Estate Surveyors Urged to Influence Govt to Reduce Housing Deficit
L-R: Tunji Asafa; Ibrahim Bello; Samson Nasiru; Abayomi Joh; Arinola Koleolu; Lanre Mabawonku; Emeka Adigwe; Wale Afolabi; Ezinne Alagwu; and Wale Adediran, at the reunion
Fadekemi Ajakaiye
Estate Surveyors & Valuers have been reminded of the onerous role they must play in influencing the government’s policies to enable it to reduce the high housing deficit in the country.
The Chairman Organising Committee for The 2001 Class Set Estate Management Department Alumni Association of the University of Lagos, Wale Afolabi stated this at a dinner in Lagos, recently.
Afolabi said, “Without a fragment of a doubt, we know what the challenges are in our nation, as professional Estate Surveyors & Valuers we must brace ourselves for further individual successes but we must not jettison our role in ensuring that we influence the government to reduce the deplorable housing deficit in Nigeria.
“Our people should not be living in slums, the dignity of life must be preserved and upheld in our nation and we all must continue to use our various influences positively in this regard.”
The Class of 2001, he said, also had plans for the former department, stating that “As much as we are thinking big, we are starting small. This for us will be a marathon and not a sprint. We have raised funds and we will be presenting much needed gifts to the Estate Management Department of University of Lagos. Our Alma mater!
“We have also concluded plans to begin an annual scholarship programme for students from this department with established financial difficulties. Modalities and criteria for this will be rolled out imminently.
“Today, four students will be awarded. We are also going to Commence the Renovation of the MSC Classroom.”
Afolabi also discussed some great initiatives with the distinguished audience. Your Excellencies! I use those words with significant and deliberate intent as they are not and ought not to be the exclusive reserve of failed politicians and leaders in climes such as ours. I am of the opinion that excellence is inherent in every legitimate effort invested towards the attainment of a future goal.
We are here tonight to celebrate 20 years of our strive towards the attainment of excellence in our professional calling after the unique privilege of being trained by the most prestigious department of the most prestigious university in our federal republic.
“A stare at the various faces of mates here present tonight, I couldn’t but notice a radiance reflective of the successes you all have worked so hard to make of your Estate Management careers and perhaps other fields of endeavour the vicissitudes of life may have redirected your paths towards.
“So, I congratulate you all! I congratulate you for your resilience and determination to succeed. For me, the obscurity and uncertainty of the next 20 years when we graduated in 2001 were rife. Without a doubt, graduating into such a consistently volatile social, political and economic climate that has and continues to chock our nation should frighten any young graduate.
“Today however, although those obscurities and uncertainties remain the order of the day in Nigeria, your faces reflect in sharp contrast the radiance of the successes you have all achieved. Like the saying goes, we were given lemons, and from all indications, we seem to have indeed made jars of lemonade.
Just as the saying also goes where I come from, “20 children cannot possibly be playmates for 20 years.” It is only appropriate tonight to remember and pay tribute to those our friends and colleagues who have not made it this far. ( Litan, I.k, our dear Mr. Adegbenjo). We remember them all tonight and pray that God in his mercies grant eternal rest to their souls and bless the loved ones they have left behind.
“I must pay a resounding tribute to our esteemed lecturers here tonight. These radiant faces and successes attained in the course of the last 20 years are products of your hard work and, most importantly, the knowledge you selflessly impacted relentlessly for five years between 1996 and 2001, our graduation year. You should all be proud as our collective successes are undoubtedly your successes. We thank you all from the depths of our hearts. I pray we gather again to celebrate 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 years’ anniversary.
“Allow me to thank the 14 amazing colleagues who form the planning committee of this event tonight( Fadeke Adeyeye, Ezinne Okoli, Doyin Okubule, Arin molake, Busola Awosanya, Wale Noiki, Lanre Mabawonku, Bimbo Olokodana, Muritala Qudri,Gbenga Lawal, Stanley Enogieru, Kehinde Onitiri, Tony Rapu and my humble self, Wale Afolabi). We are indeed very grateful for your sacrifices and time spent with determination to make a huge success of this event.
“To our colleagues who have dedicated their time to raising much needed funds for our projects, you all somehow found ways of carving out time from your extremely busy schedules to serve and we are extremely grateful.”
