Former Oyo State Military Administrator, Maj.-Gen. Oladayo Popoola (rtd.), has enjoined Nigerian universities to dedicate their research to challenges facing the nation’s socio-economic and political development.
Popoola gave the charge on Tuesday in Ibadan at the University of Ibadan Research and Development Fair, tagged “UI-Town Connect 2023”.
The event was part of activities to commemorate the institution’s 75th anniversary.
Popoola said numerous researches had been conducted by Nigerian universities but they have failed to make significant impact on addressing the challenges facing Nigerian communities.
“Our communities need more and I believe that our research fellows should please look into all these areas.
“The Chinese have taken over our markets and everything we buy today is Chinese. Let’s look at where they started from,” Popoola said.
In his keynote address, the Chief Operations Officer of Halogen Security, Dr. Adebowale Adeagbo, said universities must be game-changers and see opportunities where others see impossibilities.
“They should think bigger and rephrase their perspective, see different and think differently and explore, challenge and reinvent,” Adeagbo said.
Also speaking, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi, charged Nigerian universities to find solution to the problems of food security in the country.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC), Academics, Prof. Aderonke Bayeroju, had said the institution organised the event to bridge gaps.
” It was organised also to open new opportunities,” he added, saying the theme of the event was coined to reflect the vision and mission of the institution.
In his speech, the institution’s DVC, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Prof. Oluyemisi Bamgbose, lamented that most important research efforts made by academics were not put to use.
