other powerful
sectors of the society.
During the negotiation, various sections – including the women of Onitsha – put forward
their views, and finally a spokesman distilled a consensus, which was carried by
acclamation (culled from Igbo Worlds, Elizabeth Isichei, 1977, pp. 256-259).
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4. 1.0 INTRODUCTION
URBAN Renewal is viewed as a means of replacing the various degrees of obsolescence,
decay and congestion characteristics of the so-called slum areas with relative
convenience and greater efficiency (Medhurst and Lewis, 1969).
This could be achieved through urban renewal schemes and programmes which could be
attained through upgrading substandard buildings, spot clearing of isolated patches of
structures completely deteriorated and slum clearance or total redevelopment of the areas
affected (Olayemi, 1980). On the above lies the three main classification of urban
renewal programmes by Weimer and Hoyt (1966) which is through rehabilitation,
conservation and redevelopment.
In a Study Pack, Iwueke (2009) notes that most formidable constraint against physical
planning and urban renewal in Nigeria relates to the people themselves. The academic
don asserts that apart from the large number and the quality of human population in terms
of education and enlightenment; tradition and culture are major constraints. Hence a new
vision emerging on development for 21st
century according to Osuala (1995) and Ogili
(1998) focuses more on human centered development which widely emphasizes
participatory process of social changes in which the people themselves have opportunities
to take part in making decisions that affect their lives.
In Nigeria, there is a belief that communication heightens the power of people, and the
improvement and extension of information will make for the future progress of the
nation.
Through intimating the public on urban renewal schemes, people’s participation would be
felt as is recorded in the cases of ANIDS (ANambra Integrated Development Strategy)
and its mission to developing all sectors of the state simultaneously; as well as in the case
of PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) and its focus on successful project
execution.
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5. 2.0 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
TECHNICALLY, Urban Renewal can be said to be a ‘collective activity of both private
and public sectors which is aimed at retarding or even terminating urban obsolescence,
prevent further decay, clear areas which have gone too bad and at the same time upgrade
buildings, facilities and environment or areas that still have useful life’ (Iwueke, 2009).
This all embracing definition throws more light on Medhurst and Lewis (1969) earlier
definition of replacing the various degrees of obsolescence, decay and congestion
characteristics of the so called slum areas.
In practice, Weimer and Hoyt (1966) urban renewal programmes of Rehabilitation,
Conservation and Redevelopment will come to play but the doctrine of urban renewal
entails a wide range of goals and objectives, which have to be put into consideration
before any renewal programme is initiated. The goals and objective lays emphasis on the
revitalization of all the subsystems imminent in an urban environment.
2.1 The Urban Subsystems are:
- Systems of Base made up of the economic, social, religious and political
subsystems,
- Systems of Deep Structure which has to do with the culture, norms, values
and attitude inherent in the people and
- Systems of Superficial or Physical Structure which constitutes of buildings,
infrastructure and facilities.
For an area to be developed or any renewal structure to be put in place, these three
subsystems must be equally and simultaneously developed since they form the ecology of
any town.
Urban development scheme is a community development strategy and to serve the ends
of development, the media should provide a marketplace for the exchange of comments
and criticisms regarding public affairs. This exchange of information helps to bridge the
communication gap between the government/developers and the dwellers or occupants of
the community proposed for the development.
Okenwa (1998) seeing the television as a development medium asserts that both in their
broad policies and activities, the television stations, whether owned by the federal
government, state government or private individuals, must strive to accomplish activities
that have been identified as developing communication.
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6. 2.2 Roles of mass media/television as asserted by Okenwa (1998) are:
- Providing access to a wide variety of the people,
- Determining the people’s needs for the development information/ and
programming for these needs,
- Supporting horizontal and vertical flows of information and
- Raising the people’s awareness and adoption of new methods that promote
development.
This will ensure that a concerted action of government, as an owner of mass media and
the producers of development oriented programmes must operate not as public servant
but as involved participants along side with members of the recipient communities and
other voluntary non governmental organizations (NGOs) like UNICEF, OAU, DFID,
WHO, ECOWAS etc who are concerned about development in nation building.
Ogili (1998) in his approach to rural development recommended the application of
communication technology and reiterates that rural development means anything and
everything you can do to make ruralities healthier, happier and wiser men and women
(Anyanwu, 1982; Ogili, 1998).
Urban renewal scheme and slum clearance could as well pose a lot of challenges to both
the dwellers and the developers as some unforeseen problems looms out in its execution.
