Tasking Nigerian academics on finding solution to the nation’s economic woes

It is not an understatement to say that Nigeria’s economic problems have overwhelmed the current leadership of the country. Otherwise why would a loaf of bread that was sold at N300 a few months ago now sell at N1,500 and still counting.

Foodstuff generally has become luxury. Many families go to bed with empty stomachs on a daily basis and we don’t seem to see anything wrong with that.

And in the midst of this,our politicians are still cruising in affluence at the detriment of the poor masses,and we continue to pretend that all is well.

Everyday the current federal government led by Sen Ahmed Bola Tinubu continues to bring up one funny policy or the other. The latest being the payment of salaries to unemployed persons in the country. A nation that lacks such a database. At the last check the nationwide Census that so much money was sunk in the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was dumped at the zero hour for reasons Nigerians are yet to understand.

Political watchers are asking if the employed in the country are paid at all, before mooting unemployment allowances to applicants. Before now,it was student loans, the current myth is salaries to unemployed persons.

The question is, which of the policies have seen or will see the light of the day?

Where exactly have we gotten it wrong? Everything seems to be topsy turvy in Nigeria. Are we lacking human or material resources? The answer is capital NO. Then what is the problem?

We may be forced to believe and adduce that the missing link remains good leadership. And how do we get good leadership when our general elections are fraught with brazen irregularities, intentionally induced by ‘good-for-nothing politicians’ in connivance with corrupt  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials who do not mean well for this country.

Why is it that every system that worked in the other climes shall never work in  Nigeria and still we pride ourselves as the giant of Africa? Our citadels, talking about the ivory tower, are almost like tourist centres. Lecturers are denied research allowances deliberately to stop them from carrying out their statutory roles of teaching, learning and research. Day in, day out, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) fights for survival.

It was recently revealed that most lecturers, including professors have been on the same salary scales for over fifteen years and only God knows if relief will ever come their way. Not to digress so much from the focus of this discourse, the fact remains that despite all odds, lecturers of Nigerian universities still come up with wonderful research findings, which in most cases are neglected or outrightly abandoned.

For instance, Prof Falilatu Taiwo Ademiluyi of the Chemical Engineering Department of the Rivers State University (RSU)  had after a painstaking research come up with the findings the fuel could be gotten from cassava as against crude oil, which she said is fast dwindling. According to the astute professor, cassava can be found in virtually all the 774 local government areas of the country, to simplify the production of fuel in Nigeria.

But have the authorities concerned taken cognisance of this all-important research finding,not to talk of putting it into practice? This, she said, would save us from the endless turnaround maintenance of the imported giant refineries that has over the years become obsolete and alleviate the sufferings of the masses. To what extent has this research finding been put into use?

Another renowned scholar, Prof Emmanuel Akubugwo of the Department of Biochemistry, Abia State University (ABSU) had in his inaugural lecture titled,”Living with Death:Fact or Fantasy” posited that man would be better off if he cultivates the attitude of living friendly with his environment. This, Prof Emmanuel Akubugwo said, could be achieved by maintaining a healthy lifestyle devoid of hazardous drugs, among others.

The question again is what have our leaders been doing with plethora of sound research from our Universities? Another Researcher from the Rivers State University, Mechanical Engineering Department, Prof Barinaadaa Thaddeus Lebele-Alawa after his research on thermal power, submitted that thermal power is critical to the development of any nation. In fact he described thermal power as the bedrock of human civilisation.

Again, where is that research finding and what has the Nigerian government done with it? These are just a few  emanating from some of our reservoirs of knowledge, across the country.

It is worth mentioning that all the universities across Nigeria are rolling out research findings on a daily basis and our political leaders are globetrotting looking for solutions or Messiah to our nagging economic problems. Is it intentional, omission or commission? Whatever be the case, someone should remind our leaders that technology is not transferable, you either develop your own to soothe your peculiar needs or you steal another person’s (country’s) own. And no wonder, Ajaokuta Steel industry has remained uncompleted for decades, with trillions of Naira sunken.

The Federal Government, ably led by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu should constitute a high power Committee, composed of intellectuals and technocrats to garner all the research findings from our universities,with a view to harnessing them for the development of the country. This is critical because posterity will not forgive us if we fail.