The Dean, School of Environmental Studies, Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Adesina Aladeloba, has traced the incessant building collapse in Nigeria to ineffectiveness and poor communication from the design stage.
Delivering the 19th inaugural lecture of the college, titled “Communication: Why the ‘Tower’ Remained Abandoned Heretofore” at Yusuf Grillo Hall, Aladeloba explored how the fragmented and conflict-prone nature of construction projects, often involving multiple stakeholders with divergent interests, can be resolved through deliberate and effective communication strategies from the design stage.
Using the biblical story of the Tower of Babel as a symbolic reference to ineffective communication, the renowned builder expatriated how lack of communication has historically derailed the most ambitious projects of God’s creatures.
Aladeloba argued that just as the builders of Babel were halted by a divine disruption in communication, modern construction projects fail when teams cannot effectively exchange information.
Drawing from both literature and field studies, he pointed out that the construction sector often focuses on output metrics such as cost, quality, and time while neglecting inhibiting factors like disjointed communication processes and lack of team cohesion.
“Effective communication is not just about exchanging messages; it’s about choosing the right tools, channels, timing, and tone to foster understanding and collaboration,” he said.
Aladeloba categorised communication into three forms: complete, incomplete, and absent, arguing that while incomplete communication is problematic, no communication at all leads to chaos and project failure.
The YabaTech don presented a conceptual framework based on established models, including the Shannon-Weaver and the Sender-Message-Channel-Receiver (SMCR) models, to demonstrate how misunderstandings arise from poor encoding, wrong channel selection, or lack of feedback. A Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Building (FNIOB), Aladeloba, lamented the immense human and material losses caused by abandoned or collapsed projects in Nigeria, noting that many of these failures stem from simple but overlooked communication breakdowns.
To address the challenge, he proposed a combination of practical reforms and digital innovation. He recommended the adoption of his proprietary project management software, Buildcom (NWAVE), designed to streamline communication and prevent costly errors.
He emphasised the importance of training future professionals in communication skills, calling for curriculum updates and stronger industry-academia collaboration to ensure Nigeria’s built environment supports sustainable development.
Beyond technical solutions, Aladeloba also underscored the spiritual and philosophical dimensions of design and architecture, stressing that every “tower” or structure reflects an intention and a principle of its designer, further reinforcing the need for alignment in human projects.
“Whenever we look up at towering buildings, we’re reminded of purpose, planning, and partnership. Without these anchored in communication, we are bound to fail”.Citing Noah’s Ark as an example of successful project delivery through clear instructions and structured communication, he reiterated that failures in Nigeria’s construction sector are rooted less in funding or expertise and more in poor communication.
“We must not ignore the glaring truth: communication is the lifeblood of any successful project. Without it, even the best plans will collapse,” he asserted.
“Communication is not just a tool; it’s the foundation of successful project management. We must treat it as a strategic asset, not an afterthought.”
He offered six interrelated recommendations to address persistent issues in the industry, including: improving communication tools and speed, applying predictive models, and adopting local digital solutions. He also warned against blind reliance on foreign-developed technologies, cautioning that excessive data storage abroad could lead to a form of “digital colonisation.” Aladeloba urged built-environment professionals to protect Nigeria’s development identity and avoid repeating past failures.
In his remarks, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Engr. Ibraheem Abdul agreed with the lecturer’s submission: “We often talk about project performance in terms of cost, time, and quality. But rarely do we interrogate the communication practices that affect these outcomes.”He observed that the failure to establish mutual trust and shared understanding from the onset often results in communication breakdowns that pose serious threats to construction projects.
“The tower remained abandoned not for lack of ambition, but for lack of understanding,” Engr. Abdul concluded.
Based on a well-delivered lecture, Dr. Abdul discharged Dr. Adesina Aladeloba, acquitted and was presented with a plaque of discharge certificate.
