Institute of Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine
To all who read this message,
I, Remi-Niyi Alaran, am sufficiently concerned about the future competitiveness of our people across Africa, to propose the following:
To set up a privately funded institute for research and development of products that directly address the educational and economic needs of the masses of our people. The focus is to be on science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM).
The focus on STEM is intentional. This institute will aim to become an internationally competitive centre of excellence in the four research areas. To survive economically, the institute will aggressively aim to develop commercial enterprises based on its work.
Your contributions can help make this a world-standard research institute. This will assist in giving our youth a target at which to aim their ambitions for academic and enterprise progress. Hopefully, its excellence will help pull talented youth through the tattered education systems we currently witness across the continent.
A small plot of land in Western Nigeria has been donated to the institute: solutions must arise from the context of the problems we face, not from abroad. Also, a website is in progress. The Internet offers us a worldwide online forum for collaboration on the issues faced. It will be a medium for news and course content to be widely broadcast and received at relatively low cost.
This will be my life's work. As the poet Fela Anikulapo-Kuti once said: "Condition don reach make I act". Please email to iyaalata@netscape.net to establish contact if you have the expertise or experience in:
# STEM research or enterprise
# Fabrication or manufacturing of machinery
# Chemical engineering and process industries
# Linux/network computer systems administration
We can and must make this work.
Africans need to be internationally competitive in STEM research and in the enterprises based on STEM research. Our future as a people depends on our ability and willingness to shape that future through investment in ourselves and our community.
Contribute what you can, and be proud of your heritage.
Remi-Niyi Alaran
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1 comment:
February 25, 2005 8:49 AM, Anonymous said…
This initiative is to be applauded. But I believe we should not delude ourselves about what is really going on in our country and how that has affected the black race.
Nigeria has the capacity to be as great if not greater than the US, Britain and others in the developed world.
But Nigeria's productive energies have been sequestered by Obasanjo and others to serve the interests of those parts of Nigeria that are least productive and contribute little to national effort.
If you are serious about this your ISTEM the first area of investigation, investment and development must be the creation of nuclear weapons. In Yorubaland we do not have a standing army. All of us aspire to be doctors, engineers, barristers; as a result others have been able to indtimidate and humiliate us with their superior numbers in the armed services and police. Kudirat Abiola was murdered on the streets of Lagos and up till now no one is held accountable for that heinous crime. OKay but what is humiliating is the allegation that the alleged perpetrators wanted her raped first before being murdered. What use ISTEM if you cannot defend your women and children; and after your women and children they will come for you!
Diya and six officers, all Yoruba were to be shot after a kangaroo court. Abiola is murdered and his murderers can even go about with white guinea brocade and pretend that they are statesmen!What of Bola Ige - Mr Alaran I respect your institute but am I alone in saying that Yorubaland cannot become a theatre of blood with the blood of the brightest and the best amongst us being used as fertilizer for a better Nigeria.
If you are serious and share my world view that in the event of the ultimate political settlement which is the balkanisation of Nigeria the Yoruba must find their own way. Then there is no doubt that war will be the outcome! because some have fed long and fat on the largesse that is Nigeria that survival outside Nigeria is not possible. We can ensure that we settle that war on our terms even before it starts! But only if we have the ultimate weapon that setlles it on our own terms.
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