EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The incumbent PRO messaged me just once to request for passwords to association email and social media accounts - FORMER PRO, URPSAN NATIONAL BODY.

POTENTIAL5 is a new initiative aimed at sourcing for information on how potential town planners are concerned about the future, how they are pacing forward positively to achieve their aim in their chosen profession (Urban Planning) and to gather necessary details about what would boost the morale of Planning Students and to capture plans, ways to revive the most dead spirit that ought to be invested in our pursuance to attain the desired peak in this Planning profession.

Meet Okosun, Nelson Teniola!

He finished secondary school with the dream of becoming an architect or a Town Planner. With God on his side, he is on his way of becoming a Town Planner of Undoubted Erudition.

Nelson, a Graduate of the department of Urban and Regional Planning, FUTA, a GIS Analyst, a fine environmental orator and promoter of sustainable energy in Nigeria. An indigene of Edo State, but born and bred in Lagos.

Nelson emerged as the First Democratic Elected National Public Relations Officer of Urban and Regional Planning Student Association of Nigeria at the 2nd National Conference held at Nassarawa. During his tenure, the association recorded a whole lot of achievement through his office which shall be extensively discussed in tonight's interview with him. 

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US HOW YOU ENDED UP STUDYING URP?

"Well it all started with an advice from my Dad while trying to choose courses for UTME back in 2011. Although the profession was largely vague to me, but he convinced me it was a noble and reasonable alternative to Architecture, which was my first choice back then.

By the time I was reapplying in 2012, I chose FUTA and URP as second choice, and fate would have it, I was selected among many.

At that point, I had done extensive research on the course, and although planning in Nigeria is far different from what I saw online, it gave me a good head start and a lot of motivation to pursue the course with diligence."

SO, YOU HAD A LARGELY VAGUE IDEA ON WHAT PLANNING IS ALL ABOUT AND YOU STILL ENROLLED FOR IT BASED ON YOUR DADDY'S ADVICE?

Well... Dad's advice was always golden. He was a very well read man and he also understood my strength and weaknesses. He knew I had very keen interest in Geography, and that I was very good at technical drawing. So it was only logical that URP would suit me best as a course.

ADMITTEDLY, DAD'S ADVICE IS ALWAYS GOLDEN IN CHILDREN'S LIFE, BUT IN CHOOSING LIFE CAREER, DO YOU THINK ONE DECISION'S SHOULD BE INFLUENCED?

"Well, in the case where the suggestion aligns with my own personal abilities... It isn't wrong to take the advice. No matter whom you become in life, your choices must have been influenced by someone (or some people)."

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO REAPPLY? WERE YOU DENIED ADMITTANCE 2011 OR YOU FORFEITED THE ADMISSION?

"Forfeited? Definitely not! I wasn't admitted until 2012 in FUTA"

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AFTERWARDS?

"Getting used to the environment, to having so many people around, to following routines every day. Keeping up with academic life was really stressful considering the quality of teaching and the learning environment we have in Nigeria. Simple things were always made difficult.

I was more of an introvert; in fact I didn't even start to know some of my course mates until the 5th and final year, where I started to open up."

WAS IT BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT USED TO THE NEW ENVIRONMENT OR WHAT?

"I've always naturally been withdrawn to myself until much recently"

YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE CLAIM THAT AN INDIVIDUAL'S DEGREE OF EXTROVERSION OR INTROVERSION IS INHERITED? HOW TRUE IS THIS ASSERTION IN RELATION TO WHAT YOU ESTABLISHED EARLIER?

"If it'll be inherited, I'll say I took it from my mum."

WERE YOU NOT PERCEIVED AS A SHY PERSON BY COLLEAGUES?

"I started representing the department and faculty in British Parliamentary Debate competitions as at 200level. I wasn't shy, I was just intentionally withdrawn."

AS PLANNING STUDENTS, ONE NEEDS TO BE MORE FRIENDLY, LIVELY AND EXTROVERTED TO FIT IN QUITE EASILY. HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO COPE WITH YOUR LEVEL OF INTROVERSION?

"Well, I didn't quite fit in. Considering we were usually involved in a lot of group projects, I had to relate with people I wouldn't normally speak to.

So many times, I would even have to do a large chunk of the job myself, since there wasn't a good communication link"

AS A GROUP MEMBER THEN, WERE YOU NOT ALWAYS EAGER TO COMMUNICATE YOUR IDEAS TO THE GROUP?

"The concept of communication is broad. That I could speak in public didn't mean I was able to fully harness the social part of my life as regards relationships with people.

I almost always lead my group, but many times, the synergy wasn't just there... It wasn't until the final two years that things improved a little. By the time I was leaving school, I had learnt so much about working as a team and maximizing the potentials of each team member, no matter their deficiency. It was a hard lesson, but it was worth it.”

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES OR BASED ON YEARS YOU HAVE SPENT STUDYING URP, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TOWN PLANNER DOES ESPECIALLY WELL?

