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Poised to reposition the practice and profession of architecture in Nigeria, the Architects’ Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has urged Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) to boost the study of architecture.
Arc. (Sir) Oladipo Ajayi, ARCON president, made the plea while speaking with the management of OAU recently in Ife, Osun state. Ajayi, who led council members of ARCON including, immediate past president, Arc. Umaru Aliu; registrar, Arc. Umar Murnai and others, observed that the profession of architecture was at its low ebb and therefore, there was need for urgent intervention.
The ARCON president, who assured OAU of maximum support on the development of enterpreneurship studies, asked that the university authourities should include the council in its budget. He also asked OAU to do all it could to ensure quick upgrading of the department of architecture of the institution into faculty status. “We are eager to have the faculty as soon as possible, as this would further enhance both the university and the profession at large.”
According to Ajayi, ARCON among other things, which was established to raise the educational standard and the practice as well as registering and deregistering, urged OAU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Eyitayo Ogunbodede, to look into the issues of shortfall of lecturers in the department.
Ajayi said there was need for OAU to adopt Architects Projects Registrations Number (APRN), which would help to monitor all building projects, thereby preventing building collapse in the country.
ARCON president also tasked the university on the issue of jury, which he noted has been misunderstood by many, urging the Prof. Ogunbodede to facilitate the process of ensuring this initiative, backed by law, is implemented by the university without any hitch.
Responding, the VC, who pledged support for ARCON council, said the issue of upgrading the departure of architecture to faculty was actually dependent on the regulatory body, the lecturers within the department and the National University Commission (NUC). Ogunbodede tasked ARCON to assist as the university is already in the process of doing a total overhaul of its curricular. He also charged ARCON to help the university in the development of enterpreneural studies. Earlier, Prof. (Mrs) Olubola Babalola, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, promised to look into all issues raised by ARCON. Babalola, who is the first female professor of Quantity Surveying in Africa, expressed satisfaction over proposal to raise department of architecture in OAU to faculty status. Meanwhile, ARCON has concluded arrangements to induct over 400 newly registered architects.
