Don tasks polytechnics to promote technology for country’s advancement

Prof. Simidele Odimayo of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, has tasked Polytechnics in Nigeria to promote technology and innovation in order for the country’s advancement.

Odimayo made the call on Tuesday at the opening of 3-day International Conference organised by the Faculty of Applied Sciences of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO).

The conference has as theme: “Global Research for Scientific Impacts on Emerging Trends.”

He said that Polytechnics were identified with goals of technological know-how, and challenged them to come up with discoveries that would bring Nigeria at par with advanced countries.

Odimayo, who was the guest lecturer at the conference, said that polytechnics' were established to achieve great innovation and creations that would meet urgent needs of the society.

The don decried, what he described as, myopic thought on the superiority of university education over polytechnics’.

He said that if polytechnics had taken their rightful place, the toga of dichotomy between them and universities would have been unnecessary.

Odimayo, who is also the Special Adviser on Health to Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said that nations of the world were currently celebrating the fruits of modern technology.

In his remarks, the Acting Rector of RUGIPO, Mr Olorunwa Simon Adegun, eulogised the Faculty of Applied Sciences for sustaining the tradition of academic culture.

Adegun appreciated the visitor to the institution, Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for his giant efforts at repositioning the institution for greater heights.

In his speech, the Dean, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Mr. S.V. Omosuli, explained that the international conference, the second in the series, was to share knowledge, foster collaboration and advance the frontiers of scientific inquiry.

Omosuli added that the conference would reflect the pressing need for innovative solutions to global challenges.

He applauded the efforts of the organising committee and praised the presence of the special advisers, “who in spite of his tight schedules found out time to grace the occasion.”

Also, the Special Adviser on Gender Matters to Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Mrs Olamide Falana, counseled the students to strive to become assets in life.

Falana, who was the chairperson of the occasion, tasked the students to make their lifestyles impactful to their environments.

Supreme News reports that in attendance at the conference were faculty members, lecturers from other institutions and students.