Nigeria has been advised to set up a research base in Antarctica. Owolabi Salis gave the advice following a visit to South Pole, Antarctica. He said: “Following my experience from a recent tour to South Pole, Antarctica, I have a strong conclusion that Nigeria should set up a research base in Antarctica.”
The research centre, according to him, can be made possible by forming alliance with the British Antarctic Survey and other important agencies already existing in Antarctica.
He added: “Nigeria should join the Antarctic Treaty if she has not. On December 1, 1959, 12 nations initially signed the Antarctic Treaty in Washington. The nations include Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States and USSR. The total number of parties to the Treaty is now 56.
“The treaty provides that Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only and scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available”
Antarctica, according to him, is very crucial to the world and Nigeria should wake up to the responsibility of leading the African race. He said they are opportunities to gain in the research base, particularly Astrophysics, one of the key futures of planet earth.
“At the South Pole, I prayed for Nigerian as a whole, particularly the Nigerian masses, for God to rescue them from hardships and give them good guidance,” he said.
According to reports, the South Pole, which sits at over 9,000 feet above sea level, making it difficult to breathe, was first conquered by a Norwegian, named Roald Amundsen on December 14, 1911.
On what it will cost to get to the South Pole, Salis said the total cost is about $100,000 (about N125,000,000).
It costs about $59,900 to fly you from Punta Arenas in Chile to the South Pole. You have to get compulsory insurance with evacuation risk about $10,000; purchase special gears about $10,000.
