Socio-demographic Factors Affecting Population Density

173 Pages·2016·6.18 MB·English

by  Daniel Obikeze

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Dissertations Theses and Dissertations
1975
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Daniel Obikeze
Loyola University Chicago
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(1975). Dissertations. 1594.
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Copyright © 1975 Daniel Obikeze
SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING POPULATION
DENSITY: THE CASE OF EASTERN NIGERIA
by
Daniel s. Obikeze
:.
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF LOYOLA UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NOVEMBER
1974
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This dissertation may not have been possible without the assistance,
advice, cooperation and support of a large number of persons and organizations
whom I have the privilege to know, to live and work with. To all these
persons and organizations I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness •
•
I am particularly grateful to the members of my dissertation committee:
to the chairman, Dr. Jai P. Ryu; to Dr. Kathleen Norr for her insightful
suggestions and advice; to Dr. William M. Bates who was ever available and
ever ready to discuss, direct and encourage; and to Reverent Thomas M.
Gannon and Dr. Richard Block who read the draft and offered invaluable
suggestions. My gratitude also goes to the Director and staff of the Africana
Library of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, for placing their
entire facility at my disposal and for personal services rendered: To my
fellow graduate students, especially Fr. Yvon Yangyuoru, for their moral
support and useful ideas, I express my thanks. Finally, my profound gratitude
goes to my wife, Fidelia, for her patience and support--both moral and
material--through the years of my graduate studies and months of preoccupation
with this dissertation.
..
ii
r
VITA
The author, Daniel Sunday Obikeze, was born on September 12, 1939 in
Awa, East Central State, Nigeria. He is the second son of Elijah Okeke
Obikeze and Oyidie Mgboli (Onwu) Obikeze.
He had his elementary education at Anglican School, Ufuma, Nigeria.
He attended New Bethel Grannnar School, Onitsha, Nigeria, where he obtained a
West African School Certificate, second division, in 1958.
Between 1959 and 1961, he studied privately and passed the London General
Certificate of Education in three subjects at the advanced level. In October,
1961, he entered the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and in June, 1964 he
obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree (honours division) in Sociology. While at
the University of Nigeria, he was elected secretary of the University of
Nigeria Sociological Association.
In January, 1965, he was appointed Administrative Officer (Student
Affairs) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, a·position he held until 1970.
In September, 1970, he was granted an assistantship in Sociology at
Loyola University, Chicago. He received the Master of Arts degree in
Sociology in June, 1973 and was awarded the Arthur Schmitt Fellowship of
Loyola University 1973-74.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS • ii
• •
..
VITA iii
LIST OF TABLES v
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS • • vii
CONTENTS OF APPENDICES .viii
Chapter
I. INTRODUCTION • • 1
II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE • 19
Density : Concept and Measurement
Density: A Sociological Variable
Density Theories
Density Studies of Eastern Nigeria
III. METHOD • 36
• •
Procedure
Variables and Hypothesis
The Data
IV. RESULTS 79
. .
v.
RESULTS (Continued) 104
• •
Regression Analysis
Path Analysis
Dispersed Settlement Pattern and Relative Density
. .
VI. THE CASE OF EASTERN NIGERIA • 127
REFERENCES • 141
•
APPENDIX A • 151
• •
APPENDIX B 155
APPENDIX C 156
APPENDIX D 159
iv
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Population Densities of Thirteen African Countries and . . . . .
the Three Regions of Nigeria • • • • • • • • • • 3
2. Rural Population Ranges for the Three Regions·of Nigeria,
by Administrative Divisions • • • • • • • • • • 4
. . .
3. Physiographic Zones of Eastern Nigeria 9
4. Occupational Groups in Eastern Nigeria 10
5. Distribution of Major Ethnic Groups by Provinces of . . . .
Eastern Nigeria • • • • • • • • • • • • • 12
. . . . . . . .
6. Summary of Data on Tribal Density 55
7. Number of Cases Confinning and Not Confirming
Hypothesis One • • • • • • • 81
. . . . . . . .
8. Type of Land Ownership by Relative Density 82
9. Number of Cases Confirming and Not Confirming . . . .
..
Hypothesis Two • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 83
. . . . .
10. Type of Work Organization by Relative Density 84
11. Number of Cases Confirming and Not Confirming
