Dike Onwuamaeze
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, along with other eminent Nigerians such as former president Olusegun Obasanjo, poured encomiums on the Chairman of Geometric Power Group, Professor Bart Nnaji, who celebrated his 70th birthday yesterday in Enugu.
They showered their encomiums during Prof. Bart Nnaji 70th Birthday Symposium with the theme: ‘Powering Tomorrow: 70 Years of Engineering the Common Good’, which was held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
Other dignitaries that attended the symposium were the Emir of Kano, HRH Khalifa Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II; Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah and Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, amongst others.
A State House press release titled ‘President Tinubu Congratulates Professor Bart Nnaji on His 70th Birthday’, which was issued by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said that “Tinubu celebrates the innovator and administrator who brought integrity, brilliance, and discipline to his service to the nation as minister.”
Tinubu described Nnaji as one of the nation’s critical players in the power sector who demonstrated foresight and keenness of mind in pioneering and leading the Aba Integrated Power Project, which is Nigeria’s first fully vertically integrated electricity utility.
The President also commended Nnaji for his contributions to reforms in the power sector and thanked him for leading the charge despite the challenges.
“President Tinubu joins family, friends, and associates to wish Professor Nnaji many more years in good health and even greater success in his future endeavours,” the press release stated.
In his opening remarks, Obasanjo, who was the chairman of the birthday symposium, said that the occasion was to celebrate success, excellence, achievements and exemplary life of Nnaji.
Obasanjo said, “So today, we are here to celebrate success. Today, we are here to celebrate excellence. Today, we are here to celebrate achievements.
“Today, we are here to celebrate an exemplary life that can be shown to other people that this is the way to follow.
“Bart, you have a lot of that. May success continue to attend your way.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima, whose goodwill message was read during the event, said that Nnaji made significant contributions to Nigeria’s power sector with his Aba Power Plant that generate, supply power and meter every customer to collect money.
Shettima said that the Aba Power Plant has become a template in the country’s power sector that is bedevilled by a vicious circle of poor power supply, poor payment collections and under investments.
The Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi II, who delivered the birthday’ symposium’s keynote address, said that Nnaji’s achievements in the power ecosystem have been recognised by global major corporations and multinational financial institutions as Africa’s success story.
Speaking on ‘Energy Security and Economic Growth’, Sanusi said that Nigeria’s failure to provide steady energy has remained a nightmare.
He defined energy security as uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price, adding that energy security and national development are intertwined as a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply is the foundational driver of economic growth, industrialisation and poverty reduction.
Sanusi said, “If you want to see the impact of electricity on an economy just look at the Geometric Power and the transformation in Abia State.
“Professor Nnaji stands as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished engineers and visionary leaders whose life and work have profoundly shaped the nation’s scientific and energy landscape.
“Unlike other academicians who theorise, Nnaji practicalises his profession and has contributed to humanism solving everyday problems.”
The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Mbah, said that Nnaji’s achievements in academics and engineering were earned through discipline, resilience and relentless hard work.
Mbah said that Nnaji’s founding of the Geometric Power made him the 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.
“He has championed young engineers. Supported education and shown repeatedly that the greatest measure of achievement is not what we build for ourselves but what we enabled in others.
“Professor, your life has shown us what becomes possible when talent is matched by purpose and ambition is balanced by service.
“You have demonstrated that excellence and humility can walk hand in hand.
“Global achievements need never weaken local commitments and that the greatest use of knowledge is to improve lives of others,” Mbah said.
In his goodwill message, the Governor Otti of Abia State said that the success of Geometric Power Group in the state encouraged his administration to launch the Aba Electric Bus transport scheme.
Otti said, “It is actually the Geometric that gave us the courage to launch our first set of electric buses.”
He said that people should learn from Nnaji’s “I-can-do-it and never say die spirit.”
The Managing Director/CEO of Nigeria NLG Limited, Mr. Adeleye Falade, who was represented by the General Manager, External Relations, NLNG, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, said that Nnaji is an exceptional professional, a decorated scientist and indeed a force to be reckoned with in the power industry.
The symposium also witnessed a ‘Presidential Fireside Chat’ with Obasanjo that was moderated by the Chairman of THISDAY Editorial Board, Dr. Segun Adeniyi, and a book review on ‘Nnaji: The Challenge of the Future’ by an acclaimed novelist and Professor of Literature, Professor Okey Ndibe
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