Olubola Babalola

“Not really. My parents were liberal.”

“My dad worked with the Oyo State Civil Service while my mum was a trader.”

“I attended Sacred Heart Convent School and Jericho High School, both in Ibadan for my primary and secondary school education respectively.”

“How I became Africa’s first female professor in quantity surveying.”

“The young quantity surveyors should not major on minor. They should not focus on money now. They should get all the necessary trainings, acquire the needed skills, be more focused and determined, be law abiding, have the fear of God in them. As a quantity surveyor, honesty, transparency and probity should be their watchword and they should be diligent in the performance of their professional duties. With all these qualities in them, sky will be their starting point and money will “run” after them.”

“The practice of quantity surveying in Nigeria does not have the required awareness and recognition. The patronage does not cut across all the social classes of people in the country. It is limited to government, corporate bodies and institutions. The level of awareness of the profession and its services at the grassroots is still very low despite the fact that we have services that can benefit this group of people.”

“From my experience, It can only be quantity surveying! I have come to realize that it is the course God destined me to study and I have no iota of regret.”

“I have more than one mentor. All my lecturers, all those that I have passed through their tutelage in life both at home and abroad impacted one thing or the other in me- no matter how little!”

“As mentioned earlier, I was the only female student in my set but thank God, there were many female students in other cognate courses that we had lectures in common. With that, I felt a little bit comfortable. I should add that my course mates were courteous and nice! No intimidation whatsoever! I mixed with them easily.”

“It was not all that easy, I must confess but I was able to cope due to my due to my ardent determination to excel coupled with hard work and prayers.”

“My view of life is that one should get all the necessary qualifications because no one knows when they would be required and since I found myself in academics with the catchword “publish or perish”; I worked hard to publish in both local and international journals in order to gain recognition in my field.”

“It started in 1987 when I gained admission to study quantity surveying at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. As a young undergraduate, I never knew it would turn out great like this. I made sure I attended all lectures, did all assignments and tests and studied hard for all examinations. After my graduation in 1992 and Youth Service, I was employed in the Department as a Graduate Assistant and I moved through the ranks to becoming a Professor backdated to 2012 after acquiring the necessary qualifications.”

“I actually wanted to study Pharmacy but I could not meet up with the cut-off points for Pharmacy for the three times that I did JAMB examinations. My dad tried his best using all the connections at his disposal including that of Late Mama H.I.D. Awolowo to get me admitted for Pharmacy, traveling with me to Jos, Markudi and Ikenne, because I was bent on studying Pharmacy but all to no avail because that was not God’s plan for me! Miraculously, at the last minutes, when all hopes were lost, God brought me into quantity surveying – the course I never heard of before at that time!”

“My late parents, Alhaji Ganiyu Olulere and Alhaja Asanat Taiwo Iyanda, were loving, kind-hearted, caring and disciplined. They gave my siblings and I, sound education, taught us good morals and the fear of God.”

“the natural sciences intrigued and fascinated me through the efforts of my teachers. I had the inner motivation to learn, and I was inquisitive.”

“my dear girls in science: be strong, inquisitive, curious, assertive, resilient, and focused. Go for gold!”

“We need women Professors, Surgeons, Presidents, Leaders, Directors, CEOs, Engineers, Pilots, Research Scientists...”

“For young people: proper planning prevents poor performance. For girls: avoid teenage pregnancy and do not cast your pearls before swine. Although it happens occasionally, there is more to it than meets the eye; face it and do not let it hold you down.”

“It was through this scientific exposure that I became very focused early in my career. I mean, I developed a specific area of research interest - and have consistently advocated using biofertilizers over and above chemical fertilizers for plant health management.”

“My view of life is that one should get all the necessary qualifications because no one knows when they would be required and since I found myself in academics with the catchword "publish or perish". I worked hard to publish in both local and international journals in order to gain recognition in my field.”