From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Commissioner for Housing in Ogun State, Jamiu Akande Omoniyi has urged the graduates and students of environmental studies and related disciplines at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to be champions of innovations in green building, affordable housing, waste-to-material startups and sustainable designs instead of being being mere job seekers.
The Commissioner equally tasked them to take full advantage of the vast opportunities within their field, both locally and globally, as Nigeria seeks sustainable development and infrastructure expansion.
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He gave the charge in his presentation at the fourth Segun Aluko Symposium and 2025 ESSA Day, with the theme: “Opportunities for Graduates in the Built Environment,” organized by the Environmental Studies Students’ Association (ESSA) of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro.
He emphasised the growing demand for professionals in architecture, civil engineering, urban planning and related fields amid rapid urbanisation, climate change and infrastructure deficits in Nigeria.
He described graduates in the built industry as “nation builders, climate defenders, designers of hope and champions of change.”
Highlighting the significant strides of the Ogun State in housing development under the Governor Dapo Abiodun led-administration, the Commissioner cited the delivery of over 4,000 affordable units in Kemta, Kobape, Ilaro, Ijebu, Sagamu and Gateway Aviation Village, Iperu-Remo.
According to him, the housing projects driven by the governor’s I.S.E.Y.A agenda, have generated employment for professionals and artisans, while positioning Ogun as a national model for housing innovation.
He further noted that global opportunities abound for Nigerian graduates, particularly in smart city planning, green architecture and climate-resilient infrastructure.
He, however, listed international platforms, such as the UN-Habitat and World Bank Projects, where skilled professionals from Nigeria are making notable contributions, while encouraging students to embrace digital tools, environmental consciousness and continuous learning to remain competitive in the global marketplace.
The Commissioner added that the Alhaji Mudasiru Omoniyi Memorial Endowment Fund, an annual cash award for best graduating students in the built disciplines has been extended to the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro.
He explained that the endowment fund that would be actualised on convocation day was to honour the legacy of his late father, a successful bricklayer, whose dedication laid the foundation for his own life.
He further disclosed that best graduates in environmental studies from the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, have already benefited from the endowment funds, saying other tertiary institutions offering courses in built disciplines in Ogun have been captured.
While reiterating that the students and graduates should not just be job seekers but innovators, he equally urged them to design not just with measurements, but with empathy. “Build not just with materials, but with meaning,” he said.
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