Beyond Aesthetics: Architects tasked on ethics, safety as NIA holds symposium in Ebonyi
by Oswald Agwu · The Eagle OnlineNigerian architects have been charged to look beyond aesthetics and commercial gains to prioritize public health, safety and long-term community value in building designs.
The charge was given by the Principal Consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Agebin Nigeria Limited, Arc. Agha-Ejimole Okereke, at the Architects Symposium 5.0 (2026) organised in Abakaliki by the Nigerian Institute of Architects, NIA, Ebonyi State Chapter.
The symposium, themed “Sustainable Architecture and Climate-Resilient Communities,” brought together professionals, academia, government and industry stakeholders to interrogate contemporary challenges in the built environment.
In his presentation titled “The Architect Promise: Safeguarding Public Safety and Value Through Ethical Design (Moving Beyond Aesthetics to Protect Communities and Elevate Social Value),” Okereke, a Fellow of the Institute, urged architects to elevate ethics to the same status as form and function. According to him, every design decision must honour the trust the public places in the architect.
“The architect’s stamp or seal is a promise of protection, utility and enduring value to the public.
“Architects must view themselves as public advocates who are willing to challenge short-sighted client briefs when public safety or value is at risk,” he stressed.
Okereke warned that the tragic price of ethical design failure is loss of human life, psychological trauma and huge economic loss through catastrophic building collapses.
Citing data, he said: “Data from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, BCPG, indicates that since 1971, Nigeria has suffered over 679 recorded building collapses resulting in more than 1,639 deaths.
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“Industry estimates reveal that Nigeria has lost approximately N10 trillion ($3.2 billion) in property value over two decades to structural and construction failures.”
He identified climate emergency, technological disruptions and socio-economic inequity as major contemporary threats to ethical design, and recommended empowered advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration and rigorous professional education as solutions.
Okereke listed core pillars of ethical design to include human well-being and accessibility, environmental sustainability, social equity and inclusion, cultural heritage preservation, public health and safety, transparency, honesty, integrity and accountability.
In his address, the State Chairman of NIA, Arc. Hyginus Ifeanyichukwu Ivoke, said the theme was informed by prevailing global environmental and climatic challenges and the need to rally stakeholders for awareness and sustainable solutions.
He solicited partnership with the Ebonyi State Government for mutual cooperation and sustainable development in the built environment.
The President of the NIA, Arc. Sani Saulawa, represented by the National Treasurer, Arc. Moses Ajah, in his goodwill message, urged architects to actively participate in national programmes and Institute affairs to update knowledge and remain relevant.
Representing the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Sylvester Nwite, a senior staff of the Ministry commended the Chapter for a rewarding symposium, noting that the state government is concerned about environmental sustainability and ready to partner the Institute for a healthy, habitable environment.
Chairman of the occasion, Arc. Justin Mbam Okolo, FNIA, expressed satisfaction with the quality of resource persons and charged architects to pay attention to peculiar environmental factors in designs.
He enjoined young architects to blend foundational architectural principles with contemporary technology-driven knowledge to innovate.
Another presentation at the symposium, “Scaling Up with BIM: A Practical Pathway for Small Architectural Firms in Nigeria Towards Sustainable Internationally Competitive Practice,” delivered by Arc. Peter Odoh of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, focused on effective application of Building Information Modelling, BIM, to improve service delivery and competitiveness.
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