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The former Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Lagos, UNILAG, Prof. Leke Oduwaye, has described town planners as prophets of housing development, saying that a proper planning will ensure zero demolition.
Oduwaye stated this while speaking at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, Ogun State chapter, held in Abeokuta on Wednesday.
At the AGM, with the theme ‘Conflicting rationality: The Challenge of Urban and Physical Development in Nigeria’, Oduwaye posited that the essence of urban planning is to foresee and structure settlements before uncontrolled growth takes over.
He therefore warned that Ogun State stands the risk of chaotic and uncoordinated development if it fails to implement comprehensive settlement planning.
“Planners are like prophets. They project how settlements should look because they have the knowledge, the theory and the legislation that guides development.
“Ogun State is developing very fast and if we don’t plan our settlements, we might be losing a lot. It doesn’t really cost much to plan. The government can simply include at least one town per senatorial district in its annual budget for master plan development,” he said.
The renowned urban planner however, attributed conflicts in urban development to a variety of factors, including political influence, a lack of funding, quackery, and ethnic influence, while calling for a “one-desk system” in planning offices to streamline processes, land swaps to fund consultancy, and the creation of bankable urban master plans.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of NITP, Ogun State chapter, Tpl. Adefela Sogbesan, urged the public to shift their perception and view town planners in a more positive light, rather than seeing them solely as demolition agents.
He explained that when professional advice are gotten from town planners, buildings will be constructed in the right places from the start, making demolition a thing of the past.
“People think planners only demolish buildings. That’s not who we are. With professional advice, there will be no need for demolition because buildings won’t be erected where they shouldn’t be.”
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tpl. Olatunji Odunlami, stressed that the state government is reviewing its housing laws to meet up with present realities so as to ensure no one losses their investment.
Represented by John Olutunde, the commissioner lauded the planners and assured them of the government continuous support.
Town planners are ‘prophets’ of housing development – Varsity Don
