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By Joseph Amedu Lokoja
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Science and Engineering Infrastructure Agency, Khalil Halilu, has urged Nigerian universities to strive to go beyond academics in making their impact on economic and social development.
Khalil made the call while delivering the fourth memorial lecture in honor of the late Eng. Joseph Oyeyani Makoju on Thursday at the Federal University, Lokoja.
Khalil in his lecture titled “Commercialization of Research and Development Projects: Prospects and Challenges” noted that while the nation possesses talent, ideas and institutions, it must now build systems that convert knowledge into economic value.
The guest speaker further noted that commercialization of research and development outcomes remains the missing link in Nigeria’s development equation
According to him “universities must evolve beyond teaching and research to embrace a third mission, achieving economic and social impact through innovation.
“This requires greater industry commitment, application-oriented research and a commitment to concrete results.
“Institutions like NASENI provide a clear path by addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, funding, technical development and industry connectivity.
“Their role highlights the importance of coordinated systems to achieve effective commercialization.
“As we honor Engineer Joseph Oyeyani Makoju, let us pledge to build a Nigeria where research leads not just to publications, but to manufacturing, where ideas translate into industries and innovation leads to prosperity”
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, revealed that the memorial lecture in honor of the late engineer Joseph Makoju remains a key annual ritual in the life of the institution given the importance attached to it.
“The Federal University of Lokoja places so much value on the commemorative conference hence my desire to approve its continuation under my leadership”
He described Dr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu as an accomplished engineer, statesman of technology and a leading advocate of Nigeria’s indigenous science, engineering and manufacturing.
According to him “Under whose leadership, NASENI has been repositioned as a serious vehicle for Nigeria’s technological sovereignty, driving the domestication of engineering innovation, the development of local content in industrial manufacturing and the translation of scientific knowledge into functional national infrastructure.
“We invited you deliberately, not out of courtesy, but because your life’s work is the living subject of all that this conference represents. Your presence honors this occasion immensely, as a declaration that the relationship between the university and the national scientific and engineering establishment is not merely ceremonial but substantive, purposeful, and consequential, and we are deeply grateful.
“The Engineer Joseph Oyeyani Makoju Memorial Lecture holds a dear and permanent place in the intellectual and physical life of this university. We honor the memory of a distinguished engineer, public servant, energy pioneer and a man whose commitment to the Federal University of Lokoja was expressed not only in words but in deeds, through the generous donation of a lecture hall to this institution.
That gift was not simply a building; it was a statement of confidence in the future of this University, in the enterprise of education, and in the young men and women who would pass through its halls for generations to come. We are humbled by that generosity and determined to be worthy of it.
“This lecture series was established in loving memory of the late Engineer Joseph Oyeyani Makoju and his son, and is carried forward with devotion by his family. It is our way of ensuring that his name, his values and his vision of knowledge in the service of Nigeria remain alive and active in this place. To the wife of the late Engineer Makoju and the entire Makoju family here today, I say on behalf of the entire Federal University Lokoja community: we are deeply grateful.
“This University would not be what it is without the investments of people like the Makoju family and we do not take your loyalty and generosity for granted
“The late engineer Makoju understood that Nigeria’s development challenges required practical solutions, not just theoretical elegance. He dedicated his career to making things work; power, infrastructure, industry. He gave this university a lecture hall because he believed in the power of spaces where minds are formed and the future is decided.
This memorial conference, established in his honor and in the memory of his son, is supported by a family that continues to invest in the future of this institution. The best tribute we can pay to this legacy is to ensure that the research produced within the walls that engineer Makoju helped build actually works; that enters the economy, solves problems, creates jobs and advances national development”
Dr Gladys Makoju, wife of the late engineer Joseph Makoju, responding on behalf of the family, revealed that the family will continue to encourage meritorious students through the awarding of scholarships and stimulating creativity and talents at FUL.
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