Tribute to Engr. (Mrs.) Tawakalitu Amope Williams FNSE (nee Kenku) 11 February 1948 – 12 March 2025

Engr. Tawa Williams was more than a pioneering engineer; she was a symbol of strength, excellence,

and inspiration. She broke barriers, created opportunities where few existed, and lifted others as she

advanced.

I had the privilege of knowing her through her cousin, Alhaja Titi Agbalajobi, my mother’s best friend.

She was one of the first female engineers I ever knew, and her remarkable career and dedication to

engineering inspired me to follow the same path. So deep was her influence that when my daughter

was born, I named her Tawa after her, a tribute to a woman who had shaped my journey in more ways

than she ever knew.

Our paths crossed professionally during my NYSC service year (1987–1988) at the Lagos State Water

Corporation, where she was the Controller of Projects. It was there that I saw firsthand her brilliance,

work ethic, and commitment to solving one of Lagos’ most pressing challenges, water supply. Her

passion for water resource management shaped my own interest in the field and influenced my

decision to pursue a Masters in Public Health Engineering.

Her achievements were groundbreaking. She was part of the team that developed the Lagos Water

Supply Master Plan and later led the implementation of the Adiyan Water Works, a transformative

project that significantly expanded access to clean water in Lagos. She was a leader, a mentor, and a

strategist, never shying away from difficult tasks. Even beyond public service, she continued to impact

lives, whether through mentoring young engineers, advising entrepreneurs, or taking on new

challenges, like her venture into agriculture in Odogbolu Local Government here in Ogun State.

In 2021, I had the honor of nominating her for the Hall of Fame for African Female Engineers in the

Sheroes category, an acknowledgment of her pioneering role and lasting contributions to engineering.

Engr. Tawa Williams lived a life of impact, service, and excellence. She made a lasting mark in her field

and in the lives of those she mentored. Her legacy lives on, in the projects she built, in the professionals

she nurtured, and in all of us who were fortunate to know her.

I will forever be grateful for her guidance, her example, and her belief that women belong in

engineering, leadership, and every space where decisions that shape our world are made.

May her soul rest in peace.

Her Excellency Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele FNSE

Deputy Governor, Ogun State.

20 March 2025.