"In more developed societies, quite a good number thing. Planners play an active role in development of living spaces, work places and the human interactions between them.

Although, they face their own share of challenges, they are still more recognized as the bureaucracies involved in the planning process are better respected.

In Nigeria, it is more difficult. The failures of governmental structures to ensure strict adherence to laws and regulations make most people confident enough to bypass the process.

This has caused the planning profession to be redundant in many critical aspects.

So for developing countries like Nigeria, planners are mostly popularly known for serving contravention notices and approving building plans. So far, those are the only things; I could say they really do well."

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ASPECTS OF URP SERVICES AND PROGRAMS DISAPPOINTED YOU OR FAILED TO MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

"The entire arrangement of the curriculum was disappointing.

The fact that we had to do courses that didn't concern us as planners in any way, or that the number of years required for the course was stretched unnecessarily.

To be honest, while I had to do courses on python programming and surveying which I sincerely appreciated, Courses like mechanical drawing and practice were extremely irrelevant. In fact, for a whole semester, we were made to farm every week. We went through very rigorous activities that were totally irrelevant to the course.

I also had lecturers that were extremely rigid. Using lesson notes that were typed with typewriters.

There's simply very little inspiration to be creative in the department and this is something that needs to change."

DO WE HAVE THE SAME CURRICULUM FOR ALL PLANNING SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA?

"Yes. NUC has stipulated courses for each department, but it still allows each School and department to make own their additions, depending on their capacity.

For example, courses that I was thought like Coastal management, risk and disaster management and many more are not so popular among planning schools."

URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING IS A VERY BROAD PROFESSION/COURSE OF STUDY THAT OUGHT TO HAVE SPECIALIZATION RIGHT FROM UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL. SOME GROUP OF PLANNING STUDENTS THINKS PLANNING SHOULD HAVE SPECIALIZATION RIGHT FROM THE ROOT (UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMME) AND NOT CLOSE TO THE END (POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME). WHAT IS YOUR STAND ON THIS?

"Definitely not from the beginning. Maybe from the 4th year.

In the world today, there's what is called the interlocking crisis. This was first mentioned in the 1984 Brundtland report on environmental issues.

The concept is that every problem is the function and offshoot of another one. So trying to solve one might require that you understand the intricacies of another, because changes in one might affect the other.

Urban planning is not just like mathematics or physics where you can simply do your own part and then run away. We're supervisors and managers and it's necessary we have a very broad knowledge of every working process or principle involved in human and environmental management.

While I agree that some technical aspects, like Urban design, GIS analysis etc might require some level of specialization, it is still necessary to instill some fundamental understanding on a vast number of subjects, before heading for specialization.

This is why adjustment of the curriculum becomes necessary, so there will be enough time to attend to the critical aspects, and do away with irrelevancies."

WHAT IS YOUR MOST SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT AS PLANNING STUDENTS AND WHAT IS YOUR MOST SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT AFTER SCHOOL AS PLANNING GRADUATE?

"My most significant achievement surely has to be the Smart City project that we carried out for our final year new town design.

The project was extreme, to say the least. It pushed us beyond our limits and took us a step further to understanding the need for higher and more technologically driven standards for city design.

The project helped us understand how IOT and open data can be infused as a form of interaction between people and the infrastructure being provided for them.

Executing the project came with its challenges, but in the end, it got the attention of various government ministries and agencies. In fact, I made two friends from South Africa and Pakistan through that project. It was the first time a Planning school in Nigeria would dare such a feat, and we're glad FUTA set the pace!"

Another issue worthy of attention is RTP (Registered Town Planner) and PPT (Potential Town Planner) no getting employed. Should we say we are out of limelight? Should we say others (surveyors, architects, engineers etc) are the one doing what is rightfully ours? Mr Nelson, who do you consider Planners top competitor, and why?

"Earlier on, I spoke out the bureaucracies that exist in the planning process and how it has become common practice to tend to bypass them. This is the major issue that exists in Town Planning today.

Because of how closely related we are with other professionals in the built environment, many people tend not to understand the difference between our services and that of others, like project or estate managers, civil engineers, etc.

It has become increasingly easy for other professionals to take the job of Planners, since some of our roles are seemingly intertwined.

It is left to us to understand our roles and acquire more knowledge and qualifications on them. We are the only ones that have power to improve and promote planning in Nigeria."

STUDENT PLANNERS ARE OF TWO CATEGORIES, POLICY LOVERS AND DESIGN LOVERS. I AM A DESIGN LOVER AND AT THE SAME TIME I DON'T JOKE WITH THE POLICY ASPECT OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING AS IT FORMS BASIS OF MY DESIGNS. WHICH OF THE TWO WOULD YOU ADVISED STUDENTS TO FOCUS MUCH ON? WHICH OF THE TWO DO YOU THINK CAN PUT MORE FOOD ON OUR TABLE ALSO AS ASPIRING TOWN PLANNERS?

"Well, I think policy and design go hand in hand. Policy, although seemingly theoretical, guides the decision for all designs that we see.

