Don’t leave Nigeria for politicians alone, UNILORIN VC tells professionals

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has implored professionals not to leave Nigeria in the hands of politicians.

            Prof. Egbewole gave this advice while delivering a lecture, titled “Town Planners, Sustainable Development and Nation Building”, at the 10th Waheed Kadiri Lecture Series held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, penultimate Saturday (March 2, 2024).

The lecture was organised by the Ogun State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) in honour of its former President, Mr Waheed Kadiri.

Delivering his lecture, Prof. Egbewole explained that professionals must always make themselves available for nation building and must not leave the task for politicians alone.

The Vice Chancellor stated that there is inherent danger in leaving politicians solely in charge of developing Nigeria, saying, “To a large extent, our decision-makers are planning illiterate”.

According to Prof. Egbewole, “It is now more imperative to allow professionals build our nation than succumb to the manipulations of the few and octopus called government.

The Vice Chancellor charged Town   Planners “to promote lively and self-sustaining communities, pointing out that “town planning propositions must be ingenious to foster mix of residential, commercial and recreational land uses and enforce zoning restrictions that allow for mixed-use projects, building a feeling of community and reducing commuting lengths, as much as practicable”.

Prof. Egbewole,who is also the Secretary-General of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), said, “Every plan should be people-centered. As a process, planning must follow the dictates of Peoples Leading in Addressing their Needs (PLAN) that allows the targeted beneficiaries to take leading roles in conception and settings.

He added that “Town Planners must prioritise and plan for efficient and well-maintained infrastructures, including transportation, utilities, and public services that meet future requirements and provide fair access to essential services.”

In his remarks, Mr Kadiri who is a former Rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, called for strict implementation of government policies and plans on urban regeneration to prevent natural disasters.