Welcome/Valedictory Address by the 17th APWEN President, Engr. Dr. Elizabeth Jumoke Eterigho FNSE, FNSChE at the Investiture of the 18th President of APWEN
Protocol
On behalf of the 2022-2023 National Executive Committee, the Council, and the entire membership of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), it is a great honor to welcome you to the occasion of the investiture of Engr. Dr. Adebisi R. Osim FNSE, FNICE, as the 18th President of our great association, and her Executive Committee.
Thank you for joining us. Your presence is an expression of your unwavering and continued support for APWEN.
I give all glory, honor, and adoration to the Most High God for seeing us through the 2022-2023 tenure of leadership of our association and ushering us into a new tenure of 2024-2025. What else can we say but to appreciate the Almighty God for such mercy?
Two years ago, precisely on the 29th of January 2022, in my acceptance speech as the 17th President of APWEN, I pledged to uphold the tenets of the Association in conjunction with my team, in accordance with our constitution, to lay our interlocking blocks on the already solidly established foundation laid by our six courageous female engineers, the founders. I promised we would work and that there would be no “Sitting on the Fence.” To the glory of God, we not only laid the interlocking blocks but raised the bar to a desirable height, making APWEN not merely seen as an association but a brand to reckon with, not only in Nigeria but across the globe.
In expanding our horizon, some specific programs were introduced to the existing ones to promote professional development and technological advancement of our members and women in general. Just to mention a few:
1. Town hall meetings
2. Inauguration of more Chapters: From 38 to 43 chapters and 20 to 29 collegiate chapters on campuses
3. Strategic Partnerships/Collaborations: Four (4) more memoranda of understanding were signed, while nine (9) new collaborations with organizations and stakeholders (within and outside Nigeria) were achieved during the period under review.
4. Community Outreach/Empowerment Scheme:
Ten (10) widows in Bille community, Rivers State, were powered by Compos Mentis Foundation in collaboration with APWEN, Port Harcourt Chapter. Also, in Umuahia, Abia State, respectively.
Thirty (30) women farmers of Yellow Pepper in Nsukka, Enugu State, were powered by the African Technological Policy Study Network (ATPS) and its partners, and APWEN.
Two Science and Technology Laboratories were established under the APWEN-NNPCL Scholarship scheme.
Junior Science STEM kits (JSK) were donated to four (4) schools in four geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
Nineteen (19) STEM Clubs were established in junior secondary schools.
We were able to accomplish all this through grants from Worley Services Pty Ltd (Worley Foundation Australia), NCDMB, and the African Technological Policy Study Network (ATPS) Kenya, Nairobi.
5. Training Programs:
MAOCADA (Margaret Aina Oguntala Capacity Development Academy): A 6-month training program on skills acquisition/capacity building.
The Invent It, Innovate It Challenge, in honor of Engr. M. S. Haruna FNSE, FAEng, OFR.
6. New Website: A membership portal where new members can join, pay their dues, and cast their votes online seamlessly.
7. Publications: Bi-Annual APWEN Journal and Monthly E-Newsletter
8. Inclusivity and Diversity: APWEN now has a “husbands’ forum,” which was initiated during the 2023 APWEN International Conference and AGM.
These initiatives have significantly enhanced the Association’s visibility worldwide. It was an incredible journey marked by dedication, teamwork, and a relentless pursuit of our shared goals and vision.
I am grateful for the help of God and that of man, which was made available to me. There were various challenges, but I saw them all as opportunities for me to learn and for God to prove His assurance in my life and call to leadership.
Thus, it is with a heart full of gratitude to God and great joy that I hand over this baton of Presidency of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) to you, Engr. Dr. Adebisi R. Osim FNSE, FNICE, because I am sure you will not let it fall but rather take it to a higher level to drive the association further into the world.
I would like to assure my President, Engr. Dr. Adebisi R. Osim, that God will always help you. He helped me, and He is still there for you too. Romans 9:16 says, “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” It depends not on human will or exertion but on God, who has mercy. His mercy will see you through.
Therefore, I encourage everyone, organizations, agencies, academia, etc., present here today to join hands with APWEN, as the new President and her team are set to propel APWEN further, in the spirit of the mission and vision for the progress of our dear Association and the Nation.
To my executives, I would like to express my deepest appreciation for your various levels of commitment. I will strive to carry forward the lessons I’ve learned from you throughout my career.
At this juncture, I want to thank everyone for your support during my tenure. Your various contributions are valued. Your commitment and mentorship have not only elevated my performance but also enriched my professional, personal, and leadership life. I will always treasure the moments and memories of the countless discussions and brainstorming sessions we’ve shared. Your approachability, even at the highest echelons of your positions, has made a lasting impression on me and has shaped my perspective on leadership and life generally.
To my husband, children, siblings, my Vice Chancellor, HoD, and colleagues, thanks for your total support during my presidency, even when I had to leave within very short notice; you never complained. Forever, you remain part of my success story.
Once again, you are all welcome. And congratulations to my President, Engr. Dr. Adebisi R. Osim FNSE.
God bless the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria.
God bless the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
God bless Nigeria.
Encourage, Enhance, and Excel.
Thank you all.
Engr. Dr. Elizabeth J. Eterigho FNSE, FNSChE
17th President”