By BASHIR ADEFAKA
The Vice-Chancellor, Edo University Iyamho, Prof Emmanuel Aluyor, has been honoured for his outstanding excellence in engineering education in Africa by the Federation of African Engineering Organizations (FAEO).
The honour was bestowed on him at the 2020 General Assembly and Investiture Award Ceremony of the organization held virtually from Ghana recently, owing to the covid-19 pandemic.
The award was aimed at promoting greatness in the engineering profession, chart a positive direction towards the growth of the African Engineering organizations, create a platform for members to celebrate distinguished fellows, engineers across the globe who are friends of Africa for their immense contributions and efforts towards advancing engineering education in Africa as well as the recognition of past presidents and leaders of the Association.
Speakers, taking turns speaking at the online interactive session, applauded the roles and efforts of the participants, who included the President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, industry specialists, academic and vice-chancellors of universities amongst others, for lifting the engineering organization to an enviable height.
The award, presented to the Vice-Chancellor, Edo University Iyamho, Engr. Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor FNSE, was in recognition of his tireless efforts and commitment to excellence in Engineering education in Nigeria, as well as his distinguished service to FAEO and the larger Engineering profession in Africa.
In his remarks, President of the organization, Engr, Martin Manuhwa, praised Engr. Aluyor and the Vice- Chancellor, Harare Institute of Technology, Zimbabwe for particularly making Africa proud in actualizing their academic curriculum without interruptions or a hindrance, even in the face of the Corona Virus pandemic.
According to him, “The engineering education category was particularly touching as those two universities were very prominent in the covid-19 interventions, in terms of modern teaching, pedagogy as well as manufacturing of intervention equipment; we must recognize these famous Vice-Chancellors, who took the challenge and went into research to assist Africa and indeed their countries to solve the problems that we faced in the pandemic.”
Engr. Manuhwa, who personally congratulated friends of Africa for their services over the years, also appreciates the Commonwealth Engineering Council, led by Prof. Paul Jowitt from the United Kingdom for attracting myriads of projects through the African catalysts projects in Africa, which has prompted changes in the livelihood of African engineering.
In addition, a female engineer, Trudy Morgan, from Sierra Leone, in her goodwill message gave assurances on the commitment of female engineers in joining forces with the organization to make Africa great. Ahmed Hamdy from Egypt on the other hand is confident that the leadership of the federation has earned enough confidence that has attracted the contributions to engineering development in Africa while Carlos Mineiro Aires, Chair of the Portuguese Engineering Association described his affinity with Africa as the greatest gift to him and sued for the strengthening of the friendship and togetherness.
There were other award recipients, who got recognitions in other categories, including a Nigerian, Engr M.B Shehu who was a one-time president of the organization and Chairman of the 2020 awards committee.
