Professional bodies remember Olomola, late town planner

The memory of Dr Femi Olomola, the immediate past president of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), was relieved in Lagos last week, as who-is-who in the Town Planning profession gathered in Lagos, savouring the contributions and legacies left behind by their late Town Planner.

The maiden lecture tagged “Femi Olomola Annual Lecture”, was organised by Lagos State’s Chapter of the NITP, which has to become a yearly event. It had as its theme, Inclusive Urban Development In Nigeria: Issues, Challenges And Opportunities.

Guest lecturer at the event, Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, former Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), while eulogising Olomola’s virtues, challenged the town planners on bringing to bear effective transportation system, cleaner and safer environment.

“Those who acquainted with late Olomola will attests to his professional competence, integrity and uncompromising stance when it comes to whatever he believes in, particularly, when such believe would be for the good of the people and nation.

Ibidapo-Obe urged governments at all levels, to discourage rural-urban migration by making provision for social amenities in the rural settlements.

Earlier, the current NITP President, Luka Bulus Achi, who succeeded Olomola, told the audience that the institute was working towards actualising one of his late president’s dream – Land Use Planning and Analysis Report (LUPAR).

According to Achi, the national body is working towards actualising LUPAR, assuring that the body may soon conclude and unveil to the practitioners and the public, its findings and recommendations.

Extolling Olomola, NITP president described him as a man who made notable impacts while alive.  “It is a memorable meeting today, because we are here to celebrate a man who left golden footprints in the sands of time; a man who did not pass through this world without being noticed; a man who had a dream and lived it out; a man who dared difficult circumstances including ill health even up to death to ensure his vision was achieved in all ramifications.

“If I had the professional or ecclesiastical authority to endow our late National President and my predecessor an honour in immortality, I would have made him a ‘Saint of the profession.

“In the eyes of men, his life was shorter than expected, but I believe that in the eyes of the Almighty, he had a full life and he met the targets of his dreams and visions.  We can say today that he left legacies for which reason, I see him as a Legend,” he declared.

Besides, he said the late national president of the Institute believed strongly that being admitted into the professional association of town planners in Nigeria is a step to good living and being registered to practice the profession is a license that makes the dividing line between a town planner and poverty for the rest of his life.

“For this reason, he crafted LUPAR with the aim of putting food on the tables of all planners.  Though he has gone to the great beyond, the vison lives; and though it tarries, it shall surely come to pass.”

Earlier in his address, Chairman, NITP, Lagos Chapter,  Kunle Salami,  said the event marked another milestone in the history of the professional group, as they gathered to celebrate and honour their “late icon, visionary leader and dogged fighter for professional excellence, Tpl Femi Olomola, who died few years back while serving their great institute as National President.

On the lecture: “Inclusive Urban Development in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities, Salami said “I am confident that this annual lecture series will be continued and supported so as to further encourage and achieve the required support mechanism, awareness campaign and impetus for development of capacity for facilitating fair, sustainable and inclusive urban development for Nigeria in general and Lagos in particular.