Ogun State Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele urges schoolgirls to embrace science, engineering in tackling Nigeria’s challenges

Damilare Adeleye (Intern)

The Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, has urged schoolgirls to cultivate strong interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as a pathway to addressing Nigeria’s technological and developmental challenges.

Penpushing reports that she gave the charge on Friday during the unveiling of the Rockcity Centre for Media and Leadership Development (RCMLD) held in Asero area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

The Deputy Governor while describing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as a vital gateway to discovery, innovation and solutions to global challenges, pointed out that exposure to engineering and related disciplines helps develop curiosity and strengthens problem-solving abilities.

“And one thing engineering teaches you is how to solve problems. Not just engineering problems. But it gives you an inquisitive mind. In my class of 90, like I said, today the people practicing engineering could not be more than about 20. A lot of them have gone into other careers,” she said.

Penpushing further reports that Salako-Oyedele explained that engineering knowledge is a multifaceted discipline with applications across numerous professional fields.

“So, engineering is also a pipeline course that expands your horizon. It opens your mind. So, whatever you find yourself in, you can go into banking, you can go into finance, you can go into management. You can do so many things with the baseline that you get from engineering. So, that is also very important for you to understand’, she stated.

“You know, this skill that you now have for problem solving, you can use it in designing, engineering solutions. You can use it to manage your business. You can run government programs. You can integrate into the political space like I have done, or just lead wherever you find yourself’, Salako-Oyedele added

Penpushing also reports that she stressed the growing importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Nigeria, particularly in view of the country’s youthful population and the increasing demands that will arise in the future.

“Because we are a very young country. Not that Nigeria has been independent for 60 years. No, that’s not what I’m talking about. Nigeria is made up of young people. Our population is estimated to be maybe 200 million, some say more than 200 million. But half of the population in Nigeria is less than 18 years old’.

“So, half of the population they’re still living in somebody’s house, somebody’s still looking after them, somebody’s paying their own fees, somebody’s feeding them. But in another 10 to 20 years, all these people will be adults’.

‘They are going to have their own families. The demands on the system are going to be so high to meet the needs of the people in Nigeria. Starting from educating the children now and as they grow up having the facilities’.

“We need more homes, we need more cars, more roads, more hospital beds, more schools. We just need more of everything. And all these things have to be built and developed. We have to come up with technologies to do them faster, to do them cheaper’.

‘And these are the kinds of things where we know STEM is very important. And who are the people that are going to do it? In 20 years’ time, I’ll be 80 years old. I am not going to be doing any engineering. I can assure you. And I’ve retired in my house.”

“So, it’s you who’ll be doing the work. So, we have to invest in you to make sure that you’re educated, and you have the right background to be able to develop the country. And that’s why we have to look at things like artificial intelligence, digital technology, automation, renewable energy, biotechnology. These are the sciences of the future.”

Penpushing reports that the number two citizen of the state equally highlighted the economic significance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) -driven innovation.

“Because these are what will make the country grow faster. They will improve the GDP for the country and make sure that we are able to feed ourselves and sustain ourselves. So that’s why programs like this are very important to make you know that going into STEM is not only for yourself. It’s for the whole country. It’s for all of us.”

Penpushing further reports that she advised the students to remain determined and committed to their ambitions, stressing that with determination and commitment nothing can stop them from achieving what they want

“You know, and I want you to go away with that mindset, but nothing can stop you from achieving what you want to be. But if you have determination, if you have the zeal to learn, if you are curious, it will take you further than the most brilliant mind who is not applying him or herself. So, that determination is something that you must not lose. You must remain focused in everything that you do.”

Penpushing also reports that the traditional ruler of Olowu in Abeokuta Oba Saka Matemilola in his remarks encouraged the students to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, describing it as indispensable for Nigeria’s future development.

The royal father who was the Chairman of the occasion, while lamenting the shortage of qualified mathematics teachers in many schools urged students not to approach the subject with fear but with patience and determination.

