Exploring Motivational Factors of Indigenous House Form for Value-Based Development: The Tiv People of Central Nigeria in Context

Abstract

The quest for contextual identity and value-based developments by concerned authorities justifies the necessity to explore the inherent motivating factors that influence housing formation and the built environments of the varied Nigerian ethnic groups. Rapoport's identification of socio-cultural values as the primary influencers of house form has come under scrutiny, stipulating a replication in different contexts. One tends to ask about the motivating factors for the indigenous house form of the different ethnic groups in Nigeria that need to be explored and harnessed for value-based planning, design, and development for future infrastructure. This study explores the motivating factors of the indigenous house form of the Tiv people of central Nigeria, filtered through Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. This qualitative study utilised the Means-End Chain soft laddering technique, where 24 participants were interviewed, analysed, and ranked. According to the findings, Tiv indigenous dwellings are circular-shaped, connecting them to their cultural heritage. The open compounds also permit communal interactions in their natural setting and express their determination to live independent family lives. For housing stakeholders in Nigeria, the primitive values evoked in this study are essential for developing a contemporary, culturally sustainable society.

Exploring cultural values and sustainability preferences in housing development: A structural equation modeling approach

“…Furthermore, to ensure inclusiveness, end-users as beneficiaries should be involved in the planning, designing, and developing implementation schemes in their areas (Wang, Zhao, Wu & Tang, 2017;Ostańska, 2019). The integration of participatory strategy is vital in ensuring the value-based development proponent and preservation of people's cultural identities in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Ezennia & Hoskara, 2021;Aule, Majid, Jusan & Ayoosu, 2022). The position of the SDGs is that stakeholders must ensure that local communities have a say in the planning and management of infrastructures in their areas (UN General Assembly, 2016; Aule, Jusan & Ayoosu, 2019).…”

Influence of Agricultural Activities on Housing and Settlement Patterns of Rural Communities in Benue State Nigeria

“…In addition to farming being the primary economic activity of the Benue, their dispersed settlements allow the cultivation of plantations, orchards, and garden crops, all of which contribute to the growth of a lush, soft environment [1,34].…”

“…A variety of physical, social, cultural, and economic elements, including agricultural activities, influence the components of home shape and built environments across time [1,2]. The notion of house form as the plan shape, as opposed to its style or elevation, has been broadened to encompass additional features of the built environment, such as space sizes, space utilization, spatial planning, layout, and overall compound organization [3][4][5].…”

“…Although the home form variables may appear to differ according to people's history, culture, agricultural vocations, and living situations, among other considerations, the human freedom of choice tends to favor sociocultural freedom in house form impacts [1,6,7].…”