To accelerate National Development, Engr Joan Ogwuche, the Kogi State Coordinator of the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), has urged every Nigerian family to strive to have an engineer, particularly a female engineer, within their household.
Ogwuche made this call while serving as the guest speaker at the inauguration ceremony of Engr Attach Cecilia A., as the 4th Chairman of the Kogi State Chapter of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN.
The event also witnessed the inauguration of the new Kogi Chapter Executives of APWEN, a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Speaking on the theme, “Striking the Balance as a Successful Professional Career Woman, Wife, and Mother,” Engr Ogwuche emphasized the unique contributions female engineers bring to both the professional and domestic spheres.
She went as far as suggesting that families unable to produce female engineers should encourage their daughters to marry engineers, whom she described as “good home makers.”
“For a functional society that tackles the challenges of antisocial vices among children and husbands, working mothers must strike a balance between their careers and their home lives,” Engr Ogwuche stated.
Highlighting the importance of women’s economic contributions to the home, she said that “building a better society and family requires professionals and working mothers who are precise, time-conscious, and well-rounded—qualities exemplified by female engineers.”
Engr Ogwuche cautioned against neglecting family in the pursuit of professional success, saying, “No matter how busy your schedule is, failure to strike a balance as professional women, without paying attention to your husbands and children, is an error.”
She further advised mothers and women to prioritize instilling strong morals and values in their children. “What you get in your old age is a product of what you sow in the lives of your husband and children today. As mothers and professionals, we must make time to balance our work and family life.”
Offering practical advice on achieving this balance, Engr Ogwuche urged women to “find a definition of balance by making sacrifices and being flexible in addressing the peculiarities of your home. Concentrate on your husband and children, being honest about their needs through effective time management. As women, we need to be disciplined in values.”
She also stressed the importance of communication and seeking support: “Use effective communication strategies to set boundaries for work and family. As women, let us be transparent with our husbands and children… Let us ask for help with household chores, and since we work for money, we should also allow our money to work for us when necessary.”
Ogwuche concluded by highlighting the significance of mental well-being: “Let us take proper care of our mental health by ensuring we find time to rest,” adding, “a happy mother has a happy home and that a healthy home translates to a productive working environment.”
Earlier, the outgoing APWEN Chairman, Kogi State Chapter, Engr Christina Ojoyi Omotola, lauded APWEN’s vision to encourage Nigerian women to embrace engineering, a profession she described as “a catalyst for the much-discussed advancement of the nation in technology.”
Omotola noted that APWEN aims to “inspire women to achieve professional excellence as engineers and leaders,” and highlighted the association’s objectives of fostering camaraderie among female engineers and promoting the study and practice of engineering among Nigerian women.
The newly inaugurated APWEN Chairman, Engr Attah Cecilia, an indigene of Dekina LGA and a Civil Engineering graduate with a specialization in Water Resources, pledged to intensify advocacy for the girl child to enter the engineering profession and vowed to justify the trust placed in her.
The inauguration ceremony featured the administration of the oath of office to Engr Attah Cecilia by the outgoing Chairman, Engr Christina Ojoyi Omotola, who also decorated the new Chairman. Subsequently, Engr Attah Cecilia inaugurated the new state chapter executives.