The former Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at the University of Lagos, Professor Leke Oduwaye, has described town planners as “prophets” of housing and urban development, emphasizing that strategic planning is essential to prevent uncoordinated growth and costly demolitions. Speaking at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Ogun State Chapter, held in Abeokuta, Oduwaye stressed the need for forward-thinking settlement planning to ensure sustainable urban expansion.
The meeting, which carried the theme “Conflicting Rationalities: The Challenge of Urban and Physical Development in Nigeria,” brought together key stakeholders in the built environment to reflect on the growing complexities of urban growth in Nigeria. According to Oduwaye, the role of the planner is predictive and preventive. “Planners are like prophets,” he said. “They envision what settlements should become using knowledge, theory, and legal frameworks that guide development.”
He warned that Ogun State, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing regions, risks slipping into urban chaos if it continues to expand without comprehensive and well-funded spatial planning. “It doesn’t cost much to plan. Government can start small—perhaps one town per senatorial district—allocating funds annually for the development of master plans,” he suggested. Oduwaye also pointed to several underlying factors driving disjointed development, including political interference, lack of funding, the presence of unqualified practitioners, and ethnic influences. He proposed reforms such as a streamlined “one-desk system” for planning approvals, land swap models to fund consultancy services, and the development of bankable master plans that could attract private sector support.
In his remarks, the Chairman of NITP Ogun State Chapter, Tpl. Adefela Sogbesan, addressed a widespread public misconception that town planners are responsible only for demolition activities. “There’s a belief that planners are out to demolish buildings,” he said. “But with proper professional input from the beginning, buildings will be sited correctly, eliminating the need for demolition entirely.”
Representing the Ogun State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tpl. Olatunji Odunlami, senior official Mr. John Olutunde reiterated the government’s commitment to updating housing and urban planning laws to align with evolving realities. He commended the institute’s efforts and assured participants of the state’s ongoing support for professional planning initiatives.
The meeting closed with a collective call for more transparent planning processes, improved public education, and enhanced collaboration among government agencies, professionals, and communities to safeguard Nigeria’s urban future.
