If climate tends to facilitate inventions, what then happens if all nigerians are taken to the west and the west brougth to nigeria?

well to think of it, the introductory techonology textbook we used then defined technology as "the science developed in human community for dealing with our physical and biological enviroment"

lets come to think of it,can we really deals with our physical and biological enviroment when posed with problems such as enviromental negativity or we are in a state of neccesity?

we have encounter and still encountering a lot of techological neccesities today; the most obvious which is electricity supply and fuel.

back then when i was in j.s.s 2, i was going through my introtech textbook and was reading about renewable and non renewable sources of energy.i realised the effect of a world without petrol and petroleum product been as a source of energy . i was marvelled by these and had a forsight on how the world might be without these sources of energy. i took it upon myself to save the world of these calamity and find an alternative or at least a way of producing alternative source(these were in the pre june 12 days. at least we can see how our world would be without these sources). i read so much and was exposed to a lot of scientific knowledge through documentaries, textbooks, magazines e.t.c . i said that when i get into the unversity, i might turn things around, maybe? but is realy disappointed with the way our educational system was designed "read and pass" and no room for research and development for new technologies. i was a little bit fustrated, but thank God, there is an alternative renewable source of energy to address this: the recently discovered biofuel to keep the world running.

i discuss much of these issues with my mates. it became a question that was asked during a lecture class. the proff answered that how can a student who is hungry, thinking to by be thinking of making any research.thinking of how to pay school fees, buy handouts, eat, transport, e.t.c. He gave an insight of the nuclear power energy committe consituted by the Gen Obasanjos military gov. in the 70's which he was part of. Then, he said a circular was sent round to all the senior lecturals in our universities then who matters in the above subject. He said during the inargurations of the committe, official cars was disbursed to the members of the committe and was sweared in into the committe. he said that was the first and the last meeting of the committe. he said most members of the committe were waiting for further directives so that they can swiff into action, but after some of them wrote series of letters to the commissions headquarters with no reply, they are forced with notting but to face their teaching job which they had always been engauged in.

tensor777:

@ajanlekoko

You have to stop flogging this 'dead donkey' called  climatic factors. Actually there is no historical basis for it

First of all civilization and scientific in Europe emanated in the very benign mediterranean area(Greece and Italy).  Areas in northern Europe, until the middle ages were very backward scientificall, culturally and economically.  So harsh was their environment that they used to resort to robbery and plunder of the more advanced southern europe not to mention piracy on the seas.

Technological developments gradually spread northwards and enabled northern europeans to better cope with their harsher winters

Also the point we are making about countries like Brazil and India  is that they have a similar to climate to Nigeria(heat ,humidity,tropical rainstorms) yet they are at the forefront of new technological developments.

Exactly!
I really find these climate arguments diversionary, because we were beginning to look at ways to address the lack of support for science in africa.

Both these guys are intellectual, but strangely, ignored the picture of the Great Zimbabwe I posted earlier - an advanced civilisation in tropical Africa. I could post stuff about Meroe or the Dogon. Also, there wasn't much difference between Africa and Europe by the 16th and 17th centuries.
The truth is, the modern African lacks so much self confidence that we deny even the obvious positives about ourselves with the excuse that they were absent because of climate, religion or other reasons that fail to take the bull by the horns.

Beaf:

Exactly!
I really find these climate arguments diversionary, because we were beginning to look at ways to address the lack of support for science in africa.

Both these guys are intellectual, but strangely, ignored the picture of the Great Zimbabwe I posted earlier - an advanced civilisation in tropical Africa. I could post stuff about Meroe or the Dogon. Also, there wasn't much difference between Africa and Europe by the 16th and 17th centuries.
The truth is, the modern African lacks so much self confidence that we deny even the obvious positives about ourselves with the excuse that they were absent because of climate, religion or other reasons that fail to take the bull by the horns.

