In most parts of the world, especially in developed climes, cities are planned to incorporate future demographic and developmental expansions.
When the Portuguese visited the ancient City of Benin, they were so taken aback by the city’s organization that one of the explorers, Lourenco Pinto, who visited the City in 1691 was compelled to pen his famous comment; “Great Benin, where the king resides, is larger than Lisbon; all the streets run straight and as far as the eye can see”.
The Portuguese were astonished by the vastness of the kingdom with so many interlocking cities and villages. The Mathematician Ron Eglash, noted that the City and its surrounding villages were purposely laid out to form perfect fractals.
The City was described as wealthy and industrious, well-governed and richly decorated, with amathematical layout and earthworks longer than the Great Wall of China.
It was classifiedas one of the most beautiful and best planned cities in the world. According to the 17th Century Dutch Visitor, Olfert Dapper, “Houses are built alongside the streets in good order, the one close to the other”.
However, civilization, industrialization and the need for survival have taken their tolls on this ancient kingdom which now forms modern Edo State, Nigeria. Successive administrations in the State, overlooking the historical significance of this once organized territory, left the State in a seeming architectural and geographical chaos, by turning a blind eye to indiscriminate construction of buildings and structures all across the State.
To make matters worse, some land developers in the State went as far as erecting buildings and structures under high tension electricity cables, inside moats and other unwholesome sites which constitute grave health and environment hazards to residents.
The current administration led by Governor Godwin Obaseki is determined to correct this arbitrary and unwholesome practice in the State. The building recertification exercise currently ongoing in the State which is in furtherance of the Edo State 30-Year Master Plan, will help Government collate data of all buildings in the State for proper mapping and geographical layout.
What the State’s 30-Year Master Plan document and policy guide is designed to achieve is to help the State create a vision of what it should look like in the future.
The Master Plan will help guide the Government in its decisions on land use, development and preservation, helping the State sustain a dream path in its developmental trajectory.
Both the social and economic planners as well as the physical planners have contributed to the planning process with priorities on indigenes of the State, especially younger generation who according to Governor Obaseki would be the ones to implement the plan.
The ongoing ‘Operation show your building plan’ and building recertification exercise in the State are geared towards capturing all buildings into the Edo Master Plan. According to the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Urban and Regional Development, Ms. Isoken Omo, the recertification exercise “seeks to encourage all land developers and those building to come for their building plan in the Ministry. The objective of the exercise is to capture all into the Edo State Master Plan as it’s necessary for development”
According to Ms. Omo, “The benefits of having your plans are huge as your property is recorded and identified as a legal property on Edo soil and the conveyance letter which is like a legal document is issued to you.”
Residents of the State have lauded this move which has been long overdue as it would not only assist Government in collating data of buildings in the State but also assist Government in mapping out areas in need of development, as Governor Obaseki remains committed to making Edo one of the most developed and best planned cities in sub-Saharan Africa.
By John Ewah