Hypothesis Three • • • • • • • • • • 86
. . . . . . . . .
12. Type of Consumption Unit by Relative D.e, nsity • 87
13. Number of Cases Confirming and Not Confirming . . . . . . .
Hypothesis Four • • • • • • • • • • 88
. . .
14. Type of Political Decision-Making and Relative Density • • 89
15. Number of Cases Confirming and Not Confirming . . . .
Hypothesis Five • • • • • • • • • • • 91
. . . . . .
16. Type of Family System and Relative Density • 92
17. Number of Cases Confirming and Not Confirming . . . . . . . . .
Hypothesis Six • • • • • • • • • • • • 93
.
. . .
18. Type of Descent System and Relative Population Density • 94
v
LIST OF TABLES (Continued)
Table Page
19. Number of Cases Confirming and Those Not Confirming
Hypothesis Seven • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 95
20. Pattern of Kinship Organization and Relative
Population Density • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 96
21. Number of Cases Confir.m ing. a.n d Not Conf irt.ni ng . . . .
Hypothesis Eight 97
• • • • • • • • • •
. .
22. Settlement Pattern and Relative Population Density • 99
• • • •
23. Number of Cases Confir.m ing. and. Not Confirm.i ng . . . .
Hypothesis Nine • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 101
. . . . . . . .
24. Type of Religious Belief by Relative Density • • 102
25. Type of Technology by Relative Density • • • • • • • • • • • 105
. . . . . . . .
26. Relative Annual Temperature by Relative Density 107
. .
21. Relative Annual Rainfall by Relative Density • • • • • • 107
28. Phi Coefficients of Association between Technology,
Relative Temperature and Respective Independent . . . . . .
Variables . . • • • . • • • . • • • . • . • • • • 109
29. Zero-Order and First Order Partial Phi Coefficients
Between Dependent, Independent and Control . . . . . . .
Variables • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • 109
,
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
30. Phi Zero-Order Correlation Matrix 113
31. Multiple Regression of Kinship Organization,
Settlement Pattern, Relative Rainfall on . . . . . . . . . .
Relative Density • • • • • • • • • • • • 114
32. Comparison of Actual Correlation Coefficients with those . . . .
Calculated from Path Models • • • • • • • • • • • • • 118
.
.
33. Administrative Divisions of Eastern Nigeria by Tribe • 134
34. Divisional Density of Eastern Nigeria by Tribal . . . . . . . .
Composition. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 135
35. Major Tribes of Eastern Nigeria by Kinship
Organization and Settlement Pattern • • • • • • • • • • • • • 138
vi
LIST OF ILLUSTRATION
Figure Page
1. Political Map of Nigeria (1953) 7
2. Density Map of Eastern Nigeria 14
3. Tribal }lap of Africa 58
. . . . . .
4. Trial Path Models 117
5. The Path Diagram 119
.
'
vii
CONTENTS OF APPENDICES
Appendix Page
. . . . . . .
A. A Note on Nigerian Census Data: 1953 vs. 1963 •• 150
B. Area, Population and Density of the Three Regions . . .
of Nigeria: 1953 •••••••• • ••••• 155
. . . . . . . . . .
c.
Population Density Ranges of Nigeria • 156
By Administrative Divisions 1953
By Provinces 1953
Eastern Nigeria by Administrative Division
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
D. Methodological Problems and Issues 159
viii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
With the achievement of the "demographic transition," the problems of
population size and density no longer occupy such a central position in.the
social and economic theories of Western Europe as they did during the last
two centuries. Nevertheless, as Van de Walle (1972:117) has said, these problems
"have by no means lost their relevance in the developing nations of Africa,
Asia, and Latin America." For one thing, it is in relation to the countries
of the so-called third world that the term "population explosion" is so fre-
quently used in recent years. With this in view, the author considers the
study of factors that influence population distribution and density in tradi-
tional societies a worthy scientific endeavor. This study therefore considers
the old issue of population density in a rather different environment. It is
envisaged that there are some scientific advantages to be gained by reexamining
an old question from a different perspective. It makes possible a reassessment
of the already accepted theories and explanations in the light of new evidence.
Further, the new situation may bring into focus some aspects of the problem
hitherto considered irrelevant or unrelated to the main issues.
In view of its unusually high population density, the former Eastern
1
Region of Nigeria presents a suitable focal point around which this study may
be organized. According to Karman (1966), "the most significant fact about
1
As employed in this study, Eastern Nigeria refers to that geographical
area of Nigeria encompassed by the three eastern states, namely, the Rivers,
the South-eastern and the East Central States.
1
--