Use Your Intellect To Confront Challenges – NSE Vice President

Graduate members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) have been charged to make use of their intellect, knowledge and wisdom as they go into the world.

They were also charged to sow a seed, live impactful lives and make themselves recognisable.

This charge was given by the President of the NSE, Engr. Adekunle Mokuolu, FNSE who was represented by a Vice President of the NSE, Engr. Prince Adeniran Felix Ibitoye KLM at the 3rd induction ceremony of graduate members, award presentation and public lecture organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Osogbo Branch in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo on Wednesday, 18th September, 2019.

KLM who was speaking ex-temporarily also counselled the inductees to ensure that their dreams do not die but rather they should encourage themselves in the use of the right tools at any giving time as engineers.

According to him, the use of technology should be encouraged in all areas.

He said, “Nigeria is developing but the youths are not developing technologically. The future belongs to the youths. We will develop when we make things to happen through the use of technology.

“There is need to bridge the gap through education. Government cannot do it all, it also depends on individuals and we need education to be involved in government.

“Drive your dreams through prayers and hardwork. Don’t leave one for the other, both must go together”, he added.

While thanking the management of the University for continuously partnering with the Osogbo Branch of the NSE, KLM maintained that it is only continuity that will drive the dream of the branch.

In his lecture titled; “Engineering: The Key To Economic Emancipation”, the guest lecturer, Engr. Wale Sunday Olaleye who divided his lecture into two sub-topics; what is engineering and what is economic emancipation explained that engineers in their bid to make things work better use their creativity to design solutions to the world’s problems and help in building the future.

He stated that economic emancipation meant continuous growth of an economy in a steady manner.

Engr. Wale suggested that economic development is crucial in creating the conditions necessary to achive long run growth of the nation as such investing in infrastructures such as roads, bridges, dams, communication, waste management, water supply and sanitation as well as energy and digital infrastructure can raise the nation’s productivity and enhance other economic variables.

On how engineers can ensure a sustainable economic growth, the guest lecturer maintained that the new industrial revolution must be led by Nigerian engineers.

In his words, “the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the various institutions must be positioned to make sustainable economic growth a high priority in engineering and business both in practice and in the education of future engineers.

“The engineer of the future must be much more interdisciplinary. Engineers will have to join forces with biologists, chemists, meteorologists, economists, planners, political scientists, religious and community leaders in unprecedented ways to lead the nation on a sustainable economic path”.

He charged engineers to play a stronger role in the public policy process to provide the right incentives for industries and others to move on a sustainable path so that they can be encouraged and supported to design sustainable technologies for the purpose of economic development that will benefit the nation in a holistic way.

In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Labode Popoola challenged the inductees to find solutions to the issues of overpricing of products without compromising quality as it would enhance the development of the country

He advised them to avail themselves of every learning opportunity and not to limit their quest for knowledge to Nigeria alone but to search for it wherever it can be found.

The VC urged them to see their profession as a call to service and to act as responsible representatives of the profession who will respond adequately to societal needs.

“I want you to serve excellently, embrace standard engineering principles, proferring of eco-friendly solutions, global challenges, training and retraining for improvements”, he added.

The Chairman of the Osogbo Branch of the NSE, Engr. Olalekan Olaitan Salami in his keynote address noted that the engineering professionals are repositories of technological knowledge and their practitioners are the primary agents of technological change in their respective industries.

He hinted that the skill sets and training of engineers make them agents of the knowledge economy, as they transfer new methods from one area of industry to another that were often unrelated in terms of its final product.

Engr. Salami however hinted that the extent to which engineering can aid development is also dependent upon government committing finance and resources required for infrastructural projects as well as developing a favourable business environment with good regulation free from corruption.