BY DAYO ADESULU

The strength of an institution is not measured only by its physical structure, but more by the tenacity inculcated into the students to do the unimaginable.”

This was the assertion of Managing Director, Nigerite Limited, Jeanluc Viatour while speaking recently at the inauguration of the remodeled Masters in Environmental Design (M.E.D) studio, Department of Architecture, University of Lagos.

In his speech, he noted that the wealth of a nation is not measured strictly by its natural resources, but by the quality of its human capital and it’s ability to innovate and remain competitive.

Viatour who presented the studio that cost thirty-five million (35 million) naira to the institution, stated that this generation of youths has a responsibility to provide solution to the problems confronting humanity. To actualized this, he said that institutions must be built to permit and enable the full expression of the God giving potentials.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services, University of Lagos (middle), Prof. R.A. Bello assisted by the Managing Director, Nigerite Plc, Mr. Jean-Luc Viatour (right) while cutting the tape for the commissioning of the Refurbished Master in Environment Designs (M.E.D.) Architecture Studio by Nigerite Limited while Registrar of the institution, Mr. Oluwarotimi O.A. Shodimu and President, National Institute of Architecture (NIA) Architect Tunji Bolu look on.

Explaining the reasons for this laudable project, the Marketing Director of Nigerite Ltd, Arc. Toyin Gbede, remarked that; lithe academic environment is a place where innovation should be celebrated saying it is Nigerite desire to see our youths practice the art of utilizing creative imagination, questioning and rewriting of old rules and thinking out of the box as these are the tenets of today’s competitive world.

In line with Nigerite’s hallmark for innovation, the Marketing Director also said that, the organization has launched a dry building construction system called Building System Homes (BSH), which pays off on time management and budget.

He said it is designed to empower and equip the Nigerian youth through the provision of conducive learning environments, (in the built environment) that will engender creativity and innovations. “ It is a learning environment that will enable the youth to compete on the world stage,” he said.

While expressing its excitement, the Head of Department of Architecture, Dr. Mike Adebambo noted that the commissioned studio is the answer to his prayer and promised to be used for the MED Executive programme which is a new programme that began this session stressing that the Master in Environmental Design M.E.D executive programme was established due to the cosmopolitan nature of the University and in line with current international trends.

The MED executive programme according to the HOD is an extended form of the MED regular programme as it runs exactly the same curriculum, lectures, has the same Lecturers and Grading system.

While the MED regular programme is a 2-year programme with Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Studio days, Adebambo reiterated that the executive is a 3-year programme with Wednesdayand Friday studio days which will attract higher school fees.

He hinted that the qualification into Masters’ programme is First Class or Second Class Upper Division stressing that the department recently had over seven hundred that applied as conversion of the department into faculty is underway.