A few days ago, President Bola Tinubu approved a new set of appointments, including the new managing director(MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC). Engineer Jennifer Adighije, the former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Entrepreneurship Development in Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy is the new boss of NDPHC. Since her appointment, she has close under close scrunity by fault finders trying to belittle her pedigree and excellent track record. In what appears to be a growing culture of belittlement particularly against successful women in high position, Engr. Adighije has been described as “lacking leadership experience” to effectively deliver on her mandate. The same scenario played out recently when Dame Adaora Umeoji became the first group managing director, GMD of Zenith Bank. They are at it again. Their mission is to dim Engr. Adighije’s shine and potrary her as inexperienced for her current assignment.
Contrary to the falsehood being bandied about in some sections of the media, Engineer Jennifer Adighije got the job because she merited the appointment. Forget political connections, Engineer Adighije is not a newbie to the power sector. She started her career as a transmission engineer at the now-defunt Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN (formerly known as Nepa) where she covered herself in glory. Described as everything a woman of substance stands for, Engineer Adighije embodies what every sane parent should want their daughter to become in life. Blessed with good genes, and a first class brain, Engr. Adighije has behind her back nearly two decades of cognate experience spanning diverse functions across private and public sectors. Adighije has multiple degrees, including international ones, in wireless networks and telecommunications. An alumnus of the prestigious University of Lagos where she bagged a B. Sc. in electrical and electronics engineering, a male-dominated course. She proceeded to bag an M. Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering (with distinction) at the Queen Mary, University of London. Not the type to rest on her laurels, the NDPHC boss is currently in the second year of her Doctorate study at the Catholic University of Murcia, Spain. Aside her impressive educational qualifications, Engr. Adighije also boast years of valuable experience working with big companies like Globalcom where she made herself proud. She had stint at Helios Towers Nig, and later joined the apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, at managerial level in the procurement department where she was saddled with the engineering and cost-control duties of the bank’s capital projects. So, what more does it take to merit her appointment?
A thoroughbred professional, Engr. Adighije is a member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, a registered Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) practitioner and a life member of the Rotary Club. Best known for her bright personality, Engr. Adighije is a humanitarian of international repute. She is actively involved in humanitnarian activities aimed at empowering the less privileged in the society. Currently, she serves as the patron of Digi-Tech empowerment foundation for youths – where she dedicates her time and resources to fostering digital inclusion by bridging access gaps for digitally vulnerable youths. No doubt, Engr. Adighije has paid her dues in full. She has deservedly earned her elevation. And if her track record of excellence is anything to rely on, she will surely deliver on the NDPHC mandate.