Engineers urged to be more creative, innovative for nation’s development

Engineers have been called to be more involved in creativity and innovation so to contribute greatly to the nation’s development.

The call was made by a renowned power systems engineer, John Ayodele while speaking at the second public lecture of Foluseke Abidemi Somolu Foundation which came under the theme, “the place of knowledge, competence, and integrity in engineering practice.”

Ayodele who is the guest speaker at the public lecture described creativity and innovation as crucial in engineering practice and added that engineers should pay attention to details.

Stating that integrity involves transparency and accountability, he stressed the need for engineers to acquire more knowledge, adding that it leads to competence.

Emphasising the relevance of quality assurance among engineers, he said: “If you want to remain in business you must produce quality products’’.

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Speaking earlier at the lecture which held via zoom, chairperson of Foluseke Abidemi Somolu Foundation, Olatokubo Somolu lauded the guest speaker, affirming that no one else could have delivered the lecture better than him.

Giving a brief history of late Foluseke Abidemi Somolu, the foundation trustees, Oreoluwa Lesi described him as an electrical engineer per excellence.

On the foundation, Foluseke Somolu who is also one of the foundation’s trustees said it was established in 2018, in honour of Foluseke Abidemi Somolu, a distinguished engineer and former president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).

According to him, the foundation promotes engineering excellence, professionalism, and technological advancement in Nigeria.

Highlighting missions of the foundation, he said they include; to empower future generations of engineers; to advance engineering practice in Nigeria; and to combine professionalism with cutting-edge technology and business acumen for sustainable sector growth.

However, he revealed the foundation’s plans to offer scholarship to two indigent electrical engineering students.

On his part, Frank Okafor who also spoke during the lecture commended the organisers of the event, suggesting that a book should be written and launched on behalf of late Foluseke Abidemi Somolu during his I0th year remembrance programme which comes up next year.