ARCON to upgrade architecture departments in varsities to faculties 

The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has concluded plans to establish faculty of architecture in all Nigerian universities.

This was revealed last week, in Abuja, during an induction of 141 architects, 14 technologists and 22 architectural firms in Abuja.

Speaking to the inductees, ARCON president, Sir Oladipupo Ajayi, noted that the council, established in 1969, was set up to regulate training and practice of the architectural profession in all ramifications, adding that its duties were covered by the Architects (Registration) Act A19 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Accordingly, Ajayi said, ARCON has been working to increase number of architects and enhance study of architecture in Nigeria and beyond. 

The president noted that architecture is wide, hence, the management has received National Universities Commission’s (NUC) nod to upgrade all departments of architecture in Nigerian tertiary institutions to faculties. He added that the proposed new curriculum will soon be ready. 

He said ARCON has chosen seasoned scholars and professors to work on the new curriculum and are at the concluding stage, soonest, the report will be submitted to NUC. 

Ajayi hinted that the new curriculum, if approved by NUC, will lead to unbundling of architecture programmes and enhance study of architecture in Nigeria. 

He said the registration council was already sensitising stakeholders to embrace the new proposal. 

The president charged the inductees to assert themselves by thinking outside the box to do things in different way. 

He urged them to define their pursuit and carefully choose a path of career even in architecture, saying no architect in Nigeria should be poor for whatever reason. 

The Vice President, Shamsuna Ahmed, called on architects to be decent in their appearance and diversify, saying architects can do so many other things alongside architectural practice. 

“Architects must be decent and appear honourably at all times. Also, there’s need for Nigerian architects, especially the upcoming ones ,to be ahead on diversification. To do this successfully, you need to develop entrepreneurial spirit,” saying there abound numerous opportunities they can explore. 

ARCON Registrar, Umar Murnai, urged the new architects, technologists and architectural firms to sensitise the public on the Architects Projects’ Registration Number (APRN). 

He said the initiative, among others, would boost quality of their professional service and protect the field of architecture, which has been infiltrated by quacks. 

While APRN is in force in Abuja, he said ARCON has opened talks with Lagos, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano and others, and expressed hope that the initiative would soon be in force in other states. 

“In Abuja, you can’t do any building project without APRN.  We are opening new frontiers on the initiative in other states and we are hopeful that, more states will adopt APRN.”

According to him, “APRN would eliminate quackery and erosion of standard of architectural practice. We all have to be the vanguard of this initiative.”

Former Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos State chapter, Ladi Lewis, urged inductees to keep to the profession’s code of ethics.

“You must be honest, impartial and transparent in all your dealings. Avoid making deceptive claims and misleading your clients. Be careful not to affix your stamp, seal and signature on any document or project you’re not sure of,” he said. 

This, according to him, could be regarded as misconduct, if it’s established such act was done with fraudulent intent.