A case study in Nigeria is the Central Lagos Scheme of early 1950s involving about 29
hectares of densely populated area of the city and which contained about 30,000
inhabitants (Olayemi, 1980). The signal failure was such that 11,000 out of the 30,000
were moved and the government was able to acquire about 10.2 out of the total 29
hectares affected by the exercise
Nigeria is not the only economy marked with project failures. According to a research
conducted jointly by two United States based companies; ESI International and the
Project Benchmarking Company, they came up with surprising findings.
2.3 There findings are
- Only 34% of all projects succeed,
- On average 15% of all projects fail,
- Project that are considered ‘challenged’ – usually due to cost or schedule
overruns – account for 51% of all projects,
- 59% of organizations in the Asia-Pacific region had at least one project failure
with an average cost of US$8.9million,
- Africa, Europe and the Americas followed suit with an average of 56% of the
organizations reporting at least one project failure with an average cost of
US$11.6million (KPMG International 2003; Bottomline, Mar-Apr, 2009) etc.
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7. According to a 2004 interview with the MD of Abuja Investment and Property
Development Company (AIPDC) for example, the organization reported to have lost
about N3.8billion the four years before 2004 largely due to failed projects. This is a
recent case study in retrospect to the Central Lagos Scheme in the early 50s with a
running cost of N400,000 for the settlement of affected 30,000 inhabitants at N 13.3 per
capita, proved largely insufficient for the purpose.
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8. 3.0 CASE STUDY AND ANALYSIS
ONITSHA, like many commercial towns in the nation has enjoyed a fair share of
abandonment and uncompleted or failed project schemes meant at renewing the urban
environment. The town has enjoyed several monarchies headed by the obi even before
the pre-colonial era, during the colonial era and in the post colonial era.
In his novel The Painters Diary, Alu (unpublished, 2008) sees Onitsha ‘as a city in
southeastern Nigeria, in Anambra state, on the Niger River and remarkably noted for the
riverside environment it enjoys. The great Niger River that starts its course from the
Fouta Djallon plateau in north central Guinea, running through gulf of Guinea and Togo
and Niger, and snaking through Nigeria until it meanders at the south eastern part of
Nigeria before it discharges its fluvial residue to the Atlantic Ocean, has much to
contribute in the growth of the town. Onitsha is a bustling commercial centre connected
by highway to Benin City, Lagos, Enugu, Owerri and other parts of southwestern
Nigeria. It is also a major river port and a leading distribution centre for consumer goods
and the area’s food products, including yams, cassava, fish, acorns, rice, vegetables, and
fruits, which are consumed both within and outside the town. Petroleum products,
beverages, textiles, tyres, bearings, and nails are manufactured in Onitsha’s factories. The
city is the residence of the obi of Onitsha, a traditional leader of the Igbo people. In 1966,
Onitsha was connected to Asaba, across the Niger, by the longest road bridge in the
country, at the time of construction and for a couple of decades before more recent
bridges came to be. Population estimate from the national census of 1991 placed this
town at about 300,000 persons; a figure that some elites in the town strongly contend
with as a mark of undercounting/under enumeration.’
Current population figures should place the town at about double the figure or more of
the 1991 estimate.
They have been reported cases of failed projects like the Airport Scheme at Oba which
have been launched twice without success; rehabilitation of stadium, schools, markets,
roads and other urban renewal schemes that have proved abortive.
This ugly trend is what the Governor Mr. Peter Obi has been trying to eradicate through
an urban renewal and redevelopment scheme termed ANIDS – Anambra Integrated
Development Strategy which involves developing all sectors simultaneously
(www.anambrastateng.org).
The Governor and town have been enjoying giant strides like the Onitsha North Multi
Million Naira Stadium built by the present administration, which is the first ever in the
history of the state since its creation in 1991 (FIDES, July 2009). This has encouraged the
rebirth of sports in Onitsha and the state.
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9. 3.1 Other urban renewal scheme which are completed, undergoing construction or
proposed within Onitsha metropolis are:
- Onitsha South Stadium still under construction,
- Onitsha North and Onitsha South Local Government Secretariat which were
totally redeveloped,
- Construction and repairs of roads and pedestrian crossing (overhead bridges),
- Revitalization of transport system,
- Construction of Nigeria Stock Exchange Commission (NSE) building,
Brokers Office, Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) building and
other structures at the financial centres in GRA, Onitsha,
- Dredging of some creeks, canals and drainages in Onitsha that causes massive
flooding during peak discharge,
- Provision of medical facilities and buildings at the General Hospital and other
hospitals in the metropolis,
- Rehabilitation of schools, libraries and other academic centres in Onitsha
metropolis.
