The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, has called on academics in the country to focus on researches that would solve local problems.
This was as he urged the government to invest more in research, saying it is the way to the future of the country.
Echono made the call on Wednesday while delivering the keynote address at the 2024 Research and Innovation Fair of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He spoke on the theme: ‘The Rise of Research in Driving Sustainable Development’.
Represented by a former OAU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Faborode, the TETFund boss said, “The academics need to work more on products and policies that can impact our lives. Research by itself is not enough. It is when research becomes innovation and products that it can impact the nation.
“Our research must be geared towards solving our local problems in a way that will be compatible with international expectations in terms of quality and meeting the global standard and we must be committed to this.”
Echono called on the government to prioritise investment in research and harness the potential of the youth.
He said, “Research is the only way for us to be able to make progress in this country, not food palliative or protest. Let us harness the huge potential and energy of the youths. Our youths should not use their knowledge for Internet fraud.
“The research fair is a good step because the concern is why our research has not been going out to impact society for sustainable development.
“We are not investing enough in research in Nigeria because we don’t seem to appreciate the value of research. We just believe things happen but development doesn’t happen like that. What we are enjoying today is a product of one research or the other.
“The government must realise that these things have to be funded. If you don’t fund research, you cannot get the products of research and you cannot continue to depend on other countries, otherwise, we will continue to be an import-oriented country and a consumer of innovation and technology and no country can move forward with that.”
In his goodwill message, the Osun State Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, said the state government would leverage research to boost food security in the state.