Lagos — Nigeria is writing itself into record books with landmark intellectual exploits. Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok's clinching of the 2009 Nigerian Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG) Nigeria Prize for Science authenticates this optimism.

Nok, a professor of Biochemistry and Dean of the Faculty of Science of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, has demonstrated that the country is capable of utilising its own resources to solve daunting challenges. The material that has brought honour to the Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science is his seminal work that has discovered the gene responsible for the production of Sialidase (SD), an enzyme that causes Trypanosomiasis, otherwise called sleeping sickness. That effort will hopefully form the long-awaited platform for developing DNA-based vaccines against the dreaded disease.

The award committee put the centrality of Nok's latest contribution to science succinctly: "It has the potential for leading to the development of a scientifically elegant and sophisticated solution to a predominantly African problem." This should fill Nigerians with pride and expectation. In 2006, the World Health Organisaiton (WHO) estimated that more than 60 million people in rural East, West and Central Africa were perpetually exposed to sleeping sickness. It means that if the don's findings are well funded and vigorously pursued, a remedy to one of the continent's enduring tragedies will soon emerge from Nigeria.

The awardee's profile itself should be a source of motivation for the government and other stakeholders that seek the nation's academic and scientific emancipation. In the race for the NLNG laurel, he beat 25 other contestants from diverse fields of endeavour like biology, chemistry, agriculture and engineering. He has also successfully supervised over 35 post graduate theses and published over 80 research materials in both local and international journals. So, he possesses the adequate theoretical background to prosecute groundbreaking projects for the betterment of humanity.

In fact, his recent feat does not surprise his colleagues and other science watchers. Besides other international research grants, Nok was the first African to win a 3,000,000 Yen grant from the Japan-based Mitzutani Foundation for Glycoscience in 2004.

However, the prize winner's noble attempts and accomplishments would probably not have found the kind of animated public expression they have now produced but for NLNG's sponsorship of the award. We want to emphasize that no matter how unique any pursuit is, it would die if it is not accorded proper support.

The task before the government, relevant agencies and corporate organisations, therefore, is to identify intellectual activities like Nok's throughout the country and offer meaningful monetary, moral and institutional support. That way, the recipe for the nation's technological, economic and social advancement could be obtained.

The main lesson from Nok's victory is that if a product of the education system that is currently battling for survival could become a scientific and financial success, with the right support, a lot more can be attained.

No doubt, its numerous inadequacies notwithstanding, Nigeria has what it takes to spring even greater strides.