These and other urban renewal schemes in the area of environment, health, education,
information and communication, finance, agriculture, transport, commerce and industry,
lands and housing, justice and other miscellaneous are visibly undergoing renewal as
contained in FIDES (July, 2009).
Irrespective of these developments and urban renewal schemes, people still agitate; which
calls for the need for public participation in any renewal scheme. Successful project
execution requires a clear, consistent and control based approach to project management
with specific emphasis on the business case, organization, planning, risk management,
quality and change.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Government Commerce in 1996 developed PRINCE2
(PRojects IN Controlled Environments), a structured approach to project management
regulated by the Association of Project Management and Supported by the Best Practice
User Group (Uzebu, 2009; Bottomline, Mar-Apr 2009)
PRINCE2 delivers projects successfully by ensuring:
- Everyone knows what to expect where, how and when (public participation
is ticked as the no 1 success criterion for project actualization),
- Problems are identified early and adequate counter measures are put in place,
- Controlled management of change in terms of investment and returns on
investment,
- Active involvement of users and stakeholders throughout the project to ensure
the products meet the business, functional, environment, service and
management requirements,
- Distinction between the management of the project from the specialist aspect,
- A controlled start, middle and end,
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10. - Regular reviews of progress against plan and the business case,
- Flexible decision points,
- Good communication channels and
- Agreement in the required quality.
This approach when imbibed in an already existing urban renewal strategy can ensure
that projects are actualized since it considers the fact that public participation is essential
in the totality of the scheme.
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11. 4.0 CONCLUDING COMMENTS
PUBLIC participation has been seen as a vital nutrient in the inception, middle and
completion of every urban renewal scheme. PRINCE2; which ensures that everyone
knows what to expect, where, how and when; is now the standard for all projects in the
UK both in the private and public sector (Uzebu, 2009)
This approach, if adopted by ANIDS and other urban renewal and development strategies
can drastically reduce if not eliminate the incidence of failed/unappreciated projects in
Onitsha and elsewhere; and further encourage the need for public participation within the
metropolis and its suburbs.
Graffiti culled from MACKTONY ARTS (macktony2002@yahoo.com).
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12. 5.0 REFERENCES
Alu A.E. (2008). The Painters Diary (An unpublished novel).
macktony2002@yahoo.com
Anyanwu C.N. (1982). Community Education and Development:The Experience in
Africa. Ibadan: Abiprint publishers.
Bottomline (2009). Leading Edge:Project Management in Bottomline Magazine. March-
April 2009 ed., Iss. 111, pp 6-7. Lagos. www.udogie.com
FIDES (2007a). 3 Years of Solid ANIDS Achievement in Fides Communication News
Bulletin ed. By Umeasiegbu C, late July ed, Vol. 15, No. 13. Awka.
fidesnigeria@yahoo.com; fidesawka@hotmail.com
Isichei E. (1977). Igbo World: An Anthology of Oral Histories and Historical
Descriptions. London: Macmillan Edu. Ltd
Iwueke N.T. (2009). An Unpublished Study Pack on ‘Urban Renewal Techniques’: Env
723.
Medhurst F. and Lewis J.P. (1969). Urban Decay: An Analysis and A Policy.
Macmillan.
Ogili E.E. (1998). Communications Technology Application in Rural Development in
Nigeria in Ikenegbu O ed. IMT Journal of Communication Arts. Vol. 1, No. 1., pp.
175-184. Enugu: IMT.
Okenwa S.N. (1998). The Role of Television in Community Development in Ikenegbu O
ed. IMT Journal of Communication Arts. Vol. 1, No. 1., pp.74-85. Enugu: IMT.
Olayemi O.A. (1980). WSubstandard Housing and Slum Clearance in Developing
Countries: A Case Study of Nigeria in Habitat International. Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 345-354.
Great Britain: Pergamon Press.
Osuala J.D.C. (1995). Media for Development. Enugu: Acena publishers.
Uzebu U. (2009). Project Management: The key to Nigeria’s Project Failures in
Bottomline Magazine. March- April 2009 ed., Iss. 111, pp 6-7. Lagos.
projectsmart.co.uk; www.scotsman.com; www.udogie.com
Whitford J. (1877). Trading Life in Western & Central Africa. Liverpool. pp. 172-175.
Weimer A.M. and Hoyt H. (1966). Principles of Real Estate. Ronald Press. 5th
ed.
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