See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/318761993

TRENDS IN IGBO TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE FROM PRE COLONIAL TO POST

COLONIAL ERA

Article · April 2017

CITATIONS READS

0 21,003

3 authors:

Chiagozie Bert-okonkwor Nnamaka Ugochukwu Nzewi

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
8 PUBLICATIONS 13 CITATIONS 25 PUBLICATIONS 21 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Kevin Okolie Chuks

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
46 PUBLICATIONS 218 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Development of Total Quality Management Framework for Concrete Production in Anambra State View project

Evaluation of flood disaster resillient buildings in South East Nigerias View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Nnamaka Ugochukwu Nzewi on 29 July 2017.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 TRENDS IN IGBO TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE FROM PRE COLONIAL
TO POST COLONIAL ERA

Bert-Okonkwor, C. B. N1, Nzewi, N. U2 and Okolie , K. C1

1
Department of Building, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
2
Department of Architecture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

ABSTRACT:
Life is not stagnant but a dynamic process which evolves from one point to another. This also
applies to the Igbo community which has been greatly influenced by building constructions and
globalization. From the olden day mud and thatch houses (ulo aja oto/ulo akirika) to the
modern day houses made from bricks, blocks, cement and concrete. The advent of colonialism
in Nigeria changed the traditional life and culture of the Igbos which creates a weak connection
between traditional architecture and contemporary architecture in Nigeria. Most recent
building designs across Igbo region in Nigeria have been built with imported materials and the
construction techniques tailored to satisfy the modernity's self-ego and aspirations. The study
reviews the past (historical methods of building construction), trends and as well as explores
the present trends in building construction within the Igbo community. The paper further
examines the various cultural and socio-economic implications of building construction to the
globalization of Igbo community. Preliminary data generated during non-experimental face-to-
face observation, utilizing of open-ended questions and non-structured interview show that
mud houses have almost phased out in the Igbo community. Even the common zinc and
block/concrete houses are changing on daily basis due to the travelling nature of the Igbos.
With the aid of data and findings generated, the paper concludes by suggesting some ideas on
how building construction will help in providing a sustainable and thriving Igbo community in
the future.

Keywords: Traditional Architecture, Modern Architecture, Development and Building Construction.

INTRODUCTION
A building is regarded as an enclosure or “envelope” designed and constructed to provide
minimum level of comfort, and conveniences for man. Building provides safety, protects
human inhabitants, animals, materials and equipment from the effects of weather, and gives
internal comfort (Ogunoh, 2008). According to Obiegbu, (2003) a building is an essential
modifier of micro-climate, a space isolated from climatic temperature and humidity. Olotuah
(1997) also adds that housing encompasses environment in which man lives and grows in
response to both biological material as well as physical needs. To support this assertion,
Agboola and Zango (2014), emphasizes that for a house to perform its optimal goal, it must
possess the minimum facilities needed for human health, body and spirit.
The idea of housing came as an objective of fulfilling one of the basic needs of man principally
in the provision of shelter, security and comfort. In the practical establishment of homes, the
planning and construction takes a pattern or form, which varies from society to society and
from country to country (Rikko & Gwatau, 2011). The building construction of the Igbo
community is as diverse as other parts of their culture. Most Igbo houses were private houses
built alongside other buildings in a family compound enclosed by a large wall. According to
Chukwu (2015), the main materials used in building Igbo houses include mud, timber and
raffia/palm stems which are used for walls and roofs. Chukwu (2015) further adds that, in other
parts of Africa or even the world over, patterns of Igbo building architecture reflects the
cultural, environmental and defense needs (security) of the people at any given period. For
instance, societies in cold regions evolve building constructions and architectural designs that
provide warmth to the occupants. Similarly, in traditional African society like Igbo land where
polygamy was the practice, a man builds multiple houses to take care of himself, his wives,
children, and dependants. Rikko & Gwatau (2011) refer to tradition as a cultural heritage gained
from generation to generation, accepted and practiced by the people. Therefore designs in
traditional architecture reflect the cultural lifestyle of the people and represent the symbols of
the heritage of the residents. Hence response to the material and social design of the society
cannot be over-emphasized.

