Demolition of mud house

Lagos - Mr Jide Awe, an Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) expert
says the Federal Government’s proposal to
demolish mud houses would amount to

phasing out the country’s indigenous
technology, if implemented.
Awe, who is the Chairman, Nigeria Computer
Society (NCS) Conferences Committee,
made the assertion in an interview on
Sunday in Lagos.
Awe was speaking against the backdrop of a
statement credited to the Minister of
Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu,
that the Federal Government was planning
to demolish mud houses across the country.
NAN reports that the minister was said to
have made the statement on July 9 when he
visited the Nigerian Buildings and Road
Research Institute, Nnewi in Anambra.
Onu was quoted as saying that a research
was ongoing that would facilitate the influx
of cheap building materials in the country to
enable Nigerians build decent and affordable
houses.
``The mud houses seen in some parts of the
country reflect the country’s indigenous
technology even though it is not suitable for
the 21st century.
``It is our heritage, a result of the creativity
of the indigenous people and as such should
be preserved.
``There is need to improve on it with what
we see on the internet so that we can
benefit from it and not just discard as
something that is useless.
``Demolishing them will amount to phasing
out the historical benefits attached to
them,’’ the ICT expert said.
Awe added that in case the mud houses
were demolished, government should
consider compensating their owners since
they might not be able to afford modern
houses.
``If we are talking about compensation, we
need to consider what they are losing in the
first place.
``Government should consider if the mud
houses are occupied, and if that is so, then
they should be given decent alternative
accommodation because leaving the houses
was not their decision in the first place.