The Yoruba Vernacular as a Paradigm for Low-Income Housing: Lessons from Obgere, Ibadan, Nigeria

Low-income housing is often studied in a top down approach by experts and researchers. The Ogbere case study in the outskirts of Ibadan represents housing built by low-income people and therefore a context to understand how the poor provides housing. It is evident from Ogbere that most of the housing producers earlier lived in Yoruba vernacular family houses where they acquired knowledge about the vernacular model they built. This knowledge contributed to their ability to attain housing contrary to their income level. In order to understand low-income housing production in the context of Ogbere, a comprehensive case study approach was adopted. The study examined the socio-economic characteristics and residential histories of the house owners, the characteristics of the houses and the resources they deployed in the housing production process. Multiple techniques of questionnaires, in depth interview and observation were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from one half (n= 926) of the Ogbere house owners in the study area. The findings form a paradigm for low income housing in Nigeria and the developing world.

Keywords: