NIGERIA's SPACE JOURNEY

The book titled 'Nigeria's Space Journey: Understanding its past, Reshaping its future' by Dr. Adigun Ade Abiodun was launched in Abuja on the 6th of November, 2017. Dr. Abiodun is currently a member of the AU Space Working Group. He was a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Space Science & Technology (2000-2003). He was a post-doctoral fellow at the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing in Ottawa (1974-1976). The book was presented in three Nigerian cities - Lagos (University of Lagos), Abuja (National Universities Commission) and Ile-Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University). For more on Dr. Abiodun, see his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adigun-ade-abiodun-b025bb11b.

At the presentation, I could identify the following:

Dr. Adigun Ade Abiodun - Author
Mrs. Abiodun - Author's wife
Prof. Rafiu Akindele - Nasaraawa State University/Author's childhood friend
Prof. Michael Faborode - Secretary-General of the Committee of VCs of Nigerian Universities
Hakeem Ajijola - Executive Chairman, Consultancy Support Services/Book Reviewer
Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Consultant/Conflict Transformation Expert
Adenike Adeyanju-Osadolor - Publisher, ABBI Books
Representatives of DG NASRDA, Prof. Seidu Mohammed
Representative of the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed
Aliyu Aziz, Executive Secretary, NIMC

 The reviewer of the book, Hakeem Ajijola did a splendid job. By the time he completed his comprehensive review of the 400 page book with interesting anecdotes and experiences he had while working on various projects with the author, I actually got the impression that I had read the book without having done so! The book traces Nigeria's relationship with modern science and diplomacy. There have been many 'missed opportunities' and 'bad' decisions as regards space  technology.

There are six sections in the book, which include: Space in human life, Space efforts in Nigeria, Re-awaking Nigeria, Nigeria's space priorities, and Moving ahead. Indigenous technology should be 'harvested' for space development in Nigeria, rather than 'importing and deploying' foreign technology hook, line and sinker! It was a mistake for Nigeria to have swallowed the bait of 'micro satellite for developing countries' instead of developing such technology from scratch using indigenous knowledge. The bitter lesson learnt from this mistake is that Nigeria's space efforts have not delivered as promised.

Nigeria should focus on downstream space technology and re-jig the curriculum of tertiary institutions in the country to reflect this reality. I (Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa) am particularly interested in the use of space technology for peaceful purposes because I am a conflict transformation expert. Space technology can be used for weather forecast, satellite imagery, agricultural land use, mapping hydrocarbon and other mineral deposit potentials, disaster management, earth observation, remote sensing, geo-scientific ground investigation, etc. In 2007, Dr. Abiodun and I wrote chapters in a book edited by Prof. Bola Akinterinwa (former DG, NIIA). See the references below:

Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa, "Nigeria's satellite technology: Development, peaceful uses and challenges" in Bola Akinterinwa (ed.), Nigeria's National Interests in a Globalising World: Further Reflections on Constructive & Beneficial Concentricism (Ibadan: Bolytag International Publishers, 2007), ISBN 978-978-082-167-8, pp. 80-110

Adigun Ade Abiodun, "Space Enterprise and Nigeria's National Interests" in Bola Akinterinwa (ed.), Nigeria's National Interests in a Globalising World: Further Reflections on Constructive & Beneficial Concentricism (Ibadan: Bolytag International Publishers, 2007), ISBN 978-978-082-167-8, pp. 31-79 

Dr. Abiodun said he wrote the book because he wanted to put on record in a concise and systematic manner his foray into, and 'interventions' in the area of space technology with special reference to Nigeria. A think tank should be set up to constantly advise government at every turn on the right path to pursue as regards space technology. We should learn from the experiences of other countries. It is imperative for us to employ indigenous knowledge vis-a-vis space technology.

Related Links

*Geo-spatial Sciences & Space Law: Legal Aspects of Earth Observation, Remote Sensing & Geo-scientific Ground Investigation in Africa by Dr. Gbenga Oduntan   https://www.mdpi.com/436578
*Covid-19: When evaluators cannot make it to the field, they can always observe from space   https://lnkd.in/d8h76-k   #evaluation  #data