The Faculty started in 1970 as a sub-department within the Department of Economics, offering the Estate Management programme only. In October 1977, the Senate of the University approved the expansion of the Estate Management programme to include other Built Environment disciplines, domiciled in a new Department called the Department of Environmental Planning, Design, and Management (EPDM). The new Department was to run five (5) degree courses including Architecture, Building, Estate Management, Quantity Surveying and Urban and Regional Planning. The Department metamorphosed into a full- fledged Faculty on the 6th of April, 1982.
In October 1990, the Department of Fine and Applied Arts was transferred from the Faculty of Arts to the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management. Twenty-one years later, in 2019, the Department of Surveying and Geo-Informatics was carved out of the Department of Estate Management and granted full autonomy by the University’s Governing Council. This development brought the total number of departments within the Faculty to seven (7), all of which offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes
The vision and mission of the Faculty is to be a beacon of excellence in environmental design and management, advancing education, research, and innovation to foster sustainable, inclusive, and culturally responsive environments for present and future generations. The Faculty envisions developing competent, creative, and culturally conscious professionals in the built environment through high-quality, interdisciplinary teaching and research; sustainability-driven and industry-relevant curricula; strategic partnerships with stakeholders and communities; and a strong commitment to innovation, professionalism, and ethical standards. To ensure continued relevance, the Faculty regularly reviews and updates the curricula of its programmes in response to the evolving needs of the industry and society.
The Faculty has seasoned, qualified and experienced lecturers. This is evidenced in the high- quality graduates produced by the Faculty. Most of the alumni of the Faculty are holding top positions in consultancy firms, contracting companies, banks, public service, armed forces, creative industries and other notable offices in and outside the country.
In her over four decades of existence, the Faculty has, through her teaching, research and community service activities, contributed tremendously to the development of human capital needed for economic growth in the country and beyond. As the leading Faculty in the Built Environment disciplines in Nigeria, her distinguished academics and scholars have trained most of the academics in other Universities locally and internationally.
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The affairs of the Faculty have been directed by the following Deans and Acting Dean:
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1. Prof. K.A. Wahab | 1982 – 1989 |
2. Prof. Y.L. Fabiyi (Acting) | 1989 – 1991 |
3. Prof. J.R.O. Ojo | 1991 – 1995 |
4. Prof. R.N. Mills– Tettey | 1995 – 1997 |
5. Prof. J.I. Ighalo | 1997 – 2001 |
6. Prof. C.A. Ajayi | 2001 – 2005 |
7. Prof. D.A. Adesanya | 2005 – 2009 |
8. Prof. S.O. Fadare | 2009 – 2013 |
9. Prof. B.T. Aluko | 2013 – 2017 |
10. Prof. Olubola Babalola | 2017 – 2021 |
11. Prof. Olusegun Ogunba | 2021 – 2025 |
12. Prof. Babasehinde Ademuleya 2025 –
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Professor Babásèhìndé Augustine Adémúlèyá
B.A. Ed, M.A., Ph.D
Dean, Faculty of EDM
Professor Babásèhìndé Augustine Adémúlèyá, an artist, art historian, and art educator, is a distinguished scholar and dedicated academic leader. He graduated from Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, with a B.A.Ed. (Fine Arts) degree in 1991 and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D in African Studies (Visual Arts) from the University of Ibadan in 1997 and 2002, respectively. He joined the Federal College of Education (Tech.) Akoka in 1993, later moved to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 2004. He has continued to play a pivotal role in the development of his department (the Department of Fine and Applied Arts), the Faculty and the University community since his appointment in 2004.
Professor Ademuleya has conducted extensive and in-depth research into the history of various communal arts and the cultural heritage of the Yoruba. His teaching and research philosophy emphasises the importance of African communal art with specific attention to iconography and contextual usages. It also extends to the study of the works of contemporary Nigerian artists who explore African philosophy, idioms and iconography. His studio practice revolves around repurposing discarded materials as objects of aesthetic and utility, and he has continued to coordinate Visual art projects on the repurposing of waste, which, over time, has become a viable subject of research area for postgraduate students in his Department.
Professor Ademuleya has also curated exhibitions of artists who engage in repurposing waste materials for artistic expression
Ademuleya has authored well over fifty research publications, including five edited books, six chapter contributions to books, fifteen contributions to published curatorial catalogues, three edited conference proceedings, thirty-seven journal articles, and numerous conference proceedings. His publications are highly rated and published in diverse outlets across the globe.
Professor Adémúlèyá has been a driving force in the design and implementation of both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in his department. He has served as Coordinator of Postgraduate Studies (2005–2014) and as Acting Head of Department across four academic sessions. His academic mentorship is exemplary, having supervised numerous undergraduate and postgraduate projects, including seven doctoral theses; five of his supervisees are now Professors. As Project Coordinator since 2005, he has led student- driven initiatives addressing real environmental challenges. He also successfully organised major academic events, including the Art Interactive Sessions, international conferences, and landmark exhibitions commemorating departmental milestones.
Professor Adémúlèyá has contributed meaningfully to academic policy and programming. He has served on several pivotal committees, including those on journals, textbooks, and conferences. He chaired the Valedictory Lecture Committee (2009), the Ceremonial Committee (2021), and the Postgraduate Committee (2023), and was Secretary for the EDMIC International Conferences in 2015 and 2017. His impact at the university level is equally notable. He was a co-organiser and curator for the Ife International Festival of Arts in 2008, a contributor to the Town-Gown Education Subcommittee, a member of the Postgraduate College Board (2023), and has served as staff adviser to Catholic students in the Faculty since 2015. In 2008, his efforts facilitated a remarkable collaboration with Savannah State University, Georgia, where he also served as Visiting Lecturer in 2010, and similarly at the University of Parakou, Republic of Benin, in 2012.
He has taught as an Adjunct Professor at some federal and state Universities in Nigeria and has been an undergraduate and postgraduate external examiner to a number of Universities. Beyond the university, Professor Adémúlèyá is the Director of Research at the Culture and Creative Art Forum, a position he has held since 2000. He has co-curated several exhibitions, reviewed for leading journals, and served as Chief Examiner and Moderator for WASSCE since 2013. He has also served as an External Examiner for several Nigerian Universities.
Presently, he chairs the Conference and Publication Committee of his professional body, the Sculptors’ Association of Nigeria and serves as Managing Editor of the Association’s Journal.
Through his scholarship, leadership and community service, Professor Adémúlèyá continues to make a profound impact on the academic and artistic landscape. He is married with five children.
Professor F. M. Araloyin (Mrs)
Vice-Dean, Faculty of EDM
Professor Funmilayo Moyinola Araloyin is a distinguished academic in Real Estate Management at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, where she earned her B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees. Currently serving as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management (since 2025), she brings over twenty years (2005-2025) of teaching and research experience.
Her expertise encompasses real estate agency, property management, sustainability practices, and green building development. She has successfully supervised many Masters and PhD students and has authored over thirty-five research publications alongside five
edited conference proceedings.
Professor Araloyin possesses significant administrative experience, notably serving as Head of Department ( Estate Management) at Redeemer’s University during a sabbatical leave (2022-2024). She has also contributed significantly through adjunct teaching positions at various Nigerian universities and served as an external examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate programs
at many institutions.
Her expertise extends to NUC/ESVARBON accreditation processes, curriculum development, and journal peer review. Beyond academia, Professor Araloyin serves as a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and she is married with children.
