University of Ibadan

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

The need for Nigeria to appropriately fund education and research was the crux of the 78th Interdisciplinary Discourse of the Post graduate College of the University of Ibadan, UI.

Speaking on “An approach to Research and Innovation in National Development: Entrepreneurial Culture in Nigerian Tertiary Education”, a United State of America, USA based Professor of Chemical Engineering, Adesoji Adesina noted that Nigeria would not be able to achieve sustainable development or solve its multiple problems if it continues to pay lip service to Education and research Funding.

Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to formulate well defined National priorities to enable researchers develop solutions to her problems, Professor Adesina said that Nigeria can only move forward if innovative researches are conducted in line with national priorities.

While noting that research is the cornerstone of developed societies, the don lamented that Nigeria commits only 0.22 percent of its Gross Domestic Product on research.

He noted that Nigerian researchers are conducting researches which are not entirely aligned to national priorities adding that only innovative researches can bring sustainable development.

Urging the Federal Government to formulate policies that will make private organisations, institutions and government fund researches, he said, “Research must be embraced and pursued with passion. We need to conduct research driven by national priorities. We need the business sector to fund research and development. We also need policy to ensure that they do this. Nigeria must formulate national research policy which will incorporate national priorities. We cannot have development without technology, innovation, management and entrepreneurship”.

Reacting to the lecture, the institution’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research Innovation and Strategic Partnership, RISP, Professor Olanike Adeyemo stated that the international funders fund researches which are of priority to them.

While urging federal government and other private firms to fund researches in Nigeria, Professor Adeyemo advised Nigerian scholars to make Nigeria a priority in their researches and come up with scientific solutions to Nigeria’s problems.