353 ABUAD Engineering Graduates Charged to Pursue Professionalism

The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has inducted 353 graduating students of the College of Engineering, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), into the engineering profession, marking a major milestone in the University’s tradition of producing globally competent engineers.

The induction and oath-taking ceremony, held at Owolabi Hall on Thursday, October 16, 2025, also featured the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ado-Ekiti Branch, as co-organiser.

In his goodwill message, the Registrar of COREN, Prof. Obinna Uche, represented by Engr. Tomide Akinnawo, urged the new engineers to be exemplary ambassadors of ABUAD and to pursue professionalism with purpose, ethics, and innovation.

“The engineering profession requires character as much as competence,” he said. “Let your ingenuity be guided by ethical discipline and the desire to improve lives.”

Delivering the keynote lecture titled “Engineering the Future: Building Sustainable Innovations with Purpose, Ethics, and Impact,” Prof. Olaitan Akinsanmi lamented Nigeria’s acute shortage of professional engineers. He noted that while the country has over 85,000 registered engineers, it requires more than 300,000 active professionals to meet its infrastructure, energy, and industrial demands.

He called for increased support for young engineers through mentorship and industry partnerships, describing engineering as “a human-centered profession that must evolve to serve both society and the planet.”

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. E. Smaranda Olarinde, FCArb, FCAI, in her address, congratulated the inductees, reaffirming the University’s global recognition as a centre of innovation and excellence.

“You are the engineers of tomorrow, soundly grounded, ethically proficient, and environmentally conscious; as you step into the world, remember that engineering is, above all, about people.” She advised.

She paid glowing tribute to the Founder and Chancellor, Aare Afe Emmanuel Babalola, SAN, CON, OFR, and Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola, whose vision and philanthropy, she said, have transformed ABUAD into “a living laboratory where purpose meets progress.”

Highlighting the College’s remarkable achievements, the Provost, Prof. Moses Onibonoje, disclosed that 15 graduating students had successfully developed and deployed a 5 kVA Hybrid Solar PV Power Supply System to support essential operations in the College.

He also announced that seven lecturers from the College were ranked among the world’s top 2% scientists (2025) in the latest Stanford University/Elsevier Global Ranking.