#3 PhD Student Chukwuemeka Orji reflecting on Summer School 2025
PhD Candidate, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State | Lecturer, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State Email
ENVISIONING INCLUSIVE URBAN FUTURES: REFLECTIONS FROM THE WITS-TUB-UNILAG URBAN LAB SUMMER SCHOOL 2025
Introduction
In May 2025, I had the privilege of participating in the Wits-TUB-UniLag Urban Lab Summer School and Doctoral Writing Workshop, a timely and intellectually stimulating gathering focused on the theme “Inclusive Urban Futures.” The workshop brought together a vibrant cohort of doctoral scholars, Urban Planners, industry practitioners, representatives of marginalised urban communities, and thought leaders to explore one of the most critical questions facing African cities today: How can we build urban futures that leave no one behind? One of the key highlights of the workshop was a study tour of the Redemption City, situated along the bustling Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Formerly known as Redemption Camp, this rapidly urbanising area is a unique urban enclave, a hybrid space where religious devotion, residential development, economic activity, and social infrastructure converge. The visit offered both inspiration and critical insights into the promises and contradictions of urban growth in Nigeria.
Redemption City: A Case Study in Urban Aspiration
Redemption City is more than a religious site, it is a city in every practical sense. It has residential communities, healthcare facilities, banking services, schools, utilities, retail establishments, and even internal transit networks. For many, it is a place of both spiritual refuge and everyday living. However, our tour also revealed the challenges of informal urban expansion. As pointed out by Prof. W. Alade, who was one of our guide during the tour, the city grew organically without an articulated urban plan, raising questions about sustainability, mobility, governance, and inclusivity. However, in a bid to address this challenge, the mission has developed a master plan for the city to guide its expansion, but the challenge of exclusion, which is a major concern in most African cities, persists, and this raises some fundamental questions: Who gets to live in the city? How accessible are its services to people with disabilities, women, low-income earners, and informal workers? These questions underscored the urgency of the workshop’s theme: inclusion is not a luxury but a necessity.
Reflections from Plenary: Rethinking the Urban Paradigm
During the workshop plenary session, speakers and participants engaged deeply with what it means to create inclusive urban futures in Africa. Several key takeaways stood out for me:
Inclusivity Must Be Intentional: Cities don’t become inclusive by accident. Intentional policies are needed to address the needs of marginalised groups, whether these are low-income earners, migrants, the elderly, women, or persons with disabilities. Urban design, policy, and service provision must be anchored on empathy, respect, and equity.
Informality Is not the Enemy: Much of African urbanisation is informal, but informality is not synonymous with illegality or backwardness. Inclusive planning must recognise, integrate, and support informal economies and settlements rather than displacing or criminalising them.
The Role of Urban Scholars and Practitioners: As emerging urban scholars, we have a responsibility to decolonise urban knowledge. This means not just importing Western models but building on African experiences, voices, and practices. Research must be policy-relevant, grounded, and transformative.
Mobility and Accessibility Are Key Indicators of Inclusion An inclusive city is one where people can move freely, regardless of physical ability, gender, age, or income. This resonates deeply with my research interest in Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Mobility. Transport infrastructure is both a mirror and a determinant of social equity.
Why Inclusive Urban Futures Matter for Africa
Africa’s cities are growing at an unprecedented pace. By 2050, urban areas will house nearly 60% of the continent’s population. This growth presents both opportunities and risks. If properly managed, urbanisation can drive economic growth, innovation, and cultural exchange. If mismanaged, it can exacerbate inequality, environmental degradation, and social fragmentation. Consider the following realities: Housing remains unaffordable for many in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg. Transport systems are often inaccessible to people with disabilities or women with caregiving responsibilities. Youth unemployment continues to rise, fuelling frustration and disenfranchisement. Climate change disproportionately affects the urban poor, who often live in flood-prone informal settlements. An inclusive urban future recognises these realities and responds with policies that are participatory, redistributive, and forward-looking.
Personal Takeaway: A Call to Action
The workshop and tour were not just academic exercises but a call to action. As a doctoral researcher and university lecturer, I am more convinced than ever that my work must be part of a larger movement to reimagine African cities. We must speak not just to policymakers, but to communities, students, transport operators, and everyday city dwellers. Our cities will only be as inclusive as the conversations and collaborations we are willing to have.
Closing Thoughts
The future of African cities lies not just in skyscrapers, flyovers, and master plans. It lies in whether a street trader in Ibadan can safely and conveniently get to work, whether a child in Kano has access to a school nearby, and whether a grandmother in Enugu can find affordable housing with access to public health care. Inclusion is the heartbeat of urban justice, and without it, development is both incomplete and unsustainable. As I reflect on my experience at the Wits-TUB-UniLag Urban Lab Summer School and Doctoral Writing Workshop, I am filled with renewed purpose. We must continue to ask hard questions, challenge dominant paradigms, and advocate for cities that are liveable, lovable, and just for all.
