Glo-sponsored African Voices highlights impact of Architects as change agents
CITIZENS COMPASS —A Lagos-based architect and designer, Oshinowo is a graduate of architecture from Kingston College, London.
She also holds a Master’s degree in urban designs from Bartlett School of Architecture, University College, London.
She is an entrepreneur, public speaker and author who creatively weaves identity and culture into her work.
Her outstanding works have over the years won different awards including the 2017 edition of City People Real Estate Awards for Architect of the Year, the Lord’s Achievers Awards for Creativity, in celebration of 2019 World Achievers Day and the 2023 Diversity in Architecture Divia Awards where she was a finalist.
The second guest, Mpahlwa, holds a Masters in Architecture from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany. He works as a Director at Cape –town based architecture Design SpaceAfrica, which he founded in 2009.
His architectural work expresses a contemporary design aesthetics, influenced by strong references to African culture and tradition.
African Voices will be aired at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday, with repeats at 11.00 a.m.
Other repeats come at 3.30 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. on Sunday and on Monday at 4.00 a.m. The same edition will be shown next week Saturday at 8.30 a.m. and 12 noon.
Another broadcast of the programme comes up on Sunday at 4.30 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. and on Monday at 4.00 a.m.
CITIZENS COMPASS —Residents of Agric -Owutu in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, have resisted the move by the Lagos State Government to demolish buildings earlier marked for demolition in the area.
This was revealed in some video clips circulating on social media on Friday. .
According to the clips, some angry youths in the area gathered and resisted some officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development from embarking on the exercise on Thursday.
It was gathered that the state government had planned to commence the removal of houses belonging to the residents due to the road construction along the Agric-Owutu-Isawo-Arepo Road.
In the video, angry members of the community picketed the bulldozer and task force sent by the ministry as one of the state officials could be seen trying to amicably discuss with them.
“You people didn’t hold a meeting or consult anyone in the community, you just came here and said you want to demolish buildings,” one of the residents could be heard saying.
“The authorities will talk to you, they will explain things,” said the official as he appealed to an elderly member of the community who was seated in a wheelchair.
One of the residents responded, saying, “But you are from the authorities and you here, talk to us. You can’t demolish any of our buildings.”
Our correspondent gathered that the residents prevented the demolition on the basis of an ongoing case at the Lagos State High Court.
They also claimed that the state government refused to dialogue with them over compensation, adding that the state only wanted to acquire and demolish their buildings for public use.
Some landlords in the area, however, expressed fears that the bulldozers might return some other time to carry out the exercise.
Efforts to reach the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Dr Olumide Olayinka, failed as his line rang out and he did not respond to a text message sent to his phone.
Also, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, did not respond to a message seeking his comment on the matter as of the time of filing this report.
