Margaret Oguntala became the first female president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), an organization founded in 1958, on Thursday, December 21, 2023.
Oguntala assumes this innovative position, succeeding the late President Tasiu Gidari-Wudil, who made the announcement at an Abuja conference. She is the association’s first female president in its 65-year history, the NSE stated in a statement on Thursday.
Oguntala, who has been the Deputy President for the last two years, will take office as the Society’s head on January 1, 2024, in accordance with the guidelines that the NSE has established for a two-year term.
“It’s a new dawn in the history of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, as the incumbent and 33rd president, Engr. Tasiu Sa’ad Gidari-Wudil, hands over the baton of leadership to the 34th and first female president in the 65 years history of the NSE,” the statement reads.
“Engr. Mrs. Margaret Aina Oguntala FNSE, popularly known as the “Erelu worldwide” and regarded as the mother of the modern day engineering in Nigeria by young engineers in Nigeria took the engineering world by storm when she against all odds broke the 65 years monopoly of male engineers as presidents of the prestigious association.”
“She’s coming in as president with her pool of experience, exposure and networks to further consolidate on the giant strides of Engr. Tasiu Sa’ad Wudil who under his leadership produced the first black man as the president of the world federation of Engineering organisation and also made history as the first president to hand over to a female president.”
Tasiu Gidari-Wudil discussed the transition and stated that the election took place after the court overturned a previous interlocutory injunction that had prevented it.
“The background information is that one of the contestants in the 2021 elections who felt aggrieved about the outcome of the election results went to an Abuja High Court and secured an interlocutory injunction stopping the 2023 elections,” he said.
“However, the AGM gave approval for the president to call an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) after the court case had been resolved.
“I am happy to announce to you that on December 18, 2023, the court, having taken the application filed by the society challenging the said order and the arguments of both counsel, set aside the order it made on November 24, 2023.”
Margret Oguntala is a three-decade professional woman who attended the University of Benin (1981–1986) and graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Oguntala describes herself as a “erudite Engineer with a proven track record of exemplary and outstanding leadership in several capacities across various engineering bodies in Nigeria.” She has succeeded in executive and boardroom roles and is also certified as an environmental consultant.