NSChE tasks leaders on national development

The National President, Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), Prof. Samuel Adefila has advocated research, funding and an enabling environment to achieve national development.

He said this yesterday at a public lecture titled: “Entrepreneurship and Diversification of the Nigerian Economy: Situating Chemical Engineering,” organised by the Lagos/Ogun chapters of the NSChE, in honour of the 86th birthday of the first Chemical Engineer, Anthony Olufemi Shobo at the University of Lagos.

Adefila who criticised the present government for failing to deliver change to Nigerians said it was only the government that could dictate the tune as far its progress and development were concerned.


He argued that only government has the capacity to achieve substantial milestones in funding, research and creating an enabling environment.

Civility means somebody is leading you and you follow him since you have handed over many things to him in trust. If he, at the end of the day disappoints you, it is a shame, which is the situation in the country today,” he said.

He added that the only way of the country’s woes was a proper electioneering process that would produce trustworthy, faithful and sincere leaders who are committed to moving the nation forward as opposed to those that would be serving themselves or their pockets.

“Today, we see private jets flying about. It is not bad to own jet, but what is the contribution of those flying jets to the nation’s economy. This is what is adversely affecting our progress as a nation because most of those who own jets are not generating anything to support the Naira.

“If somebody like Aliko Dangote is flying a private jet, no one would bother because of his contributions to the economy, but the hearts of Nigerians are bleeding when they see the number of jets whose owners do not contribute any specific thing to the economy,” he said.