Satelisation and Development of Obala Sub-Division in Cameroon: Lessons to Emergent Satellite Towns in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Satelisation has become an intermittent phenomenon in sub-Saharan African cities in their quest for development. This article posits that the metamorphosis of Obala Sud-Division has been activated by the Yaounde metropolis. The paper divulges that spatial expansion and development of the Obala satellite town is ill-advisedly more unplanned than planned. A multi-spectral Landsat satellite imagery of 1987, 2004 and 2020 were used to determine the spatial expansion of the town over a period of 33 years. Some 116 questionnaires were administered to households to determine the outcome of expansion to the town. Field observation and interview sessions were done to have information on the proliferation of socio-economic activities to the expansion of the town. An in-depth secondary data collection was done to gather information on the rate of population growth in Obala. The data was processed to generate maps through the ArcGIS 10.4 and MapInfo soft wares and tables through SPSS 17 for results and analyses. Results from findings divulge that there is a 1.02% annual increase in the built-up area of Obala emanating from 7.01% in 1984 to 9.19 in 2004 and 16.31% in 2020. This as well has been triggered by a population upsurge of 68,255 inhabitants in 1987 to 78,929 in 2005 and 133,014 inhabitants in 2020. Infrastructural growth in the area has improved as health and educational facilities are present. The areas proximity to the Yaounde metropolis has paved way for commuting owing to available and cheap land acquisition. Social and economic developmental imprints have transformed the area which unfortunately is experiencing anarchical growth. This paper therefore recommends that stringent control and planning be implemented as lessons to other Sub-Saharan emergent satellite towns.