#13 PhD Student Odunayo Timileyin John reflecting on Summer School 2025
REDEMPTION CITY OF GOD: A MODEL OF SELF-SUSTAINING URBANISM OR A CHALLENGE TO INCLUSIVE URBAN FUTURES?
In 1983, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) established Redemption Camp in Ogun State, Nigeria. It started off as a campground for spiritual fellowship. However, the religious settlement was renamed Redemption City In August 2022, the settlement transforms into a self-sustaining city, blending organic spatial growth with deliberate urban planning. My recent visit to Redemption City with the Urban Lab revealed a community that boasts impressive self-sufficiency in power generation (about 24 MW capacity), water supply, and waste management, alongside diverse land uses. The self-sufficiency of Redemption City is particularly noteworthy within the context of Nigeria. The national and state governments have struggled to provide consistent power, water, and waste management services to urban populations. While these achievements are commendable, particularly in a country where government effort towards urban development have fallen short, the Redemption City of God raises critical questions about inclusivity within the larger urban fabric. I wish to examine whether Redemption City represents a model for inclusive urban futures or a practice that undermine equitable urban development.
Inclusivity: Access to Land and Housing
One of the most pressing concerns about Redemption City is its approach to land and housing allocation. The city administrators claim that land for residential development is allocated free to RCCG members. However, the head of the planning unit in another statement said that beneficiaries of land allocations are required to build a room within the allotted land for low-income earners, which suggests that low-income earners are excluded from these free allocations.
In Nigeria, where access to land and housing is a significant challenge, particularly for low-income groups, the practice within the Redemption City is concerning. The city’s residential estates cater primarily to RCCG members, effectively creating a gated community that prioritizes religious affiliation over universal access. This raises a critical question “can a city that restricts land access to a specific religious group be considered inclusive?” The situation is further complicated by the policy that revokes land access for individuals who renounce their RCCG membership, effectively tying housing security to religious loyalty.
Legal and Ethical Concerns: Land Acquisition and Displacement
Nigeria’s Land Use Act of 1978 regulates land ownership and acquisition, setting limits on the extent of land that individuals or organizations can acquire. Section 6(2) of the Land Use Act limits customary land grants to 500 hectares for agriculture, and 5,000 hectares for grazing. RCCG’s acquisition of vast tracts of land (currently measuring over 8137 Hectare) for Redemption City appears to stand parallel to these statutory limits, creating a precedent that could destabilize the urban fabric of surrounding areas. The mass acquisition of land by corporate entities like RCCG often distorts regional land markets, inflating prices and limiting access for other communities and individuals (it’s interesting how realtors use the closeness to the Redemption City as a selling point during Adverts).
Planning Standards and Parallel Governance
Another critical issue is Redemption City’s apparent deviation from the State’s urban planning and building regulations. Within the city, the RCCG planning unit approves developments with building airspaces as narrow as 2 metres; a direct contrast to the minimum standard of 3 metres set by the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning Law No. 20 of 2005. Although the head of the planning unit said they sort the consent of the government, this has redefined space standards and building codes within the city. This form of internal regulation not only breaches state-level planning codes but also establishes a parallel governance structure that operates outside the State’s statutory planning regulation. If left unchecked, this precedent could encourage other private entities to amend regulations to suit their needs, leading to fragmented urban development and potential conflicts over land use standards.
The relaxation of space standards also raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of Redemption City’s urban form. While the city’s infrastructure is impressive, deviations from established planning norms could result in overcrowding, or environmental degradation over time. These issues could have ripple effects on the broader region, further complicating urban management in Ogun State and Lagos State.
Toward Inclusive Urban Futures
Redemption City’s achievements in self-sustaining urban development are undeniable, yet its exclusionary practices and legal violations cast doubt on its alignment with the principles of inclusive urban futures. An inclusive urban future prioritizes equitable access to resources, transparent governance, and ensure fairness across diverse populations. Redemption City, while a remarkable experiment in urban self-reliance, falls short of this ideal by prioritizing RCCG members, displacing indigenous communities, and operating outside established legal norms.
Conclusion
Redemption City represents a bold attempt to address Nigeria’s urban challenges through private initiative, achieving self-sufficiency in critical infrastructure and services. However, its current practice undermines its potential as a model for inclusive urban futures. As Nigeria grapples with rapid urbanization and limited state capacity, Redemption City offers valuable lessons in innovation but also serves as a reference model to understudy about the risks of unchecked private urban development. True inclusivity requires balancing self reliance with equity, and respect for the rights of all urban residents, regardless of religious or socioeconomic status.
