Houseform Characteristics of the Yoruba Culture

Abstract

Culture defines group and leads to varied needs, wants and interpretation of requirements. There are rural and urban cultures. However, arising from rapid urbanization and historic transformation of human social roots on a global scale, the predominantly rural cultures are being replaced by urban culture day by day. This article provides an explanation on the effects of the Yoruba culture on a houseform that dominated the traditional rural culture of a typical Yoruba settlement, using a Yoruba city of Ogbomoso on the south west zone of Nigeria, as a case study.

Multi-habitation which is a concept and form of housing whereby residents live with multiple families and share living space together was common in the rural culture of the Yoruba people and has been transposed into urban culture in cities of developing countries, Nigeria inclusive. As a result of multi-habitation, rental accommodations are being provided for the large population in the rapidly expanding cities in the developing countries.

A study of multi-habitation in Ogbomoso, Nigeria revealed that majority of multihabited houses in Ogbomoso (60.8%) were rooming houses. It also revealed that three (3 ) households living together under the same roof across the residential area (44.2%) was a common scene. The study further revealed that multihabited house is a type of single or multiple room occupancy where most washing, kitchen and toilet facilities are shared among residents. The study concluded therefore that multi-habitation is a way of living among the Yoruba, as enshrined in their culture.

Keywords: The Yoruba, multi-habitation, multihabited, house form, culture and characteristics.