Former UNILAG VC Inducted as President of Nigerian Academy of Engineering

The Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) has inducted former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Rahamon Bello, as its new president.

Jul 1, 2024 - 17:23

Former UNILAG VC Inducted as President of Nigerian Academy of Engineering

The Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) has inducted former University of Lagos (UNILAG) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rahamon Bello, as its 13th president. The induction ceremony, held at UNILAG, also featured the presentation of lifetime achievement awards to eight fellows and the induction of 13 senior engineers as new fellows.

Professor Bello, previously the academy’s Vice President, will be deputized by former Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Executive Vice-Chairman, Umar Danbatta. In his address, Bello emphasized the potential of the NAE to drive Nigeria’s development through engineering expertise and advocated for enhanced collaboration with the government and other stakeholders.

The immediate past president, Azikwe Onwualu, highlighted the academy's achievements and welcomed the new fellows, urging them to contribute to public policy through technical committees. He also noted that new fellows are required to present policy papers addressing engineering problems in Nigeria within the next year.

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Joana Maduka, the first female president of NAE, delivered a public lecture on the importance of government-industry-academia collaboration in Nigeria’s technopreneurship ecosystem. She called for policy reforms, investment in academic research, and curriculum updates to better align with industry needs.

Award recipients, including former PDP Chairman Barnabas Gemade, were recognized for their significant contributions to the engineering profession. Other awardees included Lawson Adekoya, Usman Aliyu, Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide, Rahamon Bello, Hammed Gumel, Salihu Mustafa, and Ernest Ndukwe.

Professor Bello outlined NAE's strategic plan to focus on the redevelopment of technical and vocational education in Nigeria, promoting engineering businesses, and addressing the shortage of technicians and artisans. He stressed the importance of leveraging the academy’s expertise to influence policy and drive national development.