The Vice Chancellor of Delta State University, Abraka, Professor Andy Ogochukwu Egwunyenga, has expressed concern over the apparent neglect of researchers efforts and contributions in addressing societal issues by the government and other concerned public entities.
The Vice Chancellor expressed this disappointment on Thursday, May 23, 2024 during the 106th Inaugural Lectures of the University held at the University’s main campus in Abraka.
According to the Deputy Director in charge of Ceremonials, Information and Public Relations in the University, Dr. Peter Ijeh, Prof Egwunyenga in his remarks on the inaugural lecture titled, “Unearthing the Earth for Sustainability of Existence: The Nigerian Saga”, observed that government at all levels do not take advantage of the myriad of research outcomes discovered by scholars on how best to move Nigeria forward.
This, he pointed out accounts for the inability of the country to surmount many of the challenges confronting it.
Prof Egwunyenga called on Nigerians to take individual and collective responsibilities in sustaining our existence by resisting tendencies that make life untenable in all its ramifications, as canvassed by the inaugural lecturer.
In his lecture, the 106th inaugural lecturer and renowned geophysicist, Professor Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Okolie, emphasized that from the beginning of time, humanity has sustained its existence through the exploration and exploitation of both immediate and distant environments to improve life; otherwise, extinction would have been more imminent.
The professor of Geophysics took the audience through a lucid analysis of the structure of Nigeria’s physical environment to show that the country is blessed with compact lithology which gives it stability.
According to Prof Okolie, this reality of nature accounts for the absence of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and a host of other severe natural disasters in the country.
He also pointed out that Nigeria’s position in the equatorial fair-weather zone, rich in minerals beneficial to agriculture and economic activities, further underscores its environmental advantages.
He however, lamented the numerous deliberate actions by the government, corporate bodies and individuals that are systematically destroying our God-given stable environment, citing policy malfunctions, reckless and selfish mining of solid minerals and crude oil, wasteful use of oil revenue, and environmental degradation and pollution as major issues.
He warned that if we fail to manage our environment to continue to sustain our existence, future generations will suffer dire consequences.
