[color=#990000][/color] I had fun studying physics and  chemistry in secondary school because it all made sense. One thing that still puzzles me is that with all the knowledge of physics and chemistry we never really are able to practicalise things in this country. Can we go to the basics and apply this knowledge for ourselves or we will forever be limited to speaking theoretically? why can't we device our own test equipments and laboratories? must we always have to import things?   , all questions begging for an answer and a solution.

from what i've observed in most schools today, students aint interested in learning the applied part of science they are mostly interested in getting good grades and thereafter forget all that was thought them. example, i have seen undergraduates studying engineering that tell me they just want to graduate and go work in the bank or get a high paying job that has nothing to do with what they studied. I've also seen physics final year undergraduates taking their practical project work to road side crafts men to construct for them. Even the teachers/lectures contribute to this situation, you can imagine a teacher teaching students what he just "crammed overnight". Of course garbage in garbage out. I believe that if Field work and laboratory experience is one of the criteria for employing teachers the situation will get better.

I agree very much with you that it seems the fervor to study and apply the knowledge is really dying out. what I see is so just a crass pursuit of financial gain at whatever cost. It's painful but the truth remains that some still cherish that satisfaction that comes from achieving your purpose and doing things right, I am interested in finding people like that who wish to still chase that dream, there could be some power in numbers when we have people of like minds.

I want to believe you are sure of your interest in developing a real working system from the theories of sciences,, quite interesting!
over years i have discovered what is the joy of applying scientific theories and achieving results.you know ,, what it feels like being the creator of a working system?, i have examples,
let me know what you have done on your part to really convince,not only me,but prospective designers and developers that are reading your write-up.i m quite sure there are so many, in quote, and i can bet you;i am one of them.
also let me know your area of interest and try and give a little bit of introduction to yourself, i believe we should stop weeping but act so as to bring something out of what we were seasoned to do in schools.
i am a mechanical engineer,
my email ;olammy77@yahoo.com

What have I done? not much for a very long time. I just signed off. But I am back to reliving those dreams. I once built a robot structure when I was ten which I was hoping to complete and fabricate. I never got to finish it due to some exigencies, another story in its own rights. Really why am i bringing this up? I just discovered that life at its best is so short. So I want to look beyond my immediate needs and think long term, to do something that I can look back in time and have a smile on my face. Like I said, I am looking for people of like minds and asking what can be done to create a critical mass of people that can push the kind of change that I envisage - a Nigeria where we would be able to unleash and tap the intellectual potentials of people and push ourselves to limits we have not yet reached before. I once read an article describing the real academicians who for the sake of recognition push themselves and seek for new knowledge to be published in top journals for free the only catch being that you must be knowledgeable to appreciate the knowledge they are dispensing else it looks like gibberish to any other layman. One thing I am certain of is that in the search for a solution, we Nigerians are the only one that can help ourselves because we need to know what we really NEED so we can ask the right questions and seek the right help.
What are your own thots on the matter.?

great speech and all, but unless you actively engage yourself scientificaly and actually do experiments you will just be another complaining nigerian. but i think the best way to encourage people to practicalize science is by having science fares or competetions where people showoff their various experiments and inventions

Yes great speech, we only get the necessary motivation when we discuss. hence the reason for this thread, how can we trigger meaningfull competitions that showcases individual ingenuity? can we strategise as a people to encourage one another, to inspire each other to be a better person. Apparently from the trail on this mail itis not really a popular topic, but still we need to push it for people to aspire to use their talents for the greater good and to disccover better ways of doing things. As the first members of our constituency, the responsibility is on us to actually explore our environment so we can tell others of the beauty and gifts that nature has blessed us with.

Thanks for the thought, really, it means a lot.