Expert calls for cultural architecture in Nigerian environment

Considering the cultural reality of Africa environment vis-a-vis  the introduction of foreign architectural developments in the country, the immediate Past President of African Union of Architect, Chief Tokunbo Omisore, argued that the luxuries that go along with them, which are not only unrealistic but a consumer fantasy that measures their environment to a foreign pedestal without relating to the economic challenges of people within is not acceptable.

Making reference to what is happening on African Cities Architecture, as noted by him at the commencement of projects such as the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos, he stated that this multi-billion dollar residential and business development, being built on 10square kilometres of land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean, was designed to provide luxury accommodation for at least 200,000 people, and employment opportunities for a comparative number without any consideration for the cultural reality of the environment .

Omisore noted that similar up-market cities could be found in Kenya: Tatu City; Ghana: Hope and King (Appohoria); and Congo DRC: La Cite du Fleuve, all of which are being elevated amongst others to compliment the ‘Uprising Africa’.

“While these developments are mostly executed by developers within the developed nations, I do not endorse the luxuries that go along with them, which are not only unrealistic but a consumer fantasy that measures their environment to a foreign pedestal without relating to the economic challenges of people within.

“Such examples include not accounting for poverty supported by informal living, or a population growth that remains unchecked but is a potential economic asset,” he said.

According to the former AUA chief, while most African nations may have the funds to replicate developed nations cities, his fear lies in the inability to properly utilise vast human resources in the face of numerous economic challenges, citing a typical example, which is Kilamba City in Angola that people avoided because they found the up-market accommodation, meant for thousands of people, not only expensive but also culturally out of place.

Quoting Shakespeare who asked: “What is a city but the People?,” Omisore noted the observation remains pertinent today, considering its aptness as a challenge to the development of African cities. “Should we accept the replication of developed nation’s African cities? This has been a yardstick for our architecture and development and unfortunately too, for most African cities, such an architecture relies on building materials, finishes and components provided by developed countries to provide a Grade ‘A’ development”.

While this may be the way forward from a global perspective, Omisore was of the view that affordability to most African nations must be considered.

“I do not accept that finishing materials and components that constitute over 70 per cent of the built developments are imported. This drains our nations’ reserves and should rather be used for Research & Development (R&D), or introducing more consumables. “The question remains on how much longer will African cities be ‘importers’ of these foreign architecture and to whose benefit?” he asked.

As African nations become more urbanised, the trend to economic development is linked to the desire to emulate. Unfortunately, this will not work for most cities, especially as most adopt unaffordable developments that are not sustainable.

He insisted that it must be taken into account however that there are reports that African cities are undoubtedly generating the larger part of their revenue (in excess of 60 per cent) from their urban tapestry, but their infrastructure and utility services delivery remain grossly under expectations especially as the unchecked population continues to grow and local currencies against the US dollars continue to fail.

“If the intention of the global community is for all to become one people, race and culture, and thereby erasing our tradition and heritage, then we may continue with the trend. Regrettably, the human development of Africa and of most African nations may then need at least another 50 years to catch up with today’s standard of developed nations. Expecting developed nations to remain stagnant while we try to catch up is highly unlikely, and this  indicates that we need to develop a uniquely African solution for our cities.

“Until we collectively wake up to this reality, African cities will remain confused in terms of how they address the needs of their people, provide affordable humane shelter, jobs, adequate infrastructure, facilities and security and instead develop inclusiveness for growth in all aspects.”

Sub-Saharan Africa is reported to be moving faster than the rest of the world in terms of advancing city development. Is this culturally being adopted or simply a means to check mate poverty by over flogging developments that become dilapidated. We see this especially in housing developments that over a number of years become slums due to overpopulation, accommodating excesses of unemployed residents which make management of facilities impossible given the rising cost of the imported components that are pegged against the dollar. Compounding this is that local currencies are devalued at least once if not more within a decade.

A recent World Bank survey reports on Africa’s Cities growing at 5.1 percent a year. The likes of Abuja, Lagos, Ouagadongo (Burkina Faso) and Mbouda (Cameroon) are however experiencing between 6.2 and 7.8 per cent annually. Such organic population growth, coupled with internal in-migration of rural to urban, needs to be checked by our leaders and Africa’s development teams.

“African nations must develop rural-urban cities that will provide the opportunity needed to provide R.I.C.E. (Research, Innovate, Connect, Empower). This slogan, adopted by the Africa Union of Architects at its 54th Council meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, in June this year, is reflective of what the Union has embraced in the past few years of re-branding the African architect and architecture.

“At the Union’s recently concluded 55th Council meeting in Monrovia, Liberia, I humbly requested, in my short speech, as the Union’s Immediate Past President, that the President of the Republic of Liberia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, adopt R.I.C.E not only in her capacity as the present Chairperson of ECOWAS but as a respected member of the African Union (AU).

As a way forward, he suggested that African cities must see industrialisation as an important tool for ensuring sustainability of her cities and the leaders should not only encourage industrialisation, but provide incentives to developed nations for relocating factories/Industries to the continent and thereby providing employment for our teeming youth population.

A UN Habitat survey reveals that Africa has the highest growing youth population in the world below the age of 30 years. The young people of Africa are reported to account for about 20 percent of the population, 40 percent of the workforce and 60 percent of the unemployed, yet the population remains uncontrolled and unmanaged. If people are happy, employed and not under paid, our cities will work; there will be less corruption and security challenges.

African cities future remains in limbo and acquiring what we cannot afford continues to be promoted, probably naively by the developed nations.

What is new on the African cities architecture, according to Omisore, remains mixed with a different euphoria pertaining to what is rising or what consumers find attractive.

“In final analysis, questions must be asked: are some of these innovations sustainable; where is the African culture and heritage headed. Cities are meant for the people and not the people for the cities,” he concluded.