Amusu: The Society Was Not Prepared To Employ Female Engineers

Interviewing Engr (Mrs) Idiat  Aderemi Amusu, the initiator of Project Skill Competition, organized for secondary schools students in Lagos state was a delight. The event which was held recently at Ralph Alabi Engineering Centre, Ikeja witnessed many schools around Agege/Ifako Ijaye participated and Keke Senior High School emerged the winner.  Prizes ranging from laptops and scholarships were offered. The Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ikeja branch dedicates the annual competition in her honour. Engr Idiat Amusu is the first female Agricultural engineering graduate in Nigeria and also first female council member of COREN. She takes us to memory lane and the future of engineering practice.

Engineers’ Forum: Madam the society appreciates your non-relenting effort towards women and children development. What inspires you?

Engr Amusu: First engineering inspires me. I am inspired to let everyone know that engineering is for both men and women. It is not gender-selective or sensitive. Secondly, I want to see engineering develop our nation today

Engineers’ Forum: Education in Nigeria today is fast dropping in standards. How else can we harness the potential of the skilled child in Nigeria today?

Engr Amusu: We can organize programs to discover them as the Project Skill Competition organized here today. Our sole aim should be on how to encourage these children to discover their environment and proffer solution

Engineers’ Forum: How is the Nigerian technical sector working to enact laws to prioritize the education of the underprivileged children?

Engr Amusu: Teachers are encouraged to put in their best. These would ultimately provide a cheaper and qualitative education. Notwithstanding, we would look into ways to ensure that children who are very bright but underprivileged go to school

Engineers’ Forum: What can you say has gone wrong with our education system compared with your academic days?

Engr Amusu: During my days there were not many students as we have today. In my school back then we had just two arms the system created. We need to look into equipping these schools, this could be quite expensive. Cost of education has gone up compared to before.

Engineers’ Forum: It is believed that in every success story there were challenges behind it. What were your challenges?

Engr Amusu: As a female engineer, the first problem was that the society was not prepared to employ female engineers. They preferred male over the female counterpart. But luckily today we find that it is much easier for women to practice. It wasn’t so earlier.

Engineers’ Forum: Child Right Act has been adopted in Nigeria since 2003, why is it yet to be implemented in some states in the country

Engr Amusu: This is a political situation. For each state, the political and societal environment dictates what is there. In Lagos, it is common that children are seen hawking all over the place. Lagos being a cosmopolitan city frowns at this and they want to ensure that laws are been put in place to curb this.

Engineers’ Forum: How does NSE intend to harness the impressive innovations of the students today?

Engr Amusu: We are already doing that, one of the projects carried out last year is been propagated by the Unilever Nigeria. We believe we can sell more of these projects to industries. We are taking the students project to the industry.