•Called JOHN WOOD EKPENYONG Memorial Lecture
Twenty nine years ago, The Council of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) instituted the John Wood Ekpenyong Memorial Lecture in honour of the first Nigerian to qualify as a Charted Surveyor/Estate Surveyor and Valuer and the first NIESV President. late ESV John Wood Ekpenyong, PPNIVS.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Estate Management from the University of London in 1954. Thereafter, he worked in the Public Service and later set up a private professional practice until his death in 1974.
The Council in establishing the Lecture series proposed that important issues of Real Estate and National developments be summarized by speakers in various fields of the profession and national economic development. Furthermore, it is used as an avenue to sensitize the government and the people of Nigeria on issues affecting the economic development of the Nation, especially from Estate Surveyors and Valuers perspective with suggestions to the government for consideration and implementation. The annual lecture which immortalizes the late John Wood Ekpenyong who lived a worthy professional life have also been addressing and enhancing the capacity building of the members in the core competencies of the profession. Thus, the memorial lecture extols professionalism and promotes desirable land, housing and economic development policies.
Late John Wood Ekpenyong without doubt deserves the honour, he exemplified Courage, dedication, integrity, purpose, and character in his pioneering efforts in the development of the Institution. Apart from being the first Nigerian to study Estate Management, the first to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor and the founding President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, his ground breaking and pioneering role together with the likes of, Hope Harriman, J.A. Oluwatundimu, S.P.O. Fortune Ebie, A.O. Shote, L.L. Eso, J.A. Umeh, A.G. Sangosanya, O.O. Ismail and the other founding members in putting in place the structure that had brought Estate Surveying and Valuation practice into reckoning in Nigeria shall for ever be remembered with utmost admiration and appreciation. Talk of selflessness, and purposeful leadership, John Wood Ekpenyong stood very tall. He gave his all to the profession till he breathed his last.
The Memorial Lecture is our way of thanking him for the glistering I heritage which he bequeathed to us; it also a way of reminding ourselves that we possess a great heritage, and that we can achieve whatever we set our hearts and minds upon to achieve. Apart from the past presidents of the Institution who delivered the annual lecture, notable personalities (non-Estate Surveyors and Valuers) have also honoured our invitation as Guest Speakers.
The theme of this year’s lecture held last week at Eko Hotel was “Competence and Professionalism in Real Estate Practice; Role of Specialization” The profession operates on a Code of Professional Ethics and Practice which is the major ingredient of professionalism. The 22nd President of our Institution, ESV (Dr) Bolarinde Joshua Patunola-Ajayi, PPNIVS provided a thorough analysis of the subject matter. ESV (Dr) Bolarinde Joshua Patunola-Ajayi is a prolific writer, publisher and public speaker who has delivered many lectures both within and outside the country.
The Keynote Speaker was the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Lagos State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, (SAN) one of the foremost role models for young and candid lawyer in the country.
Here is a man who through dignity and integrity he brought to the practice of law in the country rose to the exalted status of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The lecture offers yet another opportunity to remember John Wood Ekpenyong, one of Nigeria’s foremost contemporary professionals and to reflect on his character as well as the legacies he left behind.
Apart from immortalizing the late John Wood Ekpenyong who lived a worthy professional life, the purpose of the Lecture series is also to extol professionalism and promote desirable land, housing and economic development policies.
Furthermore, it is used as an avenue to sentisize the government and the people of Nigeria on issues affecting the economic development of the Nation, especially from Estate Surveyors and Valuers perspective.
Apart from the past presidents of the Institution who delivered the annual lecture, notable personalities (non-Estate Surveyors and Valuers) have also honoured our invitation as Guest Speakers.
John Wood Ekpenyong Memorial Lecture Series have been addressing Capacity Building of the members in the core competencies of the profession.
The highly respected late Mr. John Wood Ekpenyong, PPNIVS, was born in Cross River State in 1915. He went to the Methodist College Uzakoli in Abia State after which he entered government service in the Ministry of Lands and Housing in Lagos. It is from there that he got a scholarship to read Estate Management, University of London in 1949.
In 1954, he earned for himself, the degree of Bachelor of Science in Estate Management. He thereafter returned to Nigeria to fulfill the obligation as contained in his scholarship bond in the civil service. He was posted to the Eastern Region of Nigeria, as it then was, here he worked in various capacities including being the General Manager of the Housing Corporation until his
retirement in 1962.
He thereafter came to Lagos to set up his private practice in that same year 1962 under the name of Messrs. J. W. Ekpenyong & Co. Mr. Ekpenyong was a foundation Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers.
He was also a fellow of both Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Auctioneers and Estate Agents Institute of London. He was elected the first President of the Institution, at its inception in 1969 and served in that capacity until 1972.
He died on 20th August, 1974 and was survived by Mrs. J. Ayo Ekpenyong his wife (now late) and four children.
