Omodele Arowolo, A Female Engineer With Distinction By Mary Ayodele
When the Nigerian Society of Engineers conferred the Fellowship of the Institute on Omodele Adesola Arowolo on December 12, 2019, they confirmed by accolade her standing as one of the foremost engineers in Nigeria. It was recognition of a life of service and application to best practices in engineering and management.
Engineering is one of the most diversified disciplines of the modern world with applications across sectors. Omodele Arowolo started in electrical/electronics engineering at the University of Lagos. Since that foundation in 1988, Engr Arowolo has spent time contributing and growing her expertise in aviation and aerospace engineering. Her career has taken in many aspects of aeronautics, aviation safety, regulation, communication, networking and surveillance.
The pursuit of excellence has been the guide for Mrs Arowolo’s post-graduation engagements, from professional service to further studies. She decided to distinguish herself as a manager when she enrolled a few years into her career for the Masters in Business Administration at the University of Ilorin. She then excelled in several other pursuits.
Omodele Arowolo earned a distinction in the Diploma in Aviation Security Aerodrome Operations from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria. She made another distinction as she sought certification of her competence in Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel License (ATSEP Licence 2005).
The run of distinctions continued as she earned a post-graduate diploma in Electrical/Electronics Engineering and a further Masters in Electrical Engineering all from Bayero University, Kano. Engineer Arowolo will soon crown these efforts with the doctorate in radio space propagation back at the University of Lagos where the journey started.
Her career trajectory speaks to competence, commitment and continuity. She has served with consistency and dedication at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority since 1994 following an initial two years with Deutsche Aerospace, Lagos.
Since March 2011, Eng Arowolo has served as Deputy General Manager, Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Management at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. She had been Assistant General Manager, Air Navigation Safety Inspector 1, and Regional Manager, Kano. Other positions have included Assistant then Chief of Communication, Navigation and Surveillance.
She served for three years as Operations/Aviation Security Officer in the Directorate of Safety Regulation and Monitoring of the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
Engineer Arowolo is conscientious. She is an engaged professional who also finds time to network with colleagues in professional groups and to contribute to their development.
She has served in several aviation committees. They include serving as National Coordinator, Aviation System Block Upgrade Methodology Implementation Committee, on the National Performance-Based Navigation Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee to the National Frequency Management Council to World Radio Communication Conference 2015. She was also a member of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations Committee and served in the Development of Aeronautical Telecommunications Manuals of Standards.
True professionals practice under the leading of noblesse oblige; to whom much is given, much is expected. They develop themselves and then offer service to society from the perch of acquired skills and higher competences. They are ethical, responsible, kind and act with compassion and integrity.
Engineer Arowolo belongs to and renders service to no fewer than ten professional associations, local and international. She is a council member of the Council for Registered Engineers in Nigeria (COREN). Her memberships include the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineering and the Institute of Electrical Engineers, UK.
Her services to engineering extend to developing the field in the area of gender interest. She is a member of the Association of Professional Women Engineers (APWEN), a trustee of Women in Aviation Nigeria and member of the American Society of Women Engineers.
She also belongs to the Women In Aviation International and the National Association of Air Traffic Electronics Personnel.
Mrs Omodele Arowolo, a professional engineers attracts good things everywhere she goes.
She deserves the cap of fellow of engineering in Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that job creation for the growing population, especially, the youths as well as increase in the local production of goods are the top reasons Nigeria joined the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested a suspected cyber fraudster (yahoo boy) by name Salozie Julius in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for impersonating the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Emefiele.
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama has granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to detain the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, for 14 days.
Nigeria governors have collectively agreed to pay the N30,000 minimum wage which they said is “a settled matter.”
Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for working exceptionally hard in defence of the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers.
Ajaokuta Steel Deal And Prospects Of Russia-Africa Cooperation, By Deen Adavize
Though while the current global reconfiguration has witnessed tremendous shift towards the East, African nations, however, seem to have stood up seeking for mutually beneficial engagement with any interested partner from any part of the world to address their key existential challenges such as infrastructure deficits, unemployment, and insecurity.