Chaps,
I think you miss my point, or debosky's point for that matter. What we are trying to do is understand where it all went wrong for Africa. And how it happened that the rest of the world left us behind. I haven't even said anything about our colonial and post-independence experiences.
When we say climate, we're thinking, maybe the very favourable climate did little or nothing to cause migration in the Lower Niger areas, for example. Migration is a factor in social development, wouldn't you agree?

It would be very difficult to agree that our lack of innovative capacity is merely as a result of an inherited complex. There's really no sociological basis for that, since we Africans, and especially Nigerians, exhibit more than adequate self-confidence, even in our ignorance. It looks more like climate because, climate is definitely a factor that might have promoted the natural excision of sub-saharan Africa from the rest of the world.

Not that the climate made us dumb, unable to understand math or science, or anything like that. Just that, somehow, when the white man showed up here, we were so far behind in terms of infrastructure and socio-political evolution, that capturing us mind and body was a piece of cake, literally speaking. Ever since then, we have never really had a chance to evolve as others did, or even had a chance to force ourselves out of our innate belief system. We like the Western lifestyle, innovation, decadence, but we just can't seem to take it all in. And also, our cultural and behavioural differences always come to the fore when we relate with our forced life-partners (East-West-North-South-South). All of which is one really bad mix at the end of the day.

Beaf:

Also, there wasn't much difference between Africa and Europe by the 16th and 17th centuries.

Are you talking about the same 16th and 17th Centuries, when The Tudors ruled England and Louis XIV was the darling of Europe?
There were already tons of African slaves being shipped to Europe, the Americas, and the Outer Colonies (Jamaica, Barbados, Haiti) at that time. How could Africa have been not much different from Europe? Are you saying that 400 years ago, Africans were stable political entities contesting with Europe for World domination?

The truth is, whatever we were in Africa all those thousands of years ago were a few disparate 'civillizations', very far-flung, and certainly none with any serious expansionist tendencies like the Persian and Roman empires. These 'civillizations' never made it to political entityship, and remained for the most part isolated from the most of the developing world at that time. Which, I say again, made it relatively easy for the European settlers to subdue them, and enslave the greater parts of the population.

one major factors which aided inventions and innovations is education through readings and writting. for many years since the existence of man, the only forms of education that existed is the oral forms of education. the student is apprentised and does on the job trainning. technological inventions and innovation growth itself is slow because the transfer of new ideas from one cultural background to another only involves travellers who moves from one destination of the world to another. people hardly travels back then because many believes just in existence form of living( me, my wives/wife and children and what to eat). those who intend to travel are impeded by the slow and difficult means of transportation, insecurity to their lifes and properties (since back then kidnapping for slavery and rituals is very high). many of the cultural and technological transfer were due to regions which are defeated in wars and colonised. the few exceptions are exchange programs between two kingdoms such as that which the yorubas did to benin by teaching them the act of crafting and moulding.

with the inventions of books, schools, and libraries, knowledge became preserves and easily transported across borders and continents. this is recently doubled with the advent of the internet.
here in nigeria, one major problem we are having is that of co-ordinating our education policies to achieve technological growth and developments. many of our education is championed on obtainning certificate rather than achieveing development and innovations( R&D). many of our universities question are based on what you can pencil down withing the speculated time and not your understanding of the subject. you migth find a lectural repeating the same question every year without even any change in given values for decades, as long as he/she teaches. thats why many student just copy and paste the answers in their question papers and becomes the so called FIRST CLASSES. asked them, please explain these mechanisms for this or that, they cannot do anything about this because , Mr Ajanlekoko is a testimony to this. One of the jobs he got was advertised for a higher school grade, but lluck been on his side, he was called for interview and outshines those with the higher grades.
what i am saying in essence is this, unless we reposition the focus of our education in this country, we are not going to invent a jack or screw.

It is timely and appropriate, in my opinion anyway to move this discussion forward by not flogging dead horse issues like:-

1)climate

2)colonialism

3)geography

and begin to take the bulls  namely:-

1)development of science and technology

2) application of science and technology to the production of goods and services
by their horns.

