Anetor Otaigbe Cornelius

My journey in life deeply resonates with the saying “Circumstances of birth should not be destiny.” Growing up in a slum as an orphan in one of the major towns in Lagos, I faced numerous challenges, but I never let those challenges defeat me. Looking back six years down the line, I became the first graduate in my lineage with a first-class degree (4.53/5.0) in mechanical engineering (class salutatorian) while ranking in the top 1% in my faculty thanks to two undergraduate scholarships. My undergraduate thesis, titled “Inhibitive Corrosion Property of Bitter Leaf on Mild Steel in HCl, NaCl, and H2O by Potentio-dynamic Polarization Method,” was recognized as one of the best in the Mechanical Engineering Department at FUNAAB, Nigeria. This led to a conference presentation at the Nigerian Corrosion Association Western Zone and is currently under review with F1000 Research Journal. The study successfully assessed real-time corrosion rates of mild steel in environments like industrial plants, oil and gas pipelines, acid cleaning, and water treatment systems. To stay active in research, I am now collaborating with young researchers on two peer-reviewed projects: one on laser additive manufacturing and the other on recycling multi-layer composite polymer packaging to contribute to global sustainability efforts. Outside of research, I served as a Pyramid Educational Advancement Scholar, mentoring underprivileged children and providing academic support within my community. I also organized a structured mentoring program at the Compassionate Orphanage Home in Lagos, where I created learning plans, provided free educational materials, and tracked the orphans’ academic progress. This initiative improved their academic performance by 70%, positively influenced their behavior, and helped some to shape their career goals. These experiences also strengthened my leadership and communication skills By 2040, I want to be among the impactful researchers who have made significant efforts in understanding the structure-property relationships which provides a basis for developing engineering materials for advanced applications, and whose research has helped the United Nations in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. If selected for this opportunity, I will pay it forward by leveraging my LinkedIn platform with over a thousand engaged followers to amplify the visibility of the Top 100 Africa Future Leaders initiatives, while also offering personalized mentorship and reviewing scholarship documents to support future applicants in their journey. Receiving this life changing opportunity as being recognized as one of the Top 100 Africa Future Leaders will not only provide me with a place to stand but it will also empower me to move the earth in my field.