Engineer (Dr.) Tajudeen Bawa-Allah, an Ikorodu born Mechanical Engineering icon, who specializes in Road Transportation, was on Thursday, June 23, 2016, bestowed with the Nigeria Academy of Engineering (NAENG) Award while Mrs. Joanna Olutunbi Maduka becomes the new President. The award ceremony took place at the main auditorium of the University of Lagos during the year 2016 lecture, induction of new Fellows and investiture of new President.
Announcing the name of the awardee, the outgoing President of the Academ, Engr. (Prof.) R. I Salawu, stated that Dr. Bawa-Allah had achieved greatly for the Engineering Profession both within and outside the country. He also pointed out that the life achievement award of the academy was only meant for Fellows of the Academy, who had attained the age of seventy five years and found to have contributed immensely to Engineering Profession and the development of the society.
When the awardee, Dr. Bawa-Allah, with the other life achievement awardees of the day, which included the new President of the Academy, Engineer (Mrs.) Joanna Maduka (MFR) and Engr. Ebenezer Babaranti Osoba (Mni), appeared on the stage to receive their plaques, they were given a thunderous applause by other Fellows of NAENG in appreciation of their achievements. Professor Patrick Ngoddy was the only one absent among the awardees.
Dr. Kayode Bawa-Allah obtained his Ordinary National Certificate (Mechanical Engineering) from Technical College, Ibadan (now the Polytechnic, Ibadan) before proceeding to Moscow Automobile and Road Construction Institute, Moscow to have his M.SC in Mechanical Engineering with Specialization in Road Transportation in 1973. He earned a PH.D in Transport Studies from Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) in 2006.
Dr. Bawa-Allah was the pioneer Dean of School of Transport, Lagos State University (LASU). He is a Copen registered Engineer. Other bodies he belongs to include Fellow, Nigerian Society of Engineers; Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management; Fellow, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and a Fellow of Nigerian Academy of Engineering.
Dr. Bawa-Allah, who stated that his major challenge in his profession was how to try to get things done, thanked God that he had done well. He described the occasion of his recognition as one to thank God for, for all he had been able to achieve in life. He advised young Engineers and those aspiring to study Engineering or who are already studying the course to always believe that the future is bright.
Immediately after the presentation of awards to the life achievers, the programme shifted to the induction of new Fellows of the Academy and later the investiture of Engineer (Mrs.) Joana Olutunbi Maduka as the 9th President of the Academy and the first female President of WAEng. The new President, whose husband is a past President of the academy, during her investiture speech, promised to take the academy to a greeter height and ensure that its Fellows were awake to the activities of the academy and the Engineering Profession as a whole. She also expressed appreciation to Governor Aregbesola, her husband and others present for their unflinching support.
Earlier in his good will message, Governor Aregbesola showered encomiums on Engr. (Mrs.) Maduka, an Ilesa born Engineer, for her commitment, dedication and accurate service delivery. He also described Engineering profession as a problems solving one, which its good application would help fix the Nigerian economy.
Dignitaries that graced the occasion included, Governor Rauf Aregbesola; the guest lecturer on “Master plan for the Integrated Transportation Infrastructure,” Mr. Martin Brack; Engr. (Dr.) Andreas Rieser, Head, Technical Department, Julius Berger; Engr. Olu Mustapha, Project Coordinator, Julius Berger. Others include, Vice President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr. Adekunle Mokuolu; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Chief (Mrs.) Nike Akande; COREW representatives, and Nigerian Institute of Management representatives.
Also present were members, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN); Old Students Association, Queens College, Ede; President, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Mr. Kashin Ali; Director General and Chief Executive, Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FURO), Oshodi, Dr. Gloria Elemo.