To tackle the first bull of course would require us to develop a system whereby potential champions in maths and science,of high school age are identified and given the necessary incentives support and encouragement. This could be for example be  by organizing nationwide challenging olympiads in math and science. The ultimate goal being an increase in the number of students who would choose a career in science and technology

To tackle the second bull, I believe is a lot more complex because it would require a massive change in the present value system. It requires the application of the principles of economic wisdom, which is not just an idea but a mega-idea, and which if properly understood and consistently applied would actually catalyse the economic growth of the nation.

What are these principles? they are:-

1)Information is costly but  valuable. (In order for Nigeria to master technological applications, technicians must be prepared to expend their time studying  and using it)

2)Incentives matter.( If you want quality then you must pay for it)

3)Competitive pricing(Export led growth must be based on goods where we have comparative advantage)

4)Exchange of goods and services should lead to mutually beneficial outcomes

5) What is reaped is determined by what is sown

6)Business organizations should avoid incurring unnecessary costs

7) Increase in national economic output increases per capita income

Healthy economic competition leads to efficient allocation of resources

9) Businesses should pay attention to their profit margins.(Proper accounting records enable timely appropriate decisions to be made)

10)There is no free lunch.( If you value something then be ready to pay for it)

As we can see economic wisdom does recognise the interdepence between economics, business, science and technology and accounting and finance.

"

I will stop flogging the 'dead horse' as requested. . . . but at the root of our problems is the general complacency of the 'ruling class' or the docility of the majority in the sense that they are not keen to make innovations in a collective sense, neither have we shown sufficient will to propagate our ideas and actually make an  impact that will be felt worldwide apart from being a source of natural resources.

"

"

@ tensor

the 'spambot' has tagged your posts that's why you can't see them, so don't post the same text again. I have reported to the admin so he will untag it shortly.

Furthermore when business organizations in nigeria actually see the link between technological developments and their improved profit margins then it will be in their own interest to fund research and development.

As we have said this change in mindset will come when they have successfully imbibed and applied the principles of economic wisdom.

The direct answer to the posters question is that invention takes place when there is an economic necessity for it.

As we know the key to successful organic growth of business organizations is being able to identify gaps in the market and then supplying the appropriate good or service at the approriate price which would then fill that gap.

The role of the 'inventor' is to  design and develop the required good or service.

tensor777:

Furthermore when business organizations in nigeria actually see the link between technological developments and their improved profit margins then it will be in their own interest to fund research and development.

As we have said this change in mindset will come when they have successfully imbibed and applied the principles of economic wisdom.

That's a fair assessment. Two problems with that in the Nigerian context, however.
Number one is, the business organizations in question, at least the ones that are technology-dependent in order to produce (oil, manufacturing, telecoms/IT), are largely foreign-owned, and they do all they can to foster a dependency economy. That includes buying government and regulatory agencies, though these days, the regulatory frameworks are busy running their own extortion racket, and do not wait to be bought by any foreign power.
The problem with that? well, it ensures that there is minimal capacity development for locals, and maximised importation of 'expertise'.

Number two is systemic in nature, and it is the whole process of empowerment. First of all, the educational system does not support any form of innovation. Syllabus is obsolete, students and lecturers alike just want the whole degree thing over with, and nobody wants to put their efforts into any kind of idea process. Nigeria is basically set up as a trading post, and most entities do not want to understand technology innovation, and would rather use it as a tool for private and public sector stealing. So, even if you have a really good idea, the problem is how to implement it, and even if you can, who will buy into it?

In non-tech areas, you do see innovation. Look at entertainment and music nowadays. You see the innate creativity, problem is the vehicle to deliver a total package does not exist. E.g. you can have a really good Nollywood script, but it is what people watch at the end that becomes the product. And you need technology to ensure a seamless packaging and excellent user experience. No technology, crap product, in a nutshell.

