Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, on Friday joined other well-meaning Nigerians in celebrating former Minister of Power, Bart Nnaji, on his 70th birthday, commending the Professor of Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing for coming home to impact the nation.
Mr Mbah said Nnaji’s decision to return home was the real defining chapter of his life.
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He, however, said his administration was committed to building an Enugu State where young people could imagine their future and actualise their potential without necessarily having to leave the country physically.
The governor spoke at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, during a colloquium to mark the former Minister’s milestone birthday.
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Speaking at the event, themed “Powering Tomorrow: 70 Years of Engineering the Common Good,” Mr Mbah said, “Professor Nnaji’s life reminds us that the journey is only complete when knowledge returns to serve the community that first nurtured it.
“Prof. came home. And he returned not because he had to, but because he believed that what he had learned belonged here as well.
“He founded Geometric Power, becoming a pioneer of indigenous power development in Nigeria. He answered the call to public service in science and technology. He invested not only in infrastructure, but in people.
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“For me, the defining chapter of his journey is not simply that he left. Not simply that he succeeded. But that he returned.
“His life also reminds us that engineering is ultimately an act of service. Its value is measured by the difference it makes to people’s lives: a community with reliable electricity, a hospital that never loses power during surgery, a young entrepreneur with the confidence to build a business because the foundations are dependable. That is why the theme of this colloquium is so fitting.
“Throughout his career, Professor Nnaji has shown us that knowledge reaches its highest purpose when it is placed in the service of others,” he stated.
“We want to build an Enugu where every young person can imagine a future worthy of their gifts; a place where world-class education, reliable infrastructure, security, innovation, and enterprise come together to create genuine opportunity.
He, however, said that whereas Prof. Nnaji had to travel to America, where he made it, his administration had envisioned an Enugu State where youths and children could excel, actualising their potential.
“Our ambition is simple: that the next generation can acquire world-class skills, pursue world-class careers, and help build a world-class society – without feeling that they must leave home in order to fulfill their potential.
“That is why we are investing so heavily in education, equipping every Smart Green School with robotics and AI laboratories, strengthening our engineering and digital capabilities, expanding power infrastructure, and preparing our children for the demands of the 21st century,” he stated.
He added that his government was equally committed to building Enugu State into “a place that continues to welcome home those who have travelled the world, while increasingly becoming a place where the world itself comes to Enugu.”
Stressing the need for inclusive, quality education for all, Governor Mbah commended President Bola Tinubu’s National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) initiative for promoting access to tertiary education.
“Our goal in education perfectly aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative, which has, through NELFUND, strengthened inclusiveness in education – ensuring that no student is denied access to tertiary education on account of lack of access to funds,” the governor concluded.
Meanwhile, the event was attended by many personalities, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Special Adviser to the President on Power Infrastructure, Office of the Vice President, Sadiq Wanka; former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti; former Central Bank Governor, Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; wife of Nigeria’s First Republic President, Prof Uche Azikiwe; co-Founder, Seplat Energy, Dr ABC Orjiakor; President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Senator John Azuta Mbata; captains of industry and a host of others.
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