Architecture And Politics In Nigeria

In 1975, the Nigerian authorities decided to construct a new postcolonial capital called Abuja, and together with several internationally renowned architects these military leaders collaborated to build a city for three million inhabitants. Founded five years after the Civil War with Biafra, which caused around 1.7 million deaths, the city was envisaged as a place where justice would reign and where people from different social, religious, ethnic, and political backgrounds would come together in a peaceful manner and work together to develop their country and its economy. These were all laudable goals, but they ironically mobilized certain forces from around the country in opposition against the Federal Government of Nigeria. The international and modernist style architecture and the fact that the government spent tens of billions of dollars constructing this idealized capital ended up causing more strife and conflict. For groups like Boko Haram, a Nigerian Al-Qaida affiliate organization, and other smaller ethnic groups seeking to have a say in how the country’s oil wealth is spent, Abuja symbolized everything in Nigeria they sought to change. By examining the creation of the modernist national public spaces of Abuja within a broader historical and global context, this book looks at how the successes and the failures of these spaces have affected the citizens of the country and have, in fact, radicalized individuals with these spaces being scene of some of the most important political events and terrorist targets, including bombings and protest rallies. Although focusing on Nigeria’s capital, the study has a wider global implication in that it draws attention to how postcolonial countries that were formed at the turn of the twentieth century are continuously fragmenting and remade by the emergence of new nation states like South Sudan.

In 1975, the Nigerian authorities decided to construct a new postcolonial capital called Abuja, and together with several internationally renowned architects these military leaders collaborated to build a city for three million inhabitants. Founded five years after the Civil War with Biafra, which caused around 1.7 million deaths, the city was envisaged as a place where justice would reign and where people from different social, religious, ethnic, and political backgrounds would come together in a peaceful manner and work together to develop their country and its economy. These were all laudable goals, but they ironically mobilized certain forces from around the country in opposition against the Federal Government of Nigeria. The international and modernist style architecture and the fact that the government spent tens of billions of dollars constructing this idealized capital ended up causing more strife and conflict. For groups like Boko Haram, a Nigerian Al-Qaida affiliate organization, and other smaller ethnic groups seeking to have a say in how the country's oil wealth is spent, Abuja symbolized everything in Nigeria they sought to change. By examining the creation of the modernist national public spaces of Abuja within a broader historical and global context, this book looks at how the successes and the failures of these spaces have affected the citizens of the country and have, in fact, radicalized individuals with these spaces being scene of some of the most important political events and terrorist targets, including bombings and protest rallies. Although focusing on Nigeria's capital, the study has a wider global implication in that it draws attention to how postcolonial countries that were formed at the turn of the twentieth century are continuously fragmenting and remade by the emergence of new nation states like South Sudan.

First comprehensive monograph about the tropical architecture of Godwin and Hopwood in Nigeria After studying at the Architectural Association in London, John Godwin and Gillian Hopwood moved to Nigeria, where they significantly shaped the country's architectural landscape for more than sixty years. When Nigeria became independent in 1960 following British dominance since the 19th century, the couple worked to create architecture that was site-specific, modern, and adapted to the climate relevant to Nigeria's aspirational political and economic policies. In this richly illustrated monograph, organised by typology, Ben Tosland examines Godwin and Hopwood's form of tropical modernism and illuminates its contemporary meanings and concluding with its relevance in times of the climate crisis. First comprehensive monograph about the architecture of Godwin and Hopwood Image-rich publication on one of the most important architectural practices for post-colonial, independent Nigeria Insightful findings for passive structural cooling techniques

Adedayo Jeremiah Adeyekun is a Nigerian Author, Architect, Artist, Urban Planner, Educator and a Preacher of the Word of God. He is the son of Mr. Pius Oladele Adeyekun, a registered contractor and Mrs Victoria Folayemi Adeyekun, a retired teacher in a government school in Lagos. His father inspired him to study architecture not because he was talented in art but because of his friend who is an architect. He was encouraged by the practice of the profession of his friend Arc. Abiodun Christopher Akinrimisi, 47 years experienced fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and one of Nigeria’s Pioneer Architect with ARCON NO: F/195, a forefront of Nigerian Architecture, having designed some of the most prestigious buildings in Nigeria (1973 – 2020). Adedayo was an apprentice with Architect A. C. Akinrimisi for 10 months in 2007 and said his master told him to follow instructions and be patient in learning otherwise you can’t work here. He said his master was always complaining about spaces and said waste spaces in design will require more materials; hence all spaces in design must have a compulsory use. The Architecture of Adedayo Jeremiah Adeyekun comprises of his autobiography and different types of buildings including mass Housing, Hotel, Hostels, Offices and Mixed – Used Development, Stadium/Sport Centres, Schools/Institutional Building, Hospital/Health Centres in Nigeria and India. Adedayo is trying to create contextual relevant modern architectural idiom that will be suitable for Nigeria. This book is a collection of 254 Drawings in 60 Selected Projects, 102 Displayed Pictures of Buildings and Live Construction Projects, 30 Architectural Models/Sketches and 125 Pictures for Autobiography. Adedayo designed about 122 buildings of which 47 have been constructed in Nigeria and India. More than 20 buildings already constructed in India making him the only Nigerian Architect whoever practiced in India with a good knowledge of Indian Architectural Style.

Nowhere in Africa has the question of access to university education reached such a crescendo of concern and posed such as challenge to the polity, as in Nigeria. By illuminating the history of massification of university education in Nigeria, Anyanwu makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the challenges of nation building in multi-ethnic and religious societies and demonstrates that the intractable issues in Africa's university education system.

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Explores parliamentary complexes in capital cities on six continents, showing how the buildings that house national government institutions are products of the political and cultural balance of power within pluralist societies.