COMPLEXITIES OF LAND USE PLANNING AND NATION BUILDING IN NIGERIA’S NEW CAPITAL CITY OF ABUJA Chiahemba Jesse Nor A thesis submitted to Newcastle University for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Newcastle University September, 2017 Abstract Policy implementation tends to be a nightmare in the South as they mostly end up unimplemented. New capital cities of the South also reflect this nightmare. In Nigeria’s new capital city of Abuja, master plan making is considered of intrinsic importance toward promoting national identity in a diverse ethnic society. However, despite a history with series of master plan making spanning over 3 decades, implementing the land uses captured in these plans tend to be difficult. This thesis explores the complexities that underline land use implementation in Abuja’s Central Area. It seeks to make sense of the problems undermining implementation in Abuja’s Central Area. But beyond that the thesis explores the Western notions that have gone into Post-Independence nation building in new capital cities. Investigating these concerns draw insights from a multi- disciplinary body of knowledge. From policy implementation, rational planning process and action-based notions of implementation, relational planning, political economy, post-colonial critique of planning in the South, nationalism, and a wide range of themes on national capital cities. Using these insights, I develop a framework of exploring these concerns of the thesis through an inductive and qualitative process. The thesis’ findings center around what I refer to as plan gravity. Plan gravity is the privileging of Abuja’s master plans as not only being the most important thing in Abuja, but the answer to the aspirations that Abuja as a new national capital city seeks to achieve. But the privileging leads to the marginalisation and neglect of other factors that are vital to implementation; for instance the planning system under which these plans are expected to be implemented. Again, despite the privileging, implementation is undermined by a multiplicity of actors’ interests, power play and politics, the influx of global mega projects into Abuja’s Central Area, and the kinds of Western knowledge that have driven nation building in Abuja. i Dedication This work is dedicated to the memory of my parents. May their souls rest in peace. Baba Nor Igbian Nyinya Agera And Mama Kumashe Mbazendan Nor ii Acknowledgment My gratitude goes to the Almighty God for seeing me through this research. Without God this would not have been possible! The supervisory team provided huge support throughout the research. My immeasurable gratitude goes to Dr Suzanne Speak and Dr David Webb for the wonderful role they played as my supervisors throughout the research. Professor Ali Mandipour and Maggie Roe, have been my annual progression examiners and through this raised constructive ideas about the research which I benefited immensely. I am very grateful to them. I would like to thank Dr Amin Kamete - the external examiner, and professor Tim Townsend - the internal examiner for their immense contribution to the research. My appreciation goes to Marian Kyte - the APL secretary, and Karen Richie. They provided a comfortable learning environment throughout the research. The APL community and the usual Wednessday seminars through my interaction with, provided quite insightful ideas about the research. I would like to thank in this regard Dr Cat Burton, Druvo Sookhoo, Dr Mohammed A. Mohammed, Dr Felix Ogele, Dr Halima Katsina Sani, Charles Makun Yakubu, Macarena Rodriguez, Jenny Crawford, Qiaowei Yang, Yintang Chen, Daphne Isah, Maimuna Saleh, Brian Peel, Ali, Goran, and many others too numerous to mention. At the Department of Development Control of the Abuja Municipal Management Council (AMMC), I must thank the former director - Dr Yahaya Yusuf for being exceptionally encouraging during the research. Worthy of mention too is Arc. Aisha Soso who had been supportive during the research. I remain immensely grateful. My sincere appreciation is extended to the staff of the various planning agencies in the FCT who helped in numerous ways during the fieldwork. I must not forget to thank Hamza Tayyup, Amina Agella, Nathaniel Atebije, Garba Kwamkur, Dare Balogun, Nasir Modibbo, Susan Ladu, Yusuf Baba, Tom Edward, Abdulkarim Salisu (late), Mazza Tumba, Rufai, Ade, Steven Daniel, Nzelu Eve Ebubedike, Bisala Caleb, Bishir Magaji, Everest Ndubisi, David Onu, Osita Ume, Mairo Danladi, Martins Atachin, Samuel Okoli (late), Alh. Pindar, Chris Bagher, Timothy Nyamve, Sarah Ajomala, Bummi Ologun, Favour Nguumbur Kyaior and many others too numerous to mention. iii I would also like to thank all those who spared their time during the interviews and focus group discussions but whose names are too numerous to mention. My field assistants were quite helpful too. Joseph Swem and Albert Ndubizu provided enormous support during the fieldwork and I remain deeply appreciative. Professor Felix Illesanmi, Mrs Akure (late), Ngufan Finbarr, Sister Joyce Hart, Jerry Agbe (late), Dr Unite Ukwo, and Mary-Cynthia Nworah, have been quite supportive too - which I remain grateful. Lastly, the efforts of Tyotom Nor, Toryila Nor (late), Terkura Nor and Mbakeren Ude, who provided support throughout this journey is highly appreciated. My Wife - Dooshima Nor, and my Son - Torbem Nor, have had to be lonely for longer hours and sometimes days without me. My deepest appreciation goes to them for the sacrifices they made in the course of this journey. iv Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... i Dedication .................................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgment ..................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... v List of Figures and Tables ...................................................................................................... ix List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter One. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1. New Capital Cities and Complexities of Development ............................................... 1 1.2. Series of Master Plan Making, Yet Implementation Seems Far Away ....................... 2 1.3. Understanding the context ........................................................................................... 4 1.3.1. Abuja master plan, as a state-led master plan ....................................................... 4 1.3.2. Why the Abuja master plan exists ........................................................................ 7 1.3.3. Abuja’s Nation Building Theme .......................................................................... 9 1.3.4. Aim of the Abuja Master Plan ............................................................................ 10 1.4. A bigger Picture about Abuja’s Scenario................................................................... 11 1.4.1. A Policy Implementation Concern ..................................................................... 11 1.4.2. Beyond Concerns about Policy Implementation ................................................ 13 1.4.3. Summary of Argument, Research Questions, Aims and Objectives .................. 17 1.5. Addressing the Concerns of the Thesis ...................................................................... 19 1.6. Structure of Thesis ..................................................................................................... 22 Chapter Two. Capital Relocation, Geo-Political Economy, and Nation Building in the South ........................................................................................................................................ 24 2.1. Forces Behind Nation Building in Post-Colonial States ............................................... 24 2.2. Nation Building: a quest for Territorial Nation and Modernist Inspired Nation .......... 27 2.3. Nation Building, National Identity and Capital City Relocation ................................... 29 2.3.1. The Why of Capital City Relocation ....................................................................... 29 2.3.2. Geography of capital Relocation ............................................................................. 31 2.4 Capital Relocation, Western Planning Ideals, and nation Building ................................ 34 2.4.1 The Abuja Trajectory and other Post-Colonial capital cities ................................... 34 2.5. Global Political Economic influence on Planning in Sub-Saharan Africa .................. 38 2.5.1. Initial economic condition ....................................................................................... 38 v 2.5.2. Introduction of Structural Adjustment Programme and Influence on Planning ..... 39 2.6. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 42 Chapter Three. Exploring Policy Implementation in the South .............................................