Image caption: A Smart City sourced from Google
BIG VISION: Ogbomoso to recreate into a Smart City – What’s Smart City? NITP topguns explain
Femi OGUNLANA & Lanre OKE
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There is so much talk about Ogbomoso, the second largest city in Oyo state, being transformed into a “Smart City,” the idea is definitely gaining traction as the hours pass by. The idea came up again this last Thursday when the leadership of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Oyo state chapter, paid a working visit to the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, to submit a draft document it prepared in connection with the project of “greening” Ogbomoso, a task given to the association by the monarch. The exchange was a major leap in the move to recreate Ogbomoso, being spearheaded by Oba Olaoye, into a modern city, a segment of which is elevating it into a Smart City.
Emphasizing his commitment to the vision, the Oba commends the association effusively, “I deeply appreciate their visit and commend their diligence, expertise, and unwavering commitment to the Ogbomoso Green Infrastructure Project—a transformative initiative aimed at developing parks and gardens to enhance our city’s landscape.
“As I listened to their insightful and well-researched presentation, I was greatly impressed by the depth of planning and excellence they demonstrated. Their vision for a greener, more sustainable Ogbomoso is truly inspiring, and I applaud them for their remarkable efforts.
“I want to assure them, and all sons and daughters of Ogbomoso, that this vision will not remain on paper—it will come to life. Where there is vision, provision follows. The greatness of any city is built on the collective efforts of its people, and I have no doubt that Ogbomoso’s sons and daughters, both at home and in the diaspora, will unite to make this dream a reality.
“This project goes beyond aesthetics; it is about fostering a healthier, more livable environment for future generations. It is about laying the foundation for a model city—one that honors our rich heritage while embracing sustainable development.
“Together, we will transform Ogbomoso into a city that exemplifies progress and innovation. Let us all rise to the occasion and turn this vision into reality!”
ogbomosoinsightonline.com spoke with some of the leaders of NITP Oyo state chapter to throw more light on the project that the paramount is so passionate about and here are the submissions of three of them.
Smart City? One of the best things to happen to Ogbomoso – Prof Jelili
Excerpts of the interview of the state’s NITP chairman, Town Planner (TPL) Professor Musbau Omoakin Jelili, immediate past Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso:
Question: You submitted the report of a project to Kabiyesi, the Soun of Ogbomoso, on Ogbomoso Green Project, do you see it seeing the light of the day? Like Kabiyesi demanded of you not to fling his assignment into the waste-bin, do you see him reciprocating the gesture by not flinging your output into the wastebasket?
Answer: Let me start by saying the Ogbomoso people are so lucky to have His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, Orumogege III, as the paramount ruler of Ogbomosoland. I’m saying this not because I’m also a son of the soil, but also because of the vision the royal father has for the entire Ogbomosoland, which anybody who is an expert in urban, regional or sustainable development studies will appreciate.
Now back to your question. The Ogbomoso Green Infrastructure Project (OGIP) is an important sustainable development agenda/plan, which is one of the strategies by which His Imperial Majesty wishes to actualize the 25-year Development Plan for the growth and development of the ancient city, which is a laudable strategic plan that every well-meaning son or daughter of Ogbomosoland is keying into. Of course, you know how important the 25-year Development Plan is to the Royal Father.
Certainly, abandoning the plan or the OGIP is almost impossible. So, if baba doesn’t abandon the project, what do you expect from us, professionals? Of course, you know that, as professional urban planners, our primary responsibility to the society is to promote sustainable development of towns and cities, and in this case of Ogbomoso, we see ourselves as partners in progress towards having a city that will be economically viable and progressive, industrially vibrant, and at the same time, environmentally sustainable. So, abandoning it is not in our dictionary.
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Question: Smart city, smart city, what exactly is a smart city? Should Ogbomoso people be excited about their city being transformed into one and what does it take?
Answer: Thank you for that question. The idea of Smart City, which is envisaged in the 25-year development plan for Ogbomosoland, is one of the best things to happen to Ogbomoso, and it shall be a reality by the grace of God. Let me inform you that Smart City is one of the many similar and interrelated concepts of the 21st-century approach to city development. Others are sustainable city, green city, compact city, etc. The Smart City is an AI-compliant city development approach, which every stakeholder in the management of city growth and development must embrace.
