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Governing the Unplanned Pilgrimage: From Faith-Based Sprawl to Planned Sacred Urbanism in Peri-Urban Nigeria
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Urban Planning and Religious Studies
Abstract
The proliferation of mega-religious tourism hubs in peri-urban regions of the Global South represents a distinctive urban form that challenges conventional planning paradigms. This study presents a 30-year longitudinal analysis of the Mowe-Ibafo corridor in Nigeria, a quintessential "sacred corridor" transformed by four major religious camps (RCCG, MFM, NASFAT, Deeper Life). Employing mixed-methods research including GIS-based spatial analysis (1990-2020), structured surveys (n=400), ethnographic fieldwork, and institutional analysis, we document a pattern of "unplanned pilgrimage", rapid, organic growth generating significant economic benefits but severe sustainability externalities. Key findings reveal: (1) a 54.3 km? expansion of built-up area with corresponding 26.1 km? loss of forest/wetland; (2) a sevenfold increase in local income alongside 50,000% escalation in land values; (3) chronic infrastructure deficits during peak events with traffic volumes increasing 300%; and (4) a governance vacuum characterized by minimal institutional coordination. In response, we propose an integrated four-pillar Sustainable Religious Tourism Governance Framework comprising: Spatial Governance (Planned Religious Tourism Districts), Economic Inclusion (Formalized Vendor Ecosystems with Benefit-Sharing), Environmental Stewardship (Event-Specific Management Plans), and Infrastructural Synchronization (Adaptive, Event-Ready Systems). The framework advocates transitioning from incidental faith-based urbanism to planned sacred urbanism through polycentric governance mechanisms. This research contributes to sustainable tourism and urban studies by providing both empirical evidence of faith-led urbanization dynamics and a practical governance model applicable to similar contexts across the Global South.
Keywords
Sacred Urbanism; Sustainable Tourism Governance; Peri-Urban Development; Religious Tourism; Mega-Church Urbanization; Nigeria; Spatial Planning; Stakeholder Framework
How to cite this paper
@article{1713335,
author = {Paul Oluwadamilola Owoyemi},
title = {Governing the Unplanned Pilgrimage: From Faith-Based Sprawl to Planned Sacred Urbanism in Peri-Urban Nigeria},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {9},
number = {3},
pages = {2091-2100},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1713335.pdf},
abstract = {The proliferation of mega-religious tourism hubs in peri-urban regions of the Global South represents a distinctive urban form that challenges conventional planning paradigms. This study presents a 30-year longitudinal analysis of the Mowe-Ibafo corridor in Nigeria, a quintessential "sacred corridor" transformed by four major religious camps (RCCG, MFM, NASFAT, Deeper Life). Employing mixed-methods research including GIS-based spatial analysis (1990-2020), structured surveys (n=400), ethnographic fieldwork, and institutional analysis, we document a pattern of "unplanned pilgrimage", rapid, organic growth generating significant economic benefits but severe sustainability externalities. Key findings reveal: (1) a 54.3 km? expansion of built-up area with corresponding 26.1 km? loss of forest/wetland; (2) a sevenfold increase in local income alongside 50,000% escalation in land values; (3) chronic infrastructure deficits during peak events with traffic volumes increasing 300%; and (4) a governance vacuum characterized by minimal institutional coordination. In response, we propose an integrated four-pillar Sustainable Religious Tourism Governance Framework comprising: Spatial Governance (Planned Religious Tourism Districts), Economic Inclusion (Formalized Vendor Ecosystems with Benefit-Sharing), Environmental Stewardship (Event-Specific Management Plans), and Infrastructural Synchronization (Adaptive, Event-Ready Systems). The framework advocates transitioning from incidental faith-based urbanism to planned sacred urbanism through polycentric governance mechanisms. This research contributes to sustainable tourism and urban studies by providing both empirical evidence of faith-led urbanization dynamics and a practical governance model applicable to similar contexts across the Global South.},
keywords = {Sacred Urbanism; Sustainable Tourism Governance; Peri-Urban Development; Religious Tourism; Mega-Church Urbanization; Nigeria; Spatial Planning; Stakeholder Framework},
month = {September},
}