The Congressional Research Service, which has the mandate of informing the public on research data base and development since 1914, in its April 2020 report, pegged research and development as the most important tools private and government organisations can use to proffer result oriented solutions to the challenges facing the global community. In view of this notion, research and development is pivotal in all spheres whether academic, economic advancement, job creation, industrial competitiveness, security, energy, agriculture, transportation, health, especially in the current Covid-19 pandemic, environmental protection, as well as the expansion of frontiers of human knowledge, etc.
Citadels of learning,
governmental and non-governmental organisations, among others, have made tremendous impact across borders through research and development. According to the Congressional Research Service, since year 2000, the total global R&D expenditure had risen from $676 billion to $2 trilliion in 2018; given which current Covid-19 pandemic era, this figure would have doubled. As expected, the United States of America took the lead in the field of science and technology in the second half of both 20th/21st century. And, the effect of that to its economic growth
cannot be overemphasised. Only South Africa is listed among countries that have massively invested on R&D, while Nigeria, the giant of Africa, is missing. To say research and development is the livewire
of every society, is an understatement.For any country, especially a third world country like Nigeria to develop, R&D must be accorded priority, especially that Nigeria is blessed with enormous resources that if properly harnessed can solve 99% of the challenges facing the country.
It’s on this backdrop that the achievements of Professor Elias Suleiman Bogoro, Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Funds (TETFund) can be assessed. No doubt, Bogoro since becoming TETfund’s helmsman from 2014-16 and 2019 till date, even amidst paucity of funds, has recorded tremendous achievements in research and development. As an erudite astute academic with vast knowledge on research and development, he is effectively deploying R&D to accelerate the quest for Nigeria’s development.
Based on the vision and mission of President Muhammadu
Buhari government, Professor Bogoro continues to devise place workable and an impact making policies on research and development and as well continued to provide support for scholars in pursuit of their various academic programmes and even private bodies on research and development. This is with a view to place Nigeria among the countries that stand tall in the field of research and development. Prominent among some of the research and development policies of Bogoro include, placing of enormous emphasis on sustainable researches and innovation which is
greatly creating conducive environment for renewable energy, academic and scientific search for the cure of Covid-19.Also, thousands of scholars and young academics are sponsored with billions of nairaannually for overseas studies as well as on research and
development. In his desire to live a lasting legacy, he initiated the review of National Research Funds (NRF) from N5 billion to N7.5 billion 2020. This, no doubt, will enable TETFund to sponsor more scholars on local and international trainings. These pragmatic policies were approved by the leadership of the TETfund Board led by Kashim Ibrahim-Imam.
Without mincing words, the enormous achievements of Bogoro within the
last one year of his reinstatement have written his name in gold,
especially in higher institutions across Nigeria.
Now that Bogoro believes poor research and development is what the
experts have been using to rate the higher institutions in Nigeria as below standard, his numerous feats no doubt will reverse the undesirable trends and take Nigeria to greater heights.
Oba writes from Abuja
