TITLE:
Physical Growth Pattern of Settlements in a Traditional Region, Southwest Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Adewale Mukhtar Olayiwola, Olayinka Akinsumbo Ajala, Johnson Adewale Sangodipe
KEYWORDS:
Settlements, Distribution Patterns, Oke-Ogun, Land Use, Infrastructural Facilities, Spatial Disparity, Growth Pattern, Landscape Transition, Spatial Metrics
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.5 No.11,
October
27,
2014
ABSTRACT: The study examined the growth pattern of settlements in Oke-Ogun area of
Oyo State, Nigeria between 1984 and 2011; and predicted the future growth
pattern of settlements in the study area. Both primary and secondary data were
used for this study. Primary sources of data include Global Positioning System
(GPS), Landsat TM and ETM+ imageries of 1984, 1990, 2000, and 2011. Secondary
data included administrative map and population data of the study area.
Descriptive statistics and geospatial technique were used to analyse the data
collected. The results showed a random pattern of settlement distribution in
the study area. Results revealed that settlements covered about 0.52% of the
total land area in 1984; 1.32% in 2000; and 3.78% in 2011. Whereas linear
pattern of growth characterised the periods between 1984 and 1990; clustering,
infilling, and fringes were the patterns of growth that characterised the
periods between 1990 and 2011. The study predicted that, at an average 1.2% of annual
growth rate, settlements will occupy about 44.37% of the total land area by
2031. The study concluded that settlements in the study area varied in the
patterns of distribution; the area was dominated by indigenous settlements type
with overconcentration of social and economic infrastructures in few centres.