..as VC assures on functional education for students
By Wole Balogun
SA Media to VC
An astute Professor of Geology of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Olusola Johnson Ojo, has proffered solutions to the problems of the Nigeria’s mining sector, suggesting delisting of the sector from Federal Government’s Exclusive list, which would pave way for its democratic management and engaging technocrats, from the nation’s Ivory Towers to man the sector for optimal productivity among other elixirs.
This was just as the amiable Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has assured students and stakeholders that FUOYE would continue to prioritize functional education for meaningful growth and development.
Subscribing to the strategy recently revealed by the Minister of Mines, Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Mr. Dele Alake on concerted efforts in mining, Prof. Ojo equally advocated for a robust collaboration among the three tiers of government, Federal, State and Local Governments in working towards an aggressive mining of Nigeria’s rich mineral resources, noting that his over three decades of scholarship, research endeavours and community services as a University teacher has led to the discovery of many yet-to-be tapped mineral resources in virtually all parts of the country.
The former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, (DVC) Academics of FUOYE gave the recommendations while he was delivering the 13th Inaugural lecture of the University on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, which was entitled:” Rocking the Rocks and Unearthing the Earth for the Benefits of Mankind”.
The Ikole-Ekiti born Prof. Ojo excited his audience with his highly enlightening lecture that primarily briefed the public about his findings and successes in many cutting edge researches in his field as a Geodetective, an experience which he fondly described as “rocking the rocks!”.
As he took the audience through his highly rewarding academic career of hard work and scholarship spanning three decades of impacting knowledge, applying such knowledge to solve several national issues in his field and discovering many untapped minerals resources buried underneath the earth of Nigeria, his erudition was rewarded with encouraging applause from students and other members of the audience.
Prof. Ojo ultimately submitted that his findings in several researches have shown that Nigeria is richly blessed with numerous mineral resources many of which needed aggressive exploration to be discovered. He added that chief among the untapped resources included hydrocarbons., coal, water and ironstones and advised that professionals are needed for proper mining of the resources for good use of Nigerians.
He therefore gave some recommendations, saying: “ The import of the message is that through scientific principles, field and laboratory techniques, we discover and develop our mineral resources which are not infinite. The mineral resources in raw or beneficiated forms feed the downstream sector for the ultimate value chains.
To sustain the value chains and good life for our teeming population there is need for aggressive exploration. Further exploration of known deposits is required to determine the reserve, prove the reserve and make the data smart and available in a friendly manner that will be attractive to prospective investors.
As have been demonstrated in different parts of this lecture, a result oriented exploration has to be knowledge driven. It is not cheap, something must definitely give. We need quality education. A nation that does not educate its citizens cannot but experience industrial backwardness and economic fatality. This is a serious concern.
“I strongly advocate that we develop our human resources and capacity towards exploiting our natural resources. The coal, clay, laterite, limestone, water, wetland are abundantly available. However, if you have everything yet do nothing about anything and you will remain stagnant or retrogressive. Let these resources be unearthed and developed professionally for the benefit of mankind at local levels and on modular basis.
“Why can’t Oye Local Government develop the kaolin in Isan Ekiti for pottery and ceramics. And Ekiti State to exploit the massive imposing granites, charnockites and gneisses that forms the ring of fire round Ekiti for aggregates, dimension stones, tiles etc. Here in FUOYE, we have the heads, I mean the human resources that the stakeholders and investors can leverage on.
“Of course, doing this may require little disruptive legislation as in term of liberalism of our mining acts which curiously as at today is on exclusive list where the land, is said to belong to the state but the riches therein belongs to the Federal Government.
This seeming contradiction needs to be addressed and resolved. We look forward to Mr. Dele Alake, the honourable Minister of Solid Mineral, who in his road map, underscore the need for vital synergy between Federal, state, and Local Government. Government should also pay attention to value addition as a policy in the mining sector. All stakeholders and investors should be encouraged and supported to embrace it towards creating wealth and generate employment opportunities for the teeming young professionals.
“One of the major challenges of maximizing the benefit of earth resources in Nigeria is inefficient data and low technical capacity. Exploration and mining is a serious business. No chance discovery or discovery by luck. It must be driven by professionals and competent persons. University needs to play but the University must be empowered to deliver skilled and competent persons.
Capacity development is also recommended sir. Our laboratories are functionally dysfunctional. I must confess sir that aside from the few opportunities through research grants, scholarship and fellowship for overseas visits at both doctoral and post doctoral levels, which enabled me to handle directly the laboratory processing of our samples, other data acquired for many of the studies reported here were commercially processed outside our shores. This is a serious challenge and it is antithetical to technological advancement and realization of economic development goals.
The truth is that for some of us to survive the ‘geowalk’, we have had to employ fieldwork and engaged in research that is almost field based. In Nigeria today if you are not skilled at fieldwork it will be difficult for you to make good publications. Even now this aspect is fast and seriously getting endangered, no thanks to Boko haramism, banditry and kidnaps. Obviously these are threats, yes real threats to rocking of the rocks.
The only thing I do and that I know how to do best. We need well equipped Laboratory! We need security, Mr. Vice Chancellor sir, that is the point am making. We have silica (silicious rocks) almost everywhere in this country, why can’t we have a “silicon valley”. In fact we can have it modeled after Stanford. I suggest Government should establish sophisticated research laboratory hubs that will service the Universities and industries in each of the zones. Someone just need to sit down and sum up the amount of foreign exchange expended by students and lecturers to process samples abroad on yearly basis. Am sure the figures will be humongous! In my considered opinion, this is absolutely counterproductive. We need functional laboratories.
“ Let us use our coal to develop our country. Reports from the Nigeria Geological Survey indicates that Nigeria has major coal resources that are yet to be fully explored and developed We should not be arm twisted by climate change issues (COP 26/27).
Government should go for energy resource diversification and engaged in an aggressive development of coal deposits for generation of electricity and other utilities. Exploration for oil and gas activities in inland basins of Nigeria should not only be sustained but placed on the fast lane. Imagine Nigeria doing 3mbod! Why not? This is my humble submission sir.
“Most of the published data from the inland basins of Nigeria are from surface samples and shallow exploratory holes. This is a serious limitation regarding the reliable testing of the basins particularly Bida Basin or hydrocarbon prospectivity.
I want to suggest that Government and multinational IOC companies should drive drilling of research/exploratory well that will penetrate through the sediments into the basement and make the subsurface data available for students and researchers interested in the basin analysis,” he said.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inaugural lecture, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics Professors Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola and Olubunmi Shittu stated that FUOYE prioritizes functional education and as such ensures that students of the University engages in practical application of the knowledge they gain towards solving problems.
The DVC administration who represented the Chief Host of the occasion and Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, declared Prof. Ojo as substantive Professor of Geology of the University immediately after his inaugural lecture.
Among other dignitaries who graced the occasion were the University Librarian, Dr. Isaac Busayo, Chief Security Officer (CSO), Mr. Paul Ogidi, Dean of FUOYE’s School of Post Graduate Studies (SPGS), Prof. Raphael Omolehin who doubles as Chairman, Committee of Deans, Deans of faculties and Directors of units as well as members of the University community including students and lecturers.
There were also special guests who included lecturers from other universities and monarchs of several communities in Ekiti as well as friends and family members of the inaugural lecturer.
The programme was organized by the University ceremonial Committee, as constituted by the progressively minded Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina, under the chairmanship of Prof. Opoola .