Harnessing research findings of our academics to enhance industrialisation in Nigeria
Universities all over the world serve as citadel of knowledge. No nation can develop or industrialise without the input of the academics that make up its university community.
The primary duties of an academic is teaching,research and community service. But chief among the functions is research and ironically this all-important function is often relegated to the background, especially in developing countries like Nigeria.
It is not as if we do not understand the importance of research and its products (findings), but we cannot just decipher the reason why our leaders always turn blind eye to research and its essence.
The arguments have been lack of political will but who is responsible for building political will, if not our political leaders? The question now is, what is their reason for shunning sponsorship of research in our tertiary institutions, especially the universities? If the lecturers could be battling with non-payment of their salaries, to the extent of embarking on strike, is it now funds for research that will be made available?
If the academic staff had followed the Federal or State governments with their ugly treatment towards the universities and their staff, nothing would have functioned at all.
In the west, premium is given to universities and academics who carry out research, having understood that nothing can be achieved in terms of development or industrialisation without the tenacity and insights that they bear.
Thankfully, the academics in Nigeria have defied all odds to carry out research and come up with results and findings. For instance, Prof Barinaadaa Thaddeus Lebele-Alawa, Professor of Thermal Power and Energy Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering,Rivers State University (RSU) during his inaugural lecture, titled, ‘Rotor Blade Profile: Influence on Thermal Power and Energy,’ had posited that thermal power is critical for industrialisation of any nation. He submitted that thermal power is the bedrock of human civilisation.
The question is, how far have the drivers (leaders) of our country used these findings and many more to our advantage?
Another scholar, in the Department of Chemical/Petrochemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Dr Izionworu Vincent Onuegbu, Rivers State University after painstaking research invented an inhibitor from natural plant extracts to tackle industrial corrosion. This breakthrough is against the previous organic and inorganic inhibitors that are said to be hazardous to humans.
According to Dr Vincent, the inhibitor from natural plant extracts is devoid of hazards and better put, it is user-friendly. The Doctor of Chemical/Petrochemical Engineering said based on the edge the natural inhibitor has over the organic and inorganic inhibitors ,he recommends it to the industrial community to end corrosion.
Another Academic and Research Fellow of our time, Prof Falitat Taiwo Ademiluyi professed that now that crude oil is dwindling, there is every need to seek for alternatives to save the country from collapse. Delivering her inaugural lecture on, ‘Unit Operations Application in the Development of Local Content:A Key to Nigerian Economic Growth,’ Prof Ademiluyi said fuel can be produced from cassava to replace crude oil, stressing that cassava is very rich in chemical content.
Prof Ademiluyi also said that ethanol can be used to produce Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) cheaper than what we have today in the country and that the ethanol is produced from cassava. The Inaugural Lecturer said she regrets that Nigeria is not yet ready to produce fuel locally. She recommended that cassava processing industries should be established in all the local government areas of the country for the purpose of producing fuel.
These are just a few of the findings recorded by the academics in our universities. But to what extent have we paid heed to the products of our seat of knowledge? It is therefore in our own interest to harness the findings of the various researchers in the country’s universities for the development or industrialisation of Nigeria. The earlier we do that, the better for us all.
