LAND USE ADMINISTRATION IN NEW OWERRI AREA, 1978-2020

Abstract

This study examines the administration of land in New Owerri City and its effects on host communities between 1978 and 2020. Following the designation of Owerri as the capital of Imo State in South-East Nigeria, extensive geophysical restructuring occurred in the area delineated as New Owerri - the twin city of the old and main city of Owerri. This process resulted in land alienation and significant physio-structural reconfiguration of landscapes originally belonging to the land-donating communities of New Owerri. Accordingly, the study focuses on Nekede, Umuguma, and Owerri Municipal, the three host communities of New Owerri. It argues that the glitz and glamour characterizing the New Owerri urban landscape came at a considerable cost, paid by the host communities through the compromise of their environmental integrity and adverse effects on their traditional economic systems. The paper examines and evaluates the physical, social, and economic impacts of the Land Use Act of 1978 on these host communities, with the aim of establishing the extent to which the principles of land control and land suitability were adhered to by the state government and relevant agencies during its implementation. Environmental, physical, and economic indicators illustrating the extent of land loss suffered by the host communities are highlighted using data obtained from relevant literature, oral interviews, field visits, and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis. The research adopts a historical narrative method, employing a thematic and qualitative analytical approach. The study concludes by recommending that government should demonstrate greater transparency and sincerity in land administration in the New Owerri area. Land should not be allocated for private use except where it serves clear public interest, in order to prevent the marginalization of original landowners - an outcome that could trigger social unrest and exacerbate security challenges in Imo State and Nigeria at large.