A director with Nigeria Independent Schlumberger and an alumnus of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, Nosa Omorodion, has stated that institutions of higher learning should become hubs for innovations in order to realize the country’s quest for economic diversification and multi sectoral development.
This was the focal point of his address at a Lecture organized by the FUTA Alumni Association Worldwide as part of its 2018 Convention on Wednesday, 27th November 2018 in Akure, Ondo State.
In the lecture titled “Navigating the Global Energy Transition; What it Means for Nigeria’ Omorodion reiterated that Artificial Intelligence Technologies are currently the main tools for technological advancement. He noted that Universities around the world are responding to these changes and making giant strides. Omorodion noted that the time has come for FUTA and other Universities in the country to latch on to this area and prove their worth as true knowledge – based institutions.
He said Nigerian Universities should take advantage of emerging opportunities in the area of artificial intelligence with partnerships across borders and deploying high- tech courses across digital platforms. He said with FUTA’s track record of excellence it should lead and prove its worth and shine in the comity of higher institutions with innovations and technological breakthroughs that will solve the country’s energy and other challenges.
He advised that higher institutions of learning in the country should take advantage of current global development in energy and related fields. He said that Energy Transition is real and that population growth will remain constant as such proffering solutions to emerging issues in the energy sector will make Universities more relevant to society.
He said “Hydrocarbon” will continue to be a major source of natural fuel and energy despite the intense focus on renewable energy. Listing the achievements of FUTA as an institution, he challenged the authority and students of the institution to do more and to explore the available opportunities in Ondo State as a state with longest coastline of 90km demonstrating a huge potential for beach resort and mineral deposit that are available for exploration and exploitation in crude oil, Natural gas, bitumen, limestone, kaolin amongst others.
He challenged the institution to research into these areas and take its findings and technology breakthroughs to investors, which he said will in turn change the University’s fortune.
He expressed optimism that FUTA will continue to play a more prominent role in accelerating the development of Ondo State and solving Nigeria‘s energy and economic challenges.
Omorodion praised members of the Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for their doggedness in demanding for necessary learning tools in the University system while challenging them to look inward and ensure that they do their best through innovations and technological breakthroughs rather than expecting government to do everything.
In his remark at the occasion, the Alumni president, Comrade Adesomoju Olaitan described alumni associations as a veritable tool for the development of their alma mater. He said FUTA Alumni Association Worldwide is living up to this responsibility through fund generation and setting up of Trust Fund Board for the institution development.
He listed other activities of the Association to include propelling students to greater heights through mentoring, sponsorships of events and activities, providing expert advice to the university leadership, scholarship grants to students and other related functions geared at burnishing the national and international image of the university.
