Letter to OpS and President bola Ahmed tinubu

[Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth]

Dear President Bola tinubu and the Organised private sector

Ìwe le mo. E o mo owo that is what the government and private sector seems to be saying to the academics or in American psrlance" if you are so smart why ain't you so rich? So we find dichotomies.dividing lines or unnecessary differences  as the NESG,nigerian economic summit group for private sector and nigerian economic society for Academia and so the nigerian I stitute of social and economic research is perhaps poorer for it and weaker for it.

We should be concerned about the loud silence on the education sector following the meeting of the federal executive Council towards reviving the nigerian economy and taking nigeria out of the woods.

President Bola tinubu this perhaps goes against equity and inclusivity you claim you are passionate about other wise rather than  dwell on private sector-  government collaboration we should emphasise the Triple Helix of university, government and industry.

I have seen something of a pilot project initiated by the nigerian branch of the founders institute from silicon Valley and the national content development  and monitoring board.ths ts the spirit but it needs to be scaled up.

 there sre only 17 portfolio firms. On their way from startup  to global business  but we have 9000 professors,60,000 lecturers 300.000 post graduates  and 1.8 million  undergraduates 

At this juncture I would like to bring to your attention the recent work of professor Eniola Betiku. a chemical Engineer at obafemi Awolowo university  he has co edited a must have  book on Green energy  and Technology using Bio ethanol as substitute for fossil fuel. There is also Manchester Metropolitan University based Professor Bamidele Adebisi an expert on intelligent infrastructure whose phD student this year won best of the best innovators in UK for a water engineering related project.

My president there are 135 milion nigerias exposed to contaminated water maybe professor Adebisi can help.

Thank you my president

[Mr. E. B. Jaiyeoba]

Thank you Sir for this salient observation of exclusion of academics in the scheme of policy making in Nigeria.

Everyday I am worried by the lack of understanding by Nigerian policy makers, administrators and especially politicians that the developed and 'almost developed' world runs a knowledge economy!

In the economic battle we are in and the cyclical narrative of devaluation of naira causes prices of IMPORTED refined crude oil to rise necessitating further devaluation of the naira and further devaluation makes the price of IMPORTED refined crude oil to rise again amongst others, how many economics or political science professors (leaning to the left, right and centre) have been invited to debate with the economic team of the president? What is the general direction of economic development that priotises the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, the informal  economy and grassroot production capacities of Nigeria in the context of international economics and politics? How many professors from all directions of socio-political divide have been invited to discuss this with the 'development-conscious cult' (if it exists at all) of the President?

How can we create an enabling environment for town-gown collaborations for development? Meanwhile, there are all kinds of conferences, workshops and project presentations going on all over the country's universities. The outcome/communique of the conferences and outcome of research/projects just hang somewhere until the researchers go for conferences outside the country or published and a few years later a product that seemingly utilises the knowledge is produced!

I am worried by the thought that the education sector is just a problem that needs to be silenced so the country can move on! Or am I just imagining things??

Thanks for ruminating with me!

Babatunde

E. Babatunde JAIYEOBA PhD

Professor of Architecture

Department of Architecture

Faculty of Environmental Design and Management

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

ebj...@oauife.edu.ng; tundej...@yahoo.co.uk; +234 8037880023

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