UNILAG Engineering Society holds PAADC second edition

  ……..as experts promise continuous support

In order to encourage youth meaningful participation to the technological advancement of the country,  the University of Lagos Engineering Society (ULES) held its second edition of Professor Ayodele Awojibi Design Competition (PAADC 2.0)

The event which was held during the weekend in Lagos was graced with the presence of dignitaries in the technological sector and academic world.
According to the Commercial Excellence Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, Mr Samuel Oluwatoye societal problems should be seen as opportunity to make the country a better place.
“Young people shouldn’t get comfortable with problems in the society but to creatively address the problems with technological innovations.
“Innovators are not meant to complain but act on their reaction to be solution providers ”, Oluwatoye who is also an alumni of the institution urged.
He however encouraged and challenged both the competitors and the audience to look into their immediate environment for problems that makes them unhappy, so as to provide solutions to it with technological innovations.
Speaking at the event, the Country General Manager, Siemens, Mr Nasir Giwa noted that programs and platforms with indigenous potentials to advance Nigeria technologically should be supported.
“This is a laudable program and am so much impressed. I say this because these designs are tailored to solve societal problems indigenously”, Giwa said.
Addressing the designs marketability possibility, he noted that with experts support, the designs can get to the market.
However, he disclosed that there are two ways to make technological innovations marketable.
“First, the innovator must believe in it and I can see the students are passionate about it.
“The design must satisfy peoples consumption.
“These are ways by which we can promote our indigenous technology”, Giwa said.
According to the planning committee chaiman, Mr Abdulhamed O. Obileye, PAADC was established by ULES with the aim of getting Nigerian students solve societal problem in house because it is believed that they have the ingenuity and the brain to solve national problems indigenously.
He also disclosed that over 500 applications were received from 30 universities in Nigeria.
However 7 teams made it to the grand finale.
” We have sponsors seated in the auditorium to personally handpicked design in order to incubate them for sustainable development societal benefits”, Obileye posited.
After a keenly contested exhibition of technology projects designed by contestants and witnessed by experienced panel of Judges, Team PREST from Federal University of Technology Akure, who presented a project of tomato processing and preservation, came first with an award of five hundred thousand naira.
The first runner up, Team ALPHA JET from University of Lagos who designed  an  Emergency Medical drone went home with three hundred thousand naira.
The second runner up, Team Al- Khwarizmi from UNILAG got the cash prize of two hundred thousand Naira.
Other runner up, including MELGOADS Team who designed mobile App that mitigates the menace of pest and Disease outbreak form UNILAG, Team ALLEVIATE , Team SUMMA from Onabisi Onabanjo University went home with a consolation prizes of fifty thousand naira each respectively.