Newly inducted Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (FNIA) and Director of Public Building at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Bature Tagwai, has urged young architects to embrace diligence, thoroughness and continuous self-improvement if they intend to excel in the profession.
Tagwai, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, warned that architecture remains a high-demand discipline that offers no room for laxity, slow learning attitudes or shortcuts.
“Architecture does not condone laziness. You have to be prompt, decisive and diligent in whatever design situation you may find yourself. Anything worth doing is worth doing well,” he said.
He maintained that the profession requires personal commitment beyond classroom instruction, noting that architects must constantly update their capacity and remain globally aware.
“You don’t wait for people to teach you, teach yourself. Upgrade your capacity. Architects must strive to know what is happening in the modern built environment globally — Dubai, China and others,” Tagwai stated, adding that innovation in roofing, curtain walls, paints and other building materials demands continuous self-education.
Reflecting on his conferment as a FNIA fellow, the FCDA director said the recognition was merit-based, recalling his academic years at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he won two major prizes.
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One of the awards, he added, was for best architectural contribution in traditional Nigerian architecture, with his thesis focusing on Gbagi traditional concepts using Abuja as a case study.
Tagwai, who joined the FCDA in 1992 and rose through the ranks to the position of a deputy director before his confirmation by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, described the upgrade as a privilege.
He praised the minister for recognising competence and accelerating infrastructural renewal in the capital city.
“You will agree that the Abuja landscape has changed. He has enhanced avenues for economic engagement and created an enabling environment for practicing architects and other professionals in the built environment,” he said.
While extending seasonal greetings, he called for unity and professional collaboration, insisting that no single arm of the built environment succeeds in isolation.
“A tree cannot make a forest,” he said.
