COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT END OF THE 3RD ANNUAL ALUMNI LECTURE OF THE FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, TITLED “PROFESSIONALS IN POLITICS: PANACEA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”, HELD ON THURSDAY, 12TH DECEMBER 2019, AT J.F. ADE AJAYI AUDITORIUM, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, AKOKA, LAGOS.

INTRODUCTION:
The one-day 3rd Annual Alumni Lecture was organised by the University of Lagos Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association (UNILAGFEAA) on 12th of December 2019, at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.

As the theme, “Professionals in Politics: Panacea for Sustainable Development” suggests, the Alumni lecture focused on how professionals can be encouraged and motivated to go into politics, towards contributing to national growth, particularly infrastructure development.

The event, which was chaired by a former Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos and Federal University, Ndufu Alike-Ikwo, Ebonyi State, drew participants from the academic, political and different professional circles, including Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, who was the Guest Lecturer for the day, Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, who was represented, and other special guests.

The Alumni Lecture had different sessions like presentation of the Treatise by the Guest Lecturer, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and establishment of Professorial Chairs in Surveying and Geo-Informatics, as well as in Electrical and Electronics Engineering for the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Lagos by the two governors.

OBSERVATIONS:
The Guest Lecturer and other speakers at the event acknowledged that;
i. Politics needs more professionals, as diversity brings robust approaches to decision-making process, when different competences and perspectives are brought to the table.
ii. The Engineering profession is crucial and pivotal to societal development, which should be engaged at all levels of governance for sustainable development of the country.
iii. Engineering professionals are poised to partner government at all levels for improved infrastructure development in the country.
iv. Requisite skills, including decision making, emotional intelligence, negotiation, humility and empathy, must be acquired to be successful in politics.
v. Governments need to support engineering researches and engage engineering students during execution of projects, as means of acquiring practical experience.

3. RECOMMENDATIONS:
i. That professionals should be encouraged to go into partisan politics and resist the temptation to stay aloof or give-in to despair, when things don’t happen as desired.
ii. That Engineers should be trained to possess soft skills in addition to core professional skills.
iii. That UNILAGFEAA is well-positioned to support governments in achieving engineering solutions to various national challenges.
iv. That the Borno State model, where the Governor, Engr Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, also an Engineer, uses engineers very well, is commendable.
v. That Influential alumni of the UNILAGFEAA should be persuaded to endow chairs in various fields.
vi. That the Alumni should be persuaded and/or encouraged to support the faculty in the quest for more infrastructure and the adoption of specific projects, such as office spaces, study centres, state-of-the-art teaching and research equipment and so on.

CONCLUSION:
Stakeholders at the one-day Alumni Lecture were unanimous in their views that professionals must be more politically-aware and be strategic, focused, spend time well and be willing to learn on the job.

Signed:

Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu Engr. Dr. Lawrence Osoba
Chairman, UNILAGFEEA Secretary, UNILAGFEEA