#2 PhD Student Adedayo Isaiah Adeyemo reflecting on Summer School 2025
Ph.D. Candidate, Local Government and Development Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
Inclusive Urban Futures: Reflections on the WITS-TUB-UNILAG Urban Lab Doctoral Workshop 2025
Urban Futures in Focus
The Wits-TUB-UniLag Urban Lab Annual Summer School officially commenced on Monday, May 26, 2025, with an inspiring opening ceremony at the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Resource Centre (AMDRC), University of Lagos (UNILAG). The event marked the beginning of a week-long interdisciplinary workshop dedicated to the theme Inclusive Urban Futures —a timely and critical focus in today’s rapidly urbanizing African context.
The summer school is part of the broader Wits-TUB-UniLag Urban Lab, a trilateral collaboration between the Technical University Berlin (Germany), University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and University of Lagos (Nigeria). Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the programme exemplifies international cooperation for sustainable and inclusive urban development.
Opening Ceremony and Keynotes
The opening ceremony was graced by high-profile guests including the German Consul General in Lagos, Mr. Weert Börner, and the DAAD Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Gerald Heusing. Their presence reinforced the international significance of the event and the strategic partnerships driving the Urban Lab. Also in attendance were distinguished academics and postgraduate students from partner institutions across Africa, including University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and several others.
A group picture of participants at the 2025 summer school programme. Source: CSHD
In her welcome address, Professor Taibat Lawanson, the Principal Investigator affectionately called the “Woman-King,” highlighted the milestones of the Lab over the last five years. Notably, she mentioned the successful establishment of two innovative programmes at UniLag: a master’s in urban management and a Ph.D. in Sustainable Urbanization. These programmes symbolize a shift towards multidisciplinary, African-led urban scholarship supported by global best practices.
Thematic Discussions and Lectures
The keynote lectures laid a strong foundation for the week. Professor Philip Misselwitz (Technical University Berlin) chronicled the journey of the Urban Lab, setting the tone for shared learning. Professor Fana Sihlongonyane (University of the Witwatersrand) delivered an elated lecture exploring the very core of urban management. The discourse of other speakers traversed issues of urban poverty, precarity, and spatial injustice. they emphasized four key frameworks: matters of urban management, implementation tools, conceptualizing African urbanization, and urban advocacy vs. urban punitiveness. Thier insight encouraged us to critically evaluate the ideologies underpinning city planning and to seek context-sensitive alternatives.
From the German Consul General, participants heard compelling urban renewal examples such as the renovation of the Third Mainland Bridge and Germany’s vocational training initiatives in Edo State as a response to migration challenges. The real-world interventions showcase how urban development intersects with economic resilience and social mobility.
Bridging theory and Practice
After the formal opening, we embarked on a study visit from UniLag to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Redemption City along the Ibadan Expressway. Along this route, several critical urban governance and environmental management issues were observable, aligning with my own doctoral research on urban governance and environmental challenges in Ibadan, Nigeria, especially in the areas of air pollution, waste management, and traffic management.
Informal markets, though not formally planned, were recognized by local governments through daily levies collected by task forces. We passed by the Olososun landfill in Ojota, reputed to be the largest dumpsite in Africa. Its environmental toll, including groundwater contamination, underscores the urgent need for sustainable waste management policies (one of the core areas of my thesis).
Outside Lagos, we encountered the Owode cattle market in Ogun State—an unstructured facility with severe waste and air pollution challenges. As a major meat supplier to Lagos and Ogun States, it reflects the tension between economic necessity and environmental regulation. This reality demands comprehensive local government intervention to institute sustainable practices.
Finally, our arrival at the RCCG Redemption City unveiled a remarkable model of urban governance. This privately-managed city operates multiple departments—including Urban Development Control, Waste Management, and Independent Power Supply. The city’s ability to generate 25,000 megawatts of electricity per day and 12 million liters of water independently illustrates the potential of localized infrastructure governance. It serves as a living case study for integrating planning, environmental management, and service delivery—concepts central to my research.
Academic Development Sessions
The second day was filled with lectures by thought leaders in urban planning and governance. A Ghanaian scholar highlighted the urban divides in African societies, while a Nigerian urban planner shared his personal academic journey, which illustrated the global and local dimensions of urban development. A particularly insightful lecture was delivered on Inclusive Urban Features Perspectives: Social Entrepreneur, which emphasized the need for value-oriented social entrepreneurship in inclusive urban planning. She called for intentional government action to de-commodify urban land and rent, ensuring accessibility for low-income earners.
Another session on Developing a Research Agenda was a pivotal moment for many doctoral students. He outlined the components of a coherent research plan (Research Goal, Questions, Methods, Expected Outcomes, and Work Plan) while also guiding us through the crafting of a three-year doctoral roadmap. These are practical tools I intend to incorporate into the next phase of my own doctoral journey.
Additional sessions covered essential academic skills such as navigating the research landscape, academic publishing, and the art of writing. A lecture demonstrated how to approach multidisciplinary research through a case study approach another important lesson for my thesis, which intersects environmental science, public administration, and urban policy.
Voices from the Field: Day Three
The third day featured testimonials from past beneficiaries of the Urban Lab. Their stories underscored two critical virtues commitment and resilience as keys to a successful doctoral journey. A colloquium followed, where senior scholars answered pressing questions on building strong supervisory relationships, navigating academic life, and completing quality dissertations. A quote that resonated deeply was: “The best thesis is a completed thesis.” This reminder reoriented many of us to focus on progress and practical outcomes and ended with mini party which bond us togethersocially.
Reflections and Personal Takeaway
The Wits-TUB-Uni-lag Urban Lab Doctoral Workshop 2025 has been more than a gathering of minds, it is a living ecosystem of knowledge production, academic mentorship, and pragmatic urban reflection. It has reinforced the importance of bridging research and practice, and I am more determined than ever to contribute meaningfully through my research on urban governance and environmental sustainability in Nigeria.
As Africa continues to urbanize, we must advocate for inclusive, sustainable, and context-specific urban futures. Governments, institutions, and private stakeholders must collaborate to design frameworks that recognize and integrate informal systems while upholding environmental and human well-being, and to all fellow researchers, urban practitioners, and policymakers, Let us commit to reimagining African cities not as fragmented and exclusionary spaces, but as inclusive, functional, and resilient hubs where all residents, regardless of class or status, can thrive. Let the work continue, and let our cities flourish.
