imprints of the terrorist insecurity on human settlement: Nigeria

Currently the security situation in Nigeria is deteriorating significantly, the level of human rights violations and mass killings are alarming, in the North-East region of the country, with vast majority of Muslims as victims. This poses a serious threat to economic development and international security. According to Okeke et al (2021) the increasing rate of terrorism especially in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular, requires adequate attention by government and professionals involved in counter terrorism to devise measures to adequately deal with issues relating to terror and prevent this from escalating further in this country.

Spatial Settlement Pattern in Hausa land, the religion of Islam, combined with trade across the Sahara are considered to have had the greatest impact on Hausa settlement patterns and the local building and construction practice associated with this ethnic group in northern Nigeria. It should be noted that there is only a thin line between the urban and rural settlements in Hausa land. The urban settlement is seen as part and parcel of the rural surrounding areas and rural lifestyle, called "Anguwani," much like the rural community.

The rural landscape of Hausa settlement was and is still dominated by nucleated villages, with the possibility of some expansion of compounds. Their architectural language demonstrates a simple form of hierarchical arrangement of dwellings. Starting from the Gida basically made up of extended family and usually sub-divided into units and each containing family houses to the Kauaye which is essentially a collection of matrilineal family groups in a nucleated homestead planned for agriculture, and followed by the farmland, which most often is the adjoining space separated from the other "Kwauyika" by "Daji". At the apex of the Hausa settlement is the Gari.

This shows that there is a clear hierarchy in spatial planning in a typical Hausa settlement resulting in a distinct space morphology and architectural form, the historic towns in Hausa land are reflective of a compact nucleated settlement surrounded with the defensive walls. The towns are organically and conceptually categorized into three fragments: 'Cikin Gari' (inner core), 'Tsakiyar Gari' (central core) and 'Wajen Gari' (outer core), surrounded by a thick mud wall called 'Ganuwa' (city wall) and accessed through a gate known as the city wall and gate called 'Kofa’.

The key concept underpinning the spatial settlement pattern in Hausa land is the triple core or spaces in traditional compounds and it synonymously translates to the concept of the town surrounded by a compound wall entrance and the city wall with an entrance gate. This pattern as described has evolved over the years as a result of interplay of religious and socio-cultural values of the people. Architectural form of northern Nigeria Generally speaking, Hausa communities in northern Nigeria are usually united by common language and religion. Islam is not only a religion but a way of life to Hausa, hence, its introduction into Hausa land had a mammoth impact on their architecture and building construction, which directly influenced the use of conical curvilinear and mud-dome roof structures.

Also traceable to the religion is the ideology of privacy, security, seclusion of women (Purdah) and the segregation between male and female. This has given rise to the traditional courtyard design of family compound; the associated building form is also prevalent and paramount also in the West African savannah areas of the Niger and Chad River basin. But in Nigeria, the Northern local construction incorporates a courtyard encircled by several rooms that enable future expansion to house more occupants including wives, children and slaves as the family size increases. As Islamic architectural design principle insists on seclusion and privacy for the girl child and women, a traditional Hausa residence is conceptually subdivided into three parts or layout: inner core (private area), a central core (semi-private area), and an outer core (public areas),

terrorism and insurgency have had tremendous negative impacts on the Housing forms in Hausa land of Northern Nigeria. Notable among these impacts is the destruction of lives and buildings especially in the Northeastern part of Nigeria, the traditional need to meet structural requirements of stability has led to increase in wall thickness in the study area. This is firstly, in response to safety requirements, and secondly, due to the advantage of the thick walls in creating cooler indoor environment as well as the availability of cheap labor to handle it. However, in present situation the reverse is the case as security has become a major factor considered in the development of residential buildings and their surroundings in the study area.

reference

Okeke, F.O., Chendo, I.G., and Ibem, E.O. 2021. Imprints of security challenges on vernacular architecture of northern Nigeria: a study on Borno State. IOP, 1-15