Nigeria LNG science prize discoveries
25 April 2023 |
3:25 am
I’m no scientist. In fact, I’m a journalist and writer. But this is more than mere scientific pontification. It’s solid reasoning. It’s the reasoning to survive which would seem to have eluded us as a country, as a people, as black people.
Nigeria LNG Limited
I’m no scientist. In fact, I’m a journalist and writer. But this is more than mere scientific pontification. It’s solid reasoning. It’s the reasoning to survive which would seem to have eluded us as a country, as a people, as black people. It’s why Nigeria has languished at the bottom of the innovative ladder that others have climbed to attain higher goals for their citizens. As undergraduates in the 1990s, the concept of Town and Gown was key to scholarship back: the need for the university to meet town or its immediate community with its vast pool of ideas and thereby offer help to problems bedeviling the town or community. I do not know how that concept died or became obsolete in the consciousness of universities and why that essential nexus between Town and Gown faded into oblivion.
America’s highly successful Silicon Valley is a product of Town and Gown meeting, a profitable nexus between the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and tech giants at Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley snatches innovations that UCLA pioneers and turns them into productive, commercial ventures for the world to buy. And this happens across American universities and elsewhere. The world saw the successful collaboration between Oxford University, UK and Zeneca Laboratory in the rapid innovation of a vaccine for COVID-19. That was a successful teamwork between Town and Gown. Why is such collaboration lacking in Nigerian universities and companies? Universities, by their very nature, are solution providers to society’s problems. But that hasn’t been the case in Nigeria. Nigerian Government would prefer to go outside to consult for its problems rather than approach Nigerian universities to provide solutions to such problems. This is moreso when government is the owner of these universities. It’s such a scandalous irony and behaviour.
Of course, many reasons may be adduced for it, not least is the cavalier attitude of government to education, especially university education. With those in government showing an unbelievable level of shallowness in thinking, it’s not surprising why university teachers can undertake industrial action for eight long moths and some individuals will still claim to be heading important government offices that administer education and industrial disputes. It stands reason and logic on their heads. But that is not the intention of this proposition. Nigeria’s inability to industrialise and be able to produce everything her citizens need is certainly not because there are not enough pool of scientists to drive her technological innovations. Far from it judging from the scientific outcomes that come out of our dilapidated universities’ laboratories.
Indeed, Nigerian scholars in the scientific realm have every reason to abdicate their calling to create or innovate anything. But somehow they have remained true to their scientific calling and have consistently risen to the task of leading from the front. And so in these laboratories that are mostly hosts to outdated equipment and which lack basic materials for research, Nigerian scientists are still performing miracles of innovations in all spheres. So the question is: how do they do it? And why have their products been so abysmally neglected? Why have their ideas failed to attract the right patronage for them to be commericalised and for the industrial advantage? Perhaps, an enquiry on this failing is long overdue. Suffice it to say that even while working with their bare brains without any funding or the required implements of scientific enquiries, Nigerian scientists have risen to the task of technological innovations. However, the larger society has failed to take advantage of these innovations for the benefit of society.
Countries like China and Japan stole and copied their technologies from America. While Japan quickly innovated upon what they stole or copied, it took China a fairly long to time to catch up. But having caught up, where do they stand today? They manufacture for the entire world! Nigeria and the rest of the developing world have no excuse. They don’t need to reinvent the wheel. All that is needed is to copy and improve upon what has been copied. But Nigeria hasn’t managed to do so, because there’s no policy of government to streamline things except import even toothpicks from Asia. This has left the country with an army of unemployed youths. Most are wiser now; they up and away to just about anywhere else, anywhere but Nigeria!
But indeed there’s another face-saving chance for delinquent countries like Nigeria. When Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Limited decided to add the literature and science prizes to its CSR portfolio, not many thought it a wise idea. But the two prizes have grown over the years. While the writers have tangible products in the form of their published books that win the literature prize, their counterparts in science have, however, fared well by half: their scientific interventions and innovations have yet to reach target end. All the winners largely work in universities since that is where laboratories are domiciled, but their works are still stuck in the realm of theoretical constructs that are asking for transformation into usable products for end-users. This is not the fault of these brilliant scientists, however. The fault is traceable to the absence of that critical Town and Gown nexus. Why have these innovations failed to attract corporate patronage the sort that should transform them from scientific theories to industrial and commercial successes? Nigeria’s import-dependent economy is a curse. It’s partly why the country has failed to look inwards for the things that can save her from the huge debt burden and trade imbalance with other countries of the world.
Nigeria LNG even went a step further to empower six universities spread across the six geo-political zones with state-of-the-art laboratories as its own response to dilapidated laboratories that universities’ researchers work in. This is to strengthen scientific work for possible better outcomes. Although far fewer than should be, these six laboratories have also been put to good use by these diligent scientists and researchers.
To be continued tomorrow
Ajeluorou, journalist and writer, is the author of Igho Goes to Farm, Libations for Africa and Brides of the Infidels.
Related
Latest
10 mins ago
Joseph Akinwale, popularly known as Joeboy, has said inspiration for his songs comes from diverse ways, including dreams. He revealed this recently during an interaction with fans at the premiere of YouTube’s Up Close With series in Lagos.
14 mins ago
With its Sip & Paint that gave rise to the discovery of artistic skills, Spotify unveiled its daylist in Nigeria in a grand style at the Muson Centre Lagos recently.
20 mins ago
Dr. Philips Nto is the Director, Agribusiness Incubation Centre, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. A World Bank consultant, he is a former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Abia State.
27 mins ago
The Nigerian Army high command yesterday morning released the King of Ewu Kingdom, HRH Clement Ikolo Ogenerukevwe, declared wanted a few weeks ago over the killing of 17 military personnel in Delta State.
37 mins ago
Stephanie Coker is an award-winning television host, actress, producer, content creator and entrepreneur passionate about philanthropy, storytelling, family, women and womanhood. She is bridging the gap between home and the Diaspora
38 mins ago
At the end of AFCON 2023, that was in February 2024, José Peseiro, the Portuguese Manager that took the Super Eagles to Cote d’Ivoire became history. His contract was not renewed by the Nigeria Football Federation
41 mins ago
As part of its commitment to encourage learning and academic excellence, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and its Joint Venture partners in OML 18, the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board
45 mins ago
Yhung G is a rising artiste who mixes Afrobeats and Trap music. Since he started in 2017, he has gained a lot of fans with catchy songs like ‘Twisted’, ‘Fame’ and ‘Wicked Whine’.
50 mins ago
There may be no hiding place any longer for the embattled former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as law enforcement agencies in the country seem to be tightening the noose on him.
53 mins ago
The new Ojon of Lagos, Chief Tajudeen Adisa Abisogun has paid a thank you visit to the palace of Oba of Lagos, HRM Rilwan Akiolu, three months after his coronation as a whitecap chief.
×
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.