The first thing we have to recognize is that learning occurs throughout the life of an individual.

The next question is how does the parent or teacher foster and sustain the natural curiousity of the child?

The  answer is rather obvious.

Create excellent learning conditions which incidentally would be able to respond to the child's genuine needs and aspirations

Such learning environments must allow each child to explore and be such that facilitates their inquisitiveness.

Children should be taught respectfully and lovingly as this will enable them to love and respect both themselves and the learning process.

Learning environments must make provisions for self-directed learning and allow them to exercise whatever individual talents they possess

Order, structure and security enhance  successful learning outcomes

A cursory examination of the of the ordinary home or public school in nigeria would reveal the gap between what constitutes an ideal learning envronment and what is presently operating.

Of course it is then the responsibility of leaders at the family, community,local and national levels to ensure that the gap is closed if the nation is serious about meeting current  developmental goals.

AjanleKoko:

First of all, the educational system does not support any form of innovation. Syllabus is obsolete, students and lecturers alike just want the whole degree thing over with, and nobody wants to put their efforts into any kind of idea process.

i agreed with you a 1000%. many students in our tertiary institutions are just thinking how to pass their exams and done with it. many of my course mates do tell me that why do you bother yourself about these things, that after your studies, you can pursue anything you want to purse. But the truth of the matter is that when you are out of school, your job will not really permit you time to be focused on all these things. most organisations will want you to channel all your energy in their production/jobs. i remember during my days with nestle food nigeria limited. then, i was in their generators house. i do have plenty of idle time because the generators dont breakdown that often except during maintenance. i decided to use those idle time to learn something new by reading instead of just sitting down from morning till evenning doing nothing. to my surprise, i was seriously warned by my colleages taht if i am caugth reading, i could be dismissed for it.
in a nut shell, what i am trying to say is that the best time one can sit down to think and innovate is when his brain is vibrants, when he is not overburdenned with so many things. this i believe is when one is still a student in the student in the university. this is the reason why even in foreign countries, they give a lot of grants to their universities to make research for them

Okay.
Enough of reasons why!

One thing we've identified here is that necessity is the mother of invention.
Most of the chaps that have contributed here are, well, engineers. What are you guys working on currently? Are you 'innovating' in any way?
Are you involved in some kind of innovation in your work life?
Would like to hear from y'all.

AjanleKoko:

Okay.
Enough of reasons why!

One thing we've identified here is that necessity is the mother of invention.
Most of the chaps that have contributed here are, well, engineers. What are you guys working on currently? Are you 'innovating' in any way?
Are you involved in some kind of innovation in your work life?
Would like to hear from y'all.

Why did you kill this thread?

agabaI23:

Why did you kill this thread?

Dude,
na question I ask.

AjanleKoko:

Dude,
na question I ask.

Just like Jesus told the stone throwers of Isreal!

agabaI23:

Why did you kill this thread?

mr ajanlekoko never killed the tread. he only post a question that people should strat inventing. but many people could not reply for the same reason that makes engineers, , e.t.cs in this country not to be inventing. it is because it is not easy to stand up one day and say you want to start inventing. those factors that will aid you or motivates you are what we are discussing hre.

lekside44:

mr ajanlekoko never killed the tread. he only post a question that people should strat inventing. but many people could not reply for the same reason that makes engineers, , e.t.cs in this country not to be inventing. it is because it is not easy to stand up one day and say you want to start inventing. those factors that will aid you or motivates you are what we are discussing hre.

The factors that will motivate anyone to invent abound. The problem is that no one thinks about inventing! Everybody thinks the other person should do the inventing!

Well. . . as a matter of fact, innovation is my job. That is, I work in New Product Development, in a telco in Nigeria, and have done so for the last five years.
We don't 'invent' in the real sense of the wod, but we most definitely innovate. New ideas are translated into new services, new revenue streams for the business. It's a really fun job, despite that it is domiciled in Naija.