Professional Life

The young pupil Architect, Fola Alade, commenced his professional career at the Civil Service of the then Western Region of Nigeria as the Resident Architect on Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo and Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro projects in 1961.

He was the Area Project Architect for Ondo and Oyo provinces (1965-67),
Senior Architect for Lagos City Council (1967-68)
Principal Project Architect at the Ministry of Works & Housing -FMW&H (1968-72).
Chief Architect, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (1972-75).

He was the Architect in charge of the Supervision stage (construction) of the National Stadium complex in Surulere in readiness for the 2nd All African Games in 1973.

Architect Fola Alade served as the first Registrar of ARCON during an extremely hectic period in his career at the same time when he was the Chief Architect at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, during which time he was also appointed as the General Secretary to the Commonwealth Architects Conference held in Lagos in March 1969.

Arc. Fola Alade was Chief Project Architect of the FMW&H and was responsible for the design, tendering and construction stages of the Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi (1973-75).

He became the Assistant Director of Public Buildings, FMW&H in Lagos (1975-76) and was appointed Director of Public Buildings in March 1976.

He became a Federal Permanent Secretary (Special Duties) for the Armed Forces Supreme Headquarters from November 1976 - Oct 1979.

He retired voluntarily from the Federal Civil Service in September 1979, and received the National honours of the Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) on the first of October, 1979 for a meritorious service.

There is no doubt that he has had a penchant for his noble profession and has no misgivings about being a proud Nigerian Architect. His works spanning across four decades distinctly mark his characteristic Architectural styles and signature taking him to far reaching parts of the world, both as a professional and as a delegate for his country, during which he met many greats of his time like President Jimmy Carter.