“And unfortunately, in most of our schools and that’s my experience, we don’t have good teachers in Mathematics. And I think that’s why it’s really difficult for our students to grasp’, he said.

‘But mathematics is something you need to not be scared of. Something you just need to be patient about and determine that it’s something you want to learn because whichever profession you choose, be it art, be it law, be it management, you will require mathematics. And with mathematics you can become Great scientists and can become great engineers as well’, Matemilola stated.

Penpushing reports that the monarch, however, called on government authorities to provide modern facilities and equipment that would enhance effective teaching and learning of science and engineering.

“In some schools across the different local governments here in Uganda state, starting from the central then to the west and to the east to also encourage and facilitate the learning of science and engineering as well. Because I know without these facilities it’s not that easy to really you know push the I’ll let you through to you. But it’s something you just need to keep an open mind at’, he emphasised

Penpushing further reports that Head of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Titilola Aderonke Samuel, speaking with journalists at the event said the initiative was designed to ignite curiosity among girls and encourage them to champion technological innovation in Nigeria.

“We want to encourage girls to know that the stem should not be a scary place. To also fire their curiosity. Because it’s in curiosity that we can have innovation, that we can have things being made, new technology coming up’, Samuel said

‘And finally, to also fire entrepreneurship because really, if we make all that we need to make and we’re not selling, there’s a problem. But the most important thing is to ignite their curiosity. That as girls, the sky is the stepping stone’, he added

Penpushing also reports that Samuel who was the guest speaker, and spoke on the theme “Building a Future-ready STEM Ecosystem in Nigeria,” said the discussion offered insights into emerging career pathways, innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector, and encouraged teachers to nurture students’ curiosity rather than discourage it in the classroom.

“A child is curious. And that’s why I encourage the teachers to please not kill their curiosity. You know, sometimes some curiosities are killed in class. A student asks a question. And then everybody laughs’.

‘Trust me tomorrow that child won’t talk. So, I also encourage the teachers that we should get into the habit of saying no question is a bad question. Every question should be responded to. And just in case we don’t even have the answer’.

‘We are teachers. We are not demi-gods. We can always say, ‘You know what? We’ll discuss this tomorrow after I’ve done a bit of research.’ And I do that in my class, or I ask that we all go do research, and we come back. And we all discuss’.

Penpushing reports that the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Rockcity FM, Dr. Niran Malaolu, earlier in his remarks said the establishment of the Rockcity Centre was aimed at creating fresh opportunities for developing nations to participate actively in the ongoing global technology revolution.

“If you lost out during the revolution we shouldn’t lose out technology based revolution because the Africa was nowhere when industrial revolution was taking place people were making planes aeroplanes they are making a lot of ships and what they feel we were not there But now that you have the chance, people like you are educated, so we want to take your attention on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.’

Penpushing further reports that the veteran journalist advocated increased participation of women in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, stressing that educating women is education a nation

“When you educate a woman, you educate the whole nation. They’re the ones who stay home. Most of the time, we know we’re the children. So, they direct them what to do, what not to do, and what to do’, he stated

Penpushing also reports that Malaolu added that the centre would extend its training and awareness programmes to underserved communities, including rural areas and primary schools, to ensure early exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

“That’s why we are doing this in a school environment. We’re doing it for I mean even the primary school. Yes, we’re going to do that. You see, this is going to be a sustainable program’, he said.

‘You’re going to do it in primary school. In the village. I’m a village boy. You know, so we’re going to go to the village to ensure that they understand this. You see the phone you are carrying; kids were doing it in China because they understand what it means’.

‘But you see it here like a big thing, but to them it’s not. So, that’s what we’re trying to do to ensure that our kids have this understanding, this know-how when they are very small’, Malaolu added

Penpushing reports that among dignitaries present at the event were the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu; Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, and former Commissioner for Health, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo; as well as several other notable personalities.

The event attracted several dignitaries, professionals, and secondary school girls from various schools across Abeokuta, and it served as a platform to discuss the persistent low participation of girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related fields and to encourage young female students to explore opportunities in science and technology.

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