COLLECTIVE EFFICACY AND PERCEIVED SECURITY IN OFF-CAMPUS STUDENT ACCOMMODATION: THE ROLE OF RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS AMONG UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN UNDERGRADUATES

Abstract

Due to the institutional infrastructure's inability to keep up with the skyrocketing enrolment, Nigeria's rapid development of higher education has resulted in a serious housing crisis for university students. Within the framework of the sociological phenomena of "studentification" and "collective efficacy," this study investigates the various difficulties encountered by University of Ibadan (UI) off-campus residents. Based on a wealth of material, the study identifies a "total package" of vulnerabilities in areas like Agbowo, Orogun, Ajibode and Samonda, such as outrageous rents, deteriorating environmental conditions, and systemic insecurity. How these groups fill the governance void created by the state is at the heart of the investigation. The results show that in order to handle security and basic infrastructure, residents and students mostly rely on "communitization" tactics and Residents' Associations. Although community-based crime prevention (CBCP) strategies are frequently successful, their effectiveness is mostly dependent on the degree of collective efficacy—that is, the citizens' willingness to participate for the common good and their shared trust. However, these attempts are sometimes undermined by the student population's transience and the existence of competing municipal authorities. In order to ensure the safety and academic success of the Nigerian student population, this study concludes that addressing the off-campus crisis necessitates a paradigm shift from neglected adaptation to institutional integration, requiring clear housing policies, regulated tenancy rights, and strengthened community-police collaborations.

Keywords: Studentification, Collective Efficacy, Communalization, Student Housing, Ibadan.