A former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Lai Olurode, has said public interest is poorly served in the country, adding that research findings are hardly respected in government circles.

Olurode, who was Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG), stated this, yesterday, at a valedictory lecture, titled: “Knowledge Sector, Public Interest and Power Structure,” held in his honour at UNILAG.

He stated that unless recruited to serve specific interests, academics have limited roles in influencing public policy.

“To push their findings to the front-burners, academics must seek elective or appointive positions, which cost is prohibitive or sidetrack the state, and also get involved in community development via non-governmental organisations (NGOs). By doing the latter, they can deploy their academic training in the service of communities through talk-shows on public issues.

“To opt out completely or siddon look (with apologies to Bola Ige of blessed memory) is to live a life of lamentations, which change nothing. Academics should be more creative rather than feel completely despondent or unpatronised.”

He urged scholars to cultivate the friendship of people of power and seek to drive public power with knowledge if public interest is to be served, saying people of power can be cajoled to cultivate friendship of scholars.

Dean of Sociology Department, Prof. Olufumilayo Bammeke, who described Olurode as an honest person that holds himself accountable to very high ethical standards, urged Nigerian leaders to emulate such attributes.

“Our leaders should be accountable. They should be empathetic. They must feel the pain of people.

“Olurode is not far away from his community. He is in tune with the people, and always stretching and fighting for the less privileged. That’s how leadership should be,” the don said.