Science and technology is the key to the economic
growth and development of Africa. Yet, the
budget for Nigeria's Ministry of Science and
Technology is about 0.1 percent of the national
budget.
Do you have
any plans to become an American citizen? Or do you intend some
day to return to Nigeria?
This question raises several important questions and brings us back to my current research topic, telepresence or being there without being there.
The more important is: Will the one million Nigerians living abroad ever return to Nigeria?
It is the responsibility of the Nigerian government to entice the one million Nigerians living outside Nigeria to return home and make contributions that will develop Nigeria.
Also, Nigerians abroad should be employed in schools so that their knowledge and skills will be taught to the next generation of Nigerians.
Spending money to recruit skilled Nigerians living abroad will be the best investment Nigeria will ever make from its petroleum revenue.
I live in the United States because I can conduct my research here. Being a researcher is a full time job that requires financial support from the society that will benefit from the fruits of your research.
Science and technology is the key to the economic growth and development of Africa. Yet, the budget for Nigeria's Ministry of Science and Technology is about 0.1 percent of the national budget.
Nigeria needs 4 million well-trained engineers, scientists and technology professionals but has only a few thousands. Many Nigerian engineers has changed their careers to become petty traders in Nigeria or taxi-cab drivers in United States which, in effect, is a brain drain.
The irony of the situation is that lesser trained Americans are sent to Africa to work at twice the pay they would normally make in the United States.
There are 100,000 foreign technical assistants, who cannot speak the local languages nor understand the culture, working in Africa. The European-born coach of the Nigerian soccer team was paid $100,000 a year while Nigerian scientists, medical doctors and professors were paid $1,000 a year.
However, while living in the United States, I will make efforts to contribute to Nigerian society. I can contribute to Nigerian society without residing in Nigeria. Most Nigerian soccer players that won the Olympic gold medals contributed to Nigerian sports while residing in Europe.
For example, 95 percent of my jobs are done over the Internet and telephone. My email address, (philip@emeagwali.com), website (http://emeagwali.com) and lifetime follow-me-everywhere telephone number (443-850-0850) will remain the same for the rest of my life. In fact, you can dial my telephone number on the Internet and speak to me for free. Anybody can reach me within ten seconds and it will not matter what country I live in.
In other words, technology has broken down the barriers of space and time and enables a scientist to reside in one country and work in another.
This telepresence technology or being there without being there will help develop Nigeria.
Click on emeagwali.com for more information.
