The World celebrates the 2021 World FM Day. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Standing Tall Beyond the Pandemic – The Role of Strategic Facility Management”.

In an online event organized by the Association of Facilities Management Practitioners, Nigeria (AFMPN) to also celebrate the facility management day, the keynote speaker, Mr. Benedict Alabi, a facility management professional who is also the current Deputy Governor of Osun State gave the following keynote speech.

Read also: What is facility management?

Keynote Speech By Benedict Olugboyega Alabi

Good day everyone.

I am Benedict Olugboyega Alabi (BOA), the former President & Pioneer CEO of Eliezer Group, I am presently the Osun State Deputy Governor.

Today, I join facilities management professionals around the world to celebrate World FM day.

Over the years, the international day of facilities management has aimed at raising awareness of the enormous and wonderful contribution of the FM industry to the business world.

It has also been a day to improve the status of the facilities management profession by highlighting the importance of the FM to the management, building, construction and real estate industries.

As a facilities management professional with over 30 years experience, I”ve had the opportunity to be part of the growth of the industry in Nigeria through the establishment of Eliezer Workplace Management Limited.

It is pertinent to note at this point that over the years, the FM industry have not been given the applause it deserves among other industries in Nigeria.

This is because on one hand, the activities of facilities management professionals are underrated and on the other hand, there are few players in the industry at a time.

However, I am glad that the times have changed and the spotlight is shifting towards our industry.

Just as this year’s theme is “Celebrating FM: standing tall beyond the pandemic”, the FM industry has been a pivotal part of the world’s survival during the pandemic.

The proof of this is that FM personnel were out during the pandemic ensuring clean, safe and healthy environment, janitors were constantly cleaning hospitals and isolation centres. Some FM personnel constantly decontaminating while some ensuring efficient facilities maintenance of hospitals and public areas.

This and many more are why it is important we appreciate ourselves after such overwhelming season.

I use this opportunity to call on the government and stakeholders to do more in prioritizing the relevance of the FM industry and realize how germane it is to nation-building and national development.

As the medical practitioners were honored, janitors and facilities managers should also be accorded same recognition because they were all at the frontlines working assiduously to curtail the spread of the virus and safe the humanity.