A former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Abubakar Yar’Adua, has advised secondary school students to remain focused on their chosen careers and uphold integrity in all their endeavours.

Mr Yar’Adua, who is also one of the founding members of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), made the call at a public lecture held in his honour to mark his 76th birthday on Saturday in Abuja.

The event, titled “1st Engr. Abubakar Lawal Yar’Adua Public Lecture and 76th Birthday Celebration,” was organised by the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), FCT/Nasarawa State chapter.

The lecture had as its theme: “Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Productivity in the Digital Age.’’

Mr Yar’Adua encouraged students to take their studies seriously, ask questions when in doubt, and respect their teachers, noting that honesty and discipline remain essential to success.

“Don’t base your performance on the money you will get. Don’t be corrupt. Try and do your best, it will count for you,” he said.

He also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s development potential, urging leaders to prioritise national interest over personal gains.

“God has blessed Nigeria with everything it needs to develop to the highest standard. Our leaders must focus on progress, not their pockets,” he said.

The Chairman of the occasion and ex-Group Executive Director, Corporate Services at NNPCL, Ibrahim Abba, said Yar’Adua was a visionary engineer who brought transformative changes during his tenure as GMD.

“Yar’Adua is honest and transparent. He is what you see, a fantastic engineer, a family man, and a dedicated community member from Katsina State,” Mr Abba said.

He noted that Yar’Adua spent most of his career in the refining sector before transitioning to the upstream segment towards the end of his service at NNPCL.

The guest speaker, Dr Makama Abdullahi of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, spoke on the need for policy frameworks to regulate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nigeria’s education sector.

He noted that while AI offers numerous advantages in business and learning environments, unregulated use could lead to dependency and intellectual laziness among students.

He said, “AI can now provide students with answers to questions that require critical thinking, and this could undermine their intellectual development. We are not saying AI is bad, it has more advantages than disadvantages, but we need to carefully consider how it is integrated into the education system.’’

Mr Abdullahi emphasised the need for proactive discussions and regulatory policies to manage AI’s impact on productivity, innovation, and the future workforce. 

(NAN)