Halima Tayo Alao

{{Short description|Nigerian architect and politician (born 1956)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Halima Tayo Alao

| image =

| caption =

| office1 = Minister of Environment and Housing

| term_start1 = 26 July 2007

| term_end1 = 29 October 2008

| predecessor1 = Helen Esuene

| successor1 = John Odey

| birth_date = 6 December 1956

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party =

| nationality = Nigerian

| profession = Architect

| alma_mater = {{plainlist| *Oxford University Business School University of Ilorin }} *Ahmadu Bello University University of Ilorin }}

| education = B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. (Architecture), M.Sc. Public Administration

}}

Halima Tayo Alao (born 6 December 1956) is a Nigerian architect and former Minister of Environment and Housing during President Umaru Yar'Adua's administration.

Early life and education

Halima Tayo Alao was born on 6 December 1956. She had her primary and post primary education in Kano state and earned a B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. (Architecture) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1981 as well as a master's degree in public administration in 2003 from the University of Ilorin.{{cite web|url=http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=3590|title=Ezekwesili, Mimiko, 10 others on new cabinet list|date=2005-07-08|first=Emmanuel|last=Aziken|work=OnlineNigeria Daily News|accessdate=2009-12-16|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201832/http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=3590|url-status=dead}} She attended the Advanced Management and Leadership Programme of Oxford University Business School and is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.

Career

Alao joined the Kwara State{{Cite journal |last=Lall |first=S. |date=January 1956 |title=The International Civil Servant |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0019556119560103 |journal=Indian Journal of Public Administration |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=12–17 |doi=10.1177/0019556119560103 |s2cid=158484516 |issn=0019-5561}} civil service in 1982. She became a Permanent Secretary in the Kwara State ministries of Lands & Housing, then Works and Transport.

Prior, she was sole administrator/Chairman Ilorin South Local government and Executive Secretary, Kwara State Commission for Women.

From June 2005 to June 2006, she was Federal Minister of State for Education and later, Federal Minister of State for Health.{{cite web

|url=http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Nigeria.htm

|publisher=Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership

|title=The Federal Republic of Nigeria

|accessdate=2009-12-17

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421002956/http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Nigeria.htm

|archive-date=2009-04-21

|url-status=dead

}}{{Cite web|date=2011-08-16|title=How bad politics killed our education|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/how-bad-politics-killed-our-education/|access-date=2021-05-14|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}}

She was appointed to the board of the UACN Property Development Company Plc on 13 January 2010 as a non-executive director. She resigned from the board in 2019{{Cite web|last=Gbadeyanka|first=Modupe|date=2019-10-23|title=Former Minister Leaves Board of UACN Property {{!}} Business Post Nigeria|url=https://businesspost.ng/jobs/former-minister-leaves-board-of-uacn-property/|access-date=2021-05-14|language=en-GB}}

=Minister of Environment and Housing=

Alao was appointed Minister of Environment and Housing on 26 July 2007 by President Umaru Yar'Adua.{{cite web

|url = http://www.africanews.com/site/Nigeria_YarAdua_names_cabinet/list_messages/10239

|title = Yar'Adua names cabinet

|date = 27 July 2007

|publisher = Africa News

|access-date = 2009-12-15

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110928064504/http://www.africanews.com/site/Nigeria_YarAdua_names_cabinet/list_messages/10239

|archive-date = 28 September 2011

}} but was dismissed in a major cabinet reshuffle on October 29, 2008.{{cite web

|url = http://sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2008/oct/30/national-30-10-2008-001.htm

|title = BOOTED OUT! ...20 Ministers sacked, as Yar'Adua reshuffles cabinet ...Aondoakaa, Diezani Allison-Madueke, Ojo Maduekwe survive ...Modibbo, Daggash dropped

|author = Lucky Nwankere, Abuja

|date = October 30, 2008

|access-date = 2009-12-17

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100817023828/http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2008/oct/30/national-30-10-2008-001.htm

|archive-date = August 17, 2010

}}

The dismissal was said to have been due to her constant arguments with Chuka Odom, minister of state and representative of the Progressive Peoples Alliance.{{cite web

|url=http://www.newswatchngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=205&Itemid=1

|title=Sacking of 20 Ministers

|author=Tobs Agbaegbu

|date=4 November 2008

|publisher=NewsWatch Magazine

|accessdate=2009-12-17}}

Her replacement was John Odey, appointed on 17 December 2008.{{cite web

|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200812190005.html

|title=Yar'Adua Renews His Mission

|author=Nosike Ogbuenyi, Abimbola Akosile and Sufuyan Ojeifo

|date=19 December 2008

|publisher=ThisDay}}

= Former Minister Leaves Board of UACN Property =

After serving on the board of UACN Property Development Company Plc for over nine years, Mrs Halima Alao, a former Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, has called it quit with the company. Mrs. Alao, an Architect of high reputation in Nigeria, tendered her resignation to the board, which has been accepted. She joined the board on January 13, 2010, as a non-executive director.{{Cite web|last=Gbadeyanka|first=Modupe|date=2019-10-23|title=Former Minister Leaves Board of UACN Property {{!}} Business Post Nigeria|url=https://businesspost.ng/jobs/former-minister-leaves-board-of-uacn-property/|access-date=2021-06-02|language=en-GB}}