If all you love to do is design, a lack of understanding of policies makes you simply an artist, not an urban planner. Policy making is what makes Urban Planning credible, designs are just an offshoot of carefully laid out policies.

Now, it doesn't necessarily mean we all have to be "theoretical planners". Don't mix it up. Policies also have to do with understanding the needs of the citizens, having good knowledge of standards and requirements, and knowing how to apply them in any given situation.

If you don't know these as a planner, and you just believe in designing... Then I think it’s necessary to rethink your mission as a Planner"

AS A STUDENT/GRADUATE PLANNER, YOU BELONG TO A GROUP OF INTELLECTUALS KNOWN AS "URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA) ALTHOUGH, AS A GRADUATE, YOU CAN ONLY BE MEMBER FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR, AS ENSHRINED IN URPSAN CONSTITUTION, EXCEPT YOU'RE AWARDED A LIFE MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE. URPSAN AT CHAPTER, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL, THE AIM IS TO UNITE STUDENTS AND SERVE AS FACILITATOR BETWEEN STUDENTS, LECTURERS, PROFESSIONAL BODIES AND AS WELL PROMOTE PEACE AND UNITY AMONG ITS MEMBERS. TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU THINK THE BODY HAS SERVED HER FOLLOWERS AND ACHIEVING ITS AIM?

"Well, I would say the association has grown much bigger, from a gathering of 13 schools and about 100 members, to what we can term as a high level of relevance among the majority of planning schools in the country.

I would be careful not to say it has had a colossal impact generally, but I'm proud to say it had a significant impact in the last 3 years or so. Of all things, it has been able to unite student planners from all corners of the country, and has certainly given some level of relevance to students in terms of their relationship with the principal bodies of the profession.

Because of this association, I've had memorable experiences and better understanding of what goes on in the planning field across the nation. It's been incredible.

The association has been able to weather the storm despite being plagued by problems of sponsorship and, traces of lack of adequate dedication to leadership. But like all infants, it's only a matter time till we become sure-footed."

IN EVERY ASSOCIATION OR ORGANIZATION, FEEDBACK IS NECESSARY. FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, ACTIONS, REACTIONS AND INTERACTIONS ARE NEEDED FOR THE SUCCESS OF ANY ASSOCIATION. AS THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTED NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER OF URPSAN AND FORMER PRO URPSAN NATIONAL BODY, YOU DID ALL YOUR POSSIBLE BEST TO GIVE THE ASSOCIATION THE IMAGE IT DESERVES AND BROUGHT US INTO LIMELIGHT. NOW, URPSAN IS PRACTICALLY OUT OF LIMELIGHT, HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF STUDENT PLANNERS DOESN’T KNOW WE EXIST TALK LESS OF PARTICIPATING IN URPSAN AFFAIRS. TO THIS END AND BEYOND, WHAT SUGGESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE INCUMBENT PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER ON POSSIBLE WAYS TO REVIVE URPSAN THROUGH IMAGE BUILDING?

"Well, I would say consistency is the key. Even, if it means carrying out one single activity that will develop the association per day.

During my tenure PRO 1, I would say "I hoped for better days" in the aspect of my level of effectiveness. I was saddled with more responsibilities than I could handle on campus and I was literally always short on free time. Although there were positives strides and innovations made by my office, I had to really struggle to keep up.

But then I realized if I had worked with the mindset of making impact slowly but constantly, I would have achieved more. Quite frankly, such leadership positions are more tedious than they seem to be.

My advice is that we shouldn't go into offices just so we'll have more badges on our chest. Many people just want to have many accolades and posts held, and end up being ineffective in them. The sure thing is, if you go into an office just to feel significant, in the end you'll come out insignificant.

Finally, I would say it is necessary that the current PR Office should strive to get interested members to compose various publications, for those who can write, and to showcase various skills and technical abilities of students who are good at various software’s or even hand works.

This would require the cooperation of heads of chapters which is always very difficult to get. It will also require cooperation from previous executives for the sake of continuity. As it stands, the current PRO has only ever communicated to me once on an URPSAN related matter and that was to get passwords for the email and social media accounts. It is quite sad.

We are the only ones that can promote ourselves; no one will do it for us."

FINALLY, BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCES, HOW DO YOU THINK URP PROFESSION MIGHT BE IMPROVED AND, ANY ADVICE FOR URP GRADUATES AND STUDENTS?

"The profession won't improve until we can make the government and people realize our relevance, until we stop taking bribes and actually stand to protect standards that have been set, until we follow rules and procedures to the latter. Until then, we'll just be one of those professions with extremely thin integrity that can easily be bought by money.

URP Graduates should stand for truth, for quality, for high standards... We should do more to build ourselves personally.

Online courses, learning of design and analytical software’s, volunteering for community development activities will help build your skills and even work ethics, making you more ready for any job that comes your way.

Let our flexibility be an advantage to us, and not a disadvantage."

Thank you. 

Due regards,
ABIMBOLA, Lolade Sakiru
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