By Rukayat Adeyemi/Grace Alegba
Mr Anthony Adegbola, Chief Information Officer of telecom company Ntel, on Sunday charged members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE), to digitise their operations for maximum efficiency.
Adegbola said this in his lecture titled, Building Indigenous Capacity For National Development at the 2nd Edition of Akintunde Zedomi Distinguished Lecture Series in Lagos.
The lecture was part of activities to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the NSE, Apapa branch, and honour Zedomi who was the inaugural Chairman of the chapter.
He urged engineers to also embrace digital economic principles to develop the nation and maintain their relevance in the future.
According to him, the world is at the peak of change and therefore NSE must look inward and actively invest in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He said that ICT provided open standards that allowed engineers to develop their own technology.
A strategic plan for digital transformation across all industries is the solution for building indigenous capacity for national development.
We are in a new normal and must develop a new mindset and new way of thinking, he said.
According to him, disruption was happening presently globally and it was a great big opportunity for Nigeria to key into.
Adegbola said that the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy have given an opportunity for engineers to take a leap.
Old business models are changing and Nigeria can take an advantage of new platform of business models to collaboratively grow into new fields and create development.
The Ntel spokesman urged NSE members to share ideas within themselves, develop a culture of sharing knowledge and let the next generation build on their ideas, history and lessons.
Get up engineers and serve the people because the world is going to become a digital economy, you need to digitise to be efficient.
You must digitalise or else, you will not exist in the next couple of years because disruption is taking place to make many irrelevant, he said.
In her remark, Mr Abiola Kosegbe, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, lauded the NSE Apapa branch for its exceptional contribution to the growth of the sector.
Kosegbe hailed Zedomi for being a pace setter for the younger engineers and urged all the chapters of NSE to continue the good work they are doing.
She said that the Lagos State Government was already working out modalities to collaborate with engineers in different areas and charged NSE to step up and key into what the state was doing.
According to her, the government would roll out the programmes for the engineers in few months and will continue to support the Society.
NSE must also collaborate with the state government to fight out quacks in the sector to maintain standard in the industry, she said.
In his address, the President of NSE, Mr Babagana Mohammed, said the topic of the lecture was to re-emphasise the major essence of the existence of NSE.
He said that part of the existence of NSE was to provide professional and holistic solutions to national development.
Mohammed, represented by Mr Olatunde Jaiyesinmi, Former Chairman, NSE Lagos branch, described Zedomi as a consummate engineering professional who has made tremendous contribution to the growth of NSE at various level of service.
He noted that Zedomi, a worthy and distinguished fellow of the society and fellow of many other Institutes, truly deserves the honour.
Zedomi did enormous and invaluable background work to ensure birth of NSE Apapa branch, 20 years ago.
He became the inaugural chairman and continued to render illustrious and selfless service to make certain that the branch became firmly rooted.
He had continued to make very valuable contributions to the development of engineering in Nigeria by mentoring younger engineers and delivering qualitative and ethical services as a consultant, he said.
In his goodwill message , Mr Ali Alimasuya, President, COREN, advised NSE to take engineering education to the grassroots and catch them young.
Alimasuya, represented by Mrs Margaret Aina -Oguntala, congratulated the NSE Apapa branch on its anniversary, for organising the lecture to celebrate Zedomi and maintaining a good position in the committee of societies.
In his welcome address, Mr Christian Ufot, Chairman, NSE, Apapa branch, commended Zedomi for guiding the chapter passionately and sharing his wealth of experience with colleagues and younger engineers.
Ufot said the topic of the lecture was chosen to reawake the consciousness of engineers on their mandate to develop the society.
He disclosed that the branch would continue to offer its over 700 members training and workshop to improve their capacity.
Speaking, Zedomi appreciated the NSE Apapa branch for recognising his contribution, celebrating him while still alive and building on the legacy he founded.
He urged engineers to develop a culture of sharing ideas and giving back to encourage the younger generation.
The iconic engineer also emphasised the need for engineers to digitise and provide solutions to the various problems in the society, as that was the mission and mandate of the profession.
Source: NAN News