AAU 107th Inaugural Lecture: University Don advocates for development of Master plan of functional Cities in Nigeria

By Our Reporter

Magnus Oisasoje Ojeifo, a Professor of Urban Geography, from the department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Studies, in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, has advocated for the conceptualisation and development of a masterplan to produce better and functional small towns in Nigeria.

This advocacy was the focal point of his presentation at the University’s 107th Inaugural Lecture titled “Reinventing Urban Landuse Sustainability: Implications For Planning Small-Sized Towns in Nigeria”, where he posited among other issues, that major cities in Nigeria are becoming too congested with attendant challenges which did not allow for healthy living.

Professor Magnus Oisasoje Ojeifo, said: “The problems of urbanisation which towns and cities in Nigeria are already contending with are the unprecedented pressure on land, haphazard land use development, inadequate housing, waste management problems, unemployment and poor water and energy supply.

“The consequences have been the emergence of slums, traffic problems, insecurity, incidences of disease outbreaks, pollution, flood and urban blight. Most cities and towns are not planned and the administration of land use is poor, hence physical development is amorphous.”

Professor Ojeifo, whose lecture was the 5th from the facility of Environmental Studies and the 4th in the Department of Geography and Environment Management, said, “To further prevent the haphazard use of land in small towns, the study has advocated comprehensive physical plan initiative that will not only address existing problems but will promote urban functionality through establishing an aesthetically pleasing and conducive environment for living.”

Declaring the 107th Inaugural lecture open, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Ambrose Alli University, Professor Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin, said considering the pressure on our major cities and its attendant environmental challenges, the need to develop new small-sized towns as “we strive to live healthily, safely, conveniently, and efficiently in our different environments can not be over emphasised.”

Professor Adagbonyin, while calling on staff and students to sustain the current peace and tranquility which form the bedrock of the various achievements recorded, said “the Management reaffirms its undiluted commitment to an uninterupted academic calendar and will continue to play its part of promptly paying salaries of deserving staff as well as pensions to our respected pensioners.”

Highpoint of the event was the formal decoration of Professor Ojeifo by the Acting Vice Chancellor, an in indication of his admittance into the prestigious class of academic titans.