News Investigators/ The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Margaret Oguntala, says the society will continue to use sports to unify engineers nationwide in spite of their area of specialisation.
Mrs Oguntala said this at the unveiling of the mascot for the commencement of the 2025 Nigerian Engineering Games (NEGG) holding between July 12 and July 19, at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
She said this year’s games had a unique feature following the introduction of the Habu Gumel Olympic Marathon in honour of their former president, Habu Gumel, who is now the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
“This year’s edition of the Games holds special significance.
“The Nigerian Society of Engineers has dedicated the 2025 NEGG in honour of one of our illustrious leaders and a Past President of our great Society (2000–2001), Habu Gumel, who is currently the President of the NOC.
“He is a respected sports administrator and a shining example of how engineering leadership can extend its impact to the global arena of sports.
“His outstanding contributions to the management of sports in Nigeria and his role in promoting the country’s footprint on the world stage have earned him accolades and recognition, locally and internationally.
“In his honour, we are proud to introduce a special feature of this year’s event, the Habu Gumel NSE Olympic Marathon, which will serve as a lasting tribute to his enduring legacy in both engineering and sports development,” Oguntala said.
According to her, the Engineering Games is conceived with a two-fold objective, namely, to provide engineers an opportunity to take a break from their professional schedules, engage in physical activities and promote overall fitness and wellness.
She said the second objective was to serve as a strategic platform for social interaction and professional networking.
This, she said, was aimed at bringing engineers together with government officials, key stakeholders in the public and private sectors, as well as members of the diplomatic community to mingle and forge ahead together.
Earlier, Shehu Dikko, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), said efforts would be geared towards inaugurating a competition where every sector in the country would engage one another and vie for honours.
Mr Dikko said that as a quantity surveyor, he would want to see the inauguration of the Quantity Surveyors Games, to challenge the Engineering Games.
“As a Fellow of the Institute of Quantity Surveyors, I feel jealous that we should also be doing the same thing that I am seeing here.
“I have been a quantity surveyor before I became a sports administrator, and I will take this back to my institute, to ensure we create competition between professional bodies.
“Engineers and quantity surveyors work together on the same site, so we should be having a competition among ourselves to ensure our unity especially as we work on the same project,” Dikko said.
The NOC President, Habu Gumel, said he was honoured to have the marathon in his name.
“It is a great honour for me that the Nigerian Society of Engineers decided to name this marathon after me and it has become an annual event.
“This marathon is an important event for the NOC and the NSE, to promote the interest of sports.
“It is important to see how sports can unite people and a marathon helps to improve health,” Gumel said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 150 runners participated in the marathon with Isaac Ogundare emerging as the overall winner.
NAN
