Newly registered architects have been warned that everything in life is not money, but integrity and professionalism, hence the need for them to to think out of the box in order to make a difference
The new architects have also been charged not to breach their professional ethics, but to uplift professionalism in all their undertakings.
Dipo Ajayi, President of Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) who gave the charge in Abuja last week while licensing hundreds of the newly registered architects also told them that “life is not how long you live, but the fulfillment you derive from it.”
“Don’t ever think that your licence can give you all you want in life, but, fulfillment should be your drive,” he advised, noting that Nigeria was going quietly through a revolution which was enterprenuership. He called on them to be dynamic and think out of the box to make impact.
Warning against misconduct, the ARCON president reminded the new entrants that the regulatory body had in place both Architects Investigative Panel (AIP) and Architects Disciplinary Tribunal (ADT) that would deal with cases of infraction without fear or favour.
Umaru Aliu, ARCON immediate past president, who lamented over quackery in the profession, urged the architects to uplift the code of professional conduct and ethics.
“We have the code of professional conduct and ethics to guide all our undertakings as architects. Unfortunately, we are where we are today due to lawlessness that has pervaded the land; foreigners don’t come and take the job all by themselves. They hide behind those who front for them,” he said.
He charged the new architects to do the right always and memorise the code to avoid temptation.
Umoru Karaye, who spoke on ‘Condition of Engagement, Charges and Agreement by Professional Architects”, urged the architects to familiarise themselves with the document, which he said was developed for the protection of architecture in Nigeria.
He urged them to be good ambassadors of the profession, adding that, those ahead of them in the profession would be available to assist them where and when possible.
On his part, Umar Murnai, Registrar, ARCON, who hinted that the regulatory had come up with Architects Projects Registration Number (APRN), to prevent incursion into their profession, tasked the newly inducted architects to vangaurd the initiative.
According to him, without APRN, you, as an architect, cannot make any submission in Abuja, addding that the Council had made the process of getting the number seamless.
In all, about 450 individuals and firms were inducted.
CHUKA UROKO
