….Honours First Female Professor Of Surveying In Nigeria, Prof. Emengini
By Ikenna Nwokedi
The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) Anambra State Chapter on Wednesday, 4th September 2024 honoured UNIZIK Scholar, Surveyor Professor Ebele Emengini, the first female Professor of Surveying and Geoinformatics in Nigeria on the occasion of the one-day Mandatory Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) Workshop.
The worshop which was a forum for professionals and scholars in the field of Surveying and Geoinformatics was held at the Surveyors House Amawbia, Awka Capital Territory, Anambra State.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the occasion and NIS Chairman, Anambra State Branch, Surveyor Chief Gabriel Okeke stated that the aim and objectives of NIS is maintaining the integrity of the profession and enhancing its status by providing and supporting the training of surveyors and survey techniques as well as maintaining the highest standard of professional practice among members and advising Government on legislative matters.
Surveyor Okeke affirmed that among the professional bodies in the state, NIS stands tall and firm as it has been a long standing tradition of the branch to organize workshop for every set of newly registered surveyors for them to be grounded in methods of professional practice. He highighted some of the achievements of the current EXCO such as drilling of bore hole in the Surveyors House, power supply to the House via installation of transformer, connection to the national grid and palliative to members during end of the year get together.
Surveyor Okeke informed that the workshop was also an opportunity to celebrate, Surv. Prof. Ebele Josephine Emengini who he described as an icon, an amazon and a woman who has distinguished herself in the male dominated profession by becoming the first and only female Professor in Surveying and Geoinformatics in Nigeria.
On his part, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Chairman of the event and the Vice-Chairman of the NIS Anambra State Branch, Surv. Dr. Joseph Ejikeme described the event as a great day that is power packed as it is a day the association set aside to honour a distinguished personality, a teacher, role model and mentor in the field of Surveying and Geoinformatics who rose to the zenith of her career by becoming the First Female Professor of Surveying and Geoinformatics in Nigeria.
Surv. Ejikeme also disclosed that the Mandatory Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) workshop is essential for surveyors in the state to be grounded in methods of professional practice in the state so as to add value to the profession.
In her remarks after being honoured with an award, Prof. Ebele Emengini eulogized the NIS Anambra Branch Chairman and the entire executive committee for finding it worthy to achieve the feat of organizing the all important MCPD workshop and honouring her during the event. Surv. Emengini described the achievement of being the first female Professor of Surveying and Geoinformatics in Nigeria as a milestone not just for her but for the state and the entire South East zone.
Prof. Emengini encouraged young female folks not to be deterred in the pursuit of their set goals but with determination, dedication, commitment and resilience they will eventually achieve their dreams and set objectives.
Delivering the first lecture on the topic, “Integrating CORS Technology in Cadastral Practice in Anambra State, the MD/CEO of OTIC Surveys Ltd, Surv. Andrew Dokai informed that the profession has evolved from the use of chains, tapes, optical instruments for survey works and from theodolite moved to manuel total stations and now to robotic total stations.
Surv. Dokai stated that currently, surveyors conduct surveys using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology in post processing and Real Time Kinematics which gives instant accurate coordinates while disclosing that GNSS consists of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).
Surv. Dokai highlighted the importance of Continuous Operating Reference State (CORS) which he described as a permanently installed GNSS receiver that transmits real time positioning data to a network. He also pointed out that CORS faces challenges such as network coverage and satellite signal obstruction, he went further to narrate the benefits of using CORS such as perfect reestablishment of destroyed property beacons, less cost of equipment acquisition, general improvement in survey practice, enrichment of practicing surveyors and many more.
Other resources persons at the MCPD were Barrister Ejike Nwuba who lectured on the topic, “Customer Retention Strategies” and Barrister Obumneme Ezeonu who spoke on the topic, “Survey Plan in Land Cases.”
Highpoints of the occasion was presentation of Award of Recognition as the First Female Professor of Surveying and Geoinformatics in Nigeria to Surv. Prof. Ebele Emengini by the NIS Anambra State Branch in recognition of her academic prowess and contributions to the growth of the Surveying Profession in Nigeria as well as goodwill messages and remarks by the participants of the MCPS workshop.
