Prof. Nubi Warns Ogun State of Urban Planning Risks

During the 40th anniversary of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) held at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, Prof. Timothy Gbenga Nubi, a professor of Estate Management at the University of Lagos, warned that Ogun State risks becoming a dumping ground for Lagos State without proper planning. He delivered a keynote paper titled “Repositioning Physical Planning for Ogun State’s Next Forty Years,” emphasizing that proximity to Lagos does not guarantee prosperity.

Nubi highlighted the rapid urbanization along the Lagos-Ogun frontier, particularly in the Isheri-Ibafo-Mowe-Sagamu Interchange corridor, which has created significant planning challenges. He noted the gap between planning vision and actual implementation in areas like Mowe, Ibafo, and Ofada.

To address these issues, he advocated for a metropolitan development strategy and urged the Ogun State government to draft and implement master plans for strategic urban centers. Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the deputy governor of Ogun State, acknowledged the challenges posed by population influx from Lagos and assured that planning issues would be addressed.