The end of publicness in Yorubaland? Exploring the privatisation of public space in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

Western urban theorists have critiqued the involvement of the private sector in the production and management of public space, contending that privatisation has led to the erosion of publicness and the decline of social life within the public sphere. However, there is a noticeable scarcity of empirical studies exploring the engagement of private actors in the politics of urban public space in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly within Yoruba society. This paper seeks to address this gap by investigating the privatisation of public space and its implications in Ile-Ife, a traditional Yoruba city in Nigeria. Employing a qualitative approach involving a systematic literature review, interviews and field observations, this paper reveals that the Yoruba city is experiencing the issues of over-management and under-management of public space, as highlighted in the Western homogenisation theory. Nevertheless, in contrast to the Western theory, privatisation does not result in the decline of publicness and sociability of public spaces in the Yoruba society. Key aspects of privatisation, such as commercialisation and controlled access, are integral to the traditional concepts of open space in Yorubaland. Findings show that privately owned spaces within gated communities and establishments, such as schools, hotels, hospitals, shopping complexes, churches, mosques, bars, and restaurants, support social and leisure activities. The emergence of contemporary public spaces does not alter the local concepts and meanings associated with social spaces. This paper argues that the Western framework for public space management is not entirely applicable in the traditional Yoruba context, emphasising the necessity for a contextual approach to public space planning.