Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele has described engineers as key players in nation building.
Engr. Salako-Oyedele, stated this in her address at the University of Lagos, Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association (UNILAGFEAA) 6th Public Lecture, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Faculty, at Ade Ajayi Auditorium of the institution.
The Deputy Governor, who is an Alumnus of the University’s Faculty of Engineering, said the quality of education and self-development received at the institution had made many of the Engineering alumni to excel in their chosen fields as exemplary leaders, such as governors, deputy governors and Chief Executive Officers of construction companies, among others, pointing out that without engineers, there would not be technology, just as their roles as problem solvers cannot be over over-emphasised.
While commending the founding fathers of Engineering in the institution for their vision, tenacity, commitment and dedication over five decades, the Deputy Governor acknowledged the national recognition of the University’s Faculty of Engineering as a reference point in the development of the nation.
She charged student engineers to sustain the legacies of the founding fathers, in order to continue to make the institution a reference point.
“On the challenges facing Nigeria, I want to urge you all not to lose focus because a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Let’s do our beat towards moving the nation forward, develop our country’s infrastructure and human capacity”, she said.
In his lecture titled, “The Nigerian Power Industry: Past, Present and Future”, Group Managing Director, Sahara Power Group, Mr. Kola Adesina, said the foundation of the Nigerian power sector was laid in 1896 and had since encountered several challenges which had contributed to the present predicament in the power sector.
He called on government to implement policies that would contribute to the nation’s economic development, pointing out that growth and development of the nation should be in geometric proportion to the population.
While attributing the nation’s value system as the baseline that had led the country into problem of epileptic power supply and poverty, he lamented that the nation’s power industry was in the present situation due to wrong mindset, high level of indiscipline in the system, corruption and the failure to be a producing country, stressing that, “a nation that does not produce cannot prosper”.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, stated that there must be development not only in Engineering, but in manpower, calling for concerted efforts in training more Engineers for the future and urged partners, as well as alumni associations to join the University in training students be more professional.
Earlier, Chairman, UNILAGFEAA, Engr. Dideolu Falobi, represented by Engr. Yetunde Holloway, said the programme was aimed at celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding fathers of the Faculty, provide networking opportunities for alumni and review the past, evaluate the present and project into the future of the Nigerian power industry, imploring well-meaning Nigerians to donate generously to the development fund for the faculty projects.
