Nigerian female Engineer receives Biden’s presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
Nigerians in the diaspora have continued to make their country proud, with a US-based Nigerian engineer, Mrs Stella Okengwu, being honoured with the esteemed Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition for her outstanding contributions to the field of engineering.
She was among four individuals honoured by the former US President, alongside Michael Flynn, Dr Alveda Thomas, and Catalina Stube.
Notably, this award comes at a critical time when Engr. Okengwu’s efforts to champion a $250 million investment into the Nigerian economy by Nigerians in the diaspora are facing challenges in her homeland.
As a key figure in promoting the repatriation of hundreds of millions of dollars back into Nigeria through the Winhomes Global Estate scheme, Engr. Okengwu’s work was said to be instrumental in supporting the Nigerian economy. However, the scheme is currently under threat due to the diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Highway construction in Okun Ajah, Lagos, by officials of the Federal Ministry of Works.
In response, Nigerians in the diaspora have filed a lawsuit challenging the diversion, citing the need for adherence to due diligence. They also accused the Federal Ministry of Works of disregarding the 2006 Gazetted Alignment, lamenting that lawbreakers who built on the earmarked section of the road were favoured.
Despite these challenges, Engr. Okengwu, in her acceptance speech for the award, reiterated her commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda. She also called on the President to intervene in the diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Highway, emphasizing that his support would encourage other Nigerian diasporans to invest in the country.
