Our Values

Back to: Civic Education Primary 5

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OUR VALUES

Why many people do not own houses

A house is a building in which people live. Usually, it has several rooms which serve different purposes. Examples of the parts of a house are: the bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen, pantry, store, toilet, bathroom, study, and corridors.

A house could be spacious, comfortable and magnificent. It could also be simple or even small.

Advantages of a house

1. A house gives us shelter.
2. It protects us from harsh weather conditions such as rain, wind and heat.
3. It protects us from animals and bad people, such as thieves and trouble makers.
4. It protects our property.
5. It gives us privacy.
6. It gives us comfort.

 

Whoever wishes to live in a house could rent it, buy it or build one.

All over the world, individuals and governments are concerned about the problem of providing shelter. In Nigeria today, many people desire to have their own houses but the majority of people live in rented houses, especially in the cities.

Generally, many people do not own their own houses for the following reasons:

• Many people are poor and are unable to save up enough money to acquire their own houses.
• Decent houses in beautiful environments in the cities are expensive and sometimes difficult to get.
• The rising cost of building materials make some people postpone building houses.
• Some people cannot obtain loans from mortgage banks to build their own houses because they cannot meet the conditions given by the banks.
• Sometimes, people are unable to get land from the government or from private property owners in desirable areas. This is more common in urban centres.
• The terrain may be unfavorable. For example, some people in riverine areas are unable to find solid land on which to build a good house, in their community.
• Some people think private ownership of homes is meant for only rich people. They do not know what is involved in constructing houses.
• Some are not sure they will have enough money to complete the house if they start building it. They are afraid to even start.

Types of houses

There are very many kinds of houses in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

Primitive houses

Primitive houses are simple and do not have modern parts that would make them comfortable. Referring to them as primitive does not mean that they are bad. Examples of primitive houses include the following:

• Caves: Sometimes, primitive people in rocky environments carve out houses for themselves from the rocks.
• Mud houses: Mud houses are mainly found in African countries. Some other developing countries also have them. They are usually found in the villages. Mud is the major building material. They often have thatched roofs or zinc roofs, usually have simple wooden shutters as their doors and windows.
• Huts: A hut is a small simple building with only one or two rooms. It is usually built with mud or wood. Huts are usually found in rural communities.
• Houseboats: In some riverine areas where housing is scarce and expensive, people live on houseboats. Examples of such places where house boats are, are China and Hong Kong.
• Houses on stilts: It is most common in some riverine areas and places that get flooded often, people raise their houses off the water on stilts. Such houses can be found in parts of Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states and some parts of Lagos in Nigeria.
• Tents: Usually, tents are made of thick cloth or animal hide, supported with poles and tree branches. Tents can be removed from one place and taken to another location.
• Tenements: Tenement houses are large buildings which are divided into several apartments, especially in the poorer parts of a city. Tenement houses are usually dirty, overcrowded and poorly maintained. People live in them because of low rent.

 

 

Quiz

1. Mention two advantages of living inside a house.
2. State four reasons why many people do not own houses.
3. Mention three types of primitive houses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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