By Lola Omowaye & Bukola Olamona
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Implementation and enforcement of good policies that will utilise Nigria’s resources have been identified as the way,out of underdevelopment in Nigeria.
Dr. Joel Kayode Adebiyi of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, in the Faculty of Environmental Studies of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo(RUGIPO) stated this at the second inaugural lecture titled “Physical Strategies: The Nigeria Land Use Policies And Spatial Development” held at the the institution’s 800-seater Auditorium, in Owo,Ondo State.
He said Nigeria has no reason to be backward given her resource potentials and called on all stakeholders to make concerted efforts to overcome the causes of Nigeria’s underdevelopment problems.
Adebiyi noted that lack of physical planning in Nigeria contributed to the inadequate physical development and the current environmental problems, both in the rural and urban areas.
He attributed Nigeria’s problem to unstable Land use policy,bias for economic development planning, lack of appropriate research into physical development, shortage of professional planners,obsolete planning laws,political instability and corruption.
The don explained that infrastructural provision and its efficient performance constitute an important yardstick for measuring spatial development and therefore advised that urgent steps must be taken towards efficient performance of our infrastructural facilities else, development would continue to elude us.
He therefore submitted that Nigeria can develop if her resources are judiciously utilised with the right -policies in place and with focus driven people to implement them.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Ag. Rector,Mr. Adebola Ogundahunsi noted that the lecture was an academic exercise which is useful and relevant to the development of humanity and civilisation.
Ogundahunsi promised to sustain the tempo by encouraging other lecturers in the institution to brace up for this academic feat, adding that the Management had made arrangements to resuscitate all academic activities in the institution.
The ceremony was attended by eminent Nigerians among whom were the HOD, URP Dept, FUTA and Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Prof. Felix Kayode Omole ,HOD, FST Dept., FUTA,Prof. Oluwalana Isaac , Prof. Bunmi Agbaje (AAUA), Registrar, Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Mr. F.O. Adetula, President, RUGIPO Alumni Elder Tope Omolayo, Former HOD, URP Dept., RUGIPO,TPL (Mrs) Funmi Oluodo ,Chairman, Research & Technical Journal Committee, Dr. Kayode Ariyo, traditional rulers, both academic and non-academic staff and students.
