A MESSAGE DELIVERED BY ENGR ADENIRAN FELIX IBITOYE, FNSE AS A GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE ADIGUN AREWA MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, 2ND EDITION FOR STUDENTS AND YOUNG ENGINEERS ORGANISED BY THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS, IKEJA BRANCH ON THEME: YOUNG ENGINEERS: THE CATALYST FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 25TH JULY, 2020
I welcome you all to this great and auspicious event with the theme “YOUNG ENGINEERS: THE CATALYST FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. The theme is apt and is inexhaustible as we keep graduating students every year from higher Institutions.
The term Engineer properly denotes a person who has received professional training to be creative in application of science, mathematical methods, and empirical evidence to innovate, design, construct and maintain structure, machines, materials, devices, system, processes, and organizations. In light of the above, I urge you, the young Engineers to release yourselves for mentorship by professional Engineer.
Our youths today who we refer to as leaders of tomorrow are being distracted by social media which of course has its positive impact but could be carried away with its negative influence it has on them. Therefore, for a young Engineer to develop to an appreciable point of adding value to national development, a pupil Engineer must make up his/her mind to be focused, trainable, be a good mentee, have a mentor and must develop self by acquiring skills, more knowledge in specifics areas, learn to be a volunteer, and have a positive attitude to work and life.
Peak of all the above and the processes involved is what is referred to as capacity development.
This will help you to cope and compete effectively with others and puts you ahead of your peers.
I want to urge our youths to equip themselves with new ideas in entrepreneurship, leadership skills and politics.
If all the above mentioned can be achieved, it will place you in the better position of adding value to the national development and enhance the national economy.
In addition to the above, the following areas of the Nigerian economy await drastic measure(s) to be addressed and you are all challenged to leverage on the abundant opportunities to address them. These are:
Power, Agriculture, Water, Health, Education, Manufacturing, Production, Financial, Infrastructure (Railway, roads), Policies, services etc.
As you listen to the Panelists, you are urged to ask questions and I am sure you will see that the present generation is looking forward to your manifestation to make Nigeria great again. Make a pledge today to be that change you want to see. And when each of us do the talk, it will surely create a visible ripple effect and that is the dynamic we want to appreciate.
If we say some fathers may have failed us, but do we stand to fail our own children? You and you have what it takes to change NIGERIA.
On this note, I specially appreciate and congratulate the Chairman of Ikeja Branch, Engr Funmi Akingbagbohun FNSE and her team who initiated this laudable program. I cannot end this speech without appreciating the branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers for deeming it fit to invite me as a Guest of Honour, It is indeed a great priviledge and I promise to continue to bring my vision of service to humanity as always.
Thank you for listening.
Engr. Adeniran Felix Ibitoye, FNSE
Vice President, Nigerian Society of Engineers