A university teacher, Prof. Emeka Oguzie, has called on the Federal Government to faithfully implement research findings, to ensure meaningful development of the country.
Oguzie, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State made the call last Monday in Awka at the presentation and promotion of festschrifts in honour of Prof. Joseph Ogbuagu.
Ogbuagu is a former Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze in Anambra State.
Festschrift is a volume of articles, essays, among others contributed by many authors in honour of their colleague. It is usually published on the occasion of retirement, an important anniversary or the like.
The festschrifts are ‘Management, Society and Development’ and ‘Education, Science and Development.
Oguzie said government was yet to have a proper research plan for the country.
According to him, many of the research findings produced in Nigeria have not been used for the development of the country because there is no connection between government, academia and industries.
“Nigeria has one of the best research policies on paper, but not fully implemented for the benefit of the people.
“Each year, various Nigerian research institutes and the academia churn out researches for promotion or publication, but they are not utilized for the development of the country.
“Government should begin to think of how to create and empower research institutions to drive policies and plans for real development”, Oguzie, who chaired the occasion said.
Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Jude Onebunne, Founder, Nnadiebube Academy of Philosophy, Social Sciences, Humanitities and Educational Research, expressed worry over the declining reading culture in the country.
“We are in the age of knowledge that will help the country build the kind of vision needed for development; but this cannot be achieved if we don’t place emphasis on education”, he said.
The cleric said the books promoted Ogbuagu’s contributions as former provost, an industrial chemist and member of management at the college.
Presenting the festschrifts, Prof. I.K. Kanu, a Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Tansian University, Umunya, Anambra said the books were to honour Ogbuagu for his hard work and contributions to humanity.
“A group of scholars came to honour him with the festschrifts, for his role as provost of the college for eight years”, he said.
Ogbuagu, while commending the organizers and guests at the occasion, said the festschrifts would spur him to do more for the society.