Female engineers charged on using profession for national development

Female engineers have been charged to join forces in the transformation of the engineering profession for an all-round national development.

The charge was given by a Professor of Aquatic Toxicology, University of Ibadan, Professor Aina Adeogun, while featuring as guest speaker during the International Women’s Day programme organised by the Ibadan chapter of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), held on the premises of the faculty of petroleum engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Tuesday.

At the event with the theme: “Accelerating equality through economic empowerment” with scores of professional female engineers, female engineering students and top management officials of the University of Ibadan, Lead City University and the Polytechnic Ibadan in attendance, Professor Adeogun said women should continue to lift other women to accelerate developmental equality.

She also called for collaborations between apwen and women in science to strengthen development.

The guest speaker, in a bid to encourage the students in attendance charged them to come up with projects that could be beneficial to developing the nation and offered a prize to a any student who come up with the best design.

In her address, the chairperson of the event and commissioner for women affairs and social inclusion, Oyo State, Mrs Toyin Balogun, expressed her commitment to advancing the rights and opportunities for women community.

The commissioner who was represented by the Director, Child welfare, Ministry of women affairs and social inclusion, Mr. Gbemileke Ojerinde, said the journey for equality is a collective responsibility of all women, especially women professionals.

Acknowledging the remarkable progress made in advancing gender equality so far in his address, the chief host and Chairman, Nigeria Society of Engineers, NSE, Premier branch, Ibadan, Mr

Ibraheem Bello, represented by the Vice-Chairman, NSE Ibadan branch, Mr Ayokunnu Ojedele, called for a need to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes and strive for a world where every woman and girl can realize her full potential.

Earlier in her address, the host and chairman, APWEN, Ibadan chapter, Abisola Adabanija, said it is important for female engineers to champion equality, diversity and inclusion towards empowering upcoming youths and young girls to embrace the field of engineering.

Adabanija further said:”As female engineers, it behoves on us to champion diversity and empower the upcoming youth, especially young girls, to embrace the engineering profession. “This can be achieved through mentorship and advocacy, we can pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable future, where everyone has the opportunity to pursue their passion for engineering,” She noted.

APWEN seized the occasion to call on leadership of the University of Ibadan, other higher institutions of learning and professional bodies to synergise for the advancement of engineering profession and and technology in Nigeria.