OGUN- Mr Adewumi Odunnaike, the National Director, Science Olympiad Nigeria, has advised parents to encourage their children to choose science as a career, to raise the next generation of scientists.
Odunnaike gave the advice during the 2025 National Science Olympiad at Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 17 schools across the country registered for the two-day event, organised by the Science Olympiad Nigeria in collaboration with the Covenant University.
He said the programme aimed at inspiring students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Odunnaike stressed the need for the country to change the concept of science and technology.
He noted that many children believed that science was difficult, adding that those scientists who should have inspired these children to choose careers in science had traveled out of the country.
According to him, the social sciences will not give a nation the needed prosperity, noting that it is science and technology that will give the country the technical resources it needs to build prosperity.
“It is important to create a tradition of raising another next generation of problem solvers who are going to be part of the technical workforce of the country.
“That is what we are doing as an intervention to raise the next generation of scientists,” he said.
Odunnaike urged the Federal Government to take the lead in changing people’s perception of STEM and to create initiatives that would encourage the private and public sectors, and everyone to make it a national priority.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Prof. Timothy Anake, urged the Federal Government to invest in impactful research that would drive development through innovation and invention.
Anake, represented by Prof. Obinna Nwinyi, Department of Biological Sciences, said that most transformation that happened in countries were hinged on development, adding that development came from innovation and invention.
He noted that innovation and invention drove change because most countries around the world that had progressed to where they were today, achieved that through impactful research.
“Today, the nation stands at the crossroad of innovation and sustainability.
“We need to collaborate across board to unleash technology that transforms our world,’’ he said.
Anake noted that the world was driving toward sustainability with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Also, Mr Kelvin Doe, a guest speaker, advised the students to provide solutions to local problems affecting their environment.
Doe, an Inventor from Sierra Leone, emphasised the need for them to harness innovation and creativity to actualise their potential because impacting their world could only be achieved through technology.
He enjoined the students to be open-minded and think out of the box to impact their world. (NAN)
