How to build Nigeria of our dreams

From Ismail Omipidan and Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that planning like engineers is key to building the Nigeria of our dreams.

Speaking at the 15th Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Lecture in Abuja on Tuesday, May 13, he noted that engineers apply scientific principles to create, stabilise, and sustain solutions in real-life situations.

Attendees included Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, APC founding member Bisi Akande, former governors Olusegun Mimiko and Idris Wada, former FRSC Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi, and National Assembly members.

Shettima emphasised that Nigeria’s challenges stem not from a lack of knowledge but from applying principles with discipline. “A nation that hopes to rise must learn to plan like an engineer. Every figure must make sense. Every decision must serve a purpose,” he said.

He praised engineers for using data and calculations to drive progress, stating, “The true measure of any thriving civilisation lies in its respect for numbers, for data, for geometry, and for the guiding principles of mathematics.” Shettima added that engineers remind us life is powered by calibrated choices, preventing chaos.

Iyiola Omisore, former APC National Secretary and the event’s distinguished lecturer, spoke on “Imperative Mechanical Engineering Strategies for Socio-Economic Development Based on National Budgets: Challenges and Potentials.”

He highlighted Nigeria’s challenges, including poverty, with over half the population living on less than N1,500 daily, and high youth unemployment contributing to social unrest. “The budget without innovative implementation strategies would remain like the carcass of a vehicle,” Omisore said, urging mechanical engineers to drive industrialisation and improve GDP.

Omisore stressed that Nigeria’s potential for growth requires addressing these issues. “The Institute of Mechanical Engineers surely has a huge role to play, deploying all of its specifications in wheeling the country to the desired destination,” he said.