Spatial Analysis of the Variations in Household Living Conditions in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigates the characteristics of housing condition vis-a-vis the socio-economic lifestyle of the dwellers in Ile Ife Osun State using geospatial techniques. The aim was to map the spatial extent of different factors responsible for the variation in living conditions in a medium size urban area, Nigeria. Two hundred and nine (209) copies of a set of questionnaires were administered on household basis, to extract information about some living condition indicators (income, electricity, water supply, accessibility to buildings, sewage facilities, means of waste disposal and household size of residents). The coordinates of selected houses locations were obtained with hand held Global Positioning System (GPS) and processed with other data using geographical information technologies. The results showed that 47.4% of the respondents in the high income wards chose housing location due to proximity to their work place. Thirty three (33.3%) and 19.3%, respectively, attributed their choice to security and affordability. In the middle income wards, 39.5% and 32.9% preferred secured and affordable locations, respectively while proximity to place of work and closeness to family and friend accounted for 23.7% and 3.9% respectively on the decision in housing location. In the low income wards, affordability accounted for 47.3% of such decision while closeness to family, proximity to place of work and security accounted for 23.7%, 15.8% and 13.2%, respectively. The result showed significant statistical relationship (p≤ 0.05) between living condition indicators and choice of residential location. The study concluded that residents who lived above average living condition are clustering around Iremo wards 3, 4, 5, parts of Akarabata ward and Ilare wards 3 and 4 while those who live below the living condition are Iremo wards 1, 2, and Moore Ojaja.