This study is an attempt to discuss the Igbo community development with respect to building
constructions. It will highlight the patterns of architecture in the Igbo society over the centuries,
from the pre-colonial to the post-colonial period. In addition to that, the various factors that
influenced and/or determined patterns of their architectural designs over time are discussed.
IGBO ARCHITECTURE IN THE PRE-COLONIAL ERA

According to Rikko and Gwatau (2011), the evolution of architecture can be traced back to the
late Stone Age. As the hunters move about in search of food, they built temporary structures
for shelter. These structures were at first simple and perhaps lasted only a few days or months.
Over time however, these temporary structures evolved into permanent ones due to the
advent of agriculture when people began to stay for longer periods in one location. Thus,
shelter began to expand from mere dwellings, to serve other more specialized functions such as
food storage, commerce, religious ceremonies and festival and so on. Societal evolution also
affected nature of building materials used as there was a departure from leaves, reeds and
sticks which characterized early buildings to more durable materials such as clay, timber, stone,
etc.

In the typical Igbo community, only a few architectural features can be accepted as typical for
the entire Igbo land: The rectangular plan of dwellings, which are without windows, the
verandah in front of the houses and universal use of the forked posts to carry the roofs
(Dmochowski, 1990). Apart from dwelling, other common features of Igbo architecture as
observed by Dmochowski (1990) are: communal settlement, massive compound gates, meeting
houses (Obu), shrines (Okwu-Alusi), rooms (mkpachi/ime ulo), and two storey semi-defensive
buildings (Obuna Enu/Ulo Enu). Each compound is fenced with only one entrance and exit.
There are roofs made with such exquisite skill that their texture of palm ribs and grasses serve
solely as an architectural adornment. Normally, the men’s section is separated from the
women, and the children section is grouped together. The materials for construction used in
Igbo land are mud, hardwood timber, palm leaves and midribs, bush twines etc.

According to Chukwu (2015), in a typical Igbo society, two distinct areas were discernible – the
public quarters (ama/obodo-ezi) and the kindreds (ezi). The public quarters (ama) housed the
assembly building and the shrines of the various deities of that community. The other part of
the community was made up of kindreds. Within a given kindred, there were individual
compounds. The number of houses in a given compound depended on the number of wives
married by the man owning the compound (Achebe, 1958). Agriculture was the mainstay of the
people’s economy and for one to actually be a successful farmer, he must marry many wives to
raise many children and increase the labour force for his farming enterprise. The traditional
Igbo building architecture was practically an offshoot of the cave environment inhabited by the
Igbo ancestors prior to the development of house building culture (Afigbo, 1981). Hence the
essential requirements at the cave habitat were provided in the house environment. For
instance the cave provided warmth, shelter and defense against animals particularly the
creeping and the wild animals. The house had thatched roof and it was pre-dominantly these
round-wall houses (ulo aja oto) with thatched roofs (aju or atani) that were available in the
traditional Igbo societies in the pre-colonial era.

MUD AND THATCH - PROCUREMENTS AND PROCESSING:

Since in Igbo land, mud and thatch were the main materials for the construction of a building in
the pre-colonial era, it is very important that we discuss the processing and procurement of
these materials. According to Nke-Onye-Metere (an Awka elder), the first step taken by a
prospective builder was to embark on soil excavation. He states that the earth is excavated up
to the point that you will get the red soil. This red soil is mixed together with water and is
pounded together with bare foot (Izo aja). The quantity of the pounded earth required for a
building was produced gradually over time. He further adds that the excavation and pounding
of red soil could take a number of days or weeks until the needed quantity of mud is
accumulated and at the end of pounding exercise each day during the rainy season, the
pounded red soil is heaped at a particular spot. Leaves of cocoyam and plaintain were used to
cover the heap to prevent rain from washing away the heaped mud. Chukwu (2015) explains
that the purpose of heaping the mud was to ensure some sort of filtration, dryness or even
evaporation of particles of water from the heap of the pounded red soil. Chukwu (2015) also
states that in the pre-colonial era, people did not bother about plastering their houses due to
lack of tools like the mason’s trowel and they were mostly concentrating on their farming
activities to care about adding more value to their homes. However, contrary to that statement,
Sir B.O.A Okonkwor (an Ekwulobia elder) points out that internal/external is often achieved by
smoothening/mopping of the walls with a paste of red soil, usually a responsibility of women
(Ite-aja).
According to Ikebude (2014), there was a common pattern of roofing traditional Igbo buildings
in the pre-colonial period. Pitch roofing was the commonest design at the time. First the
skeletal framework of the roof was weaved, using bamboo poles or sliced bamboo poles. A
number of bamboo poles were used as rafters which sloped from the roof apex and rested on
the walls of the building. These bamboo rafters were crossed with purlins (Palm fronds or
lengths of sliced bamboo poles). At various points, the sloping bamboo rafters and the purlins
(horizontal palm fronds) were knotted or tied to ensure formidable roof strength. This was
necessary to avert incidence of the building or the roof being blown down by the wind. At the
end of the networking process of the roofing, the entire skeletal framework of the roof was
hooked at various points at the walls of the building, using strong loops and pegs to ensure a
common central force for the entire structure. Next was the process of grassing or thatching
which is done with grasses and fronds (raffia mat). These grasses were uprooted by bare hands
till the advent of cutting blades by Awka, Abiriba or any other blacksmithing community in Igbo
land. Dr. J.U Ezeokonkwo (an Ekwulobia elder/Builder) agrees with the procurement and
processing of the mud and thatch house and also added that the house normally have a single
entrance and exit which is covered with mats (Ute/Azani).

