Maimuna Saleh-Bala

Nigeria

Coordinator Landscape Architecture Programme Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
Vice President Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria (SLAN) 
Past Chair Professional Policy and Practice (PPP) IFLA Africa Regional Representative

Maimuna Saleh-Bala is both an Architect and Landscape Architect and holds a PhD in Landscape Planning from Newcastle University UK. She has been a recipient of several scholarships nationally and internationally notable among which was the British Chevening Award (1994) and in 2011 that of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). Maimuna’s work experience began in 1986 and had span both public and private sectors as well as the academia. In the international arena she is a The Past Regional Representative ifor IFLA Africa on the IFLA Professional Practice and Policy (PPP) Standing Committee. Nationally, Maimuna is a Fellow and the Vice President of the Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria (SLAN). In the academia she is the Coordinator of the Landscape Architecture Programme in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Maimuna has interest in collaborative research and new methodologies for addressing local societal and global generic challenges such as Climate Change as well as the UN-SDGs. Thus, in promoting wellbeing and enhancing livelihoods as well as quality of life and quality of environments. She is the team lead for her University in the first International Geodesign Collaboration (IGC), an International Universities collaboration of over 160 universities globally seeking to improve our global infrastructure in order to solve our most pressing challenges while equally educating leaders in planning for future change.

Why women? Why climate change? Why Now?

To answer the question why women I would just use the old adage that says that educating a woman is educating a nation. Investing in women therefore is investment for the nation. The social, economic, political, psychological as well as educational empowerments and impacts are more and in multitudes through women as the trickle down all to all members of society.

Climate change includes a change in the frequency of rainfall, increase in extreme weather, depletion of the water aquifers, increase in food production pressures, rising sea levels etc These translate into social, economic and political challenges of reduced GDP, increased poverty levels, migration, urban sprawls etc all these impact human and landscape and the landscape impacts the quality of life and environment. Therefore, as Landscape architects and stewards of the landscape, we embrace societal challenges and explore opportunities that can reduce as well as address the impact of climate change on the planet for our survival and those of generations yet unborn. 

NOW, because the climate change crisis has been termed as the greatest challenge of this century and therefore, we must act NOW. Moreover, research findings have also suggested that the severity of impact of any generic challenge is felt mostly by women and children.

What is the biggest challenge facing women leaders in male dominated field and how to overcome them?

In many developing countries, women need to have sponsors or their progress needs to be engineered by a certain interest. Therefore, leading to lack of adequate opportunities for promoting their intellect or exposure of their expertise in their fields. Where engaged there is often low visibility. It takes more hard work for women to gain the appropriate recognition that easily goes to her male counterpart. Hence, women are not recognised as experts in our fields. I believe we can overcome them by remaining focused and good in what we do and we can benefit from being part of organisations and associations that will promote us.

What are the pressing issues you are contributing as a landscape architect for tackle climate change?

My contribution is in research and education of planners of future change.  Specifically, my contribution is on a methodology for capturing the various climate change amelioration strategies on a geodesign MAP that is easily understood by all. On this map, I can show different scenarios of the impact of our climate change amelioration decisions at present and in future say 2030 and 2050. I could also show on this map of our case study area the effects of new policies and innovations over time from when introduced and as well be able to advice on infrastructures to work on to improve outcomes in the future.

I am part of a collaboration of over 160 Universities around the world, the International Geodesign Collaboration (IGC). Building on research findings of several years, the collaboration started in 2018 on how we can address and map major local and global challenges especially Climate change ameliorations on a case study area (location) of our choice. I have built on this knowledge and made it a research and project area for education of all my students as well as for projects on climate change amelioration in my local environment. This is in terms of policies and innovations or interventions from ten different Infrastructures that impact climate change.

The goals are to collect all works on climate Change across all infrastructure types including our own proposed interventions applicable to the landscape of our case study area then identify appropriate land use areas and areas of conflict for negotiation, for example where more than one infrastructure is feasible in a location. We initiate projects that could accommodate as many conflicts as possible. We could invite innovations or policies from other infrastructures. These are all produced on a simple geodesign map that are easily understood by all stakeholders. The map also makes decision making and negotiations by policy makers and stakeholders easy. We use a software developed by colleagues in the Geodesignhub who continuously use research findings across the globe to improve on the software. Therefore, we work collaboratively. I do these researches with my post graduate landscape architecture students hence building capacity in the education of climate change professionals of the future.  I have presented our Projects at the Meetings/summits and conferences and have participated in organising workshops in Nigeria and Africa with the IGC management team in order to encourage more participations by universities and institutions in Africa and I am currently working on workshops for its introduction to policy makers and stakeholders.

How you approach your business/ your research as a woman who lead?

I approach my work with passion and while at it I am not inhibited by my gender, in fact I rarely remember my gender while at work. I remain focussed and do my best to address my challenges. I engage with society and embrace societal challenges and opportunities in the best possible way and use these in my researches and student projects and education.

What is the most frustrating moment/comment you’ve heard as a woman who leads in the profession?

It is frustrating that as a woman you need sponsors or someone to engineer your recognition in your field of expertise. Women also face lots of difficulties as leaders, they are often left alone to navigate their course when team work could have easily assisted to achieve common goals faster. Unnecessary spanners are thrown in women’s wheel of progress to further deter or derail them from their course so as to portray them as not capable in most cases. Hence at the beginning of many projects women who lead will take longer to build confidence in the team especially from their male colleagues. However once that has been established, the cooperation is amazing. 

I have experienced all these especially as a coordinator of the new landscape architecture programme in the university as well as in my private practice as a female principal partner and consultant.

What’s the most important risk you took and why?

I took a risk by taking my university to the International Geodesign Collaboration knowing fully well that there would be no funding available.

I did that because I felt the benefits outweighed the challenges of funding. I believed Nigeria/Africa would benefit immensely from new methodologies for addressing climate change, the university will enjoy more recognition and improved visibility, the students will acquire exposure and new skills, identify design projects as well as independent project reports. While I will benefit from the networking with colleagues in the same area of interest, areas for further research as while as sharing and working on new knowledge production.

They say “Gender Equality Means Business” -- what do you think about that?

Well, I believe gender biases deprive the engagement of those who might have the better option. Gender equality will provide opportunities for the selection and engagement of the people with the needed capacities and required knowledge and skills etc. They say business is a marathon not a sprint. Hence it requires special skills and focus and these are not privileged in any one gender but all

How your work contributes to other women?

I believe women are encouraged when they see other women performing well and confidently in their fields despite all challenges. Therefore, I believe I inspire women Landscape Architects. I inspire women who have no sponsors or anyone engineering their progress. My Projects also tries to address adequately societal needs and mostly concerns or impact heavily on women and children.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female design leaders?

I would advise them to remain focussed and put passion in their assignments and if possible, not to be always conscious of their gender but their capabilities and potentials

In summary I would say that my contribution towards climate Change is in a methodology towards addressing the Paris Climate Change Agreement for which my country is a signatory. My contribution will make understanding of our responses to climate change amelioration easier across ten different infrastructure types. We would then also easily map out scenarios of where we are at present, where we will be in 2030 and 2050 with our current thinking of business as usual. We could also map out scenarios that have considered new thinking in policy and innovation (early and late adopters) along the same time line and be guided towards making informed decisions on where we want to be when planning future climate change amelioration.