Makinde urges investment in innovation to propel Nigeria’s development

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has warned that unless Nigeria invests in competitive innovation, resilience, and strategic foresight, it may continue to lag behind contemporary nations like South Korea.

Makinde, who delivered the Thomas Adewumi University (TAU) Oko-Irese, Kwara State convocation lecture yesterday, urged Nigerian governments at all strata to prioritize education and capacity building of the citizenry.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi, Makinde stated that a nation’s global competitiveness doesn’t rely solely on natural resources, as is the case in Nigeria, but on a nation’s capacity for innovation.

He recalled that Nigeria and South Korea were on the same developmental pedestal in the 1960s with similar Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but “today, South Korea is one of the world’s technology giants because it invested in education, making innovation a national priority.”

According to Makinde, a serious and determined country is measured by its capacity for innovation, resilience, and strategic foresight.

“Self-reliance, meanwhile, is not isolation, but the ability to sustainably harness local resources, talents, and technologies while engaging effectively on the global stage,” he urged.

He lamented that despite Nigeria’s vast natural resources, vibrant culture of entrepreneurship, and a huge reservoir of creativity, “we have immense potential, yet challenges persist.”

“We are a nation of over 200 million people brimming with talent, energy, and potential, yet, we are faced with the stark reality of undeniable challenges,” he said.

He listed the regrettable challenges as youth unemployment, dependence on foreign technologies, and underutilised human and natural resources.

According to him, a significant portion of young Nigerians struggle for meaningful employment while the country still imports what it ought to produce locally, from basic goods to advanced technologies, adding, “despite our wealth in talent and resources, we are not fully leveraging them.”

He suggested heavy investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and Innovation (STEM-I) as a catalyst for transformation.

He stated that many tools used daily are from STEM-I, “yet, the real power lies not just in using them but in creating, innovating, and adapting them to solve problems.”

Also, the High Commissioner of Namibia to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Humphrey Geiseb, in his commencement lecture, described the 26 graduands as future leaders poised to change the future direction.

According to him, education is a diverse and formidable tool that transcends borders, urging the graduands to make positive contributions to the world.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of TAU, Prof. Victor Olanrewaju, described the graduands as the school’s ambassadors and urged them to always plough back into their alma mater.

The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Franscisca Oladipo, highlighted the university’s recorded successes in various attempts.

The founder of the school, Eng. Johnson Adewumi, after being decorated as Chancellor, recalled TAU’s torturous journey to its present height, stating that the school is not only producing graduates but job creators.