Exploring motivational factors of indigenous house form for value-based development: The Tiv people of central Nigeria in context

Abstract

The quest for contextual identity and value-based developments by concerned authorities justifies the necessity to explore the inherent motivating factors that influence housing formation and the built environments of the varied Nigerian ethnic groups. Rapoport's identification of socio-cultural values as the primary influencers of house form has come under scrutiny, stipulating a replication in different contexts. One tends to ask about the motivating factors for the indigenous house form of the different ethnic groups in Nigeria that need to be explored and harnessed for value-based planning, design, and development for future infrastructure. This study explores the motivating factors of the indigenous house form of the Tiv people of central Nigeria, filtered through Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. This qualitative study utilised the Means-End Chain soft laddering technique, where 24 participants were interviewed, analysed, and ranked. According to the findings, Tiv indigenous dwellings are circular-shaped, connecting them to their cultural heritage. The open compounds also permit communal interactions in their natural setting and express their determination to live independent family lives. For housing stakeholders in Nigeria, the primitive values evoked in this study are essential for developing a contemporary, culturally sustainable society.