We are talking of a city system, where even as a stranger, you are able to navigate through the city, transact businesses, and enjoy city life with ease and without fear. A smart city is a less polluted and yet productive city, supported by modern and postmodern infrastructure (of course including artificial intelligence) in which you are guided just by your phone and public infrastructure to carry out daily city activities, and where crimes are easily detected even before it is committed, or criminals are easily identified and arrested, and where physical movements take place only when indispensable, as most of the activities would have been performed online, thereby reducing traffic congestion and other associated negativities of unplanned cities.
You can see that it is an understatement to say that the Ogbomoso people would be excited about it, they would rather pray and lend their support towards realizing the vision of His Imperial Majesty towards having Ogbomoso develop into a Smart City of our Royal Father’s dream, our dream.
Question: A project like this, should it be undertaken by the government or private sector?
A project like this is a big but laudable project, that, just like I said earlier, everyone should key into. It should be seen as our project, and not their project, or the royal father’s project. All stakeholders in the management of city development – the state actors, city councils, NGOs, CBOs, professionals, everyone – should be part of the process. In other words, all and sundry should be involved.
Question: Kabiyesi sometime last year took a step towards “greening” Ogbomoso by planting a specie of tree in the road median between Takie and Oke-Owode area, but most of the trees are gone now, maybe due to lack of maintenance or people not knowing its importance, do you think an environment like this is supportive of such complex projects?
Answer: Thank you for bringing up the idea of the last greening project which you talked about. Honestly, I don’t know about such a project. But I can inform you as a professional in the management of the built environment that such an attempt was laudable, but maybe not well conceived, I mean that perhaps, the right professionals were not involved. Urban greenery project or a similar infrastructure development project is not done without involving all stakeholders, particularly the professionals and members of the public. In the planning and design process of the project certain challenges such as finance and maintenance that can guarantee its sustainability would have been envisaged and certain structures for effective implementation of the project plan and maintenance of the output put in place. That’s the right step that His Imperial Majesty is taking with the idea of the 25 year-development plan and involvement of all stakeholders, especially we, professionals. And it is towards achieving the goal of the development plan that the OGIP is being conceived.
Question: What are the major challenges you face as urban and regional planners in seeing well-planned cities and regions?
Answer: You are opening another broad chapter. Let me say that urban planners are the less appreciated professionals in the society. This is because our primary responsibility is to see to the wellbeing and welfare of the people by working towards having a habitable, resilient, productive, safe and aesthetically pleasing environment. I established in my Inaugural Lecture in LAUTECH in 2023 that urban planning is a preventive medicine; and that if planning is given its pride of place, we would have less need for orthodox medicine and its practitioners. It’s not a joke!
This is because a well-planned urban environment will have less cases of accidents and low incidences of environment-related diseases. That is what our plans and activities are aimed at. Unfortunately, members of the community always see us the way they see police whom they erroneously believe are all the time against them. You can imagine a developer constructing a building in a way that may be injurious to the community or even to the potential occupants of such a project when completed. The developers or investors and community members, who are the potential occupants of the project are not trained to see the danger such illegal or unapproved projects portend, and the planner who is out to ‘help’ is seen as anti-people.
It is a serious challenge that has been there for long, especially in that aspect of physical development control. But, I think people are getting more enlightened. That’s why it’s always good to have adequate public participation in every stage of the planning process. I think His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ghandi is taking the bull by the horn, and taking the right approach on the 25-year development plan.
Question: When did you emerge as chairman of your institute?
Well, thank you so much. To the glory of God, I became the Chairman, Oyo State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners in April 2023, and a Fellow of the Institute last year, and also last year, I became the Chairman of the Western Forum of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, comprising Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Edo and Delta States. Glory be to God.
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Green, Smart City will promote investment flow – TPL Alli-Balogun
Excerpts of the interview with TPL Alli-Balogun W.O., General Secretary NITP, Oyo state chapter.
