Abstract

This paper explores the interplay between urbanisation, cultural preservation, and sustainable development in the Nigerian city of Kano. As the city is one of the fast-growing urban centres in Africa with concomitant environmental challenges because of uncoordinated human activities, the Kano State government enacted and implemented different urban development laws and policies. This includes establishing urban planning and development agencies in 1989 and 1990. Using primary and secondary sources while blending both historical analysis and urban studies, this paper looks at the roles played by landscape architects, as well as the Kano State government in the planning and management of natural and built environments for the sustainability and health of landscapes. This was done to ensure that development initiatives are aligned with the city’s cultural identity, aesthetics and resilience. The paper argues that the importance of community engagement and participatory decision-making in shaping Kano’s urban landscape underscores the role of residents, civic organizations, and government agencies in addressing pressing urban issues. It is observed that although Kano’s attempt to achieve harmony amidst urban chaos is quite a valuable case study for cities grappling with similar challenges, certain socio-economic and political factors affected the execution of urban laws and the planning of an ‘ideal city’ as envisaged by landscape architects.

Nadir A. Nasidi (BA, MA, PhD) teaches in the Department of History, at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He was the winner of the 2022 ASR Prize for the Best Africa-Based Doctoral Dissertation. Nasidi specialises in both Intellectual and Islamic Art History with reference to Sacred Sufi Paintings in West Africa. Recently, he developed a special interest in environmental history and urbanisation. Currently, Nasidi is a postdoctoral fellow at the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA). He has also published widely in reputable journals.