This gathering presents for me another opportunity to stand before you all as National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, and I deeply appreciate the privilege given to me to serve. The ATOPCON Annual General Meeting is an annual event for practitioners of the profession of Urban Planning in the private sector, one of whom I am. I am therefore here as a bonafide member of the Association, apart from being invited to deliver a Goodwill Message.
Let me observe, painfully, that this Association has had a fair measure of mishaps between 2020 and 2021. First, it was the corona pandemic that threw every plan and calendar of events into the garbage bin, when most organizations had to shut down for the sake of safety. This adversely affected a lot of practising firms, while some of the Association’s programmes were scuttled. However, the Association tried to make the best of what was left of that year.
The Association was recovering, and to prove it, its Annual Workshop held in June this year. Hardly did we spend two weeks after the workshop when tragedy struck and we were deprived of the continuous existence of our President, Tpl. Adeniyi Odetoye FNITP who died in a gas leakage and conflagration disaster (May his soul rest in peace).
ATOPCON remains the third leg of the tripod in the practice of our profession. As long as the body continues to promote the ideals of excellence in service delivery in the private sector, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners will continue to show its support. The NITP therefore congratulates ATOPCON on the hosting of this year’s AGM and we pray for its success.
As professionals we continue to face various challenges that show up from time to time, and some of these are life-threatening for practices. This is why the theme of the AGM lecture, Sustainability of partnership as a Business Model for Town Planning firms in Nigeria, is relevant to our experience and it is worth exploring to help develop enduring professional practice firms.
Since this AGM would be considering the election of a new National Executive Committee, let me say that aspirants to the offices being occupied should depart from the “entitlement mindset”, which has seemed to be the bane of many occupants of such offices. Rising to such positions of responsibility is accepting leadership assignments, although many do not understand what it takes. They seek the office, but not the responsibility attached to it; they like to accept the asset, and not the liability. Progress has thus been hampered by the fact that occupants of these offices pursue personal interests only.
The world is now in search of quality leaders who would make a difference and add value to their organizations. As the Association, therefore, takes this major decision, I hope that aspirants are not just here to fulfill their personal desires, but that they would indeed serve in the real sense of the word. The reality about quality and dedicated service is that it always gets rewarded without being manipulative. I would like to urge the prospective members of the National Executive Committee to be true and worthy ambassadors for the Association and our profession, so that we can keep the flag flying.
In conclusion, NITP would like to assure ATOPCON of its commitment to the beliefs of our profession. NITP intends to continue to cooperate with ATOPCON, as well as our regulatory body, TOPREC, in order to achieve effective collaboration in addressing planning issues in Nigeria.