IGBO ARCHITECTURE IN THE COLONIAL ERA

Colonialism in Igboland came with some absolute changes. First it came with the principles of
individualism, abolishing the age-long practice of communalism in Igboland. Through the
agency of Christianity it has dealt a serious blow to traditional religion including its various
categories of deities. It has also reduced to a very large extent the number of polygamous families.
With these changes, the traditional architecture of the Igbo community began its journey of
transformation to the present day modern architecture. Example, the idea of the village public place
(ama) is disfigured. In so many communities, the normal hut built for the deity (okwu-alusi), the
public rest house (obu) is phased out. Also phased out is the defense wall constructed by the
head of a family or kindred round his family or kindred house. That was not because the Igbos
desired it that way, but simply because the white man could not tolerate such practices. The
walling technique still remained mud but with cement plastering and the gable roofing technique was
used for the roofing (Chukwu, 2015). The colonial or western architectural design at the time was
the model which greatly influenced the Igbo traditional building design in the colonial period.

IGBO ARCHITECTURE IN THE POST-COLONIAL ERA

Although the Igbo community generally would appear to have totally admired, copied and
imbibed western culture, it is noteworthy that the impact of the western culture on Igbo-land
(especially as it affected the Igbo architectural designs), was not total. Most of the changes
would be attributed to change in societal practices. The issue of building too many houses in
one compound is phased out (due to Igbos adapting a monogamous lifestyle in place of
polygamous lifestyle). However some of the traditional practices were retained, for example, a
compound still has a single entrance and exit, in a Catholic home is easy to see a Chapel/Grotto
which represents the olden day “Okwu-Alusi”. According to Chukwu (2015), the entire
architectural package in Igbo-land in the post-colonial era could be categorized under two
groups. One represented traditional Igbo architectural design virtually untouched while the
second reflected a blend of western and traditional Igbo designs. While the former represented
the taste of the local people, the latter satisfied the interest and needs of the elite group.

METHODOLOGY
30 copies of the questionnaire for this research work were distributed to elders of different
communities in Igbo land (mostly Anambra and Imo states). 28 copies that were duly
completed and used for the analysis. The respondents include farmers, fishermen, businessmen
and pensioners. The research employed the following sources for both primary and secondary
data collection; questionnaire, personal interview, journals, libraries and internet. The primary
data is sourced from questionnaires and asking of open-ended questions to the respondents.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Most of the respondents are male (86%) and all are above 68years. 32% of the respondents
received formal education and most are pensioners. When the respondents are asked what the
building materials were during the pre-colonial era, 100% of them said sticks, leaves (palm
fronds), mud and thatch. 71% of the respondents are of the idea that the thatch house was also
used in the colonial era while the zinc and asbestos came during the post-colonial era. 15% of
the respondents argued that the zinc was used in the colonial era by the whites for post offices
and administrative complex. They all maintained that the mud walling technique thrived into
the colonial era except that it was plastered with cement mortar which was one of the things
the westerners brought with them. 86% of the respondent agreed to the fact that the use of
blocks for constructing walls was during the post colonial era even when the materials (cement)
for sandcrete blocks were available. They say maybe it is because of the unavailability of block
mould.
Over 90% of the respondents agreed that the olden day mud house make no use of columns
and use hard woods as beams and after the colonial days came the use of reinforced concrete
for columns and beams. All agreed that mats were used for doors and during the pre-colonial
era, they also responded in unison over the use of bamboo and palm fronds for gates.
Analysis of the research data revealed also that there is no significant difference between
construction materials in pre-colonial and colonial eras but there was significant change in
architectural pattern. The table below shows the summary of construction materials used in the
pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial eras.
Table 1: Construction Materials Used in Pre-Colonial, Colonial and Post-Colonial Eras

PRE-COLONIAL ERA COLONIAL ERA POST-COLONIAL

ERA

WALL TYPES Walls are constructed Walls are constructed Sandcrete blocks
with Mud (aja oto) with mud and cement with cement
plastering plastering and
paintings.
ROOFING Thatch roof (aju, Thatch roof and few Zincs, asbestos and
akirika, atani) zincs Aluminium sheets.
TECHNIQUE

