Adegbola Ojo
Geodemographic classification systems for the developing world: the case of Nigeria and the Philippines
Supervisors: Dr Dimitris Ballas, Dr Dan Vickers and Dr Jan Rigby My post-secondary academic preparation began in 1998 with a Diploma in Computer Studies from the Obafemi Awolowo University Consultancy Services Centre. I proceeded to the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Geography and Planning Sciences in 2003. Between 2004 and 2005, I completed a master's degree in Geographic Information Science at the University College London. Beyond my masters degree programme I spent time at the London School of Economics and Political Science working on the Urban Age Project. I have also been involved in researching health geographies at the Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory (YHPHO) and continue to serve as an active member of the steering group that recently delivered the Local Area Statistics Online Service (LASOS) for the South-Yorkshire sub-region. My PhD programme at the University of Sheffield commenced in 2006. The research focuses on a new dimension for assessing the progress of third world countries towards meeting the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Two countries – Nigeria and the Philippines are used to illustrate this new idea. With a population of over 140 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. The Philippines ranks seventh in Asia (in terms of population) and is made up of about 88.5 million people. Both countries enjoy a rich abundance of natural resources and human capital. However the dividend of the democratic systems of governance in both countries is yet to trickle down to population at the grass roots. The lack of political will has often been blamed by many for some of these challenges. However, inappropriate targeting and allocation of resources constitute a greater problem especially when the political intentions are sincere. Evaluations of spatial statistical datasets in many developing countries tend to be restricted to higher levels of geography. Indeed international agencies like the United Nations and the World Bank often conduct their analyses and report their findings at the country level. Important processes which take place at sub-national and lower levels of geography are often overlooked. Using well established methodologies within the sphere of computational spatial economics, GIS and geostatistical analysis, two geo-segmentation systems will be developed for both countries. The Nigerian system will be built for the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) while that of the Philippines will be developed for the over 40, 000 Barangay's. Each system will provide a powerful and efficient way of condensing large volumes of multi-dimensional information into more meaningful set of codes and profiles. In addition to being a useful resource for teaching, research and development, the systems will be of tremendous use to Nigeria and the Philippines because they will: - contribute in no small way to the spatial data infrastructure of both countries
- provide a useful resource for pragmatic decision making by public policy makers and private entrepreneurs
- provide a relatively idealized description of the different types of residential areas found in both countries
- provide a means by which address and survey datasets (on issues like public health, crime, poverty alleviation, environmental resource economics and politics) can be linked to elucidate and extrapolate variations at small area level and paint a national picture
Subsequent to the build process, each system will be used to investigate variations in the types and levels of inequities existing at local levels in the march towards meeting the 8 MDGs. It is hoped that the research community, indigenous, foreign and non-governmental organisations will benefit tremendously from the deliverables of this work and it will serve as a driving force for informed decision making. Publications and conference proceedings - Ojo, A. (2009). Towards Better Cross-border Partnerships in the Handling of Spatially Referenced Local Information in South Yorkshire. The Yorkshire and Humber Regional Review, 19(2),14-15.
 Online PDF version - Abbas, J., Ojo, A. and Orange, S. (2009). Geodemographics – A Tool for Health Intelligence. Public Health, 123(1), 35-39.
doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2008.10.007 - Ojo, A. (2009). A Proposed Quantitative Comparative Analysis for Geodemographic Classifications. YHPHO Technical Proceeding.
- Ojo, A. (2008). Analysing Health by Where People Live: Which Systems Do I Use? Public Health GIS Network, University of Sheffield.
- Ojo, A. (2008). The Segmentation of Local Government Areas: Creating a New Geography of Nigeria. 48th Congress of the European Regional Science Association, Liverpool, UK
- Ojo, A. (2008). Appraising the Usefulness and Discriminatory Power of Geodemographic Typologies with Health Statistics. Association of Public Health Observatories/National Social Marketing Centre, Department of Health, London.
- Ojo, A., Ballas, D. and Vickers, D. (2007). Geodemographics Africa! 37th Annual Conference of the Regional Science Association International: British and Irish Section, Bangor, Northern Ireland.
- Ojo, A. (2007). Area Classifications for Health Analysis: An Assessment. Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Intelligence Leads Forum, Innovation and Bio Centre, University of York.
- Ojo, A. (2002). The Dilemma of Uncontrolled Urban Expansion: A Case of Ado-Ekiti's Rural-Urban Fringe. Journal of the Geography and Planning Science Students Association of Nigeria, 1(1).
Teaching - GEO163 Information and Communication Skills for Geographers
- GEO103 Region, Nation and World
Awards - 2003 Best Graduating Student, Department of Geography and Planning Sciences, University of Ado-Ekiti
- 2004 Shell Centenary Scholarship, University College London
- 2006 University of Sheffield 2* fee waiver
Contact Details Address: The University of Sheffield, Department of Geography, Winter Street, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 114 222 7973
Fax: +44 (0) 114 222 7907
Email: A.Ojo@sheffield.ac.uk
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