đź“° History Made: Agricultural Engineer, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, Elected COREN President
History was made in the Nigerian engineering community on April 13, 2023, as Engr. Prof. Sadiq Z. Abubakar was elected the new President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). His election breaks a long-standing pattern and marks the first time an Agricultural Engineer will occupy the highest leadership position of the nation’s engineering regulatory body.
The announcement was conveyed in a statement issued by the National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), Prof. Folarin Alonge.
Breaking the Dominance Jinx
Prof. Abubakar’s ascension follows a precedent set nearly a decade earlier by another distinguished Agricultural Engineer. In 2014, Engr. Isaac Ademola Olorunfemi became the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), having won the Deputy President-elect contest in Calabar in November 2011. Engr. Olorunfemi’s tenure was lauded for recognizing and promoting the contributions of Agricultural Engineers, thereby breaking the traditional dominance of other major engineering divisions within the NSE.
For COREN, while several notable Agricultural Engineers have served in top capacities—including Engr. Prof. K. C. Oni, Engr. Prof. Mike Faborode, and Engr. Prof. Emmanuel Ajav as Vice Presidents—none had achieved the top presidential seat until now.
A New Era for COREN
Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, who previously served as the National Chairman of the NIAE, is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the regulation and practice of engineering in Nigeria.
In his congratulatory message, Prof. Alonge stated, “A big congratulations to Prof. Abubakar. Congratulations to NIAE and all Agricultural Engineers for this great feat. We look forward to a lot of positive difference Prof. Abubakar will make.”
The NIAE National Executive Council (NEC) pledged its full support to the new COREN President, emphasizing the collective responsibility to ensure his success.
“Let’s rally round him to make a great impact. His success is our success,” Prof. Alonge concluded.
Prof. Abubakar’s tenure is anticipated to foster greater inter-disciplinary collaboration and enhance the regulatory framework to better address the nation’s complex infrastructure and agricultural challenges.
“A big congratulations to Prof Abubakar. Congratulations to NIAE and all Agricultural Engineers for this great feat. We look forward to a lot of positive difference Prof Abubakar will make.”
On behalf of NEC, we wish him a successful tenure.
Let’s rally round him to make a great impact. His sucesss is our success.
Congrats to all
Prof Folarin Alonge
NIAE National Chairman
April 13, 2023