However, Russia-Africa engagement is not new. Just like other world powers’ (Europe, America, and China) encounters with Africa, Russia had been on the continent for decades. Its engagement with Africa spanned the immediate post-colonial era. Though Russia showed little interest in the continent during the colonial period, the decolonization process of Africa in the early 1950s and the cold-war era created an opportunity for Russia (then part of the Soviet Union) to make significant inroads into the continent. Though, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war later resulted in its slow penetration into African.
As a matter of fact, Russia’s renewed interest in the African continent is predicated on the increasing influence of the emerging powers, coupled with the geopolitical struggle of Africa’s traditional friends to maintain their dominance on the continent. While Russia’s current step to return to the continent has generated considerable interest among the global actors, African Nations have, however, seen Russia’s move as an opportunity for the continent to bridge its developmental challenges.
After a long period of painstaking planning, the first-ever Russia-Africa Summit was successfully held in Sochi, Russia this year. Representatives of all 54 African nations, including over 40 heads of state and government participated in the summit. And about 100 deals and agreements worth over 12.5 billion dollars were signed between Russia and African leaders, ranging from military cooperation, Biotechnologies, agricultural development to oil and gas, and steel development, according to a communique. Chief of these deals that caught the attention of millions of observers around the world and received much encomiums at home (Nigeria), is the resuscitation of one of the continent’s most ambitious projects, Ajaokuta Steel complex, domiciled in Nigeria which had sucked over 8 billion dollars since its establishment yet remained derelict.
The project which began in 1979 was regarded as the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization. It was undertaken by a Russian company, Tyazhpromexport and said to be over 90% completed when the project was halted due to the Nigerian government’s failure to fund it coupled with the impact of the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Steel complex was envisaged to have multiplier effects on all sectors of the Nigerian economy such as construction, agriculture, transport, among others. If completed and fully operational, experts say it can generate up to one million employment opportunities for the country. And Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy with over 200 million populations, though facing a serious problem of unemployment is indeed, in dire need of such a life-changing project to tackle it.
While it is common knowledge that a number of companies from other countries had been engaged in the past but failed to bring to life this very important steel project on Africa’s most populous nation, it is gratifying that the Nigerian government has finally resolved to go back to the country that originally started it. Nigeria’s Minister of Mine and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adebite said recently, “we’ve come to the realization that it’s best to go back to those guys who did it initially.” This, of course, presents a promising opportunity for Russia to win the hearts of African nations, and prove to the world that its return to the continent would not pose any threat to other world powers but to establish mutually beneficial relationships with African nations. For this to be realised, President Putin must ensure that Ajaokuta steel deal and other important agreements reached at Sochi summit that can significantly have multiplier values are urgently transformed from mere memorandum of understandings to practical results.
Ajaokuta steel complex is an endearing project that had defied every attempt to make it operational. If Russia eventually injects life into the steel plant which can generate massive employment opportunities for the continent, it will demonstrate the practical impact of Russia’s intervention to one of the most surging populations on the continent. This will no doubt endear African nations to go further, close to Russia and might be on its way to becoming one of Africa’s most dependable partners in the near future.
Nevertheless, it’s obvious that Russia is yet to match U.S, Europe, China, India and even other smaller countries’ investments on the continent, but President Vladimir Putin can still build a strong relationship with the continent and even treble the current 20 billion dollars’ trade volume in the next five years. He only needs to take some cues from the current enduring cooperation between China and Africa which characterized by strong commitment, mutual respect, and practical results.
Because of the strategic role of Nigeria on the continent and the premium the country put on the Ajaokuta steel project and, being the most cheering deal that was signed at the Russia-Africa flagship summit between President Putin and his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari, its success will indeed, determine the prospects of Russia-Africa cooperation.