Issues and strategies to re-position Chemical Engineering Education at the University of Lagos formed the thrust of discussions as activities to commemorate the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering continued on Wednesday, October 19, 2023.
The third day of events was marked by an insightful lecture titled: The Critical Role of Alumni in Departmental Developments delivered by the Chairman of Petrodata (a premier Nigerian upstream hydrocarbon databank), Engr. BabajideSoyode, FAEngat the departmental auditorium.
In his keynote address, Engr. Soyode reiterated the importance of engineering as a key element of innovation in the emerging global technological society. He identified the role of the University of Lagos as an important one in the training component for innovative development.
He noted that the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, UNILAG as a fast-growing centre had produced many distinguished alumni in various aspects of Chemical Engineering in Nigeria such as Chairman, Industrial Advisory Board, Faculty of Engineering and the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. John Erinne, FNSE; the best graduate in the 1986 set and a top player in Chevron Texas, Dr. Lanre Badmus; Mrs. Aluba Georgewill who works for Chevron Nigeria, Mr. Imeh Akpan of Dangote Refinery and Prof. Omodele A.A. Eletta of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Ilorin.
Although he bemoaned the state of infrastructure in the department, the past President of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers underscored the immense importance of the alumni, its expertise, experience, and networks as crucial in shaping the future of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Education in the University.
In his remarks, Chairman of the event, Dr. John Erinne, FNSE identified several lapses affecting the chemical engineering programme, and stressed the need for a review of the chemical engineering curriculum in Nigeria. He harped on sustainability, safety and environmental protection, economics management, entrepreneurship, other soft skills, process, plant and product designs to be included in a new curriculum.
Erinne, who is the Managing Consultant of CHEX and Associates, also called for the provision of adequate resources in terms of facility, infrastructure and faculty; control class sizes of not more than 50 students; and reformed Students Industrial Work Experiences (SIWES) programme; to move Chemical Engineering Education to the next level.
Similarly, a former Head of the Department and Dean of Engineering, Emeritus Professor Alfred Susu challenged the Department to intensify efforts to improve graduate students programmes. He also urged the Department to effectively utilize foreign research funds to provide a legacy of appropriate infrastructure projects.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Acting Head of Department, Dr. (Mrs) Faith U. Babalola traced the development of the Department from its inception in 1973 to date. She also appreciated the support of the Department’s alumni and other stakeholders.
Other speakers at the event included the immediate past Head of Department, Professor A.O Ogunbayo, and Professor Sam Adefila among others.
The Camp ’86 Gesture
In a direct response to the calls made by various speakers at the event, some alumni of the department under Class of 1986 popularly called ‘Camp 86’ gave an account of their contributions to their alma-mater.
This includes its mentoring strategy tagged R-E-A-D-Y, an acronym which means Relationships (Professional Networking), Employment (Jobs and Skill Training), Advancement (Career opportunities), Decisions (Making Choices), Yearning (Balancing Work-Life). Through the R-E-A-D-Y initiative, two (2) mentoring sessions spanning over 6 months had been held.
Mrs. Sola Odusanya, a retired Chevron Nigeria Executive who spoke on behalf of the class, revealed that the first tranche had 9 mentors and 11 mentees while the second tranche had 10 mentors and 14 mentees.
The week-long 50th anniversary celebration of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering is slated to end with a Dinner and Award Night on Thursday, October 19, 2023.