FLOOR/SLAB TYPE Woods(deck) and Woods(deck) and Concrete Slab

earthwork(groundfloor) earthwork(groundfloor)
COLUMNS None None Reinforced Concrete
and Steel
BEAMS Hardwoods Hardwoods Reinforced Concrete
GATES Bamboo + palm fronds Wooden Gates Steel Materials
DOORS Mats (Ute, Azani) Wooden Doors Wooden Doors,
steel, Glass doors

None (except in Wooden Windows Wooden windows,

WINDOWS
security houses) Louvers, sliding
glasses

CONCLUSION

This study on trends in Igbo traditional architecture has revealed an appreciable degree of
dynamism in this particular sector of Igbo life over time. What people now have as modern
architecture is a preponderance of imported models that have little/no links with the socio-

cultural heritage. The dynamism of this particular aspect of the Igbo culture bordered on the
traditional Igbo attitude of adapting to the changing environmental conditions at any given
time, while, in addition striving to conserve some of her age-long identities. This study indicates
that the traditional Igbo architecture exhibited a high degree of resilience in its quest for
independent cultural identity.
In the colonial and post-colonial periods, environmental and other social factors also played
major roles but the colonial influences occasioned or typified by the western architectural
designs played dominant roles in determining and shaping Igbo building architecture. The Igbo
community started losing some of its traditional architectural pattern and there is no sign this trend is
slowing down. The ever travelling Igbo man keeps on learning new construction methods without
thinking of blending it with our own traditional methods of construction in other to suit our
environment and socio-cultural heritage. Despite this trend among the Igbos, the traditional Igbo
architecture still survived in many communities for certain categories of people because of its
cost effectiveness, conduciveness and appropriateness to the environmental conditions of the
area.

Rikko and Gwatau (2011) suggested that the objective of preserving the cultural heritage
through housing form, needs to be upheld to promote communal living in the urban centers so
that the inhabitants should not feel alienated from the urban environment. It is only when this
is achieved that it can be truly said that there is an indigenous architecture which is in harmony
with the societal evolution.

This paper concludes by suggesting that our traditional construction materials should not be
regarded as obsolete. The courtyard house type and communal dwelling pattern which has
been the indigenous architecture should be reinvented by the professionals. It is when this is
done we will expect our future generation to have idea of how their fore fathers survived with
little or no technology.
 REFERENCES
Achebe, C. (1958). Things fall apart. London: Heinemann.

Afigbo, A. E. (1981). Ropes of Sand: Studies in Igbo History and Culture. University Press Ltd,
Ibadan.

Astrolabe, A. M. (2002). Architecture in Nigeria and Practice for Sustainable Environmental

Development: A Comparative Study of Modern and Indigenous Housing Strategies. J.
Assoc. Archit. Educ. Niger. 2(1)

Agboola, O. P. & Zango, M. S. (2014). Development of Traditional Architecture in Nigeria: A

Case Study of Hausa House Form. International Journal of African Society Cultures and
Traditions. 1(61-74).

Chukwu, J. C. (2015). Traditional Igbo Building Architecture: An Historical Perspective. Journal

of Art and Design Studies. 34(7-14)

Dmochowski, Z. R. (1990). An Introduction to Nigerian Traditional Architecture. Vols. (1-3).

Ethnographical ltd. London

Ikebude, C. (2014). Identity in Igbo Architecture: Ekwuru, Obi, and the African Continental Bank
Building. (MSc Thesis), College of Fine Arts of Ohio University, USA.

Nsude, G. C. (1987). The traditional architecture of the Igbo of Nigeria. ( Phd Thesis) School of
Architecture and Landscape, Thames Polytechnic, United Kingdom.

Obiegbu, M. E. (2003). Factors Influencing the Defects and Performance of Buildings. Journal of
the National Institute of Building. (53-61).

Ogunoh, P. E. (2008). Maintenance of Public Estates in Awka, Anambra State. (A case study of
Iyiagu and Real Housing Estate. (Unpublished MSc Thesis), Nnamdi Azikiwe University
Awka, Nigeria.

Olotuah, A. O. (1997): “The House: Accessibility and Development- A Critical Evaluation of the
Nigerian Situation." In the House in Nigeria.” Proceedings of the National Symposium
23rd – 24th July, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife. (312-317).

Rikko, L. S. & Gwatau, D. (2011) The Nigerian architecture: The trend in housing development.
Journal of Geography and Regional Planning. 4 (273-278)

View publication stats