Abstract JSSP

The Worldwide-City Hypothesis of Global Cities for Africa in the Era of Globalization – Introducing Time-Efficient City Model
Donald Chiuba OKEKE1*, Maxwell Umunna  NWACHUKWU1, Frances Ifeoma UKONZE2
* Corresponding author
1 University of Nigeria, Department of Urban and  Regional Planning, African Settlements Research Group, Enugu, NIGERIA
2 North-West University, Department of Urban and  Regional Planning, Potchefstroom, SOUTH AFRICA
  donald.okeke@unn.edu.ng   https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4056-0734
  maxwell.nwachukwu@unn.edu.ng   https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2102-7013
  ifeoma.ukonze@unn.edu.ng  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3564-0852
Pages: 1-19
Abstract. Since the mid-20th century, cities in Africa drift awkwardly along paths charted by different shades of development ideologies, development hypothesis, planning theories, and planning mandates. These cities end up as inevitable products of intervening culture and policy formulation hegemony from abroad. They function outside the mainstream of the global economy; hence, they barely share the global perception of world cities, as economic centers of excellence for manufacturing, and information products that influence the global economy, as profit-making corporate entities with the potentials to perform economic functions, and as a remote sensor for measuring capitalist development. In the context of emerging city networking for new regionalism, this paper argues that Africa requires an alternative hypothesis of world cities. Therefore, the paper aims to suggest a hypothesis of world cities that makes sense of African realities. The critical question is what hypothesis of world cities is suitable for Africa? The underlying research problem subsists in rethinking the city, which involves the reversal of the alterations that sustain the imperial status of cities in Africa. Using a qualitative research methodology the paper contributes the ‘worldwide city’ hypothesis of world cities for Africa.

K e y w o r d s: Africa, city, planning, neoliberalism, mercantilism, imperialism, regionalism, diaspora, sustainability








			The Worldwide-City Hypothesis of Global Cities for Africa in the Era of Globalization – Introducing Time-Efficient City Model Donald Chiuba OKEKE1, Maxwell Umunna NWACHUKWU1, Frances Ifeoma UKONZE2 Corresponding author 1 University of Nigeria, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, African Settlements Research Group, Enugu, NIGERIA 2 North-West University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Potchefstroom, SOUTH AFRICA donald.okeke@unn.edu.ng https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4056-0734 maxwell.nwachukwu@unn.edu.ng https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2102-7013 ifeoma.ukonze@unn.edu.ng https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3564-0852 Pages: 1-19 Abstract. Since the mid-20th century, cities in Africa drift awkwardly along paths charted by different shades of development ideologies, development hypothesis, planning theories, and planning mandates. These cities end up as inevitable products of intervening culture and policy formulation hegemony from abroad. They function outside the mainstream of the global economy; hence, they barely share the global perception of world cities, as economic centers of excellence for manufacturing, and information products that influence the global economy, as profit-making corporate entities with the potentials to perform economic functions, and as a remote sensor for measuring capitalist development. In the context of emerging city networking for new regionalism, this paper argues that Africa requires an alternative hypothesis of world cities. Therefore, the paper aims to suggest a hypothesis of world cities that makes sense of African realities. The critical question is what hypothesis of world cities is suitable for Africa? The underlying research problem subsists in rethinking the city, which involves the reversal of the alterations that sustain the imperial status of cities in Africa. Using a qualitative research methodology the paper contributes the ‘worldwide city’ hypothesis of world cities for Africa. K e y w o r d s: Africa, city, planning, neoliberalism, mercantilism, imperialism, regionalism, diaspora, sustainability