The Muslim Engineers Association (TMEA) has clarified that it is not a rival to the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) or the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
The body described itself instead as a faith-based professional body established to promote ethical engineering practice, leadership and service to humanity.
The clarification was made by the Pioneer National President of TMEA, Gbadegesin Muftah Osuolale, during the formal inauguration of the association’s Pioneer National Executive Council at the LCCI Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
Inaugurated alongside Osuolale were Deputy President, Tajudeen Kolade Ibrahim; Vice President, Kamorudeen Adebisi; General Secretary, Zaid Jagun; Treasurer, Al-Ameen Ahmadu; Financial Secretary, Adeniran-Bakare Silifat Mobisayo; Publicity Secretary, Ahmed Ayinla; Assistant Secretary, Ademuyiwa Tijani; and Welfare Secretary, Fatimoh Opeloyeru.
Speaking at the ceremony, held under the theme, ‘Engineering Excellence, Ethical Leadership and Service to Humanity Through Islamic Values,’ Osuolale said the association was established to complement, rather than compete with, existing statutory and professional engineering institutions.
He explained that TMEA’s position was comparable to faith-based professional associations that operate alongside mainstream professional bodies, citing the Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria (MULAN) as an example.
‘TMEA is neither a rival nor an affiliate of the Nigerian Society of Engineers or COREN. We are a faith-based professional body, just as the Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria exists alongside the Nigerian Bar Association,’ he said.
Osuolale said the association’s central objective was to bring Islamic ethical principles into professional practice and encourage engineers to see their responsibilities as both professional and moral obligations.
‘Our faith and our profession were never meant to exist in separate rooms,’ he said. ‘Engineering gives us the knowledge to solve problems; Islam gives us the moral compass to use that knowledge responsibly.’
He added that engineering decisions often carry significant consequences for society, stressing that engineers must therefore place integrity, public safety and accountability above personal or commercial interests.
The inauguration marked the culmination of an eight-year evolution that began in 2018 as an informal WhatsApp group of engineers in Ikeja. The initiative expanded in 2024 under an Interim Management Committee and subsequently developed into a nationwide professional fellowship.
Osuolale, who has over 35 years of experience in civil engineering, public infrastructure, private development and professional services, is the founder and Managing Director of Enphma Nigeria Limited. He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Ibadan and an M.Sc. from the University of Lagos.
His previous public and professional engagements include serving as Supervisor for Works at Ikeja Local Government, Board Member of the Osun State Water Corporation and President of the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP).
He assured members that competence and talent would not be marginalised under his administration, while urging young engineers to recognise integrity and character as being as important as technical competence.
Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, represented by the institution’s Deputy Rector (Academics), Dr. Ismail Badmus, enjoined the gathering to be mindful of the ethical implications of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
Dr. Abdul warned that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, automation and data analytics could create new risks if not matched with appropriate ethical safeguards.
‘A flawed line of code could affect millions of people, while a biased algorithm could discriminate against entire categories of citizens in employment, credit and security screening,’ he warned.
According to him, engineers must be willing to reject unsafe projects even when doing so could result in financial or career consequences.
‘AI can assist engineers, but it cannot replace their ethical responsibility. Treat generative AI like a highly capable but occasionally inaccurate junior colleague: use it to accelerate work, but never surrender professional judgement,’ he said.
The transition to the new executive council was formally conducted by the outgoing Chairman of the Interim Management Committee, Engr. M.B. Odetokun, who recalled the process of transforming TMEA from an informal initiative into a constitutionally guided national body.
Odetokun urged the new leadership to sustain transparency, unity and accountability as the association expands.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Kamoru Adebisi, also expressed appreciation to members, partners and delegates whose contributions helped bring the inauguration to fruition.
Olowu of Owu Kingdom Oba Saka Matemilola, urged the new leadership to contribute meaningfully to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges.
Oba Matemilola enjoined the engineers to stand firmly against corruption and invest in mentoring young professionals who would take over the profession in the future.