The Founder of Zeetin Engineering, Azibaola Robert, Yesterday, said that technology and not Politics is major driving force for industrization in Nigeria and Africa at large.
This is even as he noted that one of the factors distrupting infrastructural development in most African countries, is the poor innovative indigenously-driven ideas, particularly in science and technology.
He, however, urged the Federal Government, FG, and other African governments, and engineers to demonstrate indepth seriousness in addressing the challenge of poor infrastructures.
Robert stated this while receiving an award from the International Institute of Chartered Educational Practitioners, IICEP, for ‘Outstanding Performance in Innovation, Creativity and Economic Empowerment’, in Abuja.
According to him, the slow pace of progress in indigenously-driven innovations in science and technology as being responsible for the sordid state of infrastructural development of African countries, and urged governments, engineers to demonstrate more seriousness in addressing the challenge.
“Nigerians, being the most populous black nation in the world, “it is our responsibility to show example by doing certain things with the use of technology as this will make Africans proud anywhere, they go as being part of those that are helping in the advancement of the world.
“Therefore, we need people with their thinking hats, people who with gloves and not politicians, we need people who will wear their helmets and are able to do things”, he added.
Robert, while stating that the world is in its fifth and sixth industrial revolution stage, bemoaned the attitude of Africans towards innovation which he claimed is the bane of the region’s development.
He warned that Africa should not be limited to a region of consumption, but must able to make inventions that are of consequential value.
His words: “While the world is in the fifth and sixth industrial revolution stage, Africa is still at the first and second stage; and even at this level that we are, we have not shown high level of seriousness. Especially, not yet being able to make some basic things that we should be doing now at this level of revolution that we are.
“Africa, he said, “must not be a ground for the exportation of raw materials only but also in the production of things that will add value to humanity. I believe that it is better for us to try and do things and fail rather than not trying at all.”
Robert noted further that: “the Black race was “yet to attain the respect and recognition that it deserves from the rest of the world because we are yet to outgrow certain level of life that it deserves in the globe.”
He charged the institute to advance campaigns targeted at reorientating the Nigerian youths that a more progressive Nigeria can only be achieved through innovation, not politics.
“Part of the things that you should do as an educational institute in Nigeria is to preach the gospel to upcoming youths that everything about life is not politics, dancing or singing on social media,” says Robert,
Earlier, the IICEP’s registrar who doubles as secretary of council, Professor Emeka Ikenga-Dennis, stated the award presented to Mr. Robert came at the right time as he has been a major frontier of innovation, creativity and economic empowerment in Nigeria.
He said: “the award is to recognise and honour you for your outstanding performance in innovation, creativity and economic empowerment, because you deserve it.
“We are here to recognise your efforts, even to the extent of developing electric cars. You are by this recognition and honour now a Fellow of the Institute.”
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