Question: Oba Olaoye the Soun of Ogbomoso tasked your association with this assignment, what actually is the monarch driving at?
We paid homage to him last year after his coronation, and His Majesty picked interest in our profession and he engaged us on the physical development project for the town, his mission is to transform Ogbomoso into a modern city, a green and smart city, and since then, we have been working on the assignment, we did a lot of presentation on it and today we thought we should come and see him and do a formal presentation to make him realize what we have done, the essence of the job, and the next thing to do and to the glory of God he received us well.
And as you said looking at the palace, it is one of the things we discussed with the king, the palace is the first contact, in era of smart city, we wouldn’t want an environment like this that will be all paved, and so, we are starting the project right from the palace, you can see that the palace building itself has been renovated and we now want to work on the environment, in a very short time you will see greenish around, you will see trees, and you will see a convenient environment that will make the place all-pleasing to visitors, a grassy area.
Question: How do you see this project transforming the lives of the layman?
It will definitely do, when you talk of physical development a lot of people are going to be engaged in it, let’s start form professionals, artisans, in a development plan of a project like this, professional town planners will be engaged, quantity surveyors will be engaged, architects will be engaged, engineers will be engaged, all professionals in building projects will be engaged in it, this will boost the economy of the town. It will equally boost the social status of people and the city as a whole, it will create an environment where people will not only work but relax at home, people will have the means to see a city devoid of slums, a city that will surely be devoid of a dirty environment entirely.
Furthermore, where there are no trees you won’t see birds, you won’t see butterflies, these are the animals that live with us, eventually some of them become domesticated, those are the types of animals we are talking about, not wild animals, so, when we are talking of a green area, and mind you, when we talk of green area we are not talking of an environment that is green in colour, we are talking of a smart area where facilities would be available, an environment that you see parks, people will have means of relaxing, an environment that people will have means of securing their vehicles, an environment you will get means of what you want to buy in the right place, at the right time, an environment that will make you accessible to the hospital, to hotel, to recreational facilities within short and convenient and also comfortable period.
Question: Ogbomoso is already a planned city so to say, will this project be restricted to some places.
You see the project is Ogbomoso Green Infrastructure, the type of development we are talking about is basically recreational development, and when you are talking of development in an already developed area, there is no way the new development will not have impact on the existing development both positive and negative. In the positive area, it may warrant a kind of partial demolition, total demolition, and some time it could be in an area where there’s no development, that will be complete development from the scratch, definitely, there is no development that will not have impact. The basic of it is that this project is going to be positive development to Ogbomoso town,
It’ll inspire all-round development – TPL Oyewale
Excerpts of interview granted by TPL Emmanuel Oyeniran Oyewale, a Fellow of NITP and Chairman of Ogbomoso Green Infrastructure Project.
Question: What is all this about?
Kabiyesi gave us this task, that he is interested in the Ogbomoso green project, where there will be parks, gardens. In fact, he said he wanted something like a Boulevard, right from Ogbomoso High School to LAUTECH, and when we were going he was emphasizing, “Don’t throw my request into the dust-bin.” That was a challenge. So, as an institute, we met and that is where we chose members of the committee making me the chairman, to prepare a very good and something that can be implemented in Ogbomoso so we can find a way of greening Ogbomoso here. Kabiyesi is the visioner of the project, he’s the one that really suggested it and we took it up as an institute. These will be in ten locations. He promised that they will look further into what we have suggested. So, the next step now rests with the Kabiyesi, that will give us an insight into the next we are going to take.
Question: As the chairman, how do you think this project will help the development of Ogbomoso?
Oh, it will surely because when we look at it we tried not to look at as a local plan, it is a plan that will attract tourists, internationally, because when you have parks, when you have gardens and they are really designed very well for the people, you will discover that it will take an international input so what we put inside is not just to take a plan for the local people around, it targets people globally so that people will be attracted to Ogbomoso and if people are attracted that means that businesses are likely to be attracted, it will help the economy of the town, you will discover there will be more investments in the town, there will be more development because something is attracting the people, and if that is achieved you will discover that this town will be one of the greenest in the country.
