Journal of Geography and Regional Planning Vol. 3(4), pp. 73-83, April 2010 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JGRP ISSN 2070-1845 © 2010 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper The influence of land use on the spatial variation of begging in Ogbomoso, Nigeria D. V. Ogunkan* and M. O. Jelili Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Accepted 4 March, 2010 Following an observation that urban land use influences the incidence of begging, this paper examines the relationship between land use and begging with Ogbomoso as a case study. The study utilizes both the primary and secondary data. To determine the spatial variation, beggars were enumerated across the 20 political wards in Ogbomoso simultaneously for seven days. Structured questionnaires are also used to extract relevant information from randomly selected beggars. The study which employs z scores to compare the intensity of begging across the wards, confirms that the incidence of begging is a function of land use activities. It also observes that the incidence of begging in Ogbomoso conforms to concentric, sector and multiple nuclei theories of urban land use. It recommends, therefore that urban planners, religious leaders and governments have roles to play in proffering solutions to the menace. It also calls for more research works on the problem of begging. Key words: Urban land use, begging, spatial. INTRODUCTION Land is required for virtually all human activities. It is perhaps the single most important element in develop- ment and mankind’s most basic natural resources (Agbola and Olatubara, 2004). Because of the multifunc- tional nature of land, there is always increased competition and demand for different purposes. As observed by Agbola and Olatubara (2004) the different competing uses of land have a complex mechanism for arranging themselves within urban landscape with the activity that ultimately gains the use of a portion of land called by such name. However, because of the increased competition that occur as a result of high demand for land for different purposes and the fact that land is practically irreplaceable finite resources have made adequate planning and control of land otherwise known as land use planning a worthwhile exercise. One of the prime prere- quisite for proper land use planning is the information on sociological problems or social vices generated by different land uses. Consciousness of this fact is widely disseminated, yet many urban planners and urban *Corresponding author. E-mail: ogunkansvictor@yahoo.com. designers failed to reckon with a strong, often dominant influence of land use in generating social problems. This,to a large extent, accounts for the ineffectiveness of land use planning in developing countries and especially Nigeria. It is an obvious fact that the importance of land use planning cannot be overemphasized as it is required to ensure harmonious development and functional effi- ciency of various land uses and to meet the need of users of urban facilities. Furthermore, as observed by Agbola and Olatubara (2004) land use planning becomes necessary to allow for and ensure greater predictability in urban growth and development so as to make for adequate provision for public services. However, of much concern in such exercises is the emergence of different phenomena, some of which may be regarded as social vices or environmental nuisance to people. One of such phenomena is begging. Begging simply defined as asking passers - by for money in public places (Kennedy and Fitzpatrick, 2001), is a social ill whose implications for city economy and environment call for concern of urban planners (Jelili, 2006). The negative impacts of begging on social and physical environments are obvious in the tendency of beggars to delay and obstruct free flow human and