The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, Professor Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, has said Nigeria is endowed with brilliant minds but lacks the enabling environment needed to nurture and retain its vast pool of talents, a situation she said continues to fuel brain drain and undermine the country’s global competitiveness in science and innovation.

 

Prof. Adejuyigbe made the remark while responding to questions about Nigeria’s participation in international Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes after receiving a leadership recognition award from Cred 360 Media Limited in her office in Ondo City.

 

Cred 360 Media Limited, a full-service media, public relations, and advertising agency based in Ibadan, had given the Distinguished Leadership Award in Medical Education to the vice-chancellor.

 

Present during the presentation were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor [Academic], Prof. Oyetunde Oyeyemi; the Deputy Registrar [VC’s Office], Mr. Akin Owaboriaye ; Senior Assistant Registrar [VC’s Office], Ms. Opeyemi Awani and the university’s Head of the Directorate of Public Relations and Corporate Affairs, Mr. Isaac Oluyi.

 

The VC said the country has no shortage of gifted young people capable of excelling globally, stressing that the major challenge lies in weak institutional support, inadequate infrastructure and poor implementation of merit-based policies.

 

“Nigeria has brains. Our problem is not the absence of intelligent people but the lack of an enabling environment for them to thrive. If you do not take care of your people, they will not excel, and they will continue to leave the country,” she said.

 

The vice-chancellor lamented that many outstanding Nigerian scientists, researchers and innovators continue to relocate abroad in search of better opportunities because of poor infrastructure and limited support for research and development.

 

According to her, professionals working in advanced economies are able to concentrate on innovation because they are not burdened by challenges of erratic electricity supply, inadequate water, poor transportation and other infrastructural deficiencies.

 

“If I go abroad, I don’t have to worry about water, electricity, roads or transportation. My energy is focused on my work, and I can use my brain to think and innovate. That is the difference,” she said.

 

The professor maintained that Nigeria possesses the human capital required to compete with leading nations in science, technology and innovation if deliberate investments are made in education, research and talent development.

 

She urged governments at all levels to create policies that reward excellence, strengthen educational institutions and provide an enabling environment capable of retaining the country’s brightest minds.

 

Adejuyigbe also lauded journalists for promoting stories that celebrate excellence, noting that recognition motivates individuals and institutions to strive for greater accomplishments while contributing to national development.