Date: 2016-07-19

Last Friday, University of Ilorin played host to eminent Nigerians who converged on the main campus of the institution to witness the commissioning of multi-million naira Engineering Research Centre financed by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited. Ahmed 'Lateef writes on the thrills and frills of the event.

That Nigeria is ensnared in multitudes of challenges is not a subject of controversy. What is in contention however is the level in which the problems are affecting it. The vicious circles like vicissitude cut across all sectors, one of which is engineering.

This is in spite of the abundant human and material resources Nigeria is blessed with unlike her counterparts the world over.

Apart from natural endowments abound in the country with physical manifestation of the rare gifts, the country is also gifted with genius who turn things around and in dimensional ways, the gifts that have remained uncommon.

Some of the material men have become famous in their various fields of endeavours especially those who sojourn in academia. While those in the art, social and management sciences are performing wonderfully, academics in life and physical sciences are not leaving anyone in doubt that Nigeria can shape the world for the better.

Of other universities in Nigeria, University of Ilorin with slogan 'Better By Far' institution has carved a niche for itself with several breakthroughs and new discoveries, which now draw interventions to it by progressive minded organisations and as well as spirited individuals.

Just recently, a Professor of Engineering in the university and immediate vice-chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, developed a chemical device for cleaning oil spillage in the Niger Delta region.

To this end, the Federal Government has commissioned Unilorin to help solve the problem of oil spillage in the region, vice-chancellor of the university, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has disclosed.

Several major breakthroughs by the university might have drawn interventionist projects on the campus by government institutions and private organisations.

But contrary to the feats, some of the universities in the country still lack certain wherewithal to compete favourably with others whose advancement could not be quantified as well as meeting global varsity ranking.

In Nigeria varsities, dearth of infrastructure remains an albatross compared to mouth watering projects springing up in other developed universities across the globe.

Despite these obvious problems, some universities including Unilorin have continued to grow in leaps and bounds with capital intensive projects adorning them in every nook and corner.

Consequently, all roads led to the University of Ilorin at the weekend when a $2million NLNG Engineering Research Centre was commissioned at the main campus of the University.

The project, which was at the instance of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, was also executed in five other universities including University of Maiduguri, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Port-Harcourt, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of Ibadan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, posited that the need to equip nation's tertiary institutions with state of the art facilities has been an issue of serious concern in various circles across the country.

He said the event was evident that the country was advancing towards achieving the much needed infrastructural and human capital development.

Ahmed, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Engineer Musa Yeketi, also noted that the project signals a step change in the provision of requisite educational facilities for the development of human capital, especially in the engineering profession.

He praised the NLNG for initiating the project, saying the organisation as a major global gas supplier, has been a huge revenue earner for the country.

"By this gesture, Nigeria LNG has proved that it is not only one of the most successful business organisations on Nigerian soil as I have come to realise, but also an agent of development in the nation. It is impressive that the company which is headquartered in Port Harcourt, River State and doing its business globally should commit to such inspiring corporate social responsibility initiative on a national scale, to benefit six tertiary institutions across the geopolitical zones in the country, including our very own University of Ilorin", Ahmed said.

In his address, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, explained that the centre, whose construction began two years ago, would boost research and position the institution for innovative engineering feats in area of energy, material characterisation and simulation.

While assuring the commitment of the University to manpower development, the Unilorin boss promised that the facility would be put to good use.

Ambali also identified engineering as critical to the success of the country, saying if the country failed to get it right through it, it was meant to fail.

"This centre is meant to boost research and position the University for innovative engineering feats in the three thematic areas of energy, material characterisation and simulation. This, we believe, would make the University to be highly competitive and consolidate its status as a prospective reference point for engineering training and research in Africa and one of the best in the world.

"I want to assure the NLNG that this facility will be used exclusively for the purpose it is meant. I am aware that the NLNG is impressed by how the University has utilised the fund and the structure it has come up with based on the submission of the representative of the CEO.

"The University will also remain resolute in its commitment to accelerating development and improving manpower in Nigeria through the generation of high impact knowledge and production of competent engineers that will fast-track development.

"One would appreciate the thoughtfulness of the NLNG in the choice of intervention area when one thinks about the major problem confronting Nigeria's developmental efforts today. It is engineering.

"Whether we talk of stable electricity, good water supply, motorable roads or safe and secure housing as well as other components of our much needed infrastructure, we realise that largely, the success of the country is that of engineering and the failure is also the failure of engineering. In other words, if Nigeria gets her engineering right, she will get her bearing right", Ambali stated.

The vice-chancellor, however thanked NLNG for the project and called it to try the institution with arduous task to offer solutions to the problems confronting the organisation.

"While thanking the NLNG for this timely and significant intervention, I still want to appeal that it should support its sustainability. The continuous support of the better by far company to our better by far university will still be needed so that the high standards that characterise the centre today will be sustained.

"I am optimistic of this support because NLNG itself anchors its intervention on the three legs of sustainability, stake-holding and partnerships, the three of which are directly relevant to the appeal being made.

"The company is a stake-holder even when the project is finally completed and the partnership of the company is also required in making the centre attain its full potential today and tomorrow. In essence, I call on NLNG to challenge us by giving us a task so that we can provide solutions to the challenges of the company", Ambali said.

Also speaking, Managing Director of NLNG, Mr Babs Omotowa, said with the project the organisation was partnering with six universities in the country to uplift engineering teaching and research in the nation's tertiary institutions.

He explained that his organisation invested $2million each to build and equip world class engineering facilities in six schools, saying the institutions were picked on account of ranking in their geographical locations.

Omotowa said, who is also an alumnus of Unilorin, praised the institution for enjoying 16 uninterrupted academic years, saying it has provided the country with seasoned engineers and technocrats.

"The University of Ilorin and five other federal universities were chosen based on their relative ranking in their geopolitical zones by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and the world ranking of universities.

"Since its establishment in 1975, the University of Ilorin has worked to earn its stripes as one of the best run and managed universities in Nigeria. From the three engineering departments it had in 1978, it now boasts of offering undergraduate degrees in seven Engineering disciplines including Biomedical Engineering and postgraduate degrees in four of these disciplines.

"With commissioning of the multi-million naira Engineering Research Centre, Nigeria LNG Limited is supporting the University of Ilorin's mission of providing a world class environment for learning, research and community service", NLNG boss said.

The commissioning of the project was witnessed by members of political class, the academia and captains of industry