From Fred Itua, Abuja

Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and former minister of Health, Prof. Alphonsus B. C. Nwosu have extolled the virtues of one of Nigeria’s foremost oil engineers, Dan Madu Nzelu.
They described the late Nzelu as one of the nation’s finest engineers.
Kalu, who spoke in Abuja, at the weekend, at the sideline of a book presentation, as part of activities to commemorate Nzelu’s 10th anniversary, stressed the need for Nigerians to honour past heroes who have contributed to the growth of the country in their fields of specialisation.
Speaking in the same breath, Prof. Nwosu regretted that many Nigerians, who contributed to the development of the country, have not been accorded necessary honour and recognition.
He noted that despite his contributions towards the development of infrastructure in the oil and gas sector, Nzelu has not been accorded the needed honour and  recognition.
“Let me say that the late Dan-Nzelu was a phenomenally talented engineer and one of the best that this country has produced. He was so immersed in his work. My regret is that people who did good things are not honoured in their lives,” he said. The former minister advised Nigerians to create a conducive environment and have “a leader who is focused, who can take the country to the moon and as well encourage people to put in their best.”  In his contribution, COREN President, Mr. Kashim Abdul Ali, noted that one of the challenges facing the country is poor infrastructure, which, he said ,has created an impression that Nigeria engineers are not qualified.