The Vice-Chancellor, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Professor Adeniyi Olayanju has challenged Nigerian Engineers to tackle prevalent local problems in their pursuit to meet global benchmarks. Speaking as the Keynote Presenter on the topic, “Engineering and Technology Approach for Sustainable National Development,” at the Maiden International Engineering Conference, “IKOLE2018”, organized by the Faculty of Engineering, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE (Ikole Campus), on Wednesday, 25th July, 2018, the Vice-Chancellor said engineers should begin to live up to their responsibility, noting that Engineering is all about problem-solving and making things happen. He said there is no gainsaying that Nigeria as a nation is bedeviled by avalanche of pressing problems calling for the intervention of Engineers across board. He condemned the non-prioritization of their role in nation building and the politicization that have derailed their efficiency. He said it is high time they rose up to take responsibility which should start from respective universities across the nation. 

He, however, emphasized that there is no meaningful development without viable research to uncover the knowhow. He said both basic and applied researches essentially culminate into development. “How do we talk of development if there is no research? For things to happen, we must first of all do research. Development is the systematic utilization of the scientific and technological knowledge to meet specific societal demands,” he said. 

If the nation must experience practical development, Professor Olayanju opined that human development in the areas of technology and engineering must be well attended. He noted that the human development index (HDI) of the nation accounts for it to take responsibility of improving the living standard and life expectancy of the citizenry. He said Nigeria could not boast of a robust HDI which means that efforts should be geared towards engendering enabling ambience for engineering and technology to take its course in sustainable national development.

“Sustainable development is about development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of the future. This is the ability to maintain a delicate balance between the human needs to improve lifestyle and wellbeing on the one hand and preserving the natural resources and ecosystem on the other which the future generation depends,” he added. 

While declaring the Maiden Engineering Conference open, the Vice-Chancellor of the FUOYE and Chief Host, Professor Kayode Soremekun, had noted the aptness of the conference, signposting the deliverables inherent in the topic with regards to the significant role of technology and Engineering in industrial development and economic growth. He said currently Nigeria is suffering from a poverty of discourse that will move it forward. He added that the dearth of meaning discourse has cost the nation the desired progress and development. “Any nation that cannot boast of viable educational system is no country,” he added. He therefore called for a practicable educational system that will produce the manpower the nation requires for its development.

Professor Soremekun had lauded the education system facilitated by the proprietor of Landmark and Covenant Universities during the courtesy call to his office by the Vice-Chancellor, Landmark University. Having interacted with both Universities at some point, he said the universities’ base is an inspiration and hope for quality education in Nigeria. He said the two institutions will continue to interact to uncover areas of collaboration.  

The Vice-Chancellor, however, expressed delight in the epoch-making event which he believed had the potentials of propelling landmark achievements in the university through cross fertilization of ideas. He lauded the achievements of the young University in its 7 years of existence and asserted that the University will not relent in contributing meaningfully to national development through community-oriented services.

Earlier, the Dean of the Faculty, FUOYE, Professor Babatope Alabadan, while giving his welcome address, said the conference drew participants from the six (6) geopolitical zones of Nigeria. He noted that the 70 papers to be presented at the conference were all geared towards the state of the nation, reinforcing the role of technology and engineering in national development. He said that a nation that genuinely desires to upgrade her human development index and all other areas of its national life must embrace technology and engineering.

Other prominent appearances at the event were the Chairman of the event, Engr. Dr. Adesola Satimehin; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, FUOYE, Professor Abayomi Nelson Fasina; Deans and Deputy Deans of other Faculties in FOUYE, HODs, Dr. (Mrs.) Olamide of the Chemical Department, Landmark University; and students of the Faculty of Engineering of FUOYE.