Renowned Professor of History, Professor Toyin Falola has
posited that countries have to be on the cutting edge of innovation to remain
competitive and to solve pressing questions in today’s rapidly industrializing
world. Falola, who lectures at the University of Texas, Austin, made the
position while delivering a lecture titled ‘Technology,
Culture and Society’ at the First Technical University, Ibadan recently. It
was the first distinguished annual lecture of the university.
While noting that the society is affected by technology,
Professor Falola stated that “just as technology has shaped society and
culture, it too, has been shaped in turn by them, and for the foreseeable
future, this is to be the expected trend and relationship of these variables”.
The Professor likened technology in the contemporary time to
pests that have a parasitic relationship with the plants, food and livestock.
He was however quick to point out that unlike the pest, which does not have any
economic benefit to the host, “technology has immeasurable additions it brings
to humanity, generally”.
He went on to note that “every civilization today has its
success story dedicated to the magnitude of scientific engagement and the
technological revolution that has taken place in their environment”.
The lecturer also noted that the First Technical University
has a burden of responsibility to provide technological solutions to the myriad
of social challenges that confront the society today.
Professor Falola noted that despite being a modern economy
in the 15th and 16th Centuries, Africa began to lose the
edge it had. He pointed out that after contact with Europeans, who saw the
existing structures, “they began to take us, diminishing labour power, taking
away talents, taking away muscle power. In the 19th century, they
took raw power and now they are taking brain power”.
He however made it clear that all hope is not lost. “We have
to match their advances and create indigenous technology for our species. We
should shrink the gap so that we will not be exploited”, he posited.
He went further that the time to look beyond oil is now. “There
will be a post oil economy. What will sustain us will be knowledge economy”. He
said when that time comes, universities like the First Technical University
will be the country’s fall back then. “This university will play a key role in
the transformation of this city and Nigeria. It is already laying the
foundation to do that”.
Advising the university further, Professor Falola said people
should be trained ahead of challenges. “If you don’t train people very well, they
will become jobless”, he asserted. Speaking further, he pointed out that “once
you give students skills that are connected to the market, you can be sure they
will have jobs”.
The lecturer did not leave without a number of suggestions.
While he noted that patriarchy has made us believe that wisdom resides only in
the brains of elders, he made it known that young people have brains too, in
creativity. He therefore advised that students should be empowered to innovate,
just as he called for the conscious promotion of women in technology. In
drawing his conclusion, Professor Falola opined that students will leave the
First Technical University with skills they can use for themselves and the
country. The position was based on a careful observation of the movie, music
and design industries; the development of which the university system has not
contributed much so far.
Delivering the Visitor to the University’s address, the
Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, who represented Governor
Seyi Makinde said the lecture was about the “recalibration of the university
system”. He went further to say “the message is telling universities to think
outside the box. The Oyo State Government holds education in high esteem and we
will strive to put as much as UNESCO wants us to put in education”. And to the
students, he said “this is not the usual university. You leave this place and
start employing workers”.
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