By Moses Nosike

The 2021 annual engineering week of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ikeja branch kicked off with an interactive session, creating awareness on vehicle road worthiness at Iju-Ishaga Motor Part in partnership with VIS/NURTW. That was followed by business luncheon/launch of Lagos Engineering Index and infrastructure scorecard – a preliminary report. Then the indoor/outdoor engineering games; elder’s forum/medical check -health talk. They also had their AGM, dinner and awards night as par of the programme.

Speaking on the week long programme with theme, “Integrated Engineering Development As A Catalyst For Home Grown Industrial Revolution”, which was chosen to reflect on the present need of the country, the Ikeja branch Chairman, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr. Tosin Ogunmola said that the engineering week was an annual event of the branch which actually signposts the end of the branch’s year starting from August to August. “We had a rolled out programmes that started from Monday and ended Friday.

According to Ogunmola, the topic was indeed very germane to us, and at a time like this as a nation we are at a crossroad and that is clearly shown in the state of the economy currently. “The Nigerian economy is struggling simply because we are not a production economy. So, it is clear that any nation that is not producing what it is consuming cannot indeed has a vibrant economy. This is the essence of the theme for the annual engineering week for us to put a spotlight on that very important area of industrialisation for the Nigerian economy”.

However, Ogunmola said, “as engineering professionals, we also know it is important that engineering is properly developed before we can talk about industrialisation, and we have been particular about it to actually give it the colouration of being own grown industrial revolution. The truth of the matter like I always tell people, if we don’t build Nigeria, nobody will build it for us. We have a situation where a number of our compatriots have left the country and you may not blame them. But one thing I kept telling people is, so far you have somewhere to run to, you must remember that it is people that built those places and it is a generation of those nations that decided to create a country that works. So, we are challenging every Nigerian, starting from ourselves as professionals even to the rest of our compatriot Nigerians that it is time to really build Nigeria that we can leave for our children and their future generations, so that we can be proud of the contributions we have made”.

In addition, Dangote sent in his words through the Group General Manager/Human Resources, Dangote Projects, Fola Ali, during the award night that  we need to get ourselves empowered, encourage collaboration among members of our distinguished NSE branches. He said that we have engineers who cannot stand alone, but you can come together. “If engineers collaborate it would boost manufacturing, address capital flight and enhance local capacity development”.

Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, who joined the meeting via zoom, also said that industrialisation could be speedily achieved through manufacturing.

He went further to commended the knowledge and skills of local engineers, saying they had the capacity to uplift Nigeria.  “Nigerian engineers are excellent but needed more exposure to be able to make greater impact.

In the vein, representative of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Rotimi Thomas, Permanent Secretary, Office of Infrastructure in the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure,  commended Ikeja branch of Nigerian Society of Engineers for its programme, but drew their attention on the importance of local content development.

Recognising the role of collaboration in growing economy like Nigeria, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said that collaboration is key to closing the gap between power generation and distribution while calling for adoption of clean energy as well as energy mix.

Represented by his Special Adviser, Bola Ilori, Aregbesola challenged engineers to do more to boost the capacity of young engineers through mentorship.

The Guest Speaker, Adeoye Fadeyibi, Managing Director/CEO, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, spoke on the topic: “Discos Policy and Guidelines for Energy Consumers Satisfaction.”

One of the guest speakers, Dean of Engineering, College of Engineering, Bells University of Technology, Otta, Professor Ojo Sunday Fayomi said, “It is a privilege to be invited as one of the Special Guest Speakers of the 2021 NSE engineering week.

What a platform I foresee that will help to provide possible solutions to the challenges within Nigeria’s Industrial system and a medium for the continuous capacity development of engineers, industrial workers, and industry owners focusing on serving generations to come. Despite my schedule, I couldn’t fold my hands when I saw the invitation with the topic “Integrated Engineering development as a catalyst for home-grown industrial revolution” I have to jump at it because of my yarning desire to see that Industries in Nigeria move to a greater height and provide the necessary empowerment it ought to give to society. Thank you, the organizer, for this special invitation.

For some time, you will agree with me that there has been a concern in that engineering graduates are not prepared for today’s workplace. People talk more but with less work effort toward finding answers to the continuous challenge observed. We forgot that the world is advancing, metamorphosing, revolving and evolving. The yearning desire is to produce graduate with engineering discipline that could match the appropriate response to the broadening expanse of technology in the 21st century much more in the century to come.

Work place and the nature of work are changing very fast and that engineers must be equipped, prepared, and well-furnished to adapt in order that society receives maximum benefit from their training and for the sake of their careers. Studied has shown that focusing on a narrow specialization may be good for a short time, but bad if things change. The engineering profession would also benefit if its members can be aware of changes and adapt because this would tend to put engineering more in the foreground, closer to society which the profession is meant to serve.

Fellow engineers, I have once said, the future of industries relies on how we as engineers meet the demand of our skills in various disciplines, combining aspects from traditional engineering studies and applied research. We are complex problem solvers and solution oriented individuals and we must think as such. Only with this will we bring a revolution in our industries. Without doubt, engineering workforce has to get used to the main activities of practicing engineers which are, design and problem-solving, and they should learn how to learn. This is a concept of integrated engineering.

Integrated Engineering is  a multi-disciplinary, design-project-based engineering program created to meet the demand for engineers skilled in various disciplines, combining aspects from traditional engineering studies and liberal arts.

Integrated engineers see the world differently. Rather than focusing on one aspect of a problem, they understand the big picture. This requires not only a strong technical foundation across multiple areas of science and engineering, but also an understanding of the profound impact engineers have on society.

The following personalities were awarded:

Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu – In the category of Outstanding Engineering Personality.

Engr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, FNSE – In the category of Outstanding Engineering Personality.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote – In the category of Outstanding Engineering Personality.

Engr. Chief Devakumar VG Edwin – In the category of Outstanding Engineering Personality.

Dangote Industries Limited – In the category of Outstanding Engineering Organization.

Kenol Nigeria Limited – In the category of Outstanding Engineering Organization.

Pilot Science (Nig.) Limited – In the category of Outstanding Engineering Organization.