Teslim balogun biography of michael

Nigerian architect

Michael Olutusen Onafowokan (1912–1991) was a Nigerian architect regarded as the pioneer of architecture in Nigeria and Commonwealth Africa. He was one of the pioneers of Tropical Modernism an architectural design era that took into consideration the climatic condition of the region and attempted to curtail or utilize the climatic condition through the use of design elements, styles and concepts.

Early life and education

Michael Olutusen Onafowokan was born in Ikorodu, Lagos State Nigeria where he attended the Methodist Primary School Ita-Elewa Ikorodu and St. Peters Primary School Faji-Ajele Street Lagos. For his secondary education, he attended the Methodist Boys' High School in Lagos. He passed the Junior Cambridge Examination in 1932, after which he attended the Public Works Department technical school and obtained a diploma in Civil Engineering in 1938.

Career

Michael Olutusen Onafowokan started working after his training at the Public Works Department. Below is a succinct trajectory of his career path.

Public Works Department

1937–1946
He also worked in different provinces in Nigeria and some parts of West Africa around this time. Drawing and Quantity Surveying Section – 1937–1939
Junior Technical Staff – 1937–1942
Works and Building Section – 1939–1946

Higher education

University Evening Classes in Lagos – 1942–1945
passed the University of London Matriculation Examination in 1946
Started at the Royal Technical College London1946
Transferred to Glasgow Caledonian University in 1947
Bachelor of Science in Architecture – 1952
Post Graduate Diploma in Town Planning – 1953
He returned to Nigeria in 1953 and started working in the old Western region, by 1954 he was working with the Ministry of Lands and Housing in Ibadan and later in the Ministry of Transport. He retired on the 1st of December 1968

Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria

The Teslim Balogun Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. It is used mostly for football matches and serves as a home ground of First Bank FC. The Nigeria national rugby league team also uses the venue. The stadium has a capacity of 24,325 people, and is sometimes used for international football matches. It once served as the venue for the Nigerian Cup final, just before it hosted some matches in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup youth tournament held in Nigeria. It sits adjacent to the Lagos National Stadium.

Overview

It is named after Nigerian former professional footballer Teslim Balogun.

Started in 1984 under the administration of military governor Gbolahan Mudasiru, construction continually stalled under military regimes and the stadium became a white elephant. By the time the stadium was completed in 2007, it had taken 23 years and cost over N1.3 billion.

As recently as 2006, it was occupied by homeless people and area boys.

The first sporting event held in the stadium was the 18th Mobil Track and Field Athletics Championship on 17 May. The first football game was an international friendly on 28 May between Enyimba and Asante Kotoko. The stadium also hosted the Nigeria Premier League Super Four playoff that season and the Nigerian FA Cup final in 2007. The final of the 2009 Federation Cup between Enyimba and Sharks was held at the stadium.

Lagos State Commissioner for Youth Sports and Social Development, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele disclosed at the FIFA Media Briefing Room of the Teslim Balogun Stadium on 18 May 2009 on the preparations for FIFA U-17 World Cup that "with a FIFA Star Two artificial turf, FIFA Grade seats with back rest, a seating capacity of 24,325, a 70 kVA electricity generating set for the digital scoreboard, state of art changing room f