By Perpetua Onuegbu
Abuja, – The Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), on Wednesday conferred fellowship status on 52 engineers that have distinguished themselves in different fields of engineering.
The event took place in Abuja, and it is the 21st in the series of conferment Lecture and Ceremony with the theme; “Nigeria Drainage Pattern and Flood Events.”
The President of NSE Tasiu Gidari-Wudil (FNSE), congratulated the conferees for attaining the prestigious fellowship status of the society.
Gidari-Wudil urged them to be more responsible on the job.
“Upon your conferment as a fellow, you will become a member of the NSE College of Fellows, a privilege that signals the commencement of another journey of responsibility to the society.
“The responsibility of carrying yourselves with the dignity that the fellowship status bestows; responsibility of increasing your efforts at participating in NSE activities, and making contributions to the growth of the Society.
“As well as the responsibility of being an NSE Ambassador, by delivering valuable services to the development of our beloved nation in your respective endeavours,” he said.
Gidari-Wudil said: “You must know that you have also acquired the responsibility of being role models to younger engineers and to those who need inspiration to join the engineering profession.”
According to him, some occasions are often used to focus on burning issues of the day, such as the recurrent issue of flooding in Nigeria, which the theme of the event focusses on.
He urged the conferees and all present to pay close attention to the lecture, while congratulating the Board of Fellows for undertaking the meticulous screening and assessment procedures to produce the Fellows.
Also speaking at the occasion, Mrs Ebele Okeke, Chairman, Board of Fellows/College of Fellows, said the board did its due diligence and found the 52 conferees worthy of the fellowship.
According to her, the 52 engineers have distinguished themselves in the practice and promotion of engineering, they have been conferred with the fellowship of the society which is the highest level any practicing engineer can attain.
Okeke said that was why even when the membership strength of the society had increased to 80,000, only 18 per cent were elevated to the fellowship grade, and so any engineer who had FNSE, was accorded the recognition and privileges of NSE.
Guest Lecturer at the ceremony, Prof. Emmanuel Adanu, Director General, National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna, in his paper, titled: “Nigeria Drainage Pattern and Flood Events”, said that drainage was mostly responsible for flooding.
Adanu listed some states that had witnessed flooding to include Adamawa in 2012, Kaduna 2017, Katsina, Ogun in 2018, Jigawa 2020, Bauchi, Kogi, Bayelsa, Benue and Imo in 2022.
“What we need to do is that we have to establish a water flowing pattern when it rains in all parts of the country, and we have sufficient information on reducing flooding in Nigeria.
“Basically, before you do that, you must understand the behaviour of water, especially surface water, as well as ground water.
“The essence of it is to make sure that in future, like the flood we are having now, is minimised because you can never stop flood and people will be able to at least contain some of the effects.
“Just like in building collapse that has to do with the architectural and structural.
“For us that have to do with water, you know water is a very silent destroyer; it finds a way in there and undermines everything until the damage is done,” he said.
Adanu suggested construction of dams, building drainage, enforcement of development control measures, among other mechanisms.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that among the 52 engineers conferred with fellowship are Mr Usman Abubakar, Mrs Omolola Adetona, Mr Olusegun Adeyemi, Mr David Esezobor, Mrs Joan Arimanwa and Mr Vincent Chukwu.
Others are Mrs Elozino Olaniyan, Mr Babangida Lawal, Mr Muntari Lawal, Mr Charles Okorie, Mr Aduagba Kareem and Mrs Olukorede Kesha, among others. (NAN)
