CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITY

This paper attempts to conceptualize the liveable African City using indices of liveability as advanced by Africans. The concepts of City Liveability and the City as a living system are used as the theoretical underpinnings to the study. A purposive online questionnaire survey of 453 Africans, livi...

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Main Authors: Taibat Lawanson, Taofiki Salau, Omoayena Yadua
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UJ Press 2013-05-01
Series:Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/44
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author Taibat Lawanson
Taofiki Salau
Omoayena Yadua
author_facet Taibat Lawanson
Taofiki Salau
Omoayena Yadua
author_sort Taibat Lawanson
collection DOAJ
description This paper attempts to conceptualize the liveable African City using indices of liveability as advanced by Africans. The concepts of City Liveability and the City as a living system are used as the theoretical underpinnings to the study. A purposive online questionnaire survey of 453 Africans, living both in Africa and the Diaspora was conducted to elicit their perspectives on what they consider the most important indices for a Liveable African City. The data was disaggregated on locational basis. This was done to determine whether ones location i.e. living at home or in the Diaspora contributes significantly to one’s opinion on the identified issues. Issues investigated include governance, safety and security, culture and global identity, environmental indices and infrastructure. Furthermore, the inherent contradictions between western and African concepts of liveability were examined. The study revealed that 67% of all respondents consider governance to be the most important determinant of city liveability. Cultural heritage and city image were considered the least important indices of urban liveability. In determining the choice of where to live, 82.2% of respondents consider quality of life, while few differentials existed based on location, safety and security, particularly violent crime and the threat of terror were considered extremely important by respondents living in the Diaspora. The study concludes by recommending the application of broad based urban management strategies combined with good urban governance mechanisms to improve city liveability across the continent.
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spelling doaj-art-eb96098e7adb40bcae97aae071360b782025-01-08T06:15:11ZengUJ PressJournal of Construction Project Management and Innovation2223-78522959-96522013-05-013110.36615/jcpmi.v3i1.44CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITYTaibat Lawanson0Taofiki Salau1Omoayena Yadua2University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, NigeriaUniversity of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, NigeriaUniversity of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria This paper attempts to conceptualize the liveable African City using indices of liveability as advanced by Africans. The concepts of City Liveability and the City as a living system are used as the theoretical underpinnings to the study. A purposive online questionnaire survey of 453 Africans, living both in Africa and the Diaspora was conducted to elicit their perspectives on what they consider the most important indices for a Liveable African City. The data was disaggregated on locational basis. This was done to determine whether ones location i.e. living at home or in the Diaspora contributes significantly to one’s opinion on the identified issues. Issues investigated include governance, safety and security, culture and global identity, environmental indices and infrastructure. Furthermore, the inherent contradictions between western and African concepts of liveability were examined. The study revealed that 67% of all respondents consider governance to be the most important determinant of city liveability. Cultural heritage and city image were considered the least important indices of urban liveability. In determining the choice of where to live, 82.2% of respondents consider quality of life, while few differentials existed based on location, safety and security, particularly violent crime and the threat of terror were considered extremely important by respondents living in the Diaspora. The study concludes by recommending the application of broad based urban management strategies combined with good urban governance mechanisms to improve city liveability across the continent. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/44Liveability, Liveable city, Africa, Governance, Poverty, Quality of life
spellingShingle Taibat Lawanson
Taofiki Salau
Omoayena Yadua
CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITY
Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation
Liveability, Liveable city, Africa, Governance, Poverty, Quality of life
title CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITY
title_full CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITY
title_fullStr CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITY
title_full_unstemmed CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITY
title_short CONCEPTUALIZING THE LIVEABLE AFRICAN CITY
title_sort conceptualizing the liveable african city
topic Liveability, Liveable city, Africa, Governance, Poverty, Quality of life
url https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/44
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