Pate advocates sustained investment in science, research
Former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has lamented the current state of education in Nigeria, saying that the country is “paying a heavy price” due to the neglect of its schools, which he described as “broken” and “underfunded.”

This is just as he emphasised the vital role foundational education plays in shaping future leaders.

Osinbajo, who spoke on the theme: “Building generational strength for educational institutions in Nigeria,” was the guest lecturer at the 94th Founders Day celebration of Igbobi College, Lagos, yesterday.

He said, “The discipline of waking up at 5:30 a.m. and the ‘lights out’ rules in secondary schools actually built great leaders.”

“The habits that sustain adults are formed in schools, and not improvised later in life.”

According to him, the roots of effective leadership extend beyond government offices; they begin much earlier, adding: “By the time a child turns 18, their ethical instincts are already likely formed.”

The former VP opined that corporate bodies, old students and other well-meaning individuals have roles to play to complement the government’s efforts.

Meanwhile, the Igbobi College Old Boys’ Association (ICOBA) has launched an ambitious N10 billion Endowment Fund aimed at revitalising the school and guaranteeing its legacy for the next century.

The 12th President of ICOBA, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, announced that the fund would be used to build new hostels, enhance science laboratories, and introduce advanced learning technologies.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Basic and Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, expressed the government’s support for initiatives like ICOBA’s fund, noting that “when a school like Igbobi produces disciplined individuals, it helps the government to save money on social problems and strengthens the leadership pipeline for the nation.”

However, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has said that Nigeria’s rapidly growing population of about 230 million people cannot survive without sustained investment in science and research.

The minister warned that the world is currently facing a “poly-crisis,” with pandemics, climate change, misinformation, economic instability and political uncertainty unfolding simultaneously, stressing that progress made through science remains fragile.

Pate spoke in Abuja during the SPARK Africa Translational Research Bootcamp Conference, organised by the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), in partnership with the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and SPARK Global at Stanford University, United States.

He said that Africa, despite having over 1.4 billion people, remains marginal in global research investment, often accounting for less than two per cent of total R&D spending, with most research funding coming from external sources.

But speaking earlier, Director-General of NIPRD, Dr Obi Adigwe, warned that science is facing a coordinated global attack, driven by misinformation, defunding of research institutions, political interference and intimidation of scientists.

Also, Co-Director of SPARK at Stanford University, Prof. Kevin Grimes, said Nigeria must deliberately build knowledge hubs, similar to how Stanford University powered Silicon Valley’s innovation ecosystem.