2020 has been a challenging but interesting year but the grace of God has been driving seat on which many have travelled through the time. And this is also true for Engr Mrs Christiana Adelowo who was celebrated by friends, family, colleagues and especially the women engineers on her birthday this week.
At a brief ceremony held in her office, staff and selected friends joined her in marking her day. Also on hand to felicitate with her is the current chairman of APWEN Lagos, Engr Mary Afolayon and the immediate past Chairman of APWEN, Engr ‘Laolu Adedapo-Aiside.
A resourceful chartered civil engineer with remarkable records of achievements and professionalism, Engr Christy has worked mainly in the private sector and has acquired extensive experiences in Highway Design, Contract Procurement and Civil Engineering Construction Management. Born on November 23, 1953, she has a B.Eng degree in Civil Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1975) and M.Sc degree in Highways & Transportation (1982) from the City University, London.
Her career which started n 1976 then Etteh Aro & Partners, Ibadan as Junior Engineer in 1978 have gone to excel in many other establishments where she demonstrated remarkable capabilities in infrastructure planning and designs, construction management and supervision of various challenging projects. Some of her works including Surveys and Designs of Phase 1 works of Regional Roads Network Abuja for the Federal Capital Development Authority, Designs of Road, River and Interchange Bridges for Onitsha – Enugu Motorway for the Federal Ministry of Works.
She started Fechrad Nig. Ltd, a civil engineering company with a mission to provide in the areas of civil engineering infrastructures. A major achievement of the firm was coordinating the Design and Construction of Access Roads to Ogbele Location and Flow Station,, Reconstruction of Drilling Locations and provision of all Civil Facilities at the Flow Station for Niger Delta Petroleum Resources ,Nigeria’s foremost indigenous Oil and Gas Explorer. She successfully administered contracts under Joint Venture Partnerships including Rehabilitation of Ede Headworks for Osun State Government, and Contract for Supply and Laying of Pipes and Fittings, Installations of Kiosks & Road Rehabilitation for Cross Rivers State Government.
Engr (Mrs) Christy Adelowo was admitted to the Nigerian Society of Engineers in 1985 and elected a Fellow in 1996. She has served NSE in various capacities, including Vice President in 2002 & 2003, .member of Board of Fellows (2015 to date), member of Board of Trustees (2008-2017), member of Board of NSE Ventures Limited (2014 to date) and Chairman, Group Dynamics for Divisions (2018 & 2019) and host of others.
She is a recipient of several awards including NSE Presidential Merit Award, NICE Meritorious Service award and APWEN Distinguished Leadership / Merit Awards. She was appointed as Member, Board of Directors of The Nigerian Gas Company Ltd a Subsidiary of NNPC, by the Federal Government of Nigeria ( 2005-2007).
In recognition of her contribution to the practice and advancement of the engineering profession, Engr (Mrs) Christy Adelowo was inducted into the prestigious fellowship of the Academy of Engineering in 2019. She is also a Fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers and Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, NICE. Christy is a recipient of several awards including NSE Presidential Merit Award (2001, 2002, 2003, 2011), NICE Meritorious Service award (2008), APWEN Distinguished Leadership / Merit Awards (2002, 2007).
A woman of immense work-life balance, she is happily married and blessed with children and grandchildren.
…As Engr idiat Amusu also adds a colourful year…
Same week, APWEN National also celebrated her fourth President, Engr Idiat Amusu, who is the first Female Graduate of Agricultural Engineering in Nigeria. A woman committed to mentoring of younger engineers both males and females. A teacher, an administrator, a leader and champion of good cause. Amusu also hold the record as the first female member of COREN Council.
Engr Idiat Aderemi Amusu was born in the City of Kano on November 27 many years ago. She attended St Theresa College, Ibadan in 1970 and Baptise High School, Iwo where she distinguished herself. Thereafter, she proceeded to the Prestigious University of Nigeria Nzukka, to pursue a degree in Agricultural Engineering which she completed in 1977 with second class upper; thus becoming, in the process, the first Female Graduate of Agricultural Engineering in Nigeria. She also had postgraduate and Master in Food Science and technology.
Passionate about impacting knowledge to younger ones, she held many pioneering positions during her services to Yaba College of Technology where she lectured before her retirement. She was the Head of Department of Food Technology between 1996 and 1998. She became the pioneer Dean, School of Technology where she served between 1998 and 2002. The School comprises four departments at inception. Under her leadership, she deployed her experiences as manager of resources and men toward the development of the new School and ensures all departments are accredited while new courses are introduced. A woman with many pioneering works and leadership, she pioneered the establishment of Agricultural Technology in Epe, Lagos which has today become a success story.
A woman of many parts who love practical application of knowledge, Engr Amusu equally has her hand on engineering consulting and has consulted for such companies as West Africa Milk Company, Integrated Dairy farm, Vom, Evan Medical Plc and many others.
Engr Amusu has served as a member of the accreditation committee of National Board for Technical Education to many polytechnics institutions in Nigeria. She has also served as a council member of Nigerian Society of Engineers; She also hold the record as the first female to serve on COREN Council.
In August 2018, National body of APWEN honoured her along with NSE president, Engr Adekunle Mokuolu in Abeokuta for her contributions to Engineering through its National ‘Invent, in Built’ campaign which aimed to honour all its original founding Members. The Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, HRH Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, Alake of Egbaland personally graced the event and showered encomium on her for her many pioneering activities both within the profession and in the community.
Today, we celebrate this heroine of Engineering and wish her many happy returns as we echo ex president of APWEN , Engr Agubata’s word ‘Our heroine, Our Motivator-in-chief and a Total woman, an engineer per excellence.”
For our Engineers Christy Adelowo and Idiat Amusu, it is another Happy Fulfilling year.
