The former Nigerian President who disclosed this at an event organized in his honour by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) , said he dropped the name because of the Biblical character, Mathew, whom he was named after, was a tax collector.
“When I was born, my mother and father decided to name me Matthew. I grew up being called and addressed Matthew. What is the meaning of Matthew in the Bible? He was a tax collector,” he said.
“So, when I grew up, I dropped Matthew from my name. If anyone does not want to see my eyes red, no one should call me Matthew again. People ask, what is in a name? For me, there is so much in a name.”
“A doctor’s mistake often leads to the death of one patient,” he said.
“A lawyer’s mistake leads to the client going to jail. But if an engineer makes a mistake that leads to the collapse of a bridge or house, many people would lose their lives.
“That is why engineers must be very careful and must be efficient not to allow mistakes to be made.”
