Urbanization and Indigenous Cultural Adaptation in Lagos: A Multidisciplinary Analysis of Urban Cultural Coexistence

Abstract

This study examines the complex interplay between rapid urbanization and the preservation of indigenous cultural practices in Lagos, Nigeria. As Africa's most populous city and one of the world's fastest-growing urban centers, Lagos presents a compelling case study of how traditional cultural systems adapt, resist, or transform under intense urban pressures. Through a multidisciplinary analysis encompassing historical, sociological, and spatial perspectives, this article reveals that urbanization in Lagos has created both significant challenges and unexpected opportunities for cultural continuity. While modernization threatens indigenous languages, rituals, and social structures, it has also catalyzed innovative forms of cultural expression and hybrid identities. The research draws on urban theory, cultural studies, and African historiography to argue that the Lagosian experience represents neither complete cultural erosion nor static preservation, but rather a dynamic process of negotiation wherein traditional and modern elements interact to create distinctive urban cultural forms. The findings suggest that sustainable urban development in African cities must incorporate culturally sensitive approaches that recognize traditional systems as assets rather than obstacles to urban progress.