Engr. Isiaka Bashir Shines At the 2023 NSE Night of Award.

By Ishola Gbenga 
I am sceptical about awards in our society nowadays. From the national honours given by the federal government, to the honorary doctorates that our universities bestow on individuals, and to the smallest of awards in our clubs and associations, there is too much sycophancy and opportunism in the air. 
Our most deserving compatriots, who are exemplary in their personal and professional lives, are hardly honoured while crooks, fraudsters and people of questionable characters have ended up being holders of our awards and honours here and there. The situation has become so bad that I have completely lost the appetite for attending award conferment ceremonies.
The objectives of award conferment, in my layman understanding, are to appreciate awardees’ loyalty and patriotism to the society, reward the selfless service the individuals have rendered and further encourage the people recognized to do more excellent work and meritorious services to build a decent and more acceptable community. The privilege is not only to recognize such achievements but to also encourage the culture of performance in private and public services. 
It is therefore, a clear indication that the public takes note of the labour of some emerging respected and responsible individuals at different intersections in the annals of public development. If there is anything that is also worthy of interrogation about the 2023 Nigerian Society Engineers (NSE) award dinner night, it is the fact that none of the seven nominees rejected the privileged consideration. They were all glad and appreciative of the honor. 
I am however deeply pleased to learn that Engr. Isiaka Bashir Olaiwola, MNSE, MNICE, PMEC, of the Kwara State Ministry of Works, who is my brother and senior colleague was named and conferred an "Award of Excellence in Engineering Practice" by the globally acknowledged and reputable body of the Nigerian Society of Engineers Ilorin branch under the chairmanship of Engr. Taiwo Issa Olashehu, FNSE FNIMechE.
For me, it is no doubt, a well deserving one especially, looking at the Awardee's competence and professionalism when it comes to discharging his duties at all levels.
Not that alone, Engr. Isiaka Bashir Olaiwola have also justified the award given to him beyond reasonable doubt, especially as one of the competent and experienced engineers in the Kwara State Ministry of Works, as well as in the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) Kwara State, by successfully carrying out tasks given to him.
I believe strongly that the awardee is the right choice and the decision has boosted my confidence in both the society of Engineers and its people. Engr. Bash, as some of us like to call him, has done so much for humanity and the society at large. This much was openly attested to during the occasion. He is a remarkable man, a committed husband and father, a great patriot and a selfless professional.
It is on this note that I would like to congratulate Engr. Isiaka Bashir Olaiwola for the well deserving meritorious award, his family, friends and other well wishers too, for which appreciation of a more personal nature must also be extended to the Nigerian Society of Engineers for a job well done as I look forward to more engaging sessions with the body in no distance future.

Ishola Gbenga.
A journalist, writes from Ilorin 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Matawal Dauda Mafwil: One Death, too many

Image
By Engr. Dr. Isaac Kolo The sad news of the sudden death of Engr Matawal Dauda Mafwil, the Plateau State RAAMP Project Coordinator, got to many as a rude shock. Indeed, life is about memories! The memories of things shared, proposed, and yet to be accomplished.  No doubt, the modest memory of late Engr. Matawal Dauda Mafwil will endure, and his example stands out in terms of his great accomplishments in the RAAMP project, which he heads, and most especially, in the life of others. I am personally pained that a friend, brother, and fellow project coordinator left this earthly prison house and transited to the great beyond. At a time, his fatherly leadership, love, and wisdom are still needed. Little wonder, Thomas Campbell says, and he is right that “to live in the hearts of those we love is not to die”.  His memories of modest lifestyle and modest human relations will continue to inspire through his work, the hearts of many, and his unrelenting devotion to those ar...
Read more

Gov AbdulRazaq: Restoring hope at grassroots through RAAMP

Image
By Ishola Gbenga anipr Governor AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq's led administration has been commended for its modest policies and sustainable partnerships with developmental agencies worldwide, with a view to bringing more meaningful developmental projects to the people of the state, particularly those at the rural areas, where more rural roads are being constructed for a sustainable economy in the state. The State Project Coordinator, Rural Access and Agriculturally to Marketing Project (RAAMP), Engr. Dr. Isaac Kolo, gave this commendation in Ilorin while fielding questions from the press on analysis of the length of jobs done so far by the agency since inception.  According to him, the six years programme was formally declared effective on March 16 2021 which was co financed by the World Bank, with the aim of improving Rural Access and Trading Infrastructure, in participating states, and had since received counterpart fund of N4billion from the state government. "On assu...
Read more

Baba buredi: Remembering Elder Matthew Ayinla

Image
By Ishola Gbenga NIPR First and foremost, I have decided to avoid any temptation of going into details of how the popularly name, "Baba Buredi Osere came to existence from decades. I do not have that liberty. That notwithstanding, haven known late Elder Matthew Ayinla for more than 16 years, and that doesn't mean I can lay claim to have been that close to him, I decided only to take it upon myself as an obligation to pen this tribute for him, which he, ordinarily would not request for during his lifetime but, which one is convinced he deserves now, and in years to come. In many ways, Elder Matthew Ayinla’s journey is one of quiet strength, of a man who balances the demands of his career with an unshakeable devotion to God and his family. Even in the face of immense challenges of life, he continues to find joy in life, sharing his trademark smile with those around him. His story is not just about surviving but thriving amidst adversity, embodying a rare combination ...
Read more