LABOUR MIGRATION AND SLUM DEVELOPMENT IN ANAMBRA STATE: A POSTCOLONIAL URBAN ANALYSIS OF THE OKPOKO-ONITSHA LANDSCAPE

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between labour migration and slum development in Anambra State, Nigeria, with particular focus on Okpoko within the Onitsha urban corridor. Moving beyond descriptive accounts, the study situates the proliferation of slums within the theoretical frameworks of postcolonial urbanism and the social production of space. Employing qualitative research methods, including interviews, participant observation, and visual documentation, the study demonstrates that the growth of Okpoko is not merely a demographic consequence of rural–urban migration but a spatial expression of structural inequality, weak urban governance, and uneven development. Drawing on the theoretical insights of Henri Lefebvre and Manuel Castells, the paper argues that urban space in Onitsha is socially produced through power relations that marginalize migrant populations and constrain their access to urban resources. The findings reveal the dual character of migration as both a catalyst for economic opportunity and a driver of urban precarity. The study concludes by advocating inclusive urban planning policies that prioritize spatial justice, infrastructural development, and rural revitalization as essential strategies for addressing the underlying conditions that sustain slum formation.