By Oladele Ogunsola, Correspondent, Ibadan

Like a charge to the new team being led by Elueze, Oyawoye disclosed that in this age when the song on every lip was how to find alternative source of energy and resources, the relevance of the society could not be over-emphasised.

He urged the society under the leadership of Anthony Elueze not to wait till the nation's oil dries up before an alternative is sought. The teacher of teachers frowned at the present attitude of government at appointing non-professionals to man related ministries either Mines and Power or the recent Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, calling on the society to ensure that things are done right in that regard. Specifically, he charged the new President that the responsibility on his shoulder ''is a hard one if you have to do it right''.

Reading his inaugural address entitled ''Re-energising, repositioning and re-asserting the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society'', Azubuike Elueze did not leave anyone in doubt of his preparedness for the new assignment fate had thrusted on him. He said his address would touch the essence of the occasion, the vision, mission and the action plan of tenure of office and equally the envisaged accomplishments and projections for the future, based on past and the prevailing situations. The new President acknowledged the privilege given him to provide leadership for what he described as ''the most formidable group of knowledgeable persons in Nigeria'', the NMGS, and expressed the resolve to leave it highly better than he met it.

He observed that the society would need to harness fully its potential to adequately assume its pivotal status in the occupational scheme, and in doing this it must be creatively proactive in promoting effective interaction with relevant institutions and stakeholders. He expressed awareness that the vibrancy of any society squarely rests on the level of articulation of the membership of such society, and NMGS was not an exception. In this wise, he said, ''For sustained active awareness, there is need to evolve an outstanding culture of esprit de corps within the hierarchical structure, and cultivating an objective, equitable and dependable reward system among members.''

To whom much is given, much is expected. Under the leadership of Elueze, members would be required to be active in performing their obligations to the society just as elders of the society would be accorded due respect. In his words, ''Appropriate measures are similarly required to ensure that members and the different arms are enthusiastically responsive to the various obligations and activities of the society. The institutional members, who are mostly the main benefactors and the pioneering, elderly and senior members, also deserve commensurate privileges, incentives and concessions. Besides, the latter should accordingly be accorded due respect, recognition and reward to embellish the rich history of NMGS.''

As a one-time editor-in-chief of the in-house publication of the society, the President recalled his exploits then in the area of relationship and affiliation with related bodies, both within and outside the country through which he said the society was able to secure exchange partnership with various national and international organisations and institutions, assuring that concerted energy would be expended to ''expand and strengthen the scope and derivatives of such and other connections''.

He said the society under his leadership would be fully involved in upgrading the efficiency and effectiveness of the functions of COMEG. For instance, he said, ''suitable push would be exerted to enhance the training curricular, especially in consolidating the level of competence, confidence and pride, particularly of student and graduate members. Also is the protection of the practice of registered professionals through enforcing regulatory mechanisms.''

If the observation and determination expressed by the NMGS new President is anything to go by, then things would surely look up for the country, as he expressed worry that the country's dependence on importation ''is considerably high despite different policies and options adopted by government on several industrial ingredients''. For example, Elueze noted, ''it was recently reported that the country still imports crucible pots and school pencils, and the latter, which are made from graphite (low hardness carbon), gulps about N750 billion.'' To bring an end to this unwholesome development, he assured that the society would support its members in collaborating with bodies such as the Raw Materials Research and Development Council [RMRDC], Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi [FIIRO], and other related bodies on processing, blending and beneficiation of industrial raw materials.

*To be concluded on Monday