Don’t blame engineers for building collapses in Nigeria, Says Engr Ben Okoh

By ABUBAKAR YUNUSA

In light of the frequent building collapses in Nigeria, Engr. Ben Osy Okoh, Chairman of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Abuja branch, has distanced engineers from the blame for these incidents, Instead, he has placed responsibility on other professionals within the construction industry.
Engr. Ben drew a parallel between the predicament of Nigerian engineers and the former Brazilian goalkeeper, Gabriel Barbosa, during a paper presentation at the society’s 2023 general meeting, with the theme “Confronting the Barbosanisation of Nigerian Engineers in Abuja yesterday.
He explained that the term “Barbosanisation” is derived from Barbosa, a renowned Brazilian footballer who was among the world’s best goalkeepers in his time. Barbosa played for Brazil during the 1950 World Cup, held at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium.
During that tournament, Brazil was expected to win the World Cup. However, to their dismay, they were defeated by Uruguay. Barbosa became the scapegoat, and Brazilians stigmatized him to the extent that even after Brazil had won three subsequent World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970, the memory of that defeat persisted.
Drawing a parallel to Nigeria’s engineering sector, Engr. Ben emphasized the crucial role of engineers in a country’s development. He underscored that engineers contribute significantly to the economy and are the backbone of any nation.
“In fact, engineering is the lifeblood of any country, and engineers play a pivotal role,” he stated.
He further highlighted that engineers are often taken for granted, possibly because they do not engage in unionism or frequent strikes. Engr. Ben expressed the belief that if engineers were to go on strike, no sector of the economy would function. Nevertheless, they continue to be disrespected and disregarded.
Engr. Ben pointed out that whenever there is a building collapse in the country, engineers are immediately blamed, despite the fact that building construction is just one facet of engineering. Nigeria boasts various engineering branches, including dam construction, highway development, and impressive projects like Abuja’s interchanges and beautiful landscapes.
He elaborated, “When a building collapses, it is not necessarily the engineer’s fault. Most of the time, these are due to structural deficiencies, but there are architects and other professionals involved in the construction process. However, engineers are singled out and subjected to stigmatization and name-calling.”
Engr. Ben concluded by lamenting that the hard work and contributions of engineers over the years can be overshadowed by one unfortunate incident that is not their fault, akin to how Barbosa was stigmatized in Brazil. He emphasized that this unwarranted stigmatization is a daily occurrence for engineers in Nigeria.