Olubola Babalola
First Nigerian Female Professor of Quantity Surveying in Africa
Professor Olubola Babalola is a Nigerian quantity surveyor and academic and researcher. She is a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, where she has taught since 1993 and has served as the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management.
Quotes
edit- Poetry has not been given a pride of place in secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
- [1] Speaking about the waning interest in poetry
- The school would ensure that practising members who had not registered with the institute but were domiciled in the faculty would be registered to enhance the growth of the NIOB.
- [2] Speaking at the NIOB induction
"How I became Africa’s first female professor in quantity surveying" (2016)
edit- "How I became Africa’s first female professor in quantity surveying", The Guardian (June 6, 2016)
- As a quantity surveyor, honesty, transparency and probity should be their watchword and they should be diligent in the performance of their professional duties. With all these qualities in them, sky will be their starting point and money will run after them.
- Nigeria is blessed with many untapped natural and mineral resources that can be used in the production of construction materials. The use of locally sourced materials has a multiplying effect on the Economy creation of jobs, increase in our foreign reserves and boosting of our Economy.
- My view of life is that one should get all the necessary qualifications because no one knows when they would be required and since I found myself in academics with the catchword "publish or perish". I worked hard to publish in both local and international journals in order to gain recognition in my field.
- It was through this scientific exposure that I became very focused early in my career. I mean, I developed a specific area of research interest - and have consistently advocated using biofertilizers over and above chemical fertilizers for plant health management.
- [3] Speaking on her focus early on in her career.
- For young people: proper planning prevents poor performance. For girls: avoid teenage pregnancy and do not cast your pearls before swine. Although it happens occasionally, there is more to it than meets the eye; face it and do not let it hold you down.
- [4] Speaking on the effect of proper planning for young people.
- We need women Professors, Surgeons, Presidents, Leaders, Directors, CEOs, Engineers, Pilots, Research Scientists...
- [5] Speaking on the need for women in various sectors.
- my dear girls in science: be strong, inquisitive, curious, assertive, resilient, and focused. Go for gold!
- [6] Speaking on girls to aim for the top.
- the natural sciences intrigued and fascinated me through the efforts of my teachers. I had the inner motivation to learn, and I was inquisitive.
- [7] Speaking on her fascination of natural sciences.
- My late parents, Alhaji Ganiyu Olulere and Alhaja Asanat Taiwo Iyanda, were loving, kind-hearted, caring and disciplined. They gave my siblings and I, sound education, taught us good morals and the fear of God.
- No! The road to success has never been an easy ride. There are always ups and downs. When I gained admission to study quantity surveying, I was the only female student in my set and you know the kind of feelings one would have being the only odd one, most especially when we had departmental courses offered by my set only. Thank God, I got used to the system with time and to the glory of God I had the best graduating results amidst male students. As I moved up the ladder for post-graduate programmes, the challenge of combining office work with academic career and matrimony arose. I could not see myself coping with the combined tasks but with the unalloyed support, understanding, words of advice and encouragement from the people God surrounded me with and by the special grace of God, I was able to rise above the challenges.
- I actually wanted to study Pharmacy but I could not meet up with the cut-off points for Pharmacy for the three times that I did JAMB examinations. My dad tried his best using all the connections at his disposal including that of Late Mama H.I.D. Awolowo to get me admitted for Pharmacy, traveling with me to Jos, Markudi and Ikenne, because I was bent on studying Pharmacy but all to no avail because that was not God’s plan for me! Miraculously, at the last minutes, when all hopes were lost, God brought me into quantity surveying – the course I never heard of before at that time!
- It started in 1987 when I gained admission to study quantity surveying at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. As a young undergraduate, I never knew it would turn out great like this. I made sure I attended all lectures, did all assignments and tests and studied hard for all examinations. After my graduation in 1992 and Youth Service, I was employed in the Department as a Graduate Assistant and I moved through the ranks to becoming a Professor backdated to 2012 after acquiring the necessary qualifications.
- My view of life is that one should get all the necessary qualifications because no one knows when they would be required and since I found myself in academics with the catchword “publish or perish”; I worked hard to publish in both local and international journals in order to gain recognition in my field.
- It was not all that easy, I must confess but I was able to cope due to my due to my ardent determination to excel coupled with hard work and prayers.
- As mentioned earlier, I was the only female student in my set but thank God, there were many female students in other cognate courses that we had lectures in common. With that, I felt a little bit comfortable. I should add that my course mates were courteous and nice! No intimidation whatsoever! I mixed with them easily.
- I have more than one mentor. All my lecturers, all those that I have passed through their tutelage in life both at home and abroad impacted one thing or the other in me- no matter how little!
- From my experience, It can only be quantity surveying! I have come to realize that it is the course God destined me to study and I have no iota of regret.
- The practice of quantity surveying in Nigeria does not have the required awareness and recognition. The patronage does not cut across all the social classes of people in the country. It is limited to government, corporate bodies and institutions. The level of awareness of the profession and its services at the grassroots is still very low despite the fact that we have services that can benefit this group of people.
- The impact of the profession has not been fully realized most especially in the areas of getting value for money invested on construction projects and in the prevention of project abandonment. We can work with the architects, structural, mechanical and electrical engineers to produce cost-effective designs affordable by clients (public and private) by carrying out cost planning as well as cost control during execution to ensure that the estimated cost is not exceeded beyond what our clients can afford. These services will prevent project abandonment because all the designers would design to affordable cost based on our professional advise on removal of unnecessary cost. We can also prepare Schedule of Materials and Labor with cost to guide non-corporate clients at the grassroots in the execution of their building projects thereby providing cost saving measures.
- My contribution will be in the areas of advancement of the teaching and the practice of quantity surveying, mentoring of the younger ones to maturity academically and professionally. I will also like to contribute my professional expertise to the attainment of sustainable national growth by advocating the use of indigenous raw construction materials because that is the only way the cost of construction can reduce drastically. Nigeria is blessed with many untapped natural and mineral resources that can be used in the production of construction materials. The use of locally sourced materials has a multiplying effect on the Economy – creation of jobs, increase in our foreign reserves and boosting of our Economy.
- The young quantity surveyors should not major on minor. They should not focus on money now. They should get all the necessary trainings, acquire the needed skills, be more focused and determined, be law abiding, have the fear of God in them. As a quantity surveyor, honesty, transparency and probity should be their watchword and they should be diligent in the performance of their professional duties. With all these qualities in them, sky will be their starting point and money will “run” after them.
- How I became Africa’s first female professor in quantity surveying.
- I attended Sacred Heart Convent School and Jericho High School, both in Ibadan for my primary and secondary school education respectively.
- My dad worked with the Oyo State Civil Service while my mum was a trader.
- Not really. My parents were liberal.
