The Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, has won the maiden edition of the engineering quiz competition organized for higher institutions in Lagos and Ogun states by the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE).
The Engineering Quiz Competition, which is a requirement from the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) for its different divisions to hold annual quiz, was organized to strengthen the study of engineering in the Nigeria, had four schools in participation. They include: University of Lagos (UNILAG); Lagos State University (LASU), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) and Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH).
Although the Engineering Quiz Competition was organized by NSChE for tertiary institutions in Ogun and Lagos states, it is expected that it would soon be a nationwide event that would be organized regionally before the grand finale.
Kamilu Oyedeko, chairman of the Lagos/Ogun states chapter remarked that the aim of the competition is to produce competent future engineers for the country, by encouraging the students to be well grounded in the fundamentals of the profession while still at school.
While stating that chemical engineers are the catalysts for industrial growth in any nation, Oyedeko advised well-established professionals and operators of industries to support initiatives aimed at grooming budding engineers in the country.
According to Kamilu Oyedeko:
“This programme has advanced their knowledge of the field and provided a platform for participants to exchange ideas. We have seen from this event that the students have gone far in familiarizing with the basic knowledge of chemical engineering from the way the competition was keenly contended. The first place winner emerged with just a little point ahead of the second place winner.
We are highly impressed by their performances and have discovered how far they have been able to retain what they have learnt in their various institutions. Once you are good in the fundamentals of the profession, you will definitely go far in life. We appeal to the authorities to give opportunities to more chemical engineers at all levels to make meaningful contributions to the development of the country.”
Olusegun Shodeyibi, chairman of the intercollegiate quiz competition stated:
“We tested them in the core areas of: chemical reactions, process control, separation process, thermodynamics, environmental engineering, unit generation, system control, among others and they have really impressed everybody. This is one of the processes of grooming highly skilled engineers for Nigeria since it has been observed that chemical engineering is at its infancy stage here in the country. We have issues in the economy and most of the companies are not doing well, however, it is a challenge for the professionals to wake up.