By Godfrey Akon
The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, has expressed his unwavering commitment to shore up support for problem-solving research in universities and other related institutions in the country.
Bogoro noted that he made the commitment that researchers must proceed to do problem-solving research because in Nigeria, people just jokingly referred to universities as intellectual enclaves with no relevance of application of knowledge to solve problems of nation or even the local community.
He spoke in Abuja after being conferred with an award of excellence by Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria, ECAN, for his outstanding contribution to Research and Development, R&D, and other massive achievements.
“One of the best ways to enhance our competitiveness is through prioritization of knowledge, and if there is any element of knowledge that gets to the nerve centre of the knowledge enterprise, it is research.
“For me to promote institutionalisation of R&D as a defining parameter for deepening research is not just undertaking research for promotion.
“In Nigeria, people just jokingly referred to universities as intellectual enclaves with no relevance of application of knowledge to solve problems of nation or even the local community. I hate to hear that.
“It is for that reason, I said we must proceed to do problem-solving research and it is only through R&D, not just research but research for development.
“A preacher said recently that Africa is sitting on the largest mineral deposits in the world yet Africa is the headquarters of poverty, there is something wrong. That is why I thought of undertaking research for value addition that is problem-solving,” he said.
He commended ECAN for being a worthy partner in drumming support for the educational development of the country.
“You have been a very good partner to TETFund, you have kept faith even when we might not have met all your expectations but have also availed us the wisdom of advice on areas that we could improve on,” Bogoro said.
He expressed appreciation to ECAN for finding him worthy of the award even as he dedicated it to all TETFund’s staff for their support.
Earlier, the chairman of ECAN, Chuks Ukwuatu, said the Award of Excellence was initiated by the association 15 years ago to single out chief executives in the education sector that have performed greatly.
Ukwuatu said TETFund under Bogoro has witnessed massive infrastructural development in tertiary institutions, academic training, paradigm shift that has brought about institutionalisation of R&D, among others.
