Reframing Spatialities in Urban Africa. Insights from Onitsha Markets in Nigeria

Abstract

Onitsha is a city in southeastern Nigeria driven by an urban market phenomenon. It is currently the third largest urban area in Africa, trailing behind Cairo and Lagos, respectively. The constructions of spatialities, and under the notion of terra nullius and extreme otherness in post-colonial Africa, worsened the challenges of rapid and uncontrolled urban growth. The paper provides insights on how the successive political events on the African continent shaped the manifestations of contemporary spatialities and potential pathways to reverse the trend. A review of planning approaches in Nigeria was conducted, starting from colonial cantonments to current epoch of extreme uncertainty, and through the lens of Onitsha markets spatialities. The markets in Onitsha reveal emergent forms of spatialities in response to the extreme otherness and uncertainty in the city. The paper presents arguments on the need to rethink the current architecture, urban design, and planning practices and pedagogies beyond alterity, while embracing the complexity of post-colonial urban Africa. It also provides an opportunity for developing alternative theorizing, tools and frameworks towards equitable and livable urban futures.