FEATURE ARTICLE BY OMOLE SAMUEL

What does the future hold for science and technology in Nigeria?

There may not be a definite answer that could be given to this question, due to the present state or condition of Nigeria today. As Africans we are seen as a third world nation which simply means that we are still on our way to development unlike the western nations that have achieved most of their goals in different areas especially that of science and technology. Putting all these comparison aside, we could say that Nigeria has gone to an improved extent in the area of science and technology. Several discoveries have been made in different areas. In an institution like Covenant university which is an ICT driven institution, lots of mega minds have made impacts in this aspect in terms of invention of industrial machines and products for consumption.

In an interview with the Director of Research and Development, Professor Johnbull Onyekachi Echeme, he made mention of some of the latest inventions that have occurred in the university. 

During the interview he made mention of three patent rights which are “poca tea” originated from paw-paw, “nutrient ega” and also granular rice which are already on ground, not only that the emergence of a fuel less 500KVA generator. With the emergence of this new electronic device, there could be a new method of minimizing the electrical problem in Nigeria. All these inventions have being tested and approved and in no time they will be commissioned by the the President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan.

Another impactful invention is that of traffic light. This is designed in such a way that it when an individual is caught committing an offence that involves road event, there is an electronic device that instantly takes the plate number of the car and then booked. In this situation, there is really no need to chase the offender, because this electronic device automatically stops the car before it moves.

All these inventions were made by students of this institution and just like the motto of the university which says “raising a new generation of leaders”, it could also be seen as the emergence of new sets of scientists and inventors that would one day turn this nation Nigeria into a world of science and this has already begun.