8th Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa Memorial Lecture: NSE Honours Legacy, Rewards Young Innovators, Inducts 33

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Kabuga Branch, has honoured the enduring legacy of the late Engr. Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa, while recognising emerging talents and inducting 33 new members into the professional body at the 8th Engr. Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa Annual Memorial Lecture in Kano.

The event, held today at the Convocation Arena of Bayero University, Kano, brought together senior engineers, academics, young professionals and members of the late engineer’s family to celebrate his contributions to the engineering profession and national development.

The programme also featured the maiden Engr. Prof. O.A.U. Uche Young Engineers Innovation Competition, aimed at encouraging creativity, practical problem-solving and skills development among emerging engineers.

Speaking at the event, the Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engr. Prof. Okorie Austine Uchegusi, said the innovation competition was timely, particularly as digital technology and artificial intelligence continue to reshape the global economy.

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Prof. Uchegusi said young people must be encouraged to look beyond academic qualifications and develop practical skills capable of producing solutions to real-world challenges.

He said the present technological era required engineers who could combine education with creativity, innovation and practical application.

According to him, challenging young engineers through competitions would encourage them to develop their ideas, build confidence and eventually move from creativity to manufacturing and industrial production.

He described the process as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, stressing that Nigeria must prepare its young professionals to compete effectively with their counterparts across Europe, Asia, America and other parts of the world.

The COREN Registrar said the initiative was also in line with efforts to promote an outcome-based engineering education system and strengthen Nigeria’s participation in international engineering standards.

He expressed confidence that Nigerian engineering graduates could compete globally if given the necessary opportunities, exposure and professional support.

Prof. Uchegusi also appealed to policymakers and government institutions to give greater consideration to indigenous engineering professionals in the execution of major projects.

He argued that Nigerian engineers, technologists and technicians had demonstrated considerable capacity but needed more opportunities to prove themselves.

He cited the Dangote Refinery as an example of the capabilities of Nigerian engineering professionals, noting that the involvement of local engineers in major projects demonstrated that indigenous expertise could handle complex engineering assignments.

The COREN Registrar urged policymakers to look inward and make better use of the expertise available within the country.

He said Nigerian professionals had a greater personal stake in the success and durability of infrastructure because they would ultimately live with the structures and systems they designed and constructed.

According to him, the country’s engineering professionals were capable of delivering enduring infrastructure when given the opportunity and the necessary support.

The Chairman of NSE Kabuga Branch and host of the event, Engr. Dr. Gambo Haruna Yunusa, said the annual memorial lecture was established to preserve the memory and celebrate the contributions of the late Engr. Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa to the engineering profession and national development.

Yunusa said the most meaningful way to honour the late engineer was to build on the foundation he left behind and encourage younger professionals to emulate his values of professionalism, excellence and dedicated service to humanity.

He highlighted the branch’s efforts to strengthen professional capacity through regular training programmes, industrial visits and community-focused initiatives.

According to him, contemporary engineers must move beyond traditional technical responsibilities and become innovators, entrepreneurs and nation-builders capable of developing sustainable solutions to national challenges.

He identified infrastructure, energy, water supply and security among areas where engineers must play a more active role, particularly in addressing development challenges across the North-West.

The guest speaker, Professor Muhammad Lawal Atanda, Executive Director of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), said engineering research and development could contribute significantly to addressing food security and livelihood challenges in Nigeria.

Atanda said the country already possessed considerable research capacity but needed to translate research excellence into practical solutions capable of producing measurable impact.

He identified accessibility, affordability, adaptability and scalability as critical factors in transforming research outcomes into solutions that could benefit wider communities.

The guest speaker called for stronger action plans, teamwork and coordination among researchers, engineers, government agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that research findings move beyond academic achievement into practical development.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Engr. Hauwa Ibrahim Khaleel, daughter of the late Engr. Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa, expressed appreciation to the NSE Kabuga Branch and the wider engineering community for continuing to honour her father’s memory.

She prayed for the repose of his soul, saying he remained remembered for the positive contributions he made to society during his lifetime.

Hauwa said the continued commemoration of her father years after his passing was a testament to the impact he made through his profession, character and service to humanity.

Late Engr. Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa

She said the family hoped his values of professionalism, dedication, integrity and service would continue to inspire younger generations.

According to her, the greatest tribute to her father would be for members of the family and the wider society to emulate the qualities that made his life meaningful and contribute positively to humanity.

She expressed the hope that more people would emerge from the family and society whose contributions would be significant enough to earn them lasting remembrance, just as her father continued to be remembered years after his death.

A major highlight of the programme was the induction of 33 members into the NSE Kabuga Branch.

The ceremony formally welcomed the new members into the professional body and reinforced the importance of professional standards, ethics and continuous development in engineering practice.

The event also featured the presentation of prizes to winners of the maiden Engr. Prof. O.A.U. Uche Young Engineers Innovation Competition.

The organisers said the awards were intended to encourage young engineers to pursue innovative ideas, practical solutions and skills development, while motivating others to follow suit.

Other awards were also presented to individuals who had distinguished themselves through their contributions to the engineering profession.

The 8th Engr. Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa Annual Memorial Lecture therefore combined remembrance with professional development, innovation and recognition, while renewing calls for greater utilisation of indigenous engineering expertise in Nigeria.

For the NSE Kabuga Branch, the event served not only as a tribute to the late engineer but also as a platform for inspiring the next generation of professionals to embrace innovation, develop practical skills and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s technological and industrial development.

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