Aformer president of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Dr Bolarinde Patunola-Ajayi has urged professionals to uphold integrity and ethical values.
He said that ethics in professional practice is the backbone of trust, integrity, and responsibility, which upholds values that benefit individuals, organisations, and society.
Patunola-Ajayi spoke at the Celebration Luncheon to honour Dr Makinde Ogunleye, a town planner, to mark his 75th birthday in Lagos. The event attracted friends, colleagues and well-wishes, including past presidents of the institute and members of the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON).
Ogunleye, who is currently the managing partner of Corporate Castles Planning Consultants, retired as Director of Regional and Master Plan Department, Lagos Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
According to Patunola-Ajayi, ethical behaviour fosters trust among colleagues, clients, and stakeholders, as well as essential for collaboration and long-term relationships.
“The value of ethics in professional practice is a subject that underpins the integrity, credibility, and effectiveness of any professional discipline. Ethics are the moral principles that govern an individual’s behaviour and conduct in professional settings.
“Without ethical standards, professional practice loses its credibility and may lead to poor performance, legal consequences, and societal harm,” he said.
Patunola-Ajayi stated that a strong ethical foundation shields individuals and organisations from scandals and reputational damage, ensuring credibility and providing a framework for making sound, fair, and responsible decisions, especially when faced with dilemmas or grey areas.
He added that professionals, who adhere to ethical standards take responsibility for their actions, and promote accountability and transparency.
Speaking on ‘The Value of Ethics in Professional Practice’, he highlighted why ethical education and enforcement mechanisms are essential in every profession, adding that when ethics are ignored, it leads to loss of reputation and professional license, legal liability or criminal prosecution, financial loss or corporate collapse and loss of public trust and social damage.
He said that when professionals act with integrity and honesty, they foster client and stakeholder confidence, adding that in the legal or medical field, trust is crucial for effective service delivery.
Among the challenges to implementing ethics in professional practice include cultural and personal biases, which could influence professionals’ ethical decision-making, leading to inconsistent and unfair treatment of clients, patients, or customers, lack of training and conflicting interests.
“Professionals may lack the necessary training and education to apply ethical principles in their practice. This can lead to confusion and uncertainty in making ethical decisions or may face conflicting interests, such as financial or personal interests, that can compromise their ethical decision-making,” Patunola-Ajayi said.
The Chairman of the planning committee, Dr Moses Ogunleye, noted that the programme organised by colleagues and professionals was to honour Makinde, who exemplified integrity and honesty in his career.
