Vanguard
30 September 2008
Mrs. Grace Ekpwihre, Minister of State for Technology, recently pronounced one of the enduring truths we have evaded telling ourselves when she announced that doctorate degree holders have failed Nigeria.
Indeed, if one were to take an inventory of a modern home or office and itemise all the things that have made life worth living for mankind -- computers, telephone sets, television, internet, automobiles, aircraft, motor boats and the ubiquitous generator sets, to mention a few -- one would be appalled by the fact that Nigeria's vast number of advanced degree holders have made next to no contribution to these inventions. Even those who have studied abroad and stayed there have made negligible contributions to mankind.
A tragic-comical attempt during the General Ibrahim Babangida administration to produce a made in Nigeria car ended in so dismal failure it has not been attempted ever again. Not only did we fail disastrously, we also lost our confidence in ourselves. Perhaps that is the place to start seeking answers.
Unlike the Nigerian experience in which one failure was enough to put a permanent stop to any further attempt, the inventor of the micro-wave oven one recounted that it required more than 200 attempts for him to eventually invent something to take to the market. The first model has since been improved upon several times since then. Perseverance instead of the quick fix has remained the hallmark of all inventors all over the world.
The founder of Polaroid Corporation which first introduced the world to instant photographs in 1974 also told the astonishing story of his over 1,000 trials before getting the first camera and film out and even at the age of almost 70, how he still spent five to six hours daily in the laboratories collecting over 200 patent rights in the process -- though he was already one of the 10 richest people in America at the time.
Those two examples teach us that the inventor must have a passion for what he wants to invent and how it will benefit mankind, making quick money is never their aim. Even after they have succeeded in one invention, they never rest.
However, it needs to be pointed out that, the inventors we have been writing about work and live in societies which place a premium on the advancement of science and technology and adequately fund research.
Nigeria by contrast holds research in disdain and never encourages the man who is on the right but difficult path towards his goal. If anything, poverty and the lack of basic facilities are so discouraging as to make invention all but impossible.
Perhaps the Academy of Sciences should be the starting point. Each year, it should select four or six proposals from prospective inventors which the Federal Government in partnership with the private sector, especially potential end-users will now assist in developing.
A glance at the list of top 20 economies reveals that each has at least an invention to its credit.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
