I Wished Somebody In Nigeria Would Do Something By Favour Benyin
Late in 2023, ruminations about Nigeria came upon me with such magnificence of force that I began a wild search to quiet my mind and spirit. Whenever I met new physics or science students, they were bound to one obligation; of answering whether they knew Philip Emeagwali[1]. Surprisingly, many of them had never heard the name. I wondered whether, the nonchalance and lack of faith towards origination and research came from not knowing that they were Nigerians who symbolized it.
Nigeria is making a good name for herself globally, but mostly in the field of arts and sports. Although there are vast plains of virgin lands, mountains, hills and rivers bearing undiscovered things, the morale to plunge in and do some strenuous thinking seems not to exist, at least among the students I know. In fact, it sounded so silly that they should be unnamed leaves in our bushes or anything else left to invent.
Having never heard of Emeagwali, I doubted that these students would know Emeka Nchekwube[2], Yemi Adesokan[3], Sebastine Chinonye Omeh, Col Oviemo Ovadje, Seyi Oyesola, Cyprian Emeka Uzoh, Ume Ifeanyi Charles, Jelani Aliyu, Ndubuisi Ekekwe[4], and Shehu Saleh Balami amongst others, some of whom according to a Premium Times article[5] published in 2016 are credited with an invention or creative work. Most of these people do not carry out their work within Nigeria anyway; and their patents are registered outside the country[6].
In my meditative state, I wished and wished to God that there was someone WITHIN THE COUNTRY doing something of similar nature at least. But what is said about wishes – if they horses? Why wish for someone else, when I can hold myself accountable?
References
[1] Philip Emeagwali is a Nigerian-born supercomputer scientist.
[2] Co-invented with Cyprian Emeka Uzoh, ‘Hypoestoxide, derivatives, related compounds, and agonists thereof for treatment or prevention of neurodegenerative diseases’ and ‘Method and Substrates for Making Photovoltaic Cells’ in 2018.
[3] Honoured by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2011 for discovery on drug-resistant infections.
[4] Developed microchips used in minimaly invasive surgical robots.
[5] Sunday Adelaja, ‘How to Develop a Nation Through Science and Technology (2)’ available at https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2016/01/24/how-to-develop-a-nation-through-science-and-technology-2-by-sunday-adelaja/?tztc=1 accessed on 14 March 2024.
[6] Predominantly the United States.
Author details
Favour Benyin is a passionate pan-Africanist, researcher and versatile writer with a knack for crafting compelling narratives across various genres and mediums. She has a keen eye for detail and a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s captivating blog posts, persuasive marketing copy, or immersive fiction, she brings ideas to life through words.
- Contact email: benyinfavour@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/favourbenyin/
I Wished Somebody In Nigeria Would Do Something is a guest post by Favour Benyin submitted to and published